The media harasses Judge Joe Rifkind and a higher judge for the shooting of a rookie police officer who was killed by a young criminal the judge set free. To make amends, Judge Rifkind pays a visit to the father of the rookie police officer who also happens to be one of his former police partners. Assistant DA Bobby Esposito's brother, Frank, is given another chance to stop using drugs, but when he doesn't show up for his flight to the rehabilitation centre, Bobby assumes he's been deceived by Frank again. Meanwhile, Bobby and Cynthia Bennington's relationship heats up despite the one secret Bobby can't bring himself to tell her.

When the mayor's lead in the upcoming primary begins to wane, the press sites Judge Rifkind's ordeal as one of the Mayor's problems. The mayor puts in motion a plan to have Rifkind removed from the bench. In the ADA's office, maintenance removes Bobby's computer so it can be evaluated for misconduct and Cynthia is called into District Attorney Spiegelman's office. Spiegelman wants her to testify against Judge Rifkind for sexual harassment. He claims someone witnessed a harassing remark Rifkind made to her. She denies anything ever happened but is forced to reconsider when threatened that her testimony will keep Bobby out of jail. Meanwhile, Judge Attallah Sims has her own plan for helping Rifkind.

Judge Attallah Sims takes on the establishment when she pursues a conviction against the captain of the narcotics branch, who had refused to put an officer in rehab when he got hooked on drugs. Fatima is slipped a knockout drug at an office party and ends up spending the night with J.J. Attallah finds out she will not be returning as a judge when her term expires. J.J. wins a coveted slot on the joint task force investigating mob ties in the construction industry - only to appear to be on the take with the mob.