A showcase for the wily, agitating Alan Shore, who badgers a dotty judge; romances Tara, whom he surreptitiously helps in a thorny criminal case; and backs Crane, who's been arrested for solicitation.

While out with Tara, Alan ends up causing a bar room brawl and as a result, becomes arrested for conspiracy to commit assault and battery. Shirley and Denny represent a man whose steakhouse is being put out of business because the public wants to ban red meat for fear of Mad Cow disease.

Chelina asks Alan to assist her in Texas because her former client is getting executed but may be innocent of the crime. An old friend of Denny and Shirley asks them for legal representation when she charged with having sexual encounters for a fee. Lori files a complaint about Denny with Shirley and Paul and they seriously consider doing something about it; especially when they suspect he performed an unethical act on his recent case.

The firm takes on two milestone cases. First, Shirley and Denise represent Christian and Wiccan parents who are outraged by a public school's Halloween celebrations, but the case takes a turn for the worse when the clients begin arguing amongst themselves. Meanwhile, Denny and Alan's friendship is tested when Alan helps Cassie sue the US military for the loss of her brother.

Denny is called to defend a man who raped and killed a 13-year-old girl, but decides he'd rather go to jail than spend his days defending murderers. Meanwhile, Alan must face his fear of clowns and Shirley dumps a bizarre bestiality case on Denise.

After kidnapping a witness and physically assaulting a priest, Brad is put on trial and enlists the help of Denny and Shirley to bail him out.

Meanwhile, Alan's hands are full with his secretary's financial troubles when her credit card company charges ridiculous interest rates putting her $50,000 in debt.

Terminally ill Daniel Post needs Denise and Shirley's help after running afoul of the law. Meanwhile, Alan defends Jerry after his driving habits lead to trouble.

Denny is attracted to feisty lawyer Bethany Horowitz as they try a case against an HMO, and Alan grows more attracted to Shirley as they defend a homeless man accused of cannibalism. Meanwhile, Coho continues his defense of accused murderer Scott Little.

Shirley tackles a case involving a drug remedy for trauma; Alan, Denny and Bethany help a judge who is unhappy with his sexual orientation; and Denise learns she's pregnant, but is unsure of the father's identity.

Denny believes a bet against Carl Sack in a cockfighting case is a sure thing; Alan and Lorraine represent an HIV-positive girl in a suit against her school; a widow hires Katie and Jerry after her husband commits suicide.

Shirley answers the call when a military man, who is an old friend of Denny's, comes under fire for admitting he's gay; Alan endures another bout of incoherent speech; Katie helps a new associate with a bullfighter's custody battle.

Denny needs Alan's help after using an employee's weight as a reason for dismissal; Clarence is upset by an Internet posting of him as Clarice; Katie and Whitney work on a murder case involving racism and the police; and Jerry is anxious about taking a relationship to the next level.

Shirley takes part in a case involving a radio personality's dismissal for using disrespectful language; Denny needs Alan's help after getting arrested; Katie wonders if Lorraine is hiding something.

Shirley's granddaughter gets kicked out of school for making a social statement; Alan and Denny take matters into their own hands to help a flood victim; Carl makes an important decision about his future; Lorraine makes a shocking revelation to Shirley.

After enlisting Alan and Denny to help her friend, who's suing her town for its decision to build a nuclear power plant, Shirley discovers that the opposing counsel is her college sweetheart, a fact that is not lost on Carl Sack. Meanwhile, Leigh warns Katie to steer clear of her boyfriend, Jerry.

Carl helps Shirley's friend Andrea when she blames a company for botching the process of turning her mother's ashes into a diamond; Whitney takes on a high school over a student's untimely death; Clarence represents a woman who's suing her pastor after he ended their affair; Denny and Alan prepare for their Coast Guard test.

Denny is head over heels for a cattle rancher who wants the government to stop the sale of cloned meat. Meanwhile, Shirley asks Alan to sue the Democratic Party when her nephew--a delegate--disagrees with his state's primary vote.

Jerry comes to the aid of his ex-girlfriend when she's collared for prostitution; Carl and Shirley help a woman who's suing the church for prohibiting her from becoming a priest; Denny is wooed by power brokers to run for president.

Alan and Denny mark their acceptance into the Auxiliary Coast Guard, but their relationship is tested when a Massachusetts town wants Alan to help it secede from the U.S., and Denny represents the opposition.

A close call for Denny involving prescription drugs inspires Alan to go after a pharmaceutical company for its unscrupulous advertising tactics. Meanwhile, Carl defends Shirley's 17-year-old granddaughter after she's caught voting illegally, and Jerry and Katie help a girl who was sexually assaulted in a private detention facility.

Denny is arrested on concealed-weapon charges after shooting a man who tried to rob him and Jerry. Meanwhile, a case gets personal for Alan when he tries to help a sex surrogate in a custody battle for her daughter.

Alan and Denny sue the USDA on behalf of a cattle rancher who wants to test her entire herd for mad cow disease; Jerry's consideration to make partner hinges on an up-or-down vote by the firm's panel, which includes Paul Lewiston.

Alan and Shirley help a minor in a legal battle over her pregnancy, and Jerry takes up his own defense when he faces aggravated-assault charges after an encounter with a bully.

When Denny receives bad news about the state of his Alzheimer's, Alan goes before the Massachusetts Supreme Court to plead for access to an experimental drug that could help his condition. Meanwhile, Jerry and Katie try to help a girl get into Harvard after her SAT scores arouse suspicion, and Catherine Piper returns.