A teenager is cajoled by a friend to rob a convenience store for kicks, but when the friend pulls a gun on the store's owner, everything takes a turn for the worst. Once arrested, the friend claims he wasn't the one with the gun, and the innocent teen is charged with robbery in the first degree. Legal Aid Attorney Ramon Rodriguez mishandles the case because he was having a tryst with an assistant district attorney and didn't have time to prepare. He puts both the teenager's life and his marriage to Cassandra in jeopardy. Meanwhile, Bobby and Cynthia reconcile.

Charlie the bridge man asks Judge Rifkind to be tough on his son, who was arrested for drunk driving. Having cleaned up his act, Ramon and his wife plan another child. J.J. and Ramon are pitted against each other in a case involving kids who set fire to a homeless man, while Rifkind and Sarah try to cope with the presence of his daughter in their lives.

ADA Supervisor Michelle Grande convinces Cynthia and Bobby to take the case of a homeless man accused of setting a fire that cost a fireman his life. Acting DA, Gil Byrnes takes Julia Brooks off the case after she plea-bargained with Cynthia and replaces her with J.J., who is told to seek the highest possible sentence. J.J. sees this as another chance to climb the ladder and is ruthless in the courtroom. Despite a compelling closing argument that Bobby gives to Cynthia, they lose and the man is found guilty.

Ramon defends a teenager accused of horrible gay bashing. The teen insists he's innocent. Ramon tries to cop a deal with the Assistant D.A. for a lesser charge only to discover that he may have been manipulated. Rebecca moves out of the Rifkind home to take a job at a health spa in Baja. Bobby decides to quit his job as an investigator, which may end his relationship with Cynthia. Acting D.A. Byrnes takes J.J. under his wing and offers to be his mentor. Desperate to score more drugs, Fatima breaks down in Michelle Grande's office. Ramon's wife goes into labour and while in the waiting room meets a gay man whose lover is dying.