April 29, 1992. On the first day of the major L.A. riots, Becker stretches his practice and defends a theme-park employee fired for inappropriate behavior while in costume. Meanwhile, Rollins continues his leave of absence to be elected for City Counsel and canvass the riot torn South-Central district. Mullaney brings Zoey home to his house from the hospital to recover after the shooting. Becker's former secretary, Gwen Taylor, begins her law internship. With the departure of Grace Van Owen, C.J. Lamb, Alex DePalma, Frank Kittredge, and Susan Bloom, the firm hires Daniel Morales, a widower from Santa Barbara, as a partner, and he brings his infant daughter Lucy to work on his very first day. Brackman and Markowitz are caught in the riots when Brackman is falsely arrested for looting while on his way to the wedding chapel, and Markowitz is badly beaten by a mob.

October 29, 1992. Six months after the trauma of the L.A. riots, McKenzie finds himself haunted by a murder case he prosecuted in 1959 of Frank Osgood, and that Morales has reopened the case after another man has confessed to the crime. Meanwhile, Markowitz returns home from the hospital shaky and frightened after his head injuries. Brackman find himself in legal trouble as he tries to fight the new fledgling D.A., the self-assured Dana Romney who's prosecuting him for resisting arrest. An all-new Becker returns from a six-month trip around the globe. Mullaney interviews with the D.A.'s office for a job to relish his renewed relationship with Zoey. Also, Rollins contemplates an caressive new campaign strategy after losing a key endorsement, but may regret it.

Due to the stress of her return to work, Zoey opts to be out of the D.A.'s office and decides to leave L.A., and Mullaney. Meanwhile, Rollins' campaign sinks lower and lower as the election draws near. Becker looks inward to his future, but Roxanne sees just the same old Becker. In jail, Brackman learns about his new life from behind the bars. Markowitz is slow to heal and frustrations set in for him and Kelsey. Mullaney becomes aroused in his first case for the D.A.'s office in prosecuting a man in a child-abuse case, who is being defended by a nun lawyer.