Kuzak stands firm against capital punishment for a convicted rapist/murderer, despite persuasive arguments that his client will kill again if released pending a new trial. Meanwhile, Becker becomes caught in the middle of his parents divorce action when both his mother and father ask him to represent them against the other and Roxanne eventually rescues him from the mess of this situation. McKenzie indirectly forces Victor to withdraw from an unpopular case in which Victor threatens to quit. Grace hands Mark Gilliam, Appleton's lawyer, new defense grounds for a new trial in the AIDS mercy-killing case. Also, Abby brings a stray dog to work which causes nothing but problems, and Brackman eventually adopts it.

Brackman (recovering from a broken ankle) asks Becker to represent him after his wife, Sheila, serves him with divorce pagers and she retains Becker's former girlfriend and law associate, Lisa Weston, to represent her. Meanwhile, Markowitz feels very jealous after Kelsey wins the court case for Cromwell Industries and the personal appreciation from Mr. Cromwell himself. Judge Hood, a retiring superior court judge, pressures McKenzie for a job at the firm, and Victor uses statistical evidence as he accuses another judge of bigotry for his Hispanic client. Also, Roxanne reluctantly agrees to go out on a date with the insecure Andrew Putnam.