The harsh rulings of arrogant judge Armando Acosta (Edward James Olmos) are infamous. His unmerciful sentence for an abused wife charged with the murder of her husband—the latest client of idealistic attorney and longtime adversary Paul Madriani (Chris Noth)—is proof of that. But when Acosta is falsely charged with soliciting a prostitute, the judge must turn to Madriani for a savvy defense.