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.

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.

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.

When Denny shoots his therapist in self-defense, the senior partners, fed up with his rogue behavior, begin to enact plans to remove him from the firm. Meanwhile, Alan enlists the help of Chelina in a racially-charged case involving a black man being arrested for being in a white neighborhood, and Brad asks Denise to teach him to be a better kisser.

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 finds himself all alone against the firm when he decides to defend Jerry Espenson from charges of attempted murder, torture and terrorist threats. Denise and Daniel Post get closer as Daniel second chairs a case against parents who are constantly harassing their daughter's teacher. Meanwhile, Paul is worried about the impact Denny's pending nuptials may have on the firm.

Paul recruits Denise to help him defend a cancer patient who used his wealth to guarantee he would not get a placebo during a drug study. Meanwhile, Alan goes too far in trying to convince the senior partners to promote "Hands" to partner, and Denny finds himself falling in love with a woman he meets at a charity event.

Alan fields a difficult request from Shirley after her father suffers an injury while in the late stages of his battle with Alzheimer's; Carl represents a group of Nantucket residents who are concerned about homeland security; Jerry's new girlfriend sues him for sexual assault.

Alan and Denny defend brothers charged with murdering their father; and Jerry and Clarence represent a woman with enormous gambling debts who blames her misfortune on a casino.

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.

The Kelly Nolan trial continues, but Alan, Denny and Brad run fear the worst when Kelly's cold demeanor begins to turn off the jury. Meanwhile, Garrett and Sara are enlisted to help Denise in her divorce settlement and Malcolm convinces Tara to represent Johnny Damon, Edwin Starr's nephew, whose performance of War strikes a nerve at a nightclub.

After an old girlfriend hires Alan to help her husband beat a murder charge, he faces a moral and professional dilemma when his lingering feelings for her elicit a secret desire for a conviction.

Name partner Edwin Poole returns from a mental institution to Crane, Poole and Schmidt, ready to jump back in, but Shirley has reservations when he decides to sue a candy company. An A.D.A. with a grudge against Alan brings charges, accusing him of advising his client to flee when a guilty verdict was inevitable. Meanwhile, Brad and Denise decide where to take their relationship.

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 in LA, Alan takes on the case of TV star Courtney Rae, who is arrested after shooting a photographer who she mistakes for a stalker. But Denny and Barry make life difficult when they won't stop making sexual advances toward their client. Meanwhile, Denise resorts to underhanded tactics to eliminate Marlene from the picture, but the plan backfires when she is caught by Paul. And Brad enlists Shirley's help in trying to persuade the judge in his niece's trial to lower the sentence.

A Sudanese native wants to sue the U.S. government for the lack of action taken against the mayhem happening in his country and Paul looks to Lori to take the case. Founding partner Shirley Schmidt arrives with a mission to bring order to the firm. While making herself known, she has to deal with Denny who does not wanting her there, help with Lori's extremely high profile case, and learns that she has to keep her eye on Alan. Alan ends up defending a man who killed his mother in a fit of rage but by accident.

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.

The past comes back to haunt Denny when a vengeful man forces the firm to find a different outcome in a decades-old murder trial. Meanwhile, Alan is jailed for contempt of court while defending a prostitute.

When the FBI's hands are tied with red tape, Brad helps Denise go undercover as a rogue agent in order to find a missing boy who is close to her heart. But when legal and ethical roadblocks appear, they must make some difficult decisions. Meanwhile, Denny's nonchalance regarding the use of firearms becomes a real concern for the other senior partners when he shoots a homeless man in the head with a paintball gun.

Alan and Denny defend a drug company that is being sued by a woman who states they provided false reasoning when they took her off of an experimental pill that was a possible cure for her sickness. Alan and Denny discover a shocking secret that could make or break their case and because of that, they become at odds with each other on how to proceed. Lori discovers that Tara's new information for their case would win it for them, but the way she retrieved it could cost them their case and their careers. Lori learns a secret about Brad.

Lori and Brad defend a woman who is accused of murdering her husband and his mistress while they were in bed together. Alan's life is endangered when he helps a woman whose ex-husband plans to kidnap their children.

Self-proclaimed patriot Denny needs Alan's assistance when his name shows up on a federal no-fly list; Shirley and Vanessa help a teacher in a wrongful-death suit after a student dies in class; Clarence adds another identity to his repertoire of characters.

A civil-rights issue hinges on the casting choice for a version of "Annie"; a child-custody battle turns ugly; an adultery case involves Crane.

Denny takes Alan to Nimmo Bay, British Columbia, Canada, to help him get over his breakup with Tara. Catherine confesses to Bernard's murder. Sara and Garrett take extreme measures to help Denise challenge her husband's alimony demands in their divorce proceedings.

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.

Alan goes to New Orleans to help a New York attorney with the defense of a doctor on trial for euthanizing five patients during Hurricane Katrina. Meanwhile, Clarence is thrown out of an all-female gym, and Coho tries to woo Denise.

After meeting Irma for a date, Alan finds himself defending her when she is charged with a sex crime by protesting topless. Meanwhile, Denise finds it difficult to remain close to Daniel when he invites her to his own funeral, and Garrett faces his toughest challenge yet when Catherine invades his office.

Denny once again goes head-to-head with his non-son, Donny, when he shows up in his new role as a Lawyers Without Borders representative. But Alan finds it difficult to support Denny's defense when Denny makes light of the case. Meanwhile, Marlene Stanger, known as "The Squid," is hired at the firm, and immediately attracts Alan and repels Denise.

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.

Alan Shore and Brad Chase represent Kelly Nolan who is on trial for poisoning her husband. Meanwhile, Tara Wilson second-chairs for Shirley Schmidt and is shocked to find that the opposing counsel is her former lover, Malcolm Holmes. Garrett Wells and Sara Holt assist Denise Bauer on a case where a Jewish man felt violated when his Christian co-workers held Bible readings in the workplace. To make things worse, Denise is served with divorce papers.

Carl and Denny go to Virginia to defend a prison guard who shot a death-row inmate when a lethal-injection execution was botched. Meanwhile, Alan and Shirley help a woman who says she lost her job after voting for John McCain.

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.

A cop killing centers on a haughty defendant, reluctantly represented by Lori and zealously by a firm veteran, who has been a patient in a mental facility. Meanwhile, Shore plays hardball with a witness in a shoplifting case involving a kleptomaniac CEO.

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.

Alan once again goes to bat for Melissa, this time with much less confidence, who is in serious trouble with the IRS. Meanwhile, Paul and Brad enact a plan to help Rachel get into rehab, and Denise re-enters the world of dating with disastrous results.

Shirley and Alan face off in court when they're on opposite sides of a case involving stolen sperm; Jerry helps his objectophile ex-girlfriend when she loses her teaching job for inappropriate contact with a student.

Milton Bombay is asking the courts to allow him to be frozen until another century so he can continue his legacy of being a great lawyer and needs Denny and Shirley to defend him. Alan and Chelina defends a high school student who accuses his teacher of censorship when he blocks out a news station on the school's televisions.

Alan and Denny defend a man charged with murder after he euthanized his wife with Alzheimers. Meanwhile, long-lost family members return when Shirley's ex-husband asks her to be "best man" at his wedding and Paul tracks down his estranged daughter.

Denny is arrested for illegally exporting human fat to be used as a fuel source; Clarence tries his first case--a homicide--with the help of Bethany and Paul; and a member of the firm leaves.

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.

Alan decides to help Jerry with his first big attempted-murder case, but has to take drastic action when Jerry's courtroom outbursts jeopardize the case. Meanwhile, Shirley is shocked to discover that Ivan has yet to inform Missy that they are "divorced," and Brad becomes uncomfortable with a reoccurring word in his new relationship.

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.

A new lawyer at the firm draws instant attention from Alan, who is busy helping Jerry and Katie on a murder trial and fielding an offer from Gloria to be the father of her child. Meanwhile, Clarence and Lorraine represent a woman whose affair with her pastor resulted in a loss of her faith.

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.

Crane Poole & Schmidt's new lawyer makes his mark while defending a man charged with killing a judge. Meanwhile, Denny's Internet romance creates trouble at the firm, and Alan helps a cross-dresser who's out of a job.

Alan represents a mother fighting for custody of her preteen daughters, who happen to be white-supremacist singers; a woman reaches for the heavens to blame someone for her husband's death by lightning strike; a girl wants to be emancipated from her family; and Shirley and Alan's wager becomes public at the office Christmas party.

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.

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.

Lori, along with Denny and Shirley, defends a school superintendent who fired two science teachers because they refused to teach creationism and is now being sued by them. Alan learns his assistant has expressed concern about their work relationship. While dealing with that issue, Alan discovers that his client Bernard Ferrion, who killed his mother, needs legal help again. One of the members of the firm is fired and learns that a close associate is not too keen on lending a supportive hand.

Alan tries two different cases, including the defense of a therapist who was fired for his belief in UFOs. Meanwhile, Clarence is confused by Claire's dinner invitation; and Bethany tries to bring out Denny's spiritual side.

Shirley covertly asks Alan for help when nude photographs of her surface for auction. Paul sends Brad in undercover when he suspects his daughter is once again using drugs, and Denny is inspired by a case involving self-defense electrocution.

Alan and Denny defend an unscrupulous lawyer accused of obstructing justice on behalf of his brother. Meanwhile, interoffice couples Brad and Denise and Claire and Clarence each deal with major relationship revelations; and Denny practices the positive-thinking philosophy known as "the secret" in order to wish Raquel Welch into his life.

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.

Shirley defends a long-time client who doesn't want his Victorian erotica collection lost in his divorce, but she is shocked when Ivan is opposing council. Alan takes drastic steps to help Catherine's friend who is being taken advantage of in a nursing home. Meanwhile, Paul cuts back on his time at the firm when Fiona begins to take priority, causing worry among the other partners.