...and justice for all.

Kirkland punches Judge Fleming during a hearing over Jeff McCullaugh's case. McCullaugh was stopped for a minor traffic offense but mistaken for a killer of the same name, and had already spent a year and a half in jail without being convicted. When Fleming refuses to consider McCullaugh's late appeal, Kirkland attacks him in frustration, resulting in his arrest for contempt of court.

The confrontation establishes the hostile relationship between Kirkland and Fleming that later becomes central to the story.

Judge Fleming blackmails Kirkland with an old violation of attorney-client confidentiality. If exposed, Kirkland would likely be disbarred. Fleming calculates that having the person who publicly hates him argue his innocence will actually help his defense, as it will appear more genuine to the jury.

Fleming's manipulation of Kirkland sets up the ethical dilemma that defines the film's climax.

Agee is a young black cross-dresser arrested for robbery who has a deep fear of being misgendered and of being sent to a male prison. Kirkland entrusts a partner to present a corrected probation report that would have secured him probation instead of jail time. The partner forgets to submit the report, Agee receives jail time, and he commits suicide within thirty minutes of the sentencing.

Agee's fear of male prison was established early in his case, making his suicide a tragic consequence of system failure.

McCullaugh, who has spent a year and a half in jail for a crime he may not have committed, is sexually and physically assaulted by other inmates during his prolonged detention. He eventually snaps and takes two hostages. Kirkland pleads with him to surrender, promising to help, but a police sniper shoots and kills McCullaugh when he moves in front of a window.

McCullaugh's wrongful imprisonment and mistreatment build throughout the film, foreshadowing his violent breakdown.

Rayford is a Korean War veteran who displays borderline suicidal behavior throughout the film. He keeps a rifle in his chambers and an M1911 pistol in his shoulder holster. He eats lunch on a ledge outside his office window four stories up and takes Kirkland on a helicopter ride specifically to test how far he can fly before running out of fuel. His reckless behavior stems from psychological trauma and possible suicidal ideation.

Rayford's volatile temperament and near-suicidal tendencies are established early, foreshadowing his emotional breakdown during the trial.

During his opening statement, Kirkland unexpectedly tears into Fleming, calling him a "son of a bitch" and stating he should "go right to fucking jail." This appears to be Kirkland's way of exposing the truth while maintaining his professional obligation to defend Fleming. He tells the court that prosecutor Bowers will not convict Fleming because he, Kirkland, will. Kirkland knows Fleming is guilty and uses the trial as a platform to publicly condemn him, knowing this will likely result in his own disbarment.

Kirkland's earlier discovery of photographs proving Fleming's guilt sets up this dramatic courtroom confrontation.

Jay Porter, Kirkland's partner, experiences a moral crisis after one of his guilty clients kills two children following an acquittal. Guilt-ridden and drunk, he arrives at Kirkland's apartment and shaves his head believing it will make his hair grow back thicker. He then has a violent breakdown in the courthouse, throwing dinner plates at people in the hallway before being taken to a hospital. The breakdown represents the psychological toll of defending guilty criminals.

Porter's guilt over previous acquittals was established earlier in the film, building toward his emotional collapse.

Agee is a cross-dresser with a fetish for being correctly gendered. He lives in terror of being sent to a male prison where he would be misgendered and potentially face violence. This vulnerability makes the court's failure to consider his corrected probation report even more tragic, as probation would have avoided placing him in that situation.

Agee's fear is established early, making his suicide an emotionally logical consequence of receiving a jail sentence.

Fleming threatens to expose an old violation of attorney-client confidentiality that Kirkland committed. If this violation became public, Kirkland would almost certainly be disbarred and lose his law license. Fleming uses this leverage to force Kirkland to defend him against rape charges, calculating that Kirkland's obvious disdain for him would make the defense more convincing to a jury.

The blackmail explains why Kirkland takes on a case he clearly objects to morally.

After publicly accusing Fleming in court and being dragged out, Kirkland sits on the courthouse steps exhausted, knowing his actions will result in disbarment. His friend Jay Porter passes by on his way back to work, tipping his wig to Kirkland in a gesture of solidarity. Kirkland achieves a form of personal and moral victory by exposing the guilty judge, but at the cost of his legal career.

The ending reflects the film's theme of personal integrity versus systemic corruption.

Kirkland confronts Fleming with photographs showing him engaged in bisexual BDSM with a prostitute. After seeing the evidence, Fleming admits to Kirkland that he is a rapist. This admission confirms what Kirkland already suspected and drives his decision to publicly betray Fleming during the trial.

The photographs provide the concrete evidence Kirkland needs to confirm his client's guilt.