Frank Galvin, once a promising lawyer, now finds himself entrenched in self-destructive practices as an ambulance chaser. His fortunes change when he receives a medical malpractice case from his former partner, Mickey Morrissey. This case seems foolproof: a young woman has been left in a comatose state after being anesthetized during childbirth at a Catholic hospital, only to tragically choke on her own vomit. The woman's family hopes to secure a settlement that will assist in her ongoing care. Upon his first encounter with the victim, Galvin is deeply affected, grappling with both his emotions and the weight of the case.
As he navigates the intricacies of the trial, the Catholic diocese offers a settlement of $210,000 (an equivalent of about $675,000 today), which Galvin surprisingly turns down, opting instead to take the fight to court. This shocking move leaves everyone—both opposing counsel and the judge—taken aback. Amid his chaotic preparations, he meets Laura Fischer at a local bar, where an intimate bond begins to form.
However, Galvin's journey is far from smooth. The opposing lawyer, Ed Concannon, leads a formidable legal team adept at swaying public sentiment. Tensions escalate when the comatose woman’s brother-in-law confronts Galvin with wrath after discovering the rejected settlement offer. Matters grow worse as Galvin's medical expert mysteriously vanishes, leaving him to grapple with a last-minute replacement whose credentials are dubious at best. Compounding the challenges is a lack of willing testimonies from operating room staff, all reluctant to admit that any negligence took place.
As the trial unfolds, Judge Hoyle confronts Galvin, threatening disbarment in a private meeting. Galvin retorts by branding the judge as merely a puppet of the local political elite, one who was unsuccessful in practicing law himself. Undaunted, Hoyle refuses to grant Galvin's mistrial request, issuing a warning about potential arrest. Fueled by frustration, Galvin storms from the courtroom, grappling with the mounting pressures.
Determined to pursue justice, he becomes fixated on Kaitlin Costello, an admitting nurse, after a seemingly innocuous question on her report catches his eye: "When did you last eat?" This curiosity leads him and Morrissey down an unexpected path, revealing that Kaitlin has transitioned to being a preschool teacher in New York City. However, just when Galvin's hopes begin to rise, Morrissey discovers that she is receiving payment from Concannon for inside information, a betrayal that shatters trust and culminates in an altercation between Galvin and Laura at a bar.
As the courtroom exchanges intensify, Morrissey suggests filing for a mistrial due to Concannon’s ethical breach, but Galvin opts to continue the fight. When Kaitlin finally takes the stand, her testimony contradicts the patient record, stating the nine-hour gap since the last meal before admission. Concannon’s incredulity is palpable as he questions the validity of her claims. In a dramatic turn, Kaitlin discloses that she had made a photocopy of the initial record just hours before being coerced to modify it by higher-ups, who threatened her job if she did not comply. Although Concannon raises objections citing the original record as authoritative, Hoyle permits Kaitlin to continue her testimony.
The courtroom is rocked when Kaitlin exposes that the anesthesiologist had admitted to neglecting the patient’s notes, opting to administer general anesthesia despite the woman having eaten shortly before the procedure. This critical error resulted in the woman's tragic choking incident, which only became evident to the anesthesiologist once he recognized the catastrophe he had caused. Under duress from his superiors, he had threatened Kaitlin into fabricating the records.
After Kaitlin's dismissal, Concannon repeats his objections based on the original hospital records. Hoyle concurs and removes Kaitlin's testimony from the proceedings, leaving the plaintiff's case in disarray. As the courtroom empties, a diocesan lawyer praises Concannon's performance to a bishop, who appears skeptical about the complete validity of Kaitlin's account.
Despite the odds stacked against him, Galvin delivers a heartfelt closing statement, pouring every ounce of effort into the performance for his clients. In a surprising verdict, the jury rules in favor of the plaintiffs, and the foreman inquires about the possibility of awarding additional compensation beyond what had been asked.
As he leaves the courtroom feeling triumphant, Galvin catches a glimpse of Laura across the atrium, her gaze filled with a blend of admiration and yearning. That evening, while she enjoys whiskey in her office, an unexpected distraction causes her to spill her drink as she anxiously retrieves her phone. Filled with urgency, she dials Galvin's office, but her call goes unanswered, leaving her alone with her thoughts.
