Join or Sign In
Sign in to customize your TV listings
By joining TV Guide, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy.
22 Episodes 2011 - 2011
Episode 1
54 mins
As the staff of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions prepare for their 1930's-themed office Christmas party, Senior Crown Prosecutor Janet King and Solicitor Lina Badir anxiously await the jury's verdict in the case of Billy Evans for murdering his friend Simon Grady. Solicitor Erin O'Shaughnessy feels disillusioned by the decision not to proceed with the case against a man accused of raping a physically disabled woman, due to the fact that the victim is unable to verbally communicate. Meanwhile, a highly sensitive file containing explosive allegations against the Attorney General, Nicholas Quinn, lands on DPP David Sinclair's desk. He refers the file to Janet for her consideration as to how they should proceed, and she asks Solicitor Ben McMahon to prepare a summary. She cautions Ben as to the sensitivity of the file, but he promptly shares the file's contents with all the other junior Solicitors. Solicitor Tatum Novak antagonises Managing Solicitor Tracey Samuels by belittling her Christian faith, something she may come to regret, as Tracey plays favourites and controls the allocation of files. The Crownies rub shoulders with their colleagues, barristers and judges at their party. Ben takes judge's associate Julie Rousseau as his date, and they end up back at the DPP's office ordering pizza and having sex on Sinclair's desk. Solicitor Richard Stirling reports to his crush, Tatum, that her boyfriend Con is snorting cocaine in the toilets. Her anger with him turns to joy when he proposes outside the hotel. Erin flirts with journalist Jimmy Butcher, who has turned up at the party uninvited. She gets drunk and wakes up the next morning with no memory of what happened the night before. We discover that Lina is having a secret relationship with Police Detective Andy Campbell. The following day, Janet and Richard attend a pre-trial conference in a matter where the defendant argues that his aggression was due to a genetic abnormality. Meanwhile Tatum impresses Lina by using her extensive network of contents to prove how Billy Evans created a false alibi for himself in the murder of Simon Grady, but it is now too late to bring the evidence before the court. As Janet and Sinclair discuss the matter in his office, he receives an email alerting him to the fact that the contents of the Quinn file have been leaked in an article written by Jimmy Butcher. Janet is devastated as her comment on the file "We could proceed, but do we want to?" has been latched onto by the press. The five junior solicitors are rounded up and questioned, as their swipe cards show that they have all been into the office after hours on the previous night and thereby had the opportunity to leak the file. The jury finally returns in the Evans trial, and he is found guilty, vindicating Janet's decision to proceed to trial.
Episode 2
54 mins
David and Janet are faced with a high-profile scandal when two parliamentary cleaners accuse the Attorney General of drugging and raping them. Ben, Lina, Erin, Richard, Tatum are the only ones with access to the file and when it is leaked to a journalist on the night of the DPP Christmas Party, the resulting media feeding frenzy puts them and their secrets under the spotlight. Tatum is ready to dump Conrad for bringing cocaine to the party, until he asks her to marry him. Lina and Janet attempt to convict a cold-blooded, teenage murderer whose online demon avatar appears to provide a convincing alibi. Erin struggles to not get emotionally involved in the case of a disabled teenager, allegedly pimped by her father to a fellow truckie. Richard's first day in court is a series of disasters topped by his burqa-clad witness storming out and Tatum discovering that he's been sleeping in the office. When Tatum invites Richard to live at her flat, Conrad is far from pleased. Ben's dinner with his grandfather almost ends in violence, when his grandfather confronts an aggressive driver over a disabled parking space. Secret lovers, Lina and Andy, argue over the gruesome murder of Ray Stone by the 'Boltcutter Babes' - a case that will leave Erin questioning what justice really means.
Episode 3
54 mins
Ben is devastated when his grandfather Alfred is killed - brutally assaulted and left to die over a parking space dispute by the other driver, Cooper. Ben is angry when he finds out that Tony and Richard have been given the brief. When Ben fails to identify the culprit in a line-up, Richard is left with scant evidence to press the murder charge. But the discovery of a deleted app on Cooper's phone gives them enough to prosecute. External barrister Rhys Kowalski is brought in for the Stone/Mervich case, and chooses Erin over Lina as his instructing solicitor. Tatum listens to wire-taps for the Hammel drug case. However, a potential lead turns out to be an embarrassing misunderstanding. Lina clashes with her brother Tariq over his behaviour. He in turn accuses her of abandoning her Islamic roots. Conrad is jealous of Tatum's friendship with Richard - until she tells him that Richard is gay.
Episode 4
55 mins
Erin finds herself digging deeper into the Stone/Mervich case. Discovering harrowing evidence of the physical abuse the sisters suffered at the hands of Ray Stone, Erin is forced to question her own principles. Despite prosecutor Rhys' insistence that she look at the case objectively, she wonders whether prosecuting against such battered women is unjust. Lina's personal and professional lives intersect when Tariq gets in trouble with the police. Her brother's activism forces her to examine her own Islamic identity. Still recovering from his grandfather's death, Ben gets back to work on an emotionally testing case: the accidental death of a child left in a car by his parents. The DPP is put into an awkward position when an elderly computer expert comes forward having skimmed hundreds of thousands of dollars off subscribers to a hardcore porn site - his real intention being to generate publicity for his anti-pornography campaign. Tatum is shocked to discover that Richard is not gay - but insists that her boyfriend Conrad never finds out.
Episode 5
53 mins
Tatum deals with a case of criminally transmitted HIV, and discovers that the area is a legal and social minefield, meanwhile Janet is back to work on a case of a woman smothering her two sons, and is forced to question the woman's mental state.
Episode 6
54 mins
Tatum's thrilled to be working with Janet on a case of sexual assault on a minor, but is disappointed when Richard is put on the case as well. A handsome former PE teacher Matt March who had a three year affair with a student, claims the fifteen-year-old made the whole thing up. But when Tatum learns the girl loves March and doesn't feel exploited, she begins to harbour doubts about the case, much to Richard's disbelief. Ben is assisting solicitor to a drunken, unravelling Tony Gillies on a high profile murder case. Tracey warns him that Tony is liable to fail spectacularly, but Ben's only seeing what this high profile case will do for his career. As predicted, Tony stumbles in court and flees, leaving Ben in the lurch, and Ben loses his temper calling Tony a disgrace. But he's forced to come to Tony's rescue when David tells him the reason behind Tony's torment. Richard is still homeless, and unable to oust his disabled tenant. After a terrible night in a hostel, he visits the house to discover that his tenant is able bodied and obnoxious. But forcing the tenant out has serious consequences. Andy confronts Lina about bringing their relationship out in the open, and discovers that she is worried he is not a Muslim, even though she is not a practising Muslim herself.
Episode 7
54 mins
Richard prepares a witness for a trial a store owner shot by a meth junkie. But the witness, Tina Chang is refusing to give evidence in court. Torn between doing his job and his instinct to protect her, Richard's finds that something darker lies at the heart of Tina's trauma. A clever ploy by Janet gets Tina to testify, but an accident outside the courtroom leaves Tina hospitalized, and Richard racked with guilt. Erin finds that the Stone/Mervich case is complicated when a jury finds Heather-Marie not guilty by reason of mental impairment, leaving Joanne to stand trial alone. As the effects of pregnancy kick in, Janet feels the strain at work, and is forced to confess the truth to Erin. Lina makes a surprising friend in Paula Corvini after they tussle over the case of a man who drunkenly tattooed a giant penis on his friend's back. Meanwhile, the war between Tracey and Tatum escalates - and Atticus is caught in the crossfire.
Episode 8
53 mins
Janet steps in for Tony to prosecute Ben's grandfather's murderer Cooper. Richard, acting as her instructing solicitor, is nervous and tells Ben they've got it in the bag. Ben is not only under pressure from his father, Geoffrey, who wants to see a conviction at all costs, but he also has to convince Janet he'll make a good witness, after failing to identify the defendant in a line-up. To make matters worse Ben discovers that Justice Rosenberg is listed as the trial judge, which means Julie the judge's assistant, will be sitting on the trial too - a dangerous scenario, given that they're sleeping together. As the trial gets under way, Janet is faced with one obstacle after another - not the least of which is Richard's mobile ringing in the middle of proceedings. But Richard identifies Cooper's mate, Mozza, as the weak link, and he eventually cracks under Janet's cross-examination. Janet and her partner Ash - who for the first time we learn is a woman - get the ultrasound of their unborn child. When Tracey finds the image on Erin's desk, she jumps to the wrong conclusion, treating it as evidence that Erin is having an affair with Rhys. After a celebratory party at his newly reclaimed flat, the roof falls in, forcing Richard to move back in with Tatum.
Episode 9
54 mins
Lina works a drugs case involving undercover cop, Adam, who's been living with a Vietnamese heroin gang for three years. He is shaken by his experiences and Lina fears he may be suffering from PTSD, and prove an unreliable witness. But after Tony opens her eyes to the real reason behind Adam's edginess, Lina's witness goes AWOL. Erin deals with a bizarre mistaken identity rape case: a woman who wilfully slept with the wrong blind date. Erin is faced with a tricky decision of whether this is indeed rape. As she drowns her sorrows, she once again succumbs to Jimmy Butcher's charms, and once again, wakes up regretting her lack of judgement. Preparing for the sentencing of a psychopath, Richard uses the services of psychologist Dr. Amelia Ward, a very sexy older woman. Having borrowed Conrad's suit for his court appearance, Richard enjoys the older woman's advances, and after a successful prosecution, they return to Richard's office and have sex. But when Richard returns home rather dishevelled and grinning like a Cheshire cat, Conrad's confused over Richard's sexual orientation. Ben is up before Judge Rapson, who has a peculiar habit of consulting his duck umbrella handle during cases. But a neat piece of advice from Julie helps Ben play him right.
Episode 10
54 mins
Erin finds it increasingly hard to keep working on the brutal Stone/Mervich murder case as bloody images keep seeping into her waking and dreaming life. So when Rhys suggests she drive with him to view the crime scene, she's terrified, and tries to hand over the case. Janet gives her an ultimatum, and Erin concedes to go out to the farmhouse with Rhys. But when she gets there, it all proves too much, and she collapses. When she regains her composure, they share a drink and a meal at the local pub which leads to a close encounter in a motel swimming pool. Meanwhile, David is furious that he's also under suspicion for leaking the file on the Attorney General and reacts to taunts that he isn't man enough to prosecute. David rises above it, but later requests a copy of the file from Tracey. What he sees will force a big decision onto the DPP. Janet and partner Ash head to the doctor for a pregnancy check up, and discover they are having twins. But they also told that a scan has shown the slight possibility of profound foetal disability in one of the twins, leaving the couple split on this life-changing decision. Tony and Tatum are pushed together on a mercy killing/medical murder case, where the husband of a woman suffering from motor neurone disease believes she was murdered by a deliberate overdose of morphine.
Episode 11
54 mins
With the Stone/Mervich case coming to a close, relations between Rhys and Erin are more strained than ever. To their surprise, their prosecution of the case is successful and Joanne Mervich is found guilty. David rewards Rhys by appointing him prosecutor on the case against the Attorney General. For Erin it's a hollow victory, as she empathised with the woman convicted of killing her brutal partner. And then when she wakes up next to colleague Ben after a night drowning her sorrows, things go from bad to worse. Detective Dylan Thorne brings a disturbing new case to Lina: the death of a young boy Jake Gardiner, victim of strangling asphyxiation whilst play-wrestling with his elder brother Max. What seemed like a straightforward accident takes a sinister turn after their younger sister Ella tells her teacher how Max laughed after killing Jake. Richard and Tatum are working together on a teenage scrag-fight brief, but he's getting no peace at home while staying on her couch. Tatum and Conrad are engaged in a lovers' tiff and Conrad consults Richard for help in how to solve it. Richard organises a glamour photo session for the lovers and Tatum thinks it was Con's idea - a move which gets him brownie points from Conrad. So to say thank you, Conrad takes Tatum away for the weekend and Richard gets the apartment all to himself.
Episode 12
54 mins
While Janet and Lina wrestle with a potential child sociopath, Richard crosses the line with a key witness. And Tatum discovers that running her own case is far from a drag. The Max Gardiner case is turned on its head after Max's father Sean brings the DPP some alarming new evidence about his son's abnormal behaviour. Sean's account of Max's disturbing history convinces Lina of the boy's guilt. However, Janet maintains her reservations, and recommends against prosecuting. But David, who has his own ideas, forces Janet to pursue Max in court. Richard is surprised when Tina Chang discharges herself from hospital, intent on giving evidence to shut her boss's killer away for good. But the prospect of giving detailed evidence of her ordeal in court proves too much. Tatum is handed her own contest to run - a face-off between two drag queens. Tatum wins the case for her complainant, but when she's invited to see the drag queen's show firsthand, she discovers she's been used for an entirely different purpose. Tension between Lina and Erin lingers after Lina's questioning about Rhys. But they thaw when Erin helps Lina dissect the Gardiner case.
Episode 13
54 mins
David appoints Ben as instructing solicitor on the Attorney General rape case. Rhys is absent so Ben is left to deal with the pre-committal conferences with the women alleging the rape. One of the women, Nadia Tesla, is young and clearly traumatised. She has a harrowing tale to tell, but she is not going to be a convincing witness. However, her friend, Bintu Sesay, is older and a little wiser, and it's obvious she'll be their star witness. But in a fragile moment she confides in Tracey - and tells her something that could blow the prosecution's case apart. Richard has to prosecute his climate scientist hero Steve Coburn for assault, after Coburn punched a persistent climate denialist, James Watt. It seems like a no-win situation. But a deft piece of advocacy from Richard wins the case - and the respect of his hero. The police want Tatum to oppose bail for a young woman caught with cannabis in her car. Tatum knows the woman is the daughter of a criminal, and can't help feeling for her. She's happy to take the plea bargain - but Andy is not happy. Meanwhile, things flare up between Erin and Lina again, when Erin walks in on her steamy shower session with Andy.
Episode 14
54 mins
Tatum and Tony attend an inquest into the death of a young policeman during a training course. It looks like a straightforward affair - Sergeant Anthony Harrison got lost on a night march, fell, hit his head and died. But Tatum has her doubts when it appears the police intend to blame Sergeant Harrison for his own death. Tony warns her against 'taking sides', but he soon realises that the police may in fact have something to hide, and steps up the pressure in his examination. It's the day of the Quinn committal, and everyone at the DPP is on edge. Rhys' discovery that the victims only reported the alleged abuse once they discovered they were eligible for Victim's Compensation throws their prosecution of Attorney General Quinn into doubt. And when the judge pronounces a verdict of 'no case to answer' the whole of the DPP is left feeling devastated. David convenes a 'war council' together with Tony and Janet, and they decide he should go on a popular shock-jock's radio show, paving the way for a direct indictment. But the Quinn case is about to face its biggest hurdle yet. Richard works an unusual affray case, and struggles to keep his composure with a difficult witness. Lina and Janet decide the police must arrest the ten-year-old killer, Max Gardiner, but Lina and Erin clash over whether the DPP is in fact doing the right thing.
Episode 15
53 mins
Ben and Tony work together to sort out the legal complexities of an exorcism case that may or may not go to trial. When her boyfriend Spencer convinces Piper Burgess that she is possessed by the devil, she agrees to be exorcised by a charismatic church pastor Alistair Hoy, but only after Spencer had threatened suicide if she won't agree. So Piper, deciding 'a day of praying' is a simple way to allay her boyfriend's fears, agrees. But the exorcism turns into a violent attack, with Piper being held captive for three days. Tired of only meeting other lawyers, Erin agrees to a blind date with Jesse, Conrad's carpenter friend from the gym. But it soon becomes apparent they're from different worlds, as Erin, working on the Jackson manslaughter case, realises that she needs someone hardened to the strains of her work. Her resolve to ignore him fails and she invites Jimmy Butcher over - After Ben palms off two cases, DPP David Sinclair tells him off for his self-interested approach to work. And Julie isn't impressed by the similar attitude he's showing in their relationship.
Episode 16
53 mins
Janet, Lina and Det. Dylan are surprised when Virginia Gardiner, racked by guilt about her son Max, agrees to help the prosecution and provides them with a new statement. Janet and Lina are still at loggerheads over young Max's guilt, and when Virginia crumbles during the committal in front of the formidable Judge Hansby, this already murky case is made even more complicated. Meanwhile, Lina realises it's finally time she and Andy came clean about their relationship. When Jimmy Butcher scoops that Judge Rosenberg asked Julie to take the wrap for him on a driving offence, it starts a messy scandal that leads to Ben breaking up with Julie, and Rosenberg losing his job. However, Ben is excited to be going to the Supreme Court when a mother who drugged and smothered her child has been released from hospital and found to be mentally fit to stand trial. But when Crown Prosecutor Tony Gillies advises he's already accepted a plea, Ben is furious, and goes straight to David, where his complaint falls on deaf ears. Richard prosecutes a ridiculous arson case, while Tatum seeks welcome distraction from a boring wire tap case.
Episode 17
53 mins
Richard finds himself handling a trial at the last minute with only thirty hours to prepare. But after working all night his exhaustion makes him deal awkwardly and carelessly with the victim's family. With Tony giving Richard little support, another courtroom dressing down from Judge Walker ensues. An angry Richard marches out of court, and smack into Lisa Simpson, an attractive woman who's not impressed at being knocked off her bike. But Conrad's misguided romantic advice helps to motivate Richard, who later finds a way to impress her. David is ready and raring to go for the first day of the Quinn trial, but it's derailed even before it begins by the prejudicial ranting of a shock jock. And after the day from hell, Erin falls off the wagon, fights with Jimmy Butcher, and ends up in the surprised arms of Ben. Ben and Julie decide to become more than 'friends with benefits', but their exclusive relationship is immediately at risk when Erin comes knocking on Ben's door.
Episode 18
54 mins
Janet and Lina Badir put aside their differences as they face the first day of the Max Gardiner trial. After a series of difficult witnesses, Sean Gardiner gives his emotional evidence about the day Jake died, and Janet feels that she has successfully rebutted the idea that Max knew what he was doing was seriously wrong. However the defence barrister claims the Crown has no case, and to Janet's shock, the judge agrees, directing the jury to acquit. Having recently 'come out' as a couple at work and to their friends, Lina feels under pressure from Andy to introduce him to her family, but only her brother Tariq and his girlfriend Salwa turn up. The next morning, Andy leaves for a major police operation and later when Lina gets word a police officer has been shot, she can't get hold of him. Erin is dismayed when Joanne Mervich's sentence appeal results in an increase in her sentence of six years. She goes to the women's prison to see Joanne, but is shocked to discover that she has attempted suicide. Ben offloads a straightforward, if strange, brief to Richard in the theft of ten thousand dollars from the wishing well at a child's petting zoo. Meanwhile, feeling guilty about sleeping with Erin, Ben tries to make up for it by being the perfect boyfriend to Julie.
Episode 19
53 mins
Assisting Tony on a simple case of assault with a knife, Tatum visits a gaol, as the victim and the witness are both prisoners. However, when left alone with the witness, Tatum is cornered, and invokes her father's reputation to threaten him. In the aftermath of the police shooting, Lina takes some time off to support Andy - a task not made easy by the fact he's unable to let her in. But a visit to the scene with him helps begin the slow healing process. When David's informed that former Attorney General, Nicholas Quinn has died peacefully at home, he's left reeling, having invested so much in attempting to bring him to justice. Julie tells Ben that she leaked the AG file. Ben's father Geoffrey tells him to cut her loose and hang her out to dry. Ben refuses, but they still end up breaking up and the tension between Ben and his father boils over. Ben moves out. Richard is forced to defer his much longed-for date with Lisa in order to work on a case before Judge Walker where his stubborn determination to stand up to her finally wins the day. And still mortified by her drunken performance at Janet's, Erin stages a surprise baby shower. Unbeknown to her, Tracey had been planning a shower too.
Episode 20
53 mins
Erin is given her first major contest: a seemingly open-and-shut ATM robbery case. But she's taken aback when she discovers the defence barrister is the formidable Claudia Swann. She soon begins to realise she may be dealing with a case much more complex than it appears. Conrad finds Richard's cougar porn stash and decides to confront him about his sexuality. Persuaded by Tatum to maintain the lie, Richard once again manages to fib his way out of it. But when Con catches Richard in bed with Lisa, there can be no more denial. Things get heated and the lie divides the household. While Richard and Tatum retreat to the safety of work, Conrad goes on a bender - Ben is given a case with more than twenty defendants, but it's a task that is made easier by the fact that they're all hot gymnasts and Ben is in his element. And the DPP is under fire from the new Attorney General, but no one is under any illusions. They know the broadside has been directed by Miriam Mansie.
Episode 21
53 mins
Although she's doing well at work, Erin is left shaken by having coffee thrown at her, and frightened by the threat, wonders about her future at the DPP. Tracey assigns Ben a new case assisting Tony regarding a woman who is suspected of defrauding her chronically ill brother, for whom she is primary carer. When Tony refuses to work with Ben, Lina is brought in to take over - and what she discovers will potentially save a life and force her to question where her own loyalties lie with Andy. Janet is close to going on maternity leave and to her dismay David has seen fit to swap her heavy work for shorter, more practical matters - including that of the wayward 'sunbathing penis'. Miriam Mansie is keen to implement the budget cuts she's been threatening at the DPP, and David is left with no option but to choose one solicitor from each group to be let go. Tatum's father Danny Novak arrives to chat with a terrified Richard about moving out, and tells Conrad and Tatum to sort things out. Richard takes solace in the company of Ben - and his luxury hotel suite.
Episode 22
53 mins
When Conrad's assault brief comes across Tracey's desk, Richard realises the implications of his and Tatum's lie, and has to tell her what's happened. Janet and Lina are told that Max Gardiner is dead and that Sean has confessed to killing him to protect their new baby. Virginia begs for Janet's help to keep Sean out of jail. Janet promises to ensure charges against Sean don't proceed, but the autopsy results take that decision out of her hands. Miriam Mansie pressures David to retire and Janet believes he should release the Quinn tapes to clear his name. But after much soul searching, David destroys the tapes for the sake of Quinn's daughters, and decides to take some long overdue leave. He appoints Tony to take over, and immediately Tony destroys Tracey's whiteboard and suggests she return to work as an advocate. After consoling each other, Tracey and Tatum go out to drown their sorrows, where Tatum and Richard's estrangement takes an unexpected turn. When Erin arrives for what she thinks is an exit interview, she is offered her job back. Unable to decide, she returns later to pick up a promised reference, and finds Janet is in labour. With Ash un-contactable, Erin has no choice but to stay with Janet through the birth of the twins.