A gunman opens fire at City Hall, killing a councilman and wounding a water inspector named Ron Tabachnik. Briscoe and Green learn that Tabachnik, not the councilman, might be the intended target. A number of local business owners blamed him for an unfair change in water rates; on the day of the shooting, they were to attend a meeting about it at City Hall. Tabachnik identifies Peter Rubin, whose family business was hit with a bill for thousands of dollars they didn't owe because of a mistake Tabachnik made.
Rubin's lawyer files a motion to suppress evidence of a gun found in Rubin's home, which baffles McCoy and Southerlyn because the police didn't find a gun there. The search was actually conducted by the FBI, which issued a warrant secretly because it relates to a possible terrorism offense. The Rubins sold video gaming machines (which can be adapted for harmful purposes such as encryption and missile guidance) to Algeria in violation of export laws. Eventually, the FBI hands over the gun. Melnick, who has now taken over as defense, tells McCoy that submitting the gun as evidence is unethical; searches approved by secret courts are a step on the road to a police state. Branch thinks the FBI's actions were justified in order to protect against terrorism, and tells McCoy not to worry about it.
In court McCoy subpoenas an FBI agent who found the gun. But Melnick gets the agent to admit that the warrant was executed by a secret court and the FBI broke into Rubin's house. She highlights the unfair treatment of Rubin and his family, encouraging the jury to acquit on the basis that Rubin is a victim of abuse of government. McCoy points out that the search was entirely legal and, when people don't agree with the law, the right course of action is to protest through peaceful methods - violence isn't the answer. He wins the case.
This episode contains examples of:
- The Alleged Expert: The Rubins' lawyer is actually employed to handle business matters, but wants to make out that he's just as capable at defence in a criminal case. This is evidently not true, and he's soon replaced with Melnick.
- The Bus Came Back: This episode sees the return of Danielle Melnick, who was targeted by a hitman in Season 13's "Open Season."
- Continuity Nod: Danielle Melnick is now walking with a cane due to the gunshot injury she received in "Open Season ", although it's supposed to be temporary.
- Disability Alibi: Stewart Rubin couldn't shoot a gun because of his arthritis.
- Inciting Incident: A simple mistake by Tabachnik spiraled into the ruin of the Rubins' business, a shooting and a murder trial.
- Murder by Mistake: Peter Rubin was aiming at Tabachnik but mistakenly killed a councilman instead.
- Never My Fault: Apart from Tabachnik's misreading the water meter and the problems with their business that result, everything else that the Rubins do is their fault. They violated Federal law by illegally exporting video game consoles that could've been re-purposed by a hostile power, which prompted the FISA warrant and Federal investigation. The son goes after Tabachnik and fires a weapon inside City Hall, endangering bystanders and killing a councilman. Instead of hiring a lawyer to sue the city or band together with the other aggrieved business owners and go to the media and raise hell, they blame the US Government and the City claiming that they're "out to get them".
- Obstructive Bureaucrat: Tabachnik himself, and the US District Attorney that McCoy questions over the search of Rubin's home. Briscoe poses as one during a sting operation, to his great enjoyment.
- That Was Objectionable: An interesting case. Danielle Melnick files a motion to suppress evidence resulting from an alleged illegal search of the defendant's home...except that said search took place before the police actually executed their search warrant, and they found no weapon of any kind, nor were they even looking for one. To the best of Melnick's knowledge, the motion to suppress is perfectly valid, but as McCoy points out, it's impossible for the court to suppress evidence the prosecution doesn't have. It eventually turns out that the FBI was behind the initial search; they executed a search warrant that was obtained in a secret court, which was why the police and prosecution weren't aware earlier.
