C. J. Nicholas (Jesse Metcalfe) built his career on an award-winning documentary about a pregnant teenage prostitute in Buffalo, New York, who died of a drug overdose after the death of her baby. He now works as a TV reporter in Shreveport, Louisiana covering human interest stories while trying to reestablish himself as a serious journalist through the investigative unit he runs along with fellow reporter Corey Finley (Joel Moore). Having shadowed several of his cases, Nicolas is convinced that Shreveport District Attorney Mark Hunter (Michael Douglas) is corrupt. A former police detective, Hunter has built his own career on a recent unbroken string of 17 convictions based only on last minute circumstantial evidence. His reputation for successful convictions has led to him being talked about as a potential candidate for Governor of Louisiana. After flirting with Assistant D.A. Ella Crystal (Amber Tamblyn) to obtain an videotape that he hopes will be revealing, they begin dating and fall in love, despite Crystal knowing C.J.'s distrust of her boss.