Irima Michio is a criminal case judge of the 1st Criminal Division of the 3rd branch of the Tokyo District Court (commonly known as ichikei). Michio, who has a unique background as a former lawyer, is a man with a beard, casual clothes and often plays the fool. He is far from the image of a rigid judge and is free from prejudice. He is a person feared by both lawyers and prosecutors because of his observing eye and an inquisitive mind that results in him investigating things thoroughly. Watching over Michio is the director of Ichikei, a legendary judge by the name of Komazawa Yoshio. He's been involved in 30 acquittals in criminal trials and has a 99.9% guilty rate. Ishikura Bunta is a court clerk and professed fan of Michio's. Additionally, there is Kawazoe Hiroshi, mother of 3 Hamataya Mio, and new court clerk Ichinose Itoko. Each support Ichikei while often being swayed by Michio. The elite Sakama Chizuru, who became an assitant judge at a young age, is assigned to Ichikei. Sakama, a graduate of the University of Tokyo's Faculty of Law, is a straight-laced type that can't joke and is proud of her ability to handle cases accurately and prompty. She's there to rebuild Ichikei and handle the large number of deficit cases. Komazawa has Sakama and Michio team up on the case of college student Nagaoka Makoto. He assaulted congressman Enami Kazuyoshi followed the apparent suicide of his father, secretary Nagaoka Yoichiro. The first trial surprises Sakama. Michio, following Makoto's claims that he was hit first, decides to thoroughly investigate the case, much to the chagrin on Sakama and Prosecutors Jojima and Ide.