이정주에겐 아픈 상처가 있다. 오빠는 미성년자 강간 살인죄로 무기수 복역 중이고, 오빠가 수감된 후 엄마는 화병으로 결국 세상을 떠났다. 아픈 상처를 새 인생을 살겠다는 의지로 정주는 마침내 판사가 되지만, 정의를 추구하는 본능과 현실과 타협하려는 의지가 번번이 충돌한다. 한편 아버지의 영향을 받아 판사가 된 사의현은 언제나 법과 양심대로 심판하며 엘리트의 면모를 뽐낸다. 그런 그가 법원에서 '꼴통판사'로 악명 높은 정주에게 빠지면서, 그의 인생은 풍랑을 겪는다. 오빠가 억울한 누명을 쓴 걸 안 정주는 진실을 밝히기로 결심하고, 의현은 정주의 외로운 길을 함께 하려 한다.
There have been many court-related dramas, but there have never been any dramas based on the court itself. There have been many characters who took the roles of judges, prosecutors, and lawyers. However, rarely were their lives at the court depicted in detail. This drama focuses on the true nature of the court and the cutthroat competition among the judges as well as the conflicts, joy, sorrow, desires, and failures that they experience. Lee Jung Joo, also known as Judge Knucklehead, is a young judge who has lost both of her parents and whose older brother is incarcerated for the rape and murder of an underage girl. Sah Eui Hyun is a judge who strives to be fair, wise, and passionate in his field. Do Han Joon is a prosecutor who is also known as the Knucklehead Prosecutor. He is determined to sit his own father in court no matter what it takes.