The Practice

Season overviews

Season 4

The fourth season further develops and wraps up the George Vogelman storyline from the previous season. Bobby and Lindsay cement their relationship by moving in together, leading to increasing tension between the now engaged couple, and the unusual combination of Ellenor and Helen Gamble sharing an apartment. Bobby witnesses the sad downfall of his mentor, Raymond Oz. Rebecca continues to earn her stripes as a defense attorney by passionately defending a client willing to take another man?s place in jail for money, a murderer who blames her crimes on childhood abuse, and a police officer ex-boyfriend accused of shooting a young teenager for no reason other than prejudice.

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Lucy?s privacy is once again invaded without her knowledge, this time by Bobby?s cousin. Eugene?s already tense relationship with his son and ex-wife is rocked further when a man is murdered in their home in broad daylight. Lindsay struggles to overcome the emotional scars left by her stabbing through representing a serial killer arguing he has recovered and is ready for release.

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Jimmy defends an unrepentant murderer who is proud to have shot the man who raped her, and sees his friendship with community dentist Henry Olson (guest-star Henry Winkler) crumble after Olson is convicted of murder whilst Olson's son, the real culprit, hangs himself after Jimmy confronts the boy against his father?s wishes. Jimmy also ends his fling with Judge Kittleson after his ex-girlfriend Susan walks back into his life and her reproductive eggs lawsuit turns him broody.

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Assistant D.A. Richard Bay begins a losing streak that sees him becoming increasingly frustrated with the justice system and leads him closer to the already jaded Helen Gamble, who Bay tries to woo with mixed success. The D.A.s don?t have much luck this season as first Gamble is mugged by one of Bobby?s oldest clients in the courtroom while the ever stubborn Judge Swackheim refuses to declare a mistrial, and then her attempt to use a police officer friend to exact a confession results in Bobby humiliating her in court. Meanwhile, Richard Bay suffers yet another crushing courtroom humiliation in the same episode as Gamble, this time at the hands of Ellenor, as Bay's attempt to utilise Ellenor's liar of a rejected witness backfires.

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Lindsay works through her wedding jitters with Bobby by successfully settling a friend?s claim against a cigar firm for breaking up her marriage. Virtually the entire practice temporarily ups sticks to Los Angeles for two episodes to defend an old acquaintance of Lindsay?s against a puzzling murder charge that narrowly avoids the innocent client's execution. Jimmy and Bay try to overcome their problems by cheating the system together in order to secure a much needed manslaughter conviction for Bay and Henry Olson?s release for Jimmy. Eugene and Rebecca face prejudice from the snooty opposing council during a plastic surgery negligence case. Bobby gets kidnapped by a former client, defends a suspected female serial killer and struggles to deal with the memories of his mother?s death.

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