Milton C. Hardcastle is a tough but honest judge. Over the years, he has had to dismiss nearly 200 cases due to legal technicalities on individuals who were guilty. Now that he's retired, he plans to spend his time hounding them and if they break the law Hardcastle's going to bust them and make sure that it's done right. Now he needs someone to watch his back and the man he has "chosen" is Mark McCormick, a car thief whom Hardcastle once sent to prison, and who is now an aspiring race car driver. McCormick was arrested and brought before Hardcastle. Normally, Hardcastle tells McCormick that in addition to breaking the law, he violated his parole, he would be sent back to prison and this being his third conviction would make him a three time loser. However, Hardcastle tells McCormick of his plans for his retirement, and that he would like McCormick to be his partner. McCormick begrudgingly accepts but if they will make remains to be seen cause McCormick doesn't think that Hardcastle was fair when he sentenced him and he thinks Hardcastle is a royal pain.

Originally the concept was to have Hardcastle to hunt down all the criminals he prosecuted but were released due to technicalities. In order to keep the A.C.L.U. off of their backs, the producers decided to compromise and have him go after them for current offenses only.