The court system, overburdened by the massive number of crimes being committed, introduces a radical new method for settling cases more quickly: the bench trial system. Both prosecution and defense face each other in open court and have three days to make their case before the judge renders a verdict. The story follows Phoenix "Nick" Wright, a rookie defense attorney who attempts to have his clients declared "not guilty", and (Y/N) (L/N), a young but experienced assistant, determined to help unravel the truth behind the numerous murder cases.