Seasons & Episodes
Unfinished Symphony
Present: Mary Elizabeth Sims, a Birmingham wife, mother, and aspiring writer, reaches out to her estranged childhood fr
Huh?
Present: Rene represents a woman whose rapist is suing her for shared custody and visitation rights to the child concei
Eve of Destruction
Present: Rene falls for the reporter assigned to do a story on her for the ""Birmingham Daily"" while turning down both
It's Called Depression
Present: Approaching their 26th wedding anniversary, M.E. and Colliar are at odds and they each seek out Rene for answe
Making Music with the Wrong Man
Rene helps plan a ceremony honoring her father. She asks M.E. to write a biography of her father to present at the event
No Comment
Present: When an old family friend who is now a city councilman asks Rene to defend him against corruption charges, Ren
Please Don't Tell My Mother
Present: After M.E. finds an empty beer bottle in the living room the morning after Kelly's party, she grounds her daug
Courage ... It Means Heart
Mary Elizabeth solicits the help of her family and Rene in caring for her aging Grandma Otis. Meanwhile, Rene is asked t
You Shoulda Seen My Daddy
Rene is representing the parents of a child who has died of AIDS. M.E. tries bringing her friends and Rene's friends tog
Call Him Johnny
Present: Rene represents a white couple prevented from adopting their black foster daughter; M.E. has an ectopic pregna
It's Who You Sleep With
Rene represents a lesbian couple who are forbidden to marry on public property. M.E. suspects that Colliar is having an
Salamanders
When Rene defends a black family that has been kicked off their property, she must confront the Alabama law that states
I Feel Awful
Present: Rene gets fixed up with a man who turns out to be a stalker; Teresa visits Mary Elizabeth and Colliar, and thi
Quit Bein' Such a Scaredy Cat
Rene's stalker is still around and she has to get a restraining order. M.E. and Colliar are beginning their own construc
Blue
Rene is reunited with her cousin who has spent the past 20 years passing for a white man. M.E. and Colliar bid on a cons
It's Your Problem, Not Mine
Rene represents a white man who was beaten by the police. When Kelly brings home her black boyfriend, M.E. and Colliar r
Trust Me
After Rene agrees to hire a youth whom her boyfriend Bill mentors, she discovers that Bill is not divorced - only separa
I Wish You Could Understand
Tully, a childhood friend of Rene and M.E.'s, offends Rene when he takes part in a bigoted, tasteless prank during a par
Chapter One
Rene sends some of M.E.'s stories to a publisher friend in New York. When the publisher visits M.E. on a trip to a South
I'm Not Emotional
Mary Elizabeth and Colliar deal with Davis's suspension from school for ""sexual misconduct,"" and try to raise a son an
Music from My Life
Mary Elizabeth and Rene go to Los Angeles to visit Mary Elizabeth's sister Teresa, whom they must help come to terms wit
It's About the Heart
Mary Elizabeth helps Rene prepare to meet Bill's kids. Each year Mary Elizabeth debates whether or not to plan a birthda
You Promise? I Promise
In court, Rene defends a developmentally disabled man who wants the right to be a father someday. Her case to save him f
You Really Believe in That Stuff?
Rene is sued for malpractice by a former client and his wife; so she hires Joe Lozano, an attractive attorney to whom sh
It's a Man's World
Rene and Bill argue over how much they should spend on a house. After learning how much money Rene actually has, Bill be
Don't Say Anything
Present: Rene and Bill discover that they have very different points of view about parenting; Rene wonders if she's cut
Heads or Tails
Present: M.E. is distressed when Davis joins the football team; Rene is conflicted when she represents a client who con
So This Is Intimacy?
M.E. and Sarah think Rene is avoiding making wedding plans and confront her on it. Rene reacts by suggesting to Bill tha
It's Not You, It's Me
Rene defends a young man charged with vehicular manslaughter: He hit a pregnant woman and she lost her baby. The case be
Family Is Family
Present: Rene and Sara prepare for the Jackson family reunion while Bill is away camping with his kids. On their way to
It's Not About the Butter (1)
While dining at a restaurant with Rene, Mary Elizabeth (M.E.) mistakenly assumes a black woman walking by is a waitress.
It's Not About the Butter (2)
Present: M.E. and Colliar are proven correct in blaming Uncle Jimmy for coordinating the cross burning when his name is
Elephants in the Room
M.E. and Colliar face increasing financial problems because a client of Colliar's has gone bankrupt. M.E. is humiliated
That's Our Son, Bobby
Present: M.E. realizes that she forgot Bobby's birthday for the first time in the 22 years since his death. When she go
Say Something
Rene deals with her feelings for Bill following their breakup. She throws a housewarming party to help herself overcome
Eyes Wide Open
M.E. is frustrated when her daughter, Kelly, won't talk to her about her relationship with her boyfriend. Rene is caught
A Parent's Job
Present: M.E. disagrees with Colliar's teaching Davis about guns and taking him on a hunting trip; Rene represents a te
Homegirl
Present: When a friend from college spends the weekend, Rene finds out some unpleasant truths about herself and her rel
From This Day On
M.E. decides to change her will after she is sent to the hospital for having a life-threatening allergic reaction. Meanw
Hey, Ugly!
Present: Rene becomes the guardian ad litem for a young teenager whose mother is being investigated for abuse after all
Pay Your Dues
Present: Lakeisha misrepresents herself as an attorney in Rene's office to help out the non-profit Girls at Risk progra
You Think I Am Lying to You?
Present: Rene represents Bill after he is involved in a controversial shooting. Joe starts an aggressive campaign to ma
The Toolshed Behind the Church
Present: M.E. and Colliar are torn when they discover that their friend and neighbor is a convicted pedophile, and they
Who Abandoned Who?
Present: M.E. goes on a campaign to convince a very reluctant Rene to go to their high school reunion, and enlists Joe
Nope
Rene takes the case of a 14-year-old boy who is on trial for murder. The prosecutor wants to try him as an adult. M.E. i
It's a Good Thing I'm Not Black
Present: When Rene is pulled over on a mistaken warrant and humilated by the police officers, she sweeps it under the r
Three Hours a Week
Present: M.E. is elated when her book sells out at the local bookstore and she's invited to appear on a local tv show;
The Dust of Life
M.E. is shocked when a Vietnamese man named Tuan appears in Birmingham and claims that her brother Johnny is his father.
Three Lucky Ladies on the Line
Present: Tillie Sims arrives for a visit and once again puts her son in jeopardy when a loan shark follows her from Flo
Nothing Personal
Present: M.E. is upset when Rene hires a black contractor instead of Colliar to do some renovations on her house; M.E.
Life
Present: M.E. decides to write a book about the unsung heroes of the civil rights movement after learning about Mrs. Sa
Love Is Love
Present: The fur flies at the Sims and Williams households when M.E discovers Ajoni asleep in Kelly's room one morning,
There Are No Rules
Rene and M.E. take a road trip that turns sour when they are car-jacked and Rene is arrested for car theft. When Rene ca
The Outsiders
When interviewing a Baptist minister for an article, M.E. discovers he doesn't practice what he preaches. Now a candidat
It's a Mother-Daughter Thing
Present: When Kelly follows in her mother's footsteps, M.E. and Colliar are thrilled by her being elected to the homeco
Lighten Up, Rene
Present: Nick hires an election strategist who rubs Rene the wrong way when she attempts to ""lighten up"" Rene's image
Where's the Justice in That?
Present: Rene creates a firestorm a few days before the election when she admits during a call-in radio show that she e
Five Golden Rings
Rene embraces the holiday season, but things turn sour when her attempts at planning a holiday party for the lawyers ass
Life Isn't Fair
M.E. is outraged and decides to fight the school board when Kelly is asked to switch to another school because of her pr
10 Days? Are You Crazy?
Kelly and Ajoni announce that they are getting married in 10 days, but M.E. and Colliar refuse to sign the parental cons
Tick, Tick, Tick
Tension runs high as M.E. helps Kelly get ready for the wedding. Rene tries to convince one of her clients to leave her
Don't Tell Me It's Not About Frankie
Colliar tells M.E. that he's moving out. When he returns after a few days with an idea to give Kelly and Ajoni $5,000 so
What If?
Present: The road not taken intrigues M.E. and Rene as they wonder what would have happened had they switched houses an
Children Are the Most Important Thing
Present: Rene represents a woman who was fired when she protested against her employer's preferential treatment of work
It's Not Just a Word (1)
Present: Uncle Jimmy dies and M.E. ensures that he's not buried with any Klan insignia; Rene refuses to assist Joe with
It's Not Just a Word (2)
Present: Rene's defense of Richie has everyone in town talking; after Richie is acquitted of manslaughter and sentenced
Don't Forget to Take Out Your Teeth
Present: Events put a damper on Rene's plans to move into a new office suite; Kelly brings a new dimension to nervous n
No More Forever
Present: Stacy introduces Rene to a handsome and opinionated judge, who ends up hearing the case of a Native American a
Everyone Deserves to be Loved
A mentally disabled man seeks Rene's help when the state threatens to separate him from his aunt and place him in an ins
Don't Give Up
Rene takes on big business when she represents a group of children diagnosed with lead poisoning. M.E. and Davis share s
One Hour of Drama
A tornado ravages the Sims house while M.E. and Rene are trapped inside Rene's law office with a parolee. In the past, S
No Place in This World
Rene fights for the rights of a homeless woman, while the newly homeless M.E. and Colliar search for shelter and comfort
Peace of Mind
Present: While the future hangs over M.E.'s head like a storm cloud, Colliar looks ahead to growing old with his wife i
The Contest
Present: Rene and Turk have a spirited disagreement over potential candidates for a Girls At Risk scholarship before Tu
This Is Not Foreplay, This Is War
M.E. and Colliar practice tough love with Kelly when she and Ajoni are unable to find a babysitter; and Rene defends the
Blinded by the White
Present: As M.E. visits Fillmore to speak with Davis's teachers about his slipping grades in the aftermath of the torna
Rebel with a Cause
Present: Rene represents an elderly couple facing eviction from their retirement community for publicly displaying thei
Stay of Execution
Still My Little Soldier
Present: Rene starts down the long slow road to recovery at breakneck speed. Although she is weak and in pain, she is d
It's Not Karma, It's Life
Present: Rene returns to work and finds that her illness has shaken her self-confidence. Several clients, concerned abo
The Real Thing
Present: After M.E. is selected for jury duty, she mounts a one-woman jury nullification campaign when she refuses to c
In Too Deep
Present: M.E. is forced to reexamine her views on capital punishment when Glenn arranges for her to witness the executi
Call Him Macaroni
Present: M.E. and Gail politely jostle over planning Emmett's first birthday party, but get into a really serious disag
Truth Hurts
Present: Rene represents a 14-year-old boy in a custody dispute; M.E., Colliar, Rene, and Turk go to a night club where
Boys Will Be Boys
Present: Stacy and two other women are groped by a crowd of men during a convention. When the police don't arrest the m
Let the Games Begin
Rene represents Lakeisha's boyfriend when his employer fires him for adhering to the tenets of his Rastafarian religion
Just the Beginning (1)
Present: M.E.'s and Rene's attempt to have Catherine and Sara resolve their issues only results in creating conflict be
Just the Beginning (2)
Present: M.E. takes over the wedding plans when Rene is forced to attend a hearing; Rene returns home to a perfectly pl
