A disillusioned public defender teams up with a grieving father to launch a provocative lawsuit that pits the right to legal defense against the right to bear arms.

As the case ignites a national firestorm, their journey to the Supreme Court forces them to confront moral dilemmas, unintended consequences, and the cost of fighting for change.

SYNOPSIS:

Ray Souther is a young, idealistic public defender in Sawyer County, Arkansas. Committed to ensuring everyone receives a fair trial, he spends his days representing those who can’t afford legal counsel. But after years of defending repeat offenders and watching the system favor technicalities over justice, Ray begins to question whether he’s truly making a difference. His latest case forces him to confront his deepest doubts.

Jimmy Beacon, a hard-luck drifter with a history of petty crimes, is charged with aggravated assault after bludgeoning an armed intruder, Bradley Meachum Jr., nearly to death with a pipe wrench. Though the incident occurs inside Jimmy’s own trailer, the circumstances are murky: Bradley Jr. had broken in to repossess a handgun that Jimmy had bought on credit from Meachum Sporting Goods, his father’s shop. When confronted, Bradley Jr. had the gun in his possession, leading Jimmy to strike first in what he claims was self-defense.

At trial, Ray crafts a compelling defense under Arkansas’ “Stand Your Ground” law, arguing that Jimmy had every reason to fear for his life. The jury agrees, and Jimmy is acquitted. But the victory rings hollow when, outside the courtroom, Ray is confronted by Bradley Meachum Sr., the local gun shop owner and the father of the victim.

Bradley Sr., a no-nonsense businessman, lambastes Ray for defending men like Jimmy—criminals who, in his view, exploit the system and walk free while hardworking citizens like his son pay the price. "How do you sleep at night?" he demands. Ray, already struggling with his role in the justice system, has no answer.

That night, Ray spirals into self-doubt. His wife, Jade, reminds him why he became a lawyer: to ensure that everyone has fair representation. But Ray wonders aloud—why does the legal system guarantee the right to a defense but not the right to personal protection? The Constitution affirms the right to bear arms, but if a person is too poor to afford one, does that right truly exist?

This question sparks a radical idea. The next day, Ray visits Bradley Sr. with a proposition: what if they take legal action to challenge the way rights are provided? If the government supplies lawyers to those who can’t afford them, shouldn’t it also supply firearms to those who need them for protection? Initially, Bradley dismisses the idea as lunacy—until Ray points out that such a case could force the courts to define the limits of constitutional rights once and for all.

Reluctantly, Bradley agrees, and together, they file a lawsuit against the county sheriff’s department for refusing to return Jimmy’s repossessed gun, arguing that the denial constitutes a violation of his Second Amendment rights. What begins as a symbolic case soon spirals into a national controversy, pitting gun rights advocates, legal scholars, and politicians against one another in a fiery debate over constitutional interpretation.

As their lawsuit moves through the courts, Ray and Bradley become unlikely allies, navigating intense media scrutiny, public outrage, and powerful enemies. The government, sensing the dangerous precedent this case could set, moves swiftly to suppress it. Attorney General Ted Whitmore orders an investigation into Ray, attempting to have him disbarred. Meanwhile, covert operatives from the ATF manipulate events behind the scenes, setting up a deadly sting operation to entrap Jimmy and Bradley Jr. in an illegal gun deal.

When the sting goes wrong, Jimmy and Bradley Jr. are killed in a brutal shootout, and their deaths become national news. Ray and Bradley Sr. are left reeling. As they struggle to recover, the case reaches the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, only to be dismissed once more. But Ray has anticipated this. With Bradley’s support, he pushes forward, filing an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Now, the entire nation is watching. Protesters flood the streets—some demanding stronger gun control, others rallying for government-provided firearms. The media fuels the fire, framing the case as a battle between civil liberties and common sense. In the midst of it all, Ray faces mounting threats to his career, his safety, and his moral integrity.

Behind closed doors, government forces scramble to stop the case from ever reaching the Supreme Court. When intimidation and legal maneuvers fail, they resort to desperate measures—including an offer to Bradley Sr. to buy out his gun store in exchange for dropping the case. But Bradley, hardened by loss and determined to see things through, refuses to back down.

As the hearing date approaches, Ray finds himself standing at the precipice of a landmark ruling—one that could redefine constitutional rights in America. But with the full weight of the government against him, and powerful enemies willing to do anything to silence him, the question remains: can justice ever be truly blind, or is the system designed to protect the powerful at any cost?

In a climactic final battle in the highest court in the land, Wrongs and Rights forces its characters—and the audience—to ask: when constitutional rights collide, whose freedoms take precedence?

And more importantly, who gets to decide?