Synopsis

Professional and personal problems arise when a husband and wife who are both lawyers end up on opposite sides of a case involving a woman who shot her husband.

When Doris Attinger (Judy Holliday) decides to follow her husband (Tom Ewell) whom she is growing suspicious of only to discover he is having an affair with another woman (Jean Hagen), she finds herself shooting at her adulterous husband wounding him in the arm.

After reading about the incident in the newspaper, Adam and Amanda Bonner (Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn), a married couple who both happen to be lawyers debate the case and find themselves opposed on the issue. Adam believed that the wife Doris is guilty of attempted murder whereas Amanda sympathises with her believing that the double standard of men in regards to adultery is horrible and that her actions can be justified.

Adam arrives at work to discover that he has been assigned the case (on the side of the prosecution). When Amanda hears this, she seeks out Doris and offers to represent her, much to her husband’s dismay.

As the case progresses, the couple’s home life begins to suffer and when Amanda begins to humiliate Adam in court and when Amanda asks the Jury to see the case as if the sexes of the defendant and victim were reversed they rule in favour of Doris. Feeling appalled by his wife’s attitude during the case, Adam leaves home only to return when he sees his neighbour Kip (David Wayne) through the window of their apartment. 

Adam breaks into the apartment, pointing a gun at the pair and horrifying Amanda claiming that he has no right to threaten her so. Adam feeling satisfied that he ahs proved his point about Doris’ defence reveals that it is all merely a prank and that the gun is nothing but a liquorice stand in. 

The couple begin the process of getting a divorce, however after talking realise that they still love each other, despite what came between them and reunite.