In the series premiere, Hayes needs to dig herself out of what could be a publicly embarrassing situation. She makes a clandestine deal with her adversary, Conner Wallace, to take on the Conviction Integrity Unit (CIU) and justice system in order to save face, not only for herself, but for her family. The first case Hayes pushes her team to consider is that of Odell Dwyer, a handsome former high school football player, who has been in prison for eight years for murdering his girlfriend. The CIU only has five days to determine if there was mishandled evidence, an invalid confession or a mistaken witness – five days to give Wallace the acclaim he wants for the CIU's first case and, perhaps, for Hayes to gain the respect she deserves.