Reed Hadley is Bart Matthews, your Public Defender, in this series of law and order dramas that ran on CBS from 1954 to 1955. At the time of the show's creation (by Mort Lewis and Sam Shayon), the concept of the public defender was little known throughout much of the United States. Stories were purportedly based on true cases, and each episode ends with a salute to a working public defender. Bart Matthews (Hadley) takes on clients that cannot afford expensive legal counsel. Young or old, innocent or guilty, the law comes first for the stoic and driven public defender. Hadley previously starred in the television series Racket Squad (1953-1954) and is fondly remembered for playing the title role in the action-packed Republic serial Zorro's Fighting Legion (1939).
THE STEPCHILD: A teenager accuses her mother of child abuse. Matthews suspects the girl is lying when he learns she belongs to the gang of juvenile delinquents that's been terrorizing the streets.
HOT ROD: Matthews investigates a young street racer who is charged with causing the death of his girlfriend.
CORNERED: An ex-boxer on parole (Charles Bronson) slides back into the criminal life when he piles up gambling debts.
COLOR BLIND: A man desperate to pay for an operation for his dying son is arrested for armed robbery. Matthews surmises that the case may not be open and shut after he discovers the only witness is color blind.