In the opening of Episode 3 of "The Law According to Lidia Poet," an underworld boxing match is staged. The triumphant boxer, Nino Birago, takes a brief pause and is suddenly submerged in the water trough, ending his life. The crowd lambastes Lidia and Enrico for their defense of Grazia, who insists she didn't write the telegram that has led to her predicament. However, Lidia trusts her and asks her to confess, claiming that after her failed escape plan, she wanted to confront her abusive husband in public. Lidia urges Grazia to trust her. A flashback reveals Grazia concealing a note from Lidia.
Judge Davanzati presides over the trial, which seems doomed from the start. He denies Lidia's request to sit on the defense bench, reminding her of her revoked license. When the telegram is brought up, Grazia asserts it's not hers. Of course, Davanzati mocks Enrico's strategy and refuses to authenticate the telegram's origin.
Zanardelli wants to meet with Enrico, causing him to panic. Jacopo tries to lighten the mood but fails. Enrico is annoyed as usual and tries to kick him out. They are distracted when their helper, Albertina, asks for a lawyer for her cousin, Ernesto Dozza, who is accused of killing Nino. To cope with his son's death, Ernesto drank excessively and bet on matches organized by Mario Fedelli. He found the deceased boxer and was spotted while checking on him.
Prosecutor Cantamessa doesn't care about motive and has nine eyewitnesses claiming the drunk gambler, Ernesto, killed Nino. Nino's younger sister, Romilda, is uncooperative and simply claims Mario is like a father to them. Lidia visits Fourneau in the suite he has booked for them. She knows he's doing his job but they end up arguing about the trial anyway. She's upset that he's not giving Grazia a fair chance, and he thinks she's biased. He brings up Jacopo's presence in town, which irritates her due to his jealousy.
Teresa witnesses Jacopo penning a love letter to Consuelo, and she's relieved to see him move on from Lidia. He enthusiastically agrees but becomes evasive when she suggests that Consuelo has feelings for him. She misses Mila and Marianna, and he consoles her. Their conversation is interrupted by Lidia, who needs to attend one of the matches, and Jacopo quickly volunteers. She reluctantly agrees and pretends that Jacopo is a formidable fighter. Mario falls for it and regales them with tales of his own matches. The current champion, Simone, challenges Jacopo to a fight. While Lidia is terrified, Jacopo's pride prompts him to accept. Jacopo is losing badly when Lidia sees Mario signaling the boxer. After this, Simone loses the match.
Meanwhile, Zanardelli warns Enrico that Grazia's case could jeopardize his career and the progress he's made with the judicial system. He wonders why Enrico has sided with a lost cause. Enrico reveals that he's Waldensian and understands what it's like to be an underdog. He also can't go against his conscience when he knows Grazia is innocent.
After the match, Jacopo and Lidia banter when she reveals that the match was fixed. She cleans him up, and they almost kiss. They stop and see Simone leaving. She questions him, and he reveals that Ernesto's son was killed by Nino during a match. However, Ernesto claims that Nino felt so guilty that he told Ernesto about the fixed matches and helped him win enough to pay off his debts. Suddenly, Jacopo moves next door, and Teresa blames Enrico. Lidia is curious and they end up bickering again about the match. He reasons that Romilda would know about Nino's agreement with Ernesto, and Lidia asks her.
She posits that Mario took Nino's life as a message to anyone who might dare to steal from him. Her persuasive skills work their magic on Romilda, who decides to do what's right and confesses that she had informed Mario about Nino's arrangement with Ernesto. Her hope was that her confession would elicit mercy and that they could move forward. But instead, Mario killed Nino in front of her. Convinced of the truth, Cantamessa releases Ernesto and arrests Mario.
Lidia recalls how Mila had expressed a wish for her parents to reconcile and figures out the mystery behind the telegram. The Poets visit the Fontanas, but Pietro refuses to cooperate. In prison, an inmate named Virginia is impressed by Grazia and tells her to come to her if she needs help.
Back to the case, Fourneau is hesitant about bringing in Mila, but the Poets are determined. At the next hearing, Mila testifies that her parents often fought, and to help them reconcile, she asked a lady to write the telegram. This testimony is undermined when Fourneau has her reveal that she reads newspapers and knew her mother had denied writing the telegram. The judge adjourns the court before Dr. Munari can testify.
Jacopo and Lidia argue over his next article, with Jacopo wanting to attack Fourneau for suggesting that Mila tried to manipulate the jury. Consuelo shows up and makes it awkward until Lidia leaves. Consuelo and Jacopo flirt and have a passionate encounter, which they share with the Poets' wall. Teresa feels insecure and wants to try for another child, but a stressed-out Enrico refuses to sleep with her.
Fourneau and Lidia have a tense dinner, with Fourneau apologizing but the conversation quickly turning back to the trial. Lidia suggests they take a break until Grazia wins, unsure if she'll want to be with him if she loses. They part ways with a bittersweet feeling.
The next day, Dr. Munari is getting ready for his testimony when some guards show up and insist he come with them.
