The series chronicles ordinary people, wherein each episode opens in a courtroom introducing the accused without knowing their crime or how they ended up on trial.

In suburban Cook County, Illinois, successful neurosurgeon Scott Harmon (Michael Chiklis) is on trial for providing material assistance to a school shooter.

Scott's son Devin is suspended for threatening another student, and his father suspects that he is planning to commit an act of mass violence after finding a diary in his room filled with dark thoughts and fantasies of revenge.

After a botched attempt to murder his son in a staged accident, Scott gives Devin money so he can travel and try to cope with his anger.

Shortly after his return, Scott hears on the news that his son and a young man named Jasper are armed and have taken hostages at their former high school.

When Scott tries to talk his son into surrendering, Devin angrily blames his father for giving up on him before committing suicide while Jasper is taken into custody.

Danny collects oatmeal Alison made for him and tries to convince classmate Leanna to take it for chemical analysis, but she leaves after asking if he's seen a therapist.

Six months later, Alison arrives and tells Danny his father died of a heart attack during their honeymoon, and that his brother has stomach pains.

After his daughter Ingrid is sexually assaulted at a park, Kendall wants to work with Detective Trent Douglas (Wendell Pierce), but his friend and coworker Lamar Mingoe encourages him to find the perpetrator himself.

During the trial the guard testifies that Derrick had the gun, and Chase confronts a Native American bailiff for covering his pro-Navajo shirt.

Brenda meets a woman named Tess (Mary Lynn Rajskub) who defends her online and in person, but Chad becomes suspicious after finding cut-outs of Zeke's face in her apartment.

After her son Liam was killed in a school shooting (depicted in "Scott's Story"), Laura goes on the news to advocate for a gun bill.

At her trial, the defense attorney moves to have Jonah testify, but Laura opts to plead guilty instead, taking a minimum fifteen-year sentence.

In Lubbock County, Texas, schoolteacher Jack Fletcher (Jason Ritter) is on trial for statutory rape and transporting a minor across state lines.

Jiro convinces his wife Sarah (Julia Chan) to look into Kip's criminal history, finding he was sent to Wildwood Gardens for an assault.

Eric plants a fake witness in the trial, who says he bought drugs from Morgan, but her attorney goads him into saying he can't remember what her car was, despite it being an easily-recognizable yellow Porsche.

After Jessie is caught taking a DNA kit, Kara gives her a sperm bank file that says her father died in a car accident.

Will discovers this from Jessie's DNA kit, and he and his sister Fern confront their dad, who tells their mother Andrea (Natalie Brown) about the affair.

After driving her son Wyatt to school, April gets coffee, but in the parking lot accidentally hits a BMW with her door when she's leaving.

At his son's birthday party, Marcus and programmer Pete Vanderkamp (Patrick J. Adams) learn that Google wishes to buy their facial-recognition company Caraxon.

Star wrestler TJ Ellis narrowly wins a match with a Duke University recruiter (Trevor White) watching.

After overhearing her boss discussing firing her, Margot quits and joins a ballroom class with her friends Connie (Mercedes Ruehl) and Debra (Christine Ebersole), taught by Alexei Volkov.

Connie confronts Margot, saying a developer hadn't heard of Alexei and that federal agents told her his real name is Victor Kakitis.

In Hillsboro, Oregon, Valentina Pierce (Cobie Smulders) is accused of killing her abusive ex-husband Trey Winter (Eric Johnson).

Eugene, a devout Christian, says he wished to prove he loved Grace regardless of her past, but admits to firing the gun, and he is found guilty.

Lila, who had been fired from Humanix, initially refuses to talk to Megan until she offers a job at the music company as chief technology officer.

In May 2021, it was announced Fox had given a straight-to-series order to Accused produced by Howard Gordon, Alex Gansa and David Shore based on the 2010 BBC One series of the name.

The website's critics consensus reads, "While Accused is yet another variation on a very familiar theme, its anthology structure offers enough flexibility and star power for some compelling courtroom stories.

"[33] The Hollywood Reporter's Angie Han wrote, "Without much insight to share, catharsis to offer or even a particularly interesting tone or style to grab us, Accused becomes just another so-so crime drama in an ocean teeming with them.

"[34] Writing for The Wall Street Journal, John Anderson stated, "Accused may be out to provoke, but it scores more hits than misses.