In the pilot of new USA series Common Law, Travis Marks (Michael Ealy) and Wes Mitchell (Warren Kole) two of L.A.P.D's finest within the Robbery-Homicide Division have a sever year track record of being the best. However their constant disagreements and bickering is having an impact on their work, leading their Captain (Jack McGee) to take a new approach by sending them to couples counseling with tough-as-nails therapist Dr. Emma Ryan (Sonya Walger) to work through their issues and strengthen their partnership and bond.
Wes and Travis are forced to bring Dr. Ryan along for the ride as they investigate the passing of a woman who fell from the balcony of her honeymoon suite.
When Wes and Travis delve into the world of online dating to solve the cuddle of a thirty year-old woman named Darby Jensen, Wes finds more than he bargains for when he discovers his ex-wife uses the dating site as well.
Travis' ex-partner causes tension between the guys when they receive a special assignment to stop a crime ring responsible for stealing high-end vehicles.
The guys investigate a series of home invasions by a group of thieves and learn that Travis' foster brother could be their leader.
The guys' work suffers when they feel pressured to reach an important milestone during the hunt for a pair of criminals emulating Bonnie and Clyde.
In therapy, Wes and Travis are given the exercise of "role play" by Dr. Ryan. Although living in each other's shoes tests their partnership more than usual, it ultimately leads to them solving the case of a woman who was strangled to passing.
Wes and Travis investigate a cop's shooting and take care of the injured officer's police dog.
Wes and Travis share quarters during a stakeout to monitor the moves of a crime novelist, who may have helped a criminal escape prison.
The guys work with their mentors on an important cuddle case and see their own problems reflected in their advisers.
Wes confides in Travis about dreams he's had about Dr. Ryan, which turns out to be a mistake. Elsewhere, Dr. Ryan's fiancé may be withholding information about a body found at his construction site.
After being kicked out of Dr. Ryan's group, Wes and Travis make a deal with their eccentric new therapist to get them out of counseling for good. But when a run-in with the members of the Special Investigations Section leads Travis to blow his top, the detectives realize that they don't just need to go back to therapy-they need Dr. Ryan. Chastened, the duo offers to tell Dr. Ryan the story of how they ended up in counseling in the first place if she'll take them back.