Law & Order (franchise)

{{short description|Legal/criminal procedural television franchise}} {{about|the franchise and its spin-offs|the original series|Law & Order{{!}}''Law & Order''}} {{overcoloured|date=February 2025}} {{use American English|date=August 2024}} {{use mdy dates|date=August 2024}} {{Infobox media franchise | title = Law & Order | image = Law & Order (logo).svg{{!}}class=skin-invert | creator = Dick Wolf | origin = ''Law & Order'' | owner = Wolf Entertainment NBCUniversal | tv = {{Plainlist| * ''Law & Order'' * ''Special Victims Unit'' * ''Criminal Intent'' * ''Trial by Jury'' * ''LA'' * ''True Crime'' * ''Organized Crime'' }} | tv_films = ''Exiled'' | comics = | films = | games = | rpgs = | vgs = {{Plainlist| * ''Dead on the Money'' * ''Double or Nothing'' * ''Justice Is Served'' * ''Criminal Intent'' * ''Legacies'' }} | soundtracks = | otherlabel1 = Foreign adaptations | otherdata1 = {{Plainlist| * ''Paris enquêtes criminelles'' * ''Закон и порядок: Отдел оперативных расследований'' * ''Закон и порядок: Преступный умысел'' * ''Law & Order: UK'' * ''Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent'' }} | otherlabel2 = Related TV series | otherdata2 = {{Plainlist| * ''Homicide: Life on the Street'' * ''New York Undercover'' * ''Deadline'' * ''Crime & Punishment'' * ''Conviction'' * ''In Plain Sight'' * ''Chicago Fire'' * ''Chicago P.D.'' * ''Chicago Med'' * ''Chicago Justice'' * ''FBI'' * ''FBI: Most Wanted'' * ''FBI: International'' * ''CIA'' }} }}

'''''Law & Order''''' is a media franchise composed of a number of related American television series created by Dick Wolf and produced by Wolf Entertainment. They were originally broadcast on NBC, and all of them deal with some aspect of the criminal justice system. Together, the original series, its various spin-offs, the TV film, and crossover episodes from other shows constitute over 1,000 hours of programming.

Shared characters and fictional organizations, such as Hudson University and the ''New York Ledger'' tabloid newspaper, serve as connecting links between the shows. Many supporting characters, such as district attorneys, psychologists, and medical examiners are also shared among the shows. Occasionally, crossovers of main characters or shared storylines between two of the shows will occur. A few major characters have also left the cast of one show within the franchise only to eventually join another. The music, style, and credits of the shows tend to be similar, with the voice-over in the opening of every series performed by Steven Zirnkilton.<ref>{{cite news|agency=Associated Press|work=Today|title='Law & Order' reunion salutes 20th season|url=http://www.today.com/id/32991751|date=September 23, 2009| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305081013/http://www.today.com/id/32991751#.VtqUlBzP0l0 |archive-date=March 5, 2016 |access-date=July 28, 2013}}</ref><ref>"Ask the Editors"; ''TV Guide''; April 19, 2010; Page 6.</ref> The shows share the iconic "dun, dun" sound effect of a jail cell locking, created, along with the theme songs, by Mike Post.<ref name=NYDailyNews-2016-09-13>{{cite news |url= http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/examining-legendary-dun-dun-sound-law-order-article-1.2790190 |title= Examining the legendary 'dun, dun' sound from 'Law & Order' on the anniversary of the pilot episode |author=Gunderman, Dan |date= 13 September 2016 |work= New York Daily News }}</ref> Past episodes of the American series are in syndication with local over-the-air stations, along with cable channels such as USA Network and Bravo (both owned by the franchise's production company, NBCUniversal), Warner Bros Discovery's TNT, WGN America, E. W. Scripps Company's network Ion Television, and AMC Networks' SundanceTV and WeTV, showing episodes sometimes up to six times a day. Its ubiquity on the NBCUniversal fledgling streaming platform Peacock ("...19 zillion reruns...") was noted by ''The Wall Street Journal'' in January 2024.

{{listen |filename = The Clang.ogg |title = The ''Law & Order'' "dun, dun" sound |description = |format = Ogg }} In October 2012, ''Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'' showrunner/executive producer Warren Leight said of the future of the ''Law & Order'' franchise, "[Dick Wolf and I] sometimes talk in general terms of where (the franchise) could go. I'm curious to see if there's another iteration somewhere down the line", before adding: "We try hard to maintain a certain level of quality which I think is why the shows sustained in reruns so well. And I'd like to believe there's room for another generation in some way."<ref>{{cite news|last=Jodha|first=Michael|title=There's no shortage of crimes for 'SVU,' says executive producer|url=http://www.ctv.ca/LawAndOrderSVU/article/Theree28099s-no-shortage-of-crimes-for-e28098SVUe28099-says-executive-producer|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121015084944/http://www.ctv.ca/LawAndOrderSVU/article/Theree28099s-no-shortage-of-crimes-for-e28098SVUe28099-says-executive-producer|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 15, 2012|access-date=October 4, 2012|newspaper=CTV|date=October 3, 2012}}</ref> In February 2015, NBC was purported to have interest in bringing back the flagship ''Law & Order'' as a limited series.<ref>{{cite news|last=Gelman|first=Vlada|title=Report: NBC Eyeing Law & Order Revival, With Original Stars|url=http://tvline.com/2015/02/06/law-order-limited-series-nbc-chris-noth-sam-waterston/|access-date=April 17, 2015|newspaper=TV Line|date=February 6, 2015|archive-date=February 24, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150224213557/http://tvline.com/2015/02/06/law-order-limited-series-nbc-chris-noth-sam-waterston/|url-status=dead}}</ref> On September 28, 2021, NBC announced that a 21st season had been ordered.<ref name="Original returns">{{cite web|url=https://tvline.com/2021/09/28/law-order-season-21-reboot-nbc-renewal-cast-premiere-date/|title=Law & Order: NBC Revives Original Flagship Series, Orders Season 21 a Decade After Abrupt Cancellation|first=Michael |last=Ausiello|date=September 28, 2021|access-date=September 28, 2021|website=TV Line}}</ref>

{{Television franchise episode count|franchise=Law & Order|Law & Order|Law & Order: Special Victims Unit|Law & Order: Criminal Intent|Law & Order: Trial by Jury|Law & Order: LA|Law & Order True Crime|Law & Order: Organized Crime}}

== Current series == ===''Law & Order'' (1990–2010; 2022–present)=== {{Main|Law & Order{{!}}''Law & Order''}} : {{Template parameter value|Law & Order|Infobox television||num_seasons|}} seasons, {{Template parameter value|Law & Order|Infobox television||num_episodes|}} episodes (September 13, 1990 – May 24, 2010; February 24, 2022 – present) ''Law & Order'', a crime procedural, features both a police investigation of a crime discovered during the cold open, and a prosecution case set forth by the New York County District Attorney, at the Manhattan DA's office. The first thirty minutes of an episode typically features a lead detective trio. On May 14, 2010, NBC announced that it was canceling the original series, although various spin-offs would continue. The series finale aired on May 24, 2010.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Scott, Andrew |date=May 13, 2010 |title=Law & Order officially cancelled |url=http://www.tvsquad.com/2010/05/13/nbc-cancels-law-and-order/ |access-date=May 14, 2010 |publisher=TV Squad (AOL)}}</ref> Wolf briefly attempted to continue the series on cable,<ref name="nytimesnewhome">{{Cite news |last=Carter |first=Bill |date=May 17, 2010 |title='Law & Order' Creator Still Looking to Bring Original Back |url=http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/05/17/law-order-creator-still-looking-to-bring-original-back/ |work=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=6 July 2010 |title=AMC Investigates Reviving Law & Order |url=https://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2010/07/law_order_amc.html |access-date=14 August 2015 |website=Vulture}}</ref> but the series "moved into the history books".<ref name="showdead2">{{Cite news |last=Levin |first=Gary |date=July 30, 2010 |title='Law & Order' is L.A.-bound |url=http://content.usatoday.com/communities/livefrom/post/2010/07/law--order-is-la-bound/1 |access-date=July 31, 2010 |work=USA Today}}</ref>

On September 28, 2021, NBC announced that a 21st season had been ordered.<ref name="Original returns"/> At the start of season 25, the police team consists of Senior Detective Vincent Riley (Reid Scott), and Lieutenant Jessica Brady (Maura Tierney), while the counterparts on the legal side are: Executive Assistant District Attorney Nolan Price (Hugh Dancy), Assistant District Attorney Samantha Maroun (Odelya Halevi) and Manhattan District Attorney Nicolas Baxter (Tony Goldywn)

===''Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'' (1999–present)=== {{Main|Law & Order: Special Victims Unit{{!}}''Law & Order: Special Victims Unit''}} : {{Template parameter value|Law & Order: Special Victims Unit|Infobox television||num_seasons|}} seasons, {{Template parameter value|Law & Order: Special Victims Unit|Infobox television||num_episodes|}} episodes (September 20, 1999 – present) ''SVU'' follows the cases investigated by NYPD Captain Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) and her Manhattan Special Victims Unit colleagues. The show's focus is on detectives who investigate sexually based crimes and crimes against children, the elderly, and the disabled. At the start of season twenty-seven, these detectives included characters Sgt. Odafin Tutuola (Ice-T), Det. Joe Velasco (Octavio Pisano), Det. Terry Bruno (Kevin Kane), Capt. Renee Curry (Aimé Donna Kelly) and Sgt. Amanda Rollins (Kelli Giddish), while Peter Scanavino co-stars as ADA Dominick Carisi Jr.

===Adapted series=== ====''Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent'' (2024–present)==== {{Main|Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent{{!}}''Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent''}}

A Canadian series based on ''Criminal Intent'' was announced in early June 2023. On October 16, 2023, the cast names were announced: Aden Young, as Detective Sergeant Henry Graff, Kathleen Munroe as Detective Sergeant Frankie Bateman, Karen Robinson as Inspector Vivienne Holness, K. C. Collins as Deputy Crown Attorney Theo Forrester, Nicola Correia-Damude as Forensic Pathologist Dr. Lucy Da Silva, and Araya Mengesha as tech expert Mark Yohannes. The series will have Canadian talent both in front of and behind the camera, including the writing and production departments. While the show will be part of the ''Law & Order'' universe, it has yet to be determined whether any crossovers will occur.<ref>{{Cite web |date=5 June 2023 |title='Law & Order' Expands to Canada With Toronto Edition of 'Criminal Intent' |url=https://variety.com/2023/tv/global/law-and-order-toronto-criminal-intent-citytv-1235633608/ |access-date=7 June 2023 |website=variety.com}}</ref>

The series first season premiered on February 22, 2024, and concluded on May 16, 2024, comprising 10 episodes.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Beaudette |first=Teghan |date=22 February 2024 |title=With Law & Order spinoff, Toronto finally gets its big break — as itself |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/law-order-toronto-spinoff-1.7107751 |access-date=22 February 2024 |website=CBC News}}</ref> In June 2024, it was renewed through its third season.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Marcelo |first=Breanna |date=2024-11-20 |title=Toronto 2SLGBTQ+ advocacy group hosting vigil for Trans Day of Remembrance |url=https://nowtoronto.com/news/toronto-2slgbtq-advocacy-group-hosting-vigil-for-trans-day-of-remembrance/ |access-date=2024-11-20 |website=NOW Toronto |language=en-CA}}</ref>

== Past series ==

===''Law & Order: Criminal Intent'' (2001–2011)=== {{Main|Law & Order: Criminal Intent{{!}}''Law & Order: Criminal Intent''}} : 10 seasons, 195 episodes (September 30, 2001 – June 26, 2011) ''Criminal Intent'' focuses on high-profile cases investigated by the Major Case Squad. Special attention is given to the actions of the criminals pursued, often including scenes from the victim's or perpetrator's lives not involving the police, thereby providing a hint as to the "criminal intent". The detectives depicted (Vincent D'Onofrio and Kathryn Erbe for the majority of the series, including the final season) will often attempt to infiltrate the mind of the suspect. Julia Ormond and Jay O. Sanders also star in the tenth season of the series. Unique to the franchise, pairs of detectives alternate episodes during seasons 5–8. On July 15, 2011, USA Network co-president Jeff Wachtel confirmed ''Law & Order: CI'' would end with its tenth season.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mitovich |first=Matt |date=July 11, 2011 |title=No Reprieve for Law & Order: CI: 'It Was a Good Series Finale,' Says USA Network Boss |url=http://www.tvline.com/2011/07/law-order-criminal-intent-series-finale-confirmed/ |access-date=July 11, 2011 |website=TV Line |archive-date=July 20, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720002649/http://www.tvline.com/2011/07/law-order-criminal-intent-series-finale-confirmed/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===''Law & Order: Trial by Jury'' (2005–2006)=== {{Main|Law & Order: Trial by Jury{{!}}''Law & Order: Trial by Jury''}} : 1 season, 13 episodes (March 3, 2005 – January 21, 2006) ''Trial by Jury'', starring Bebe Neuwirth, Amy Carlson, and Jerry Orbach, followed the preparation by the legal teams, both prosecution and defense, for a jury trial. This was the first ''Law & Order'' spin-off to be canceled due to low ratings. Orbach's death (which occurred while the show was in production) was another factor in the show's cancellation.

===''Law & Order: LA'' (2010–2011)=== {{Main|Law & Order: LA{{!}}''Law & Order: LA''}} : 1 season, 22 episodes (September 29, 2010 – July 11, 2011) Originally titled ''Law & Order: Los Angeles'', ''LA'' was the first American ''Law & Order'' series set outside of New York City. As with the original series, the first half hour of the show focused on the police investigation of a crime discovered in the cold open; the second half took place at the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office and focused on the prosecution of the criminal suspect(s). On May 13, 2011, ''Law & Order: LA'' was canceled by NBC after only one season, but its final episode didn't air until July 11, 2011.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Mirkinson |first=Jack |date=May 13, 2011 |title='Law And Order: LA' Canceled By NBC |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/13/law-and-order-la-canceled_n_861803.html |work=Huffington Post}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Levin, Gary |date=May 13, 2011 |title=NBC renews 'Chuck' for final season |url=http://content.usatoday.com/communities/entertainment/post/2011/05/nbc-renews-chuck-for-final-season/1 |work=USA Today}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Carter |first=Bill |date=May 13, 2011 |title=Upfronts: Networks Order New Shows and Cancel Others |url=http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/13/networks-order-new-shows-and-cancel-others/?partner=rss&emc=rss |work=The New York Times}}</ref>

===''Law & Order True Crime'' (2017)=== {{Main|Law & Order True Crime{{!}}''Law & Order: True Crime''}} : 1 season, 8 episodes (September 26 – November 14, 2017) In April 2016, Wolf and NBC announced they were working on ''True Crime'',<ref>{{Cite web |last=Andreeva |first=Nellie |date=April 6, 2016 |title=NBC & Dick Wolf Developing 'Law & Order: True Crime' Anthology Series; 1st Season To Tackle Menendez Brothers Murders |url=https://deadline.com/2016/04/law-order-true-crime-anthology-series-the-menendez-brothers-murders-dick-wolf-nbc-1201733198/ |access-date=May 15, 2017 |website=Deadline Hollywood}}</ref> a scripted anthology series that will follow one significant true-to-life case per season. Season one, titled ''Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders''<ref>[http://www.eonline.com/news/851934/law-order-true-crime-the-menendez-murders-trailer-promises-to-finally-tell-the-true-story Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders Trailer Promises to Finally Tell the True Story]</ref> stars Edie Falco as Leslie Abramson,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gelman |first=Vlada |date=February 3, 2017 |title=''Law & Order: True Crime'': Edie Falco Cast as Menendez Brothers' Attorney |url=http://tvline.com/2017/02/03/edie-falco-cast-law-order-true-crime-menendez-murders-leslie-abramson/ |access-date=May 15, 2017 |website=TVLine}}</ref> Gaston Villanueva and Gus Halper as Lyle and Erik Menendez.<ref>{{Cite news |date=15 May 2017 |title=Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders Trailer Drops |work=Den of Geek |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/us/tv/law-order-true-crime/254348/law-order-true-crime-the-menendez-murders-trailer-drops|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170516215415/http://www.denofgeek.com/us/tv/law-order-true-crime/254348/law-order-true-crime-the-menendez-murders-trailer-drops|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 16, 2017}}</ref> It premiered on September 26, 2017, and concluded its first season on November 14. The series is currently on hiatus.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Porter |first=Rick |date=May 14, 2018 |title='Law & Order True Crime' isn't canceled, but it's also not coming back next season |url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/more-tv-news/law-order-true-crime-isnt-canceled-but-its-also-not-coming-back-next-season/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180514225808/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/more-tv-news/law-order-true-crime-isnt-canceled-but-its-also-not-coming-back-next-season/ |archive-date=May 14, 2018 |access-date=May 14, 2018 |website=TV By The Numbers |language=en}}</ref>

===''Law & Order: Organized Crime'' (2021–2025)=== {{Main|Law & Order: Organized Crime{{!}}''Law & Order: Organized Crime''}} : {{Template parameter value|Law & Order: Organized Crime|Infobox television||num_seasons|}} seasons, {{Template parameter value|Law & Order: Organized Crime|Infobox television||num_episodes|}} episodes (April 1, 2021 – June 12, 2025) ''Organized Crime'' followed cases investigated by former SVU detective Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni) as part of the task force within the Organized Crime Control Bureau headed by Sergeant Ayanna Bell (Danielle Moné Truitt). The show's focus is on detectives who investigate mobsters and other criminal syndicates. On March 31, 2020, NBC ordered a 13-episode season of a then-untitled ''Special Victims Unit'' spin-off starring Meloni as Stabler, now in an NYPD organized crime task force. Meloni had previously starred on ''SVU'' from 1999 to 2011.<ref name="DeadlineMar2020">{{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2020/03/christopher-meloni-returns-new-dick-wolf-series-elliot-stabler-nbc-law-order-svu-1202896323/ |title=Christopher Meloni As 'SVU' Character Elliot Stabler To Headline New Dick Wolf Drama Series For NBC|last=Andreeva|first=Nellie|date=March 31, 2020|website=Deadline Hollywood|language=en|access-date=June 20, 2020}}</ref> The show's title was confirmed to be ''Law & Order: Organized Crime''. Writer Craig Gore was fired from the series in June following backlash from a social media post.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Throne |first=Will |date=June 2, 2020 |title=Dick Wolf Fires Writer From 'Law & Order' Spinoff for Threatening to 'Light Up' Looters |url=https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/dick-wolf-craig-gore-fired-law-and-order-spinoff-controversial-facebook-posts-1234623190/ |access-date=June 11, 2020 |website=Deadline Hollywood |language=en}}</ref> When NBC announced its fall schedule on June 16, ''Organized Crime'' was the only new show on the schedule, slotted for Thursdays at 10 p.m. Eastern.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Andreeva |first=Nellie |date=June 16, 2020 |title=NBC Fall 2020 Schedule: Addition Of 'Law & Order: SVU' Spinoff Starring Christopher Meloni Marks Only Change |url=https://deadline.com/2020/06/nbc-fall-2020-schedule-addition-of-law-order-svu-spinoff-starring-christopher-meloni-marks-only-change-1202960490/ |website=Deadline Hollywood}}</ref> Due to filming stoppages related to COVID-19, the season was shortened to eight episodes and premiered on April 1, 2021.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Andreeva |first=Nellie |date=August 27, 2020 |title=NBC Sets Premiere Dates For Tweaked Fall Schedule; Scripted Series Delayed; 'New Amsterdam', 'Brooklyn', 'Manifest', 'Law & Order: Organized Crime' Held For 2021 |url=https://deadline.com/2020/08/nbc-premiere-dates-tweaked-fall-schedule-this-is-us-chicago-superstore-new-amsterdam-brooklyn-nine-nine-manifest-law-order-organized-crime-held-2021-1203025100/ |website=Deadline Hollywood}}</ref> At the start of season four, other detectives included characters detective Jet Slootmaekers (Ainsley Seiger) and detective Bobby Reyes (Rick Gonzalez). In April 2026, it was announced the series would not return for a sixth season.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Andreeva |first1=Nellie |title=''Law & Order: Organized Crime'' canceled after five seasons |url=https://deadline.com/2026/04/law-and-order-organized-crime-canceled-peacock-nbc-1236863111/ |website=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=April 16, 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260416185059/https://deadline.com/2026/04/law-and-order-organized-crime-canceled-peacock-nbc-1236863111/ |archive-date=April 16, 2026 |date=April 16, 2026 |url-status=live}}</ref>

==In development / unproduced series == ===''Law & Order: Hate Crimes''=== In September 2018, NBC announced that it had given an order of 13 episodes for a new installment of the franchise, titled ''Law & Order: Hate Crimes'', which would be introduced on ''Law & Order: SVU''.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://ew.com/tv/2018/09/04/law-and-order-hate-crimes/ |title=NBC orders new 'Law & Order' series that focuses on hate crimes | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180905141007/https://ew.com/tv/2018/09/04/law-and-order-hate-crimes/ |archive-date=September 5, 2018 |last=Snierson | first=Dan |work=EW.com|access-date=2018-09-05|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/tv/tv-news/nbc-orders-law-and-order-hate-crimes-719187/|title=NBC Orders 'Law and Order: Hate Crimes' |last=Blistein|first=Jon|date=2018-09-05|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=2018-09-05|language=en-US}}</ref> Later, on March 4, 2019, NBC said that the series would be heading back into redevelopment to flesh out the concept and such an introduction on ''SVU'' would not take place.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://deadline.com/2019/03/law-order-hate-crimes-series-pushed-nbc-1202568228/|title='Law & Order: Hate Crimes' Series Pushed At NBC|last=Andreeva|first=Nellie|work=Deadline Hollywood |date=March 4, 2019|access-date=March 5, 2019}}</ref> The series was once again touted in 2020 as part of a multi-year contract signed with creator Dick Wolf.<ref name="DeadlineMar2020">{{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2020/03/christopher-meloni-returns-new-dick-wolf-series-elliot-stabler-nbc-law-order-svu-1202896323/ |title=Christopher Meloni As 'SVU' Character Elliot Stabler To Headline New Dick Wolf Drama Series For NBC|last=Andreeva|first=Nellie|date=March 31, 2020|website=Deadline Hollywood|language=en|access-date=June 20, 2020}}</ref> The series would likely move to Peacock due to language concerns as of June 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tvline.com/2020/06/05/law-order-hate-crimes-spinoff-peacock-streaming-service-language/|title=Law & Order: Hate Crimes Spinoff Likely Bound for Peacock Streaming Service Due to Language Concerns|date=June 5, 2020|website=TVLine|language=en|access-date=June 6, 2020}}</ref> ===''Law & Order: For the Defense''=== NBC had given a straight-to-series order to ''Law & Order: For the Defense'' on May 3, 2021, a new legal drama from creator Wolf that would take a look inside a criminal defense firm. The premise of the ordered series was to put defense attorneys under the microscope, along with the criminal justice system, with every week delivering the promise of a contemporary morality tale.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://deadline.com/2021/05/law-order-for-the-defense-spinoff-dick-wolf-carol-mendelsohn-nbc-series-order-1234748597/|title='Law & Order: For the Defense' Spinoff From Dick Wolf & Carol Mendelsohn Gets NBC Series Order|last=Andreeva|first=Nellie|work=Deadline Hollywood|date=May 3, 2021}}</ref> On May 14, NBC announced that the series would premiere during the 2021–22 television season, leading off a trio of ''Law & Order'' franchise series on Thursdays in the same manner as the network's Wednesday ''Chicago'' grouping.<ref>{{cite web|title=NBC 2021–22 Schedule: 'Law & Order' Thursday, 'This Is Us' Farewell In Midseason, No Comedies In Fall|url=https://deadline.com/2021/05/nbc-2021-22-schedule-law-order-thursday-this-is-us-midseason-no-comedies-1234756072/|work=Deadline Hollywood|first=Nellie|last=Andreeva|date=May 14, 2021}}</ref> On July 15, multiple trade publications reported that NBC and Wolf had mutually agreed to scrap the series, which had not yet cast any roles, and that a different ''Law & Order''–related program, later revealed as the revival of the original series, was in the works.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/law-order-for-the-defense-spinoff-scrapped-at-nbc-1234982753/|title='Law & Order: For the Defense' Spinoff Scrapped at NBC|first=Lesley|last=Goldberg|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=July 15, 2021|access-date=July 15, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2021/07/law-order-for-the-defense-dead-new-spinoff-nbc-1234793923/|title='Law & Order: For the Defense' Not Moving Forward, New 'L&W' Spinoff In Works At NBC|first=Nellie|last=Andreeva|work=Deadline|date=July 15, 2021|access-date=July 15, 2021}}</ref>

==Media== ===TV film=== The ''Law & Order'' franchise has one TV film, ''Exiled: A Law & Order Movie'' (1998). Chris Noth reprises his role as Mike Logan, as the film explores what happened to the character following his departure from the original series.

=== TV special === To commemorate the 21st season of SVU, the television special The Paley Center Salutes Law & Order: SVU was ordered and produced to celebrate the record breaking season and endurance and cultural significance of the show.

Another TV special titled ''The Paley Center Presents Law & Order: Before They Were Stars'' premiered on November 12, 2020, preceding the premiere of ''SVU'' season 22.<ref>{{cite web|title="The Paley Center Presents Law & Order: Before They Were Stars" Looks Back at Franchise's Legacy of Actors|url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2020/10/28/the-paley-center-presents-law-and-order-before-they-were-stars-looks-back-at-franchises-legacy-of-actors-725411/20201028nbc01/|work=The Futon Critic|date=October 28, 2020}}</ref>

===Books=== The franchise has branched out to books, with novels written by Robert Vaughan (under the pseudonym, Jack Gregory), J. Madison Davis, and William P. Wood.

*''Law & Order: In Deep'' (1993) by Jack Gregory *''Law & Order: Black Out'' (1993) by Jack Gregory *''Law & Order: Dead End'' (1994) by Jack Gregory *''Law & Order: Dead Line'' (2002) by J. Madison Davis *''Law & Order: Drop Dead'' (2002) by William P. Wood

===Video games=== The franchise has also spawned a series of video games for the PC, which feature appearances by then-current cast members of the TV series.

The typical course of most of the games follows the original series' format with the player investigating a crime with interviews of witnesses and examination of evidence. After the arrest is made, the player then prosecutes the case with challenges such as selecting appropriate questions for witnesses on the stand, recognizing improper questions to raise objections and selecting the most persuasive arguments for the judge to allow certain evidence in court.

*''Law & Order: Dead on the Money'' *''Law & Order: Double or Nothing'' *''Law & Order: Justice Is Served'' *''Law & Order: Criminal Intent'' *''Law & Order: Legacies''

== Crossovers == {{quote box|width=30%|align=right|quote=In the criminal justice system, some killers are so depraved that it takes multiple police agencies to bring them to justice. This is one of those investigations.|source=– Special crossover opening narration spoken by Steven Zirnkilton<ref name="Nationwide Manhunt">{{cite episode |series=Law & Order: Special Victims Unit |title= Nationwide Manhunt |airdate= 10 February 2016 |network= NBC |location= USA |season= 17 |number= 14 |id= SE17E14}}</ref>|salign=right}} {{See also|Chicago (franchise)#Crossovers{{!}}''Chicago'' (franchise)#Crossovers}}

The following table lists all the crossover stories in the ''Law & Order'' franchise. {{clear}} {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |- ! colspan="6"|Crossover between !! rowspan="2" |Episode title !! rowspan="2"|Actors appearing in other series !! rowspan="2" |Date broadcast !! rowspan="2"|Description !! rowspan="2"|Type |- ! colspan="2" | Series A !! colspan="2" | Series B !! colspan="2" | Series C |- | style="background:#FFB6B6;" | || ''Homicide: Life on the Street'' || style="background:#FF5050;" | || ''Law & Order'' || colspan="2" {{n/a}} || "Law & Disorder" (''Homicide: Life on the Street'' S03E16) || '''Appears in Series A: '''Chris Noth || {{nowrap|Feb 24, 1995}} || Det. Mike Logan meets with Pembleton to hand over a fugitive who fled from Baltimore to New York City. || Cameo |- | style="background:#FFBBFF;" | || ''New York Undercover'' || style="background:#FF5050;" | || ''Law & Order'' || colspan="2" {{n/a}} || "Smack Is Back" (''New York Undercover'' S03E07) || '''Appears in Series A: '''Carolyn McCormick || {{nowrap|Nov 7, 1996}} || After an on-the-job incident, Detective Nina Moreno goes to Dr. Elizabeth Olivet for counseling. || Guest appearance |- | style="background:#FF5050;" | || {{nowrap|''Law & Order''}} || style="background:#FFB6B6;" | || ''Homicide: Life on the Street'' || colspan="2" {{n/a}} || "Charm City" (''Law & Order'' S06E13) "For God and Country" (''Homicide'' S04E11) || '''Appears in Series A:''' Richard Belzer, Kyle Secor, Andre Braugher '''Appears in Series B:''' Benjamin Bratt, Jerry Orbach, Jill Hennessy || {{nowrap|Feb 7, 1996}} Feb 9, 1996 || Briscoe and Curtis clash with Pembleton and Bayliss, who have come to New York to investigate a subway explosion resembling an unsolved bombing in Baltimore. || rowspan="3" | Two-part crossover |- | style="background:#FF5050;" | || {{nowrap|''Law & Order''}} || style="background:#FFB6B6;" | || ''Homicide: Life on the Street'' || colspan="2" {{n/a}} || "Baby, It's You" (''Law & Order'' S08E06) (''Homicide'' S06E05) || '''Appears in Series A:''' Richard Belzer, Jon Seda, Yaphet Kotto, Željko Ivanek '''Appears in Series B:''' Benjamin Bratt, Jerry Orbach, Sam Waterston, Carey Lowell || {{Nowrap|Nov 12, 1997}} Nov 14, 1997 || Falsone and Munch team up with Briscoe and Curtis to investigate the murder of a 14-year-old girl. They trace the suspect from New York back to Baltimore. |- | style="background:#FF5050;" | || ''Law & Order'' || style="background:#FFB6B6;" | || ''Homicide: Life on the Street'' || colspan="2" {{n/a}} || "Sideshow" (''Law & Order'' S09E14) (''Homicide'' S07E15) || '''Appears in Series A:''' Richard Belzer, Michael Michele, Željko Ivanek '''Appears in Series B:''' Benjamin Bratt, Jerry Orbach, Sam Waterston || Feb 17, 1999 Feb 19, 1999 || Briscoe and Curtis re-team up with Munch and Sheppard to investigate the murder of a government worker and expose a connection to the White House. |- | style="background:#FFFF99;" | || {{nowrap|''Law & Order: SVU''}} || style="background:#FF5050;" | || {{nowrap|''Law & Order''}} || colspan="2" {{n/a}} || "...Or Just Look Like One" (''SVU'' S01E03) || '''Appears in Series A: '''Jesse L. Martin, Jerry Orbach, Carolyn McCormick || Oct 4, 1999 || Detectives Briscoe and Green assist the 16th precinct when their homicide victim was also a witness in an SVU case. Meanwhile, Detective Stabler seeks the advice from Dr. Olivet regarding his daughter and anorexia. || Guest appearance |- | style="background:#FFFF99;" | || {{nowrap|''Law & Order: SVU''}} || style="background:#FF5050;" | || {{nowrap|''Law & Order''}} || colspan="2" {{n/a}} || "Entitled" (''SVU'' S01E15) (''Law & Order'' S10E14) || '''Appears in Series A: '''Angie Harmon, Steven Hill, Jesse L. Martin, Jerry Orbach, Sam Waterston '''Appears in Series B:''' Dann Florek, Mariska Hargitay, Christopher Meloni, Richard Belzer || Feb 18, 2000 || The detectives of SVU team with the 27th Precinct to investigate a salesman's murder, leading them to a politically influential family. When the case goes to court, McCoy finds the matriarch to be a formidable opponent. || Two-part crossover |- | style="background:#FF5050;" | || {{nowrap|''Law & Order''}} || style="background:#FFFF99;" | || {{nowrap|''Law & Order: SVU''}} || colspan="2" {{n/a}} || "Fools for Love" (''Law & Order'' S10E15) || '''Appears in Series A: '''Mariska Hargitay, Christopher Meloni || Feb 23, 2000 || Detectives Benson and Stabler assist the 27th precinct in tracking down a murder suspect. || rowspan="4" | Guest appearance |- | style="background:#87cefa;" | || ''Law & Order: Criminal Intent'' || style="background:#FF5050;" | || ''Law & Order'' || colspan="2" {{n/a}} || "One" (''Criminal Intent'' S01E01) || '''Appears in Series A:''' Dianne Wiest || Sep 30, 2001 || Detective Goren and ADA Carver work to assure DA Nora Lewin's confidence in their handling of a murder case. |- | style="background:#87cefa;" | || ''Law & Order: Criminal Intent'' || style="background:#FF5050;" | || ''Law & Order'' || colspan="2" {{n/a}} || "Poison" (''Criminal Intent'' S01E07) || '''Appears in Series A:''' Jesse L. Martin, Jerry Orbach || Nov 11, 2001 || Major Case Detectives Goren and Eames talk to Homicide Detectives Briscoe and Green about a homicide case that may be connected to their cyanide poisoning case. |- | style="background:#87cefa;" | || {{nowrap|''Law & Order: Criminal Intent''}} || style="background:#FF5050;" | || ''Law & Order'' || colspan="2" {{n/a}} || "Badge" (''Criminal Intent'' S01E20) || '''Appears in Series A:''' S. Epatha Merkerson || Apr 28, 2002 || Detectives Goren and Eames question Lt. Anita Van Buren about a former police officer she wrote a letter of recommendation for who is now a suspect in a string of murders. |- | style="background:#FF5050;" | || ''Law & Order'' || style="background:#B6B6B4;" | || {{nowrap|''Law & Order: Trial by Jury''}} || colspan="2" {{n/a}} || "Tombstone" (''Law & Order'' S15E20) "Skeleton" (''Trial by Jury'' S01E08) || '''Appears in Series B:''' Dennis Farina, Jesse L. Martin, S. Epatha Merkerson, Sam Waterston, Richard Belzer || Apr 13 & 15, 2005 || Green is shot while taking a murder witness to trial, leading Fontana to team up with Salazar and uncover ties to a porn magnate. || rowspan="3" | Two-part crossover |- | style="background:#FFFF99;" | || ''Law & Order: SVU'' || style="background:#B6B6B4;" | || {{nowrap|''Law & Order: Trial by Jury''}} || colspan="2" {{n/a}} || "Night" (''SVU'' S06E20) "Day" (''Trial by Jury'' S01E11) || '''Appears in Series A:''' Bebe Neuwirth, Kirk Acevedo, Fred Thompson '''Appears in Series B:''' Christopher Meloni, Mariska Hargitay, Diane Neal, Tamara Tunie, Carolyn McCormick || May 3, 2005 || A man is suspected of rape and facts about his adolescence are revealed at his trial. |- | style="background:#FFFF99;" | || ''Law & Order: SVU'' || style="background:#FF5050;" | || ''Law & Order'' || colspan="2" {{n/a}} || "Design" (''SVU'' S07E02) "Flaw" (''Law & Order'' S16E02) || '''Appears in Series B:''' Mariska Hargitay, Ice-T || Sep 27–28, 2005 || A mother-daughter con team get away with fraud, then are tried for murder. |- | style="background:#98FB98;" | || ''Conviction'' || style="background:#FF5050;" | || {{nowrap|''Law & Order''}} || colspan="2" {{n/a}} || "Pilot" (''Conviction'' S01E01) || '''Appears in Series A: '''Fred Thompson || {{nowrap|Mar 3, 2006}} || When an ADA is assassinated, Alexandra Cabot begins work as a New York Bureau Chief, while DA Branch rallies the troops. || rowspan="2" | Cameo |- | style="background:#87cefa;" | || ''Law & Order: Criminal Intent'' || style="background:#FFFF00;" | || ''In Plain Sight'' || colspan="2" {{n/a}} || "Contract" (''Criminal Intent'' S07E12) || '''Appears in Series A:''' Mary McCormack || Jun 15, 2008 || When a celebrity gossip columnist is murdered, Deputy Marshall Mary Shannon's investigation into suspect Frank Chess leads her to Logan and Wheeler in New York. |- | style="background:#FFFF99;" | || ''Law & Order: SVU'' || style="background:#FF7F00;" | || ''Law & Order: LA'' || colspan="2" {{n/a}} || "Behave" (''SVU'' S12E03) || '''Appears in Series A:''' Skeet Ulrich || Sep 29, 2010 || Detective Olivia Benson works with LAPD Detective Rex Winters in Los Angeles to uncover evidence to help convict a rapist back in New York. || rowspan="4" | Guest appearance |- | style="background:#FFFF99;" | || ''Law & Order: SVU'' || style="background:#FF7F00;" | || ''Law & Order: LA'' || colspan="2" {{n/a}} || "Reparations" (''SVU'' S12E21) || '''Appears in Series A:''' Terrence Howard || Apr 6, 2011 || Deputy DA Joe Dekker heads to New York from LA to defend his cousin when he's accused of rape. |- | style="background:#FFFF99;" | || ''Law & Order: SVU'' || style="background:#87cefa;" | || {{nowrap|''Law & Order: Criminal Intent''}} || colspan="2" {{n/a}} || "Acceptable Loss" (''SVU'' S14E04) || '''Appears in Series A:''' Kathryn Erbe || Oct 17, 2012 || Following her departure from the Major Case Squad, Joint Task Force Lieutenant Alexandra Eames intercepts the SVU's investigation into sex trafficking when one of the victims is suspected of terrorism. |- | style="background:#FFFF99;" | || ''Law & Order: SVU'' || style="background:#87cefa;" | || ''Law & Order: Criminal Intent'' || colspan="2" {{n/a}} || "Poisoned Motive" (''SVU'' S14E22) || '''Appears in Series A:''' Kathryn Erbe || May 8, 2013 || When Rollins becomes the victim of a sniper, Alexandra Eames once again unites with Benson to investigate the Homeland aspects of the case. |- | style="background:#FFFF99;" | || ''Law & Order: SVU'' || style="background:#FFB6B6;" | || ''Homicide: Life on the Street'' || colspan="2" {{n/a}} || "Wonderland Story" (''SVU'' S15E05) || '''Appears in Series A:''' Clark Johnson || Oct 16, 2013 || Baltimore Detective Meldrick Lewis heads to New York to attend the retirement party of his former colleague, John Munch. || Cameo |- | style="background:#FFFF99;" | || ''Law & Order: SVU'' || style="background:#FF7F00;" | || ''Law & Order: LA'' || colspan="2" {{n/a}} || "Jersey Breakdown" (''SVU'' S15E12) || '''Appears in Series A:''' Alana de la Garza || Jan 22, 2014 || ADA Barba seeks the help from former LA DDA Connie Rubirosa, who's now an Assistant U.S. Attorney. || Guest appearance |- | style="background:#FFFF99;" | || ''Law & Order: SVU'' || style="background:#DF73FF;" | || ''Chicago P.D.'' || colspan="2" {{n/a}} || "Comic Perversion" (''SVU'' S15E15) "Conventions" (''Chicago P.D.'' S01E06) || '''Appears in Series A:''' Sophia Bush '''Appears in Series B:''' Ice-T, Kelli Giddish, David Eigenberg || Feb 26, 2014 || Chicago detective Erin Lindsay asks the NYPD for help in solving a series of rapes and murders, so Tutuola and Rollins head to Chicago to help Voight and Antonio catch the culprit. || Two-part crossover |- | style="background:#EAA221;" | || ''Chicago Fire'' ||style="background:#FFFF99;" | || {{nowrap|''Law & Order: SVU''}} || style="background:#DF73FF;" | ||{{nowrap| ''Chicago P.D.''}} ||"Nobody Touches Anything" (''Chicago Fire'' S03E07) "Chicago Crossover" (''SVU'' S16E07) "They'll Have to Go Through Me" (''Chicago P.D.'' S02E07) || '''Appears in Series A:''' Jason Beghe, Sophia Bush, Kelli Giddish '''Appears in Series B:''' Jason Beghe, Sophia Bush, Jesse Lee Soffer '''Appears in Series C:''' Mariska Hargitay, Danny Pino, Kelli Giddish || Nov 11–12, 2014 || When Firehouse 51 rescues the owner of a house on fire, they find him clutching a suspicious box, so the Intelligence Unit is brought in for further investigation, leading them to work with SVU to take down a child pornography ring. || rowspan="2" | Three-part crossover |- | style="background:#EAA221;" | || ''Chicago Fire'' || style="background:#DF73FF;" | ||{{nowrap| ''Chicago P.D.''}} ||style="background:#FFFF99;" | || {{nowrap|''Law & Order: SVU''}} ||"We Called Her Jellybean" (''Chicago Fire'' S03E21) "The Number of Rats" (''Chicago P.D.'' S02E20) "Daydream Believer" (''SVU'' S16E20) || '''Appears in Series A:''' Jason Beghe, Jon Seda, Mariska Hargitay, Tamara Tunie '''Appears in Series B:''' Mariska Hargitay, Danny Pino, Ice-T, Peter Scanavino, Jesse Spencer, Eamonn Walker, Nick Gehlfuss '''Appears in Series C''': Jason Beghe, Sophia Bush, Jesse Lee Soffer, Marina Squerciati, Brian Geraghty || Apr 28–29, 2015 || An apartment fire connected to a case of attempted rape and murder in Chicago resembles an unsolved case in New York, so SVU and Intelligence work together to find the suspect. |- | style="background:#FFFF99;" | || ''Law & Order: SVU'' || style="background:#DF73FF;" | || ''Chicago P.D.'' || colspan="2" {{n/a}} || "Nationwide Manhunt" (''SVU'' S17E14) "The Song of Gregory William Yates" (''Chicago P.D.'' S03E14) || '''Appears in Series A:''' Jason Beghe, Sophia Bush, Jon Seda '''Appears in Series B:''' Mariska Hargitay, Ice-T, Eamonn Walker, Brian Tee || Feb 10, 2016 || Chicago detectives come to New York to assist in the hunt for two escaped murderers, one of whom is Greg Yates, who returns to Chicago and commits a triple homicide, so SVU detectives go to Chicago to join in the investigation.|| Two-part crossover |- | style="background:#7f8a7f" | || ''Chicago Justice'' || style="background:#FF5050;" | || ''Law & Order'' || style="background:#DF73FF;" | || {{nowrap|''Chicago P.D.''}} || "Uncertainty Principle" (''Chicago Justice'' S01E02) || '''Appears in Series A:''' Richard Brooks, Jason Beghe, Marina Squerciati, LaRoyce Hawkins, Amy Morton || Mar 5, 2017 || At the request of Sgt. Hank Voight, Defense Attorney Paul Robinette travels to Chicago to defend Officer Kevin Atwater and faces off against ASA Peter Stone, the son of his former colleague Ben Stone. || rowspan="4" | Guest appearance |- | style="background:#FFFF99;" | || ''Law & Order: SVU'' || style="background:#7f8a7f"| || {{nowrap|''Chicago Justice''}} || style="background:#FF5050;" | || ''Law & Order'' || "The Undiscovered Country" (''SVU'' S19E13) || '''Appears in Series A:''' Philip Winchester, Sam Waterston || Feb 7, 2018 || After traveling to New York to attend his father's funeral, Chicago ASA Peter Stone accepts an offer from Jack McCoy to work for the DA's office. His first case is the prosecution of ADA Rafael Barba. |- | style="background:#FFFF99;" | || ''Law & Order: SVU'' || style="background:#7f8a7f"| || {{nowrap|''Chicago Justice''}} || colspan="2" {{n/a}} || "Zero Tolerance" (''SVU'' S20E03) || '''Appears in Series A:''' Carl Weathers || Oct 4, 2018 || After an illegal immigrant child is separated from her mother, ADA Stone seeks out the help from his former boss, Chicago State's Attorney Mark Jefferies, to reunite them. |- | style="background:#FFFF99;" | || ''Law & Order: SVU'' || style="background:#87cefa;" | || ''Law & Order: Criminal Intent'' || colspan="2" {{n/a}} || "Hunt, Trap, Rape and Release" (''SVU'' S22E07) || '''Appears in Series A:''' Annabella Sciorra || Feb 18, 2021 || Benson and the squad team up with former Major Case Squad detective Carolyn Barek, who's the new Bronx SVU Lieutenant, when a serial rapist strikes in Manhattan. |- | style="background:#FFFF99;" | || ''Law & Order: SVU'' || style="background:#54C571;" | || ''Law & Order: Organized Crime'' || colspan="2" {{n/a}} || "Return of the Prodigal Son" (''SVU'' S22E09) "What Happens in Puglia" (''Organized Crime'' S01E01) || '''Appears in Series A:''' Christopher Meloni '''Appears in Series B:''' Mariska Hargitay || Apr 1, 2021 || The squad rallies around former SVU Detective Eliot Stabler after threat is made on his family.|| Two-part crossover |- | style="background:#54C571;" | || ''Law & Order: Organized Crime'' || style="background:#FFFF99;" | || ''Law & Order: SVU'' || colspan="2" {{n/a}} || "Not Your Father's Organized Crime" (''Organized Crime'' S01E02) || '''Appears in Series A:''' Mariska Hargitay || Apr 8, 2021 || Stabler chats with Benson in her car about their awkward meeting in the lobby and the fact that Stabler is suffering from PTSD.|| rowspan="2" | Guest appearance |- | style="background:#54C571;" | || ''Law & Order: Organized Crime'' || style="background:#FFFF99;" | || ''Law & Order: SVU'' || colspan="2" {{n/a}} || "The Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of" (''Organized Crime'' S01E04) || '''Appears in Series A:''' Mariska Hargitay, Peter Scanavino || Apr 22, 2021 || Carisi assists Stabler and Ayanna Bell with getting Izak Bekhar to work with them to bring down Richard Wheatley. Benson helps Stabler's children in staging an intervention for Stabler to deal with his PTSD. |- | style="background:#FFFF99;" | || ''Law & Order: SVU'' || style="background:#54C571;" | || ''Law & Order: Organized Crime'' || colspan="2" {{n/a}} || "Trick-Rolled at the Moulin" (''SVU'' S22E013) "An Inferior Product" (''Organized Crime'' S01E05) || '''Appears in Series A:''' Christopher Meloni '''Appears in Series B:''' Mariska Hargitay, Demore Barnes || May 13, 2021 || After a string of drug related crimes, Benson and Stabler work together to solve the case. || Two-part crossover |- | style="background:#FFFF99;" | || ''Law & Order: SVU'' || style="background:#54C571;" | || ''Law & Order: Organized Crime'' || colspan="2" {{n/a}} || "I Thought You Were on My Side" (''SVU'' S23E03) || '''Appears in Series A:''' Christopher Meloni, Danielle Moné Truitt || Sep 30, 2021 || Benson and Rollins must contend with the FBI and the Organized Crime bureau when a rape victim identifies a dangerous mobster as her assailant. || rowspan="2" | Guest appearance |- | style="background:#54C571;" | || ''Law & Order: Organized Crime'' || style="background:#FFFF99;" | || ''Law & Order: SVU'' || colspan="2" {{n/a}} || "The Outlaw Eddie Wagner" (''Organized Crime'' S02E03) || '''Appears in Series A:''' Mariska Hargitay || Sep 30, 2021 || Stabler shows up at Benson's home after having been drugged while undercover. |- | style="background:#FFFF99;" | || ''Law & Order: SVU'' || style="background:#54C571;" | || ''Law & Order: Organized Crime'' || colspan="2" {{n/a}} || "Fast Times @TheWheelHouse" (''SVU'' S23E05) "The Good, The Bad, and The Lovely" (''Organized Crime'' S02E05) || '''Appears in Series A:''' Danielle Moné Truitt, Ainsley Seiger '''Appears in Series B:''' Mariska Hargitay, Ice-T || Oct 14, 2021 || SVU and Organized Crime work together to take down an Albanian sex trafficking ring. || Guest appearance{{efn|While neither episode was marketed as an official two part crossover, one overlapping story arc is present in both episodes and part of why characters are crossing over.}} |- | style="background:#FFFF99;" | || ''Law & Order: SVU'' || style="background:#54C571;" | || ''Law & Order: Organized Crime'' || colspan="2" {{n/a}} || "People vs. Richard Wheatley" (''SVU'' S23E09) "The Christmas Episode" (''Organized Crime'' S02E09) || '''Appears in Series A:''' Christopher Meloni, Danielle Moné Truitt, Tamara Taylor, Dylan McDermott '''Appears in Series B:''' Mariska Hargitay, Raúl Esparza || Dec 9, 2021 || Carisi tries Richard Wheatley for the murder of Kathy Stabler while Benson finds herself at odds with a friend when Rafael Barba agrees to take the case. || Two-part crossover |- | style="background:#54C571;" | || ''Law & Order: Organized Crime'' || style="background:#FFFF99;" | || ''Law & Order: SVU'' || colspan="2" {{n/a}} || "Takeover" (''Organized Crime'' S02E15) || '''Appears in Series A:''' Mariska Hargitay || Mar 10, 2022 || Benson helps Stabler and Ayanna Bell establish Stabler's undercover role. || Guest appearance |- |style="background:#54C571;" | || ''Law & Order: Organized Crime'' || style="background:#FFFF99;" | || ''Law & Order: SVU'' || colspan="2" {{n/a}} || "Can't Knock the Hustle" (''Organized Crime'' S02E17) || '''Appears in Series A:''' Dann Florek || Apr 17, 2022 || Stabler visits former SVU Captain Donald Cragen at his home to discuss Stabler's father. || Guest appearance |- | style="background:#FFFF99;" | || ''Law & Order: SVU'' || style="background:#54C571;" | || ''Law & Order: Organized Crime'' || colspan="2" {{n/a}} || "Did You Believe in Miracles?" (''SVU'' S23E20) "Lost One" (''Organized Crime'' S02E20)|| '''Appears in Series A:''' Christopher Meloni '''Appears in Series B:''' Mariska Hargitay, Octavio Pisano || May 6, 2022 || SVU and Organized Crime search for an abducted 9-year-old girl. || Two-part crossover<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tvline.com/2022/05/05/law-and-order-recap-seaosn-23-episode-20-stabler-meets-noah/|title=''SVU'' Recap: Stabler Finally Met Benson's Son, Noah — How'd It Go?|last=Roots|first=Kimberly|date=May 5, 2022|work=TVLine|access-date=May 6, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://tvline.com/2022/05/05/law-and-order-organized-crime-recap-season-2-episode-20-svu-crossover/|title=''Law & Order: Organized Crime'' Recap: Partners in Crime|last=Roots|first=Kimberly|date=May 5, 2022|work=TVLine|access-date=May 6, 2022}}</ref> |- | style="background:#FF5050;" | || {{nowrap|''Law & Order''}} || style="background:#FFFF99;" | || {{nowrap|''Law & Order: SVU''}} || colspan="2" {{n/a}} || "Black and Blue" (''Law & Order'' S21E10) || '''Appears in Series A: '''Mariska Hargitay || May 19, 2022 || Det. Cosgrove asks Captain Olivia Benson for help solving a case. || Guest appearance |- | style="background:#54C571;" | || ''Law & Order: Organized Crime'' || style="background:#FFFF99;" | || ''Law & Order: SVU'' || colspan="2" {{n/a}} || "Friend or Foe" (''Organized Crime'' S02E22) || '''Appears in Series A:''' Dann Florek || May 19, 2022 || Former SVU Captain Donald Cragen appears at Stabler's Combat Medal ceremony. || Cameo |- | style="background:#54C571;" | || ''Law & Order: Organized Crime'' || style="background:#FFFF99;" | || ''Law & Order: SVU'' || style="background:#FF5050;" | || {{nowrap|''Law & Order''}} || "Gimme Shelter" (''Organized Crime'' S03E01) (''SVU'' S24E01) (''Law & Order'' S22E01) || '''Appears in Series A:''' Mariska Hargitay, Kelli Giddish, Octavio Pisano, Jeffrey Donovan, Mehcad Brooks, Camryn Manheim '''Appears in Series B:''' Christopher Meloni, Danielle Moné Truitt, Ainsley Seiger, Jeffrey Donovan, Mehcad Brooks, Camryn Manheim '''Appears in Series C:''' Mariska Hargitay, Christopher Meloni, Kelli Giddish, Peter Scanavino, Ainsley Seiger || Sep 22, 2022 || The shooting of a girl in cold blood is traced to an international crime ring. || Three-part crossover<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2022/08/law-order-franchise-plans-historic-crossover-nbc-september-1235098790/|title='Law & Order' Franchise On NBC Plans Historic Crossover In September|publisher=Deadline|first=Lynette|last=Rice|date=August 24, 2022}}</ref> |- | style="background:#54C571;" | || ''Law & Order: Organized Crime'' || style="background:#FFFF99;" | || ''Law & Order: SVU'' || colspan="2" {{n/a}} || "Behind Blue Eyes" (''Organized Crime'' S03E05) || '''Appears in Series A:''' Kelli Giddish || Oct 17, 2022 || Amanda Rollins brings Stabler into a case where two girls are raped by two people who are dressed as cops who are suspected to be linked to the Brotherhood. || Guest appearance |- | style="background:#FFFF99;" | || ''Law & Order: SVU'' || style="background:#54C571;" | || ''Law & Order: Organized Crime'' || colspan="2" {{n/a}} || "Bad Things" (''SVU'' S24E21) "Shadowërk" (''Organized Crime'' S03E21) "All Pain Is One Malady" (''SVU'' S24E22) "With Many Names" (''Organized Crime'' S03E22) || '''Appears in Series A:''' Christopher Meloni, Ainsley Seiger, Brent Antonello, Rick Gonzalez '''Appears in Series B:''' Mariska Hargitay, Ice-T, Peter Scanavino, Octavio Pisano, Molly Burnett, Kelli Giddish || May 11–18, 2023 || When DNA from a Special Victims Unit rape investigation connects to an OCCB unsolved murder, Stabler and Benson uncover a revenge-for-hire scheme on the dark web. Bell and Slootmaekers follow the money trail to expose the website's anonymous creator. || Four-part crossover |- | style="background:#54C571;" | || ''Law & Order: Organized Crime'' || style="background:#FFFF99;" | || ''Law & Order: SVU'' || colspan="2" {{n/a}} || "Original Sin" (''Organized Crime'' S04E07) || '''Appears in Series A:''' Dann Florek || March 14, 2024 || Former SVU Captain Donald Cragen appears || Cameo |- | style="background:#54C571;" | || ''Law & Order: Organized Crime'' || style="background:#FFFF99;" | || ''Law & Order: SVU'' || colspan="2" {{n/a}} || "Sins of Our Fathers" (''Organized Crime'' S04E08) || '''Appears in Series A:''' Dann Florek || March 21, 2024 || Former SVU Captain Donald Cragen appears || Cameo |- | style="background:#FF5050;" | || {{nowrap|''Law & Order''}} || style="background:#FFFF99;" | || {{nowrap|''Law & Order: SVU''}} || colspan="2" {{n/a}} || "Play with Fire" (''Law & Order'' S24E19) (''SVU'' S26E19) || '''Appears in Series A: '''Mariska Hargitay, Peter Scanavino, Kevin Kane, Juliana Aidén Martinez '''Appears in Series B:''' Hugh Dancy, Tony Goldwyn, Maura Tierney || April 18, 2025 || TBA || Two-part crossover |- | | | | | | | | | | | |} {{notelist}}

=== John Munch crossovers === {{main|John Munch}} The character John Munch, who originated on ''Homicide: Life on the Street'', is notable for either appearing in or being referenced in a wide variety of other series, ranging from appearing in the science fiction series ''The X-Files'', to the sitcom ''Arrested Development'', to being referenced by name in the British crime drama ''Luther''.

== Other related series ==

''New York Undercover'' (1994–1998) : Co-created by Kevin Arkadie and Dick Wolf, ''NYU'' was implicitly a part of the same universe as the franchise, as psychologist and psychiatrist characters from ''L&O'' appeared in the series and there were glimpses of the franchise's fictional newspaper, the ''New York Ledger''.

''Deadline'' (2000–2001) : Also created by Dick Wolf, featured reporters based at the ''New York Ledger''.

''Conviction'' (2006) : This series starred Stephanie March as Alexandra Cabot, Anson Mount as Jim Steele, Eric Balfour as Brian Peluso, J. August Richards as Billy Desmond, Milena Govich as Jessica Rossi, Julianne Nicholson as Christina Finn, and Jordan Bridges as Nick Potter. March reprises her role of Cabot originally from ''SVU'' and is now the Homicide Bureau Chief ADA. Cabot would return to ''SVU'' after this show's end. The series features a larger ensemble cast of young ADAs, with no police, therapists or medical examiners in lead roles. After its cancellation, two of the show's actresses, Milena Govich and Julianne Nicholson, went on to star in ''Law & Order'' and ''Law & Order: Criminal Intent'' respectively as Detectives Nina Cassady and Megan Wheeler.

== Foreign adaptations == The franchise, as a result of its popularity, has led to the adaptation of scripts from the American series into foreign-produced series. These are:

'''''Paris enquêtes criminelles''''' (''Paris Criminal Investigations'') : 3 seasons, 20 episodes (May 3, 2007 – November 6, 2008) ''Paris Criminal Investigations'' follows the format of ''Law & Order: Criminal Intent'', adapted to Paris and the French legal system, with detectives from the Prefecture of Police DRPJ and the Ministère public attempting to secure a conviction. The series stars Vincent Pérez, Sandrine Rigaux, Jacques Pater, Hélène Godec, Laure Killing, and Audrey Looten. The show is also aired in Germany on ZDF, under the title ''Law & Order: Paris''.

'''''Закон и Порядок. Отдел оперативных расследований''''' (''Law & Order: Division of Field Investigation'') : 4 seasons, 84 episodes (2007–2011) '' Division of Field Investigations'' follows the format of ''Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'', set in Moscow and adapted to the Russian justice system. The series stars Ivan Oganesyan, Alisa Bogart, Dmitry Brusnikin, Alexander Naumov, Valery Troshin, and Xenia Entelis.

'''''Закон и Порядок. Преступный умысел''''' (''Law & Order: Criminal Intent'') : 4 seasons, 84 episodes (2007–2011) ''Criminal Intent'' follows the format of ''Law & Order: Criminal Intent'', set in Moscow and is adapted to the Russian Justice System. The series stars Mikhail Homyakov, Igor Lagutin, Elena Kovalchuk and Boris Mironov.

'''''Law & Order: UK''''' : 5 series, 53 episodes (February 23, 2009 – June 11, 2014) ''UK'' follows the format of the original ''Law & Order'' show but adapts it to the new setting of London, with detectives from the Metropolitan Police CID and the Crown Prosecution Service attempting to secure a conviction. The series stars Bradley Walsh, Jamie Bamber, Harriet Walter, Ben Daniels, Freema Agyeman, Bill Paterson, Paul Nicholls, Dominic Rowan, Georgia Taylor, Peter Davison, Sharon Small, Paterson Joseph, and Ben Bailey Smith.

'''''Code of Law''''' : 5 seasons, 59 episodes (September 20, 2012 – June 22, 2020)<ref>TheTVDB. (2024) ''Code of Law''. (online) Available at: https://thetvdb.com/series/code-of-law (Accessed: February 17th 2024).</ref> An unofficial adaptation by Mediacorp Channel 5 follows the format of the original ''Law & Order'' series, but changes the setting to Singapore in the 2010s, with detectives from the Singapore Police Force and "the best criminal lawyers in town" who "fight to present the best case in court for the Accused". The series stars Sunny Pang and Fauzie Laily as the detectives and Keagan Kang and Joanne Peh<ref>Ong, S. M. (2015) ''What happened to Joanne Peh?'' AsiaOne. (online) Available at: https://stage-a1.asiaone.com/entertainment/what-happened-joanne-peh (Accessed: February 17th 2024).</ref> in the legal side. ''Code of Law'' also has two spin-off series, a Malay-language series entitled ''Forensik''<ref>TheTVDB. (2024) ''Forensik''. (online) Available at: https://thetvdb.com/series/forensik (Accessed: February 17th 2024).</ref> and an English-language series entitled ''Derek'',<ref>TheTVDB. (2024) ''Derek''. (online) Available at: https://thetvdb.com/series/389225-derek (Accessed: February 17th 2024).</ref> and a spin-off movie entitled ''Derek: The Movie''.<ref>Internet Movie Database. (2019) ''Derek: The Movie''. (online) Available at: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27043095/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_q_Derek%253A%2520The%2520Movie (Accessed: February 17th 2024).</ref> It also had a prequel, ''The Pupil'', which aired for two seasons of 26 episodes between January 7, 2010 and November 8, 2011, and which in turn was based on the ''Law & Order'' spinoff, ''Conviction''.<ref>TheTVDB. (2024) ''The Pupil''. (online) Available at: https://thetvdb.com/series/341783-show (Accessed: February 17th 2024).</ref>

== Series timeline == <div class="overflowbugx" style="overflow:auto; font-size:90%;" width: 100%;"> {| class="wikitable" |- ! rowspan="3" style="width:16%;"|Series !! colspan="36" |Television seasons !! rowspan="2" style="width:5%;"| No. of Episodes |- ! style="width:2.5%;"|1990–91 !! style="width:2.5%;"|1991–92 !! style="width:2.5%;"|1992–93 !! style="width:2.5%;"|1993–94 !! style="width:2.5%;"|1994–95 !! style="width:2.5%;"|1995–96 !! style="width:2.5%;"|1996–97 !! style="width:2.5%;"|1997–98 !! style="width:2.5%;"|1998–99 !! style="width:2.5%;"|1999–2000 !! style="width:2.5%;"|2000–01 !! style="width:2.5%;"|2001–02 !! style="width:2.5%;"|2002–03 !! style="width:2.5%;"|2003–04 !! style="width:2.5%;"|2004–05 !! style="width:2.5%;"|2005–06 !! style="width:2.5%;"|2006–07 !! style="width:2.5%;"|2007–08 !! style="width:2.5%;"|2008–09 !! style="width:2.5%;"|2009–10 !! style="width:2.5%;"|2010–11 !! style="width:2.5%;"|2011–12 !! style="width:2.5%;"|2012–13 !! style="width:2.5%;"|2013–14 !! style="width:2.5%;"|2014–15 !! style="width:2.5%;"|2015–16 !! style="width:2.5%;"|2016–17 !! style="width:2.5%;"|2017–18 !! style="width:2.5%;"|2018–19 !! style="width:2.5%;"|2019–20 !! style="width:2.5%;"|2020–21 !! style="width:2.5%;"|2021–22 !! style="width:2.5%;"|2022–23 !! style="width;2.5%;" |2023–24 !! style="width;2.5%;" |2024–25 !! style="width;2.5%;" |2025–26 |- style="text-align:center;" | colspan="36" |'''Franchise''' || '''{{formatnum:{{#expr:544+595+195+13+53+16+22+8+75}}}}''' |- style="text-align:center;" || ''{{abbr|L&O|Law & Order}}'' || style="background:#FF5050;" | 1 || style="background:#FF5050;" | 2 || style="background:#FF5050;"| 3 || style="background:#FF5050;"| 4 || style="background:#FF5050;"| 5 || style="background:#FF5050;"| 6 || style="background:#FF5050;"| 7 || style="background:#FF5050;"| 8 || style="background:#FF5050;"| 9 || style="background:#FF5050;"| 10 || style="background:#FF5050;"| 11 || style="background:#FF5050;"| 12 || style="background:#FF5050;"| 13 || style="background:#FF5050;"| 14 || style="background:#FF5050;"| 15 || style="background:#FF5050;"| 16 || style="background:#FF5050;"| 17 || style="background:#FF5050;"| 18 || style="background:#FF5050;"| 19 || style="background:#FF5050;"| 20 || colspan="11" style="background:#ececec; color:gray;" class="table-na"| || style="background:#FF5050;"| 21 || style="background:#FF5050;"| 22 || style="background:#FF5050;"| 23 || style="background:#FF5050;"| 24 || style="background:#FF5050;" | 25 | '''544''' |- style="text-align:center;" || ''{{abbr|SVU|Law & Order: Special Victims Unit}}'' || colspan="9" style="background:#ececec; color:gray;" class="table-na"| || style="background:#FFFF99;"| 1 || style="background:#FFFF99;"| 2 || style="background:#FFFF99;"| 3 || style="background:#FFFF99;"| 4 || style="background:#FFFF99;"| 5 || style="background:#FFFF99;"| 6 || style="background:#FFFF99;"| 7 || style="background:#FFFF99;"| 8 || style="background:#FFFF99;"| 9 || style="background:#FFFF99;"| 10 || style="background:#FFFF99;"| 11 || style="background:#FFFF99;"| 12 || style="background:#FFFF99;"| 13 || style="background:#FFFF99;"| 14 || style="background:#FFFF99;"| 15 || style="background:#FFFF99;"| 16 || style="background:#FFFF99;"| 17 || style="background:#FFFF99;"| 18 || style="background:#FFFF99;"| 19 || style="background:#FFFF99;"| 20 || style="background:#FFFF99;"| 21 || style="background:#FFFF99;"| 22 || style="background:#FFFF99;"| 23 || style="background:#FFFF99;"| 24 || style="background:#FFFF99;"| 25 || style="background:#FFFF99;"| 26 || style="background:#FFFF99;"| 27 | '''595''' |- style="text-align:center;" || ''{{abbr|CI|Law & Order: Criminal Intent}}'' || colspan="11" style="background:#ececec; color:gray;" class="table-na"| || style="background:#87CEFA;"| 1 || style="background:#87CEFA;"| 2 || style="background:#87CEFA;"| 3 || style="background:#87CEFA;"| 4 || style="background:#87CEFA;"| 5 || style="background:#87CEFA;"| 6 || style="background:#87CEFA;"| 7 || style="background:#87CEFA;"| 8 || style="background:#87CEFA;"| 9 || style="background:#87CEFA;"| 10 || colspan="15" style="background:#ececec; color:gray;" class="table-na" | || '''195''' |- style="text-align:center;" | ''{{abbr|TBJ|Law & Order: Trial by Jury}}'' || colspan="14" style="background:#ececec; color:gray;" class="table-na"| || style="background:#B6B6B4;"| 1 || colspan="21" style="background:#ececec; color:gray;" class="table-na" | || '''13''' |- style="text-align:center;" | ''{{abbr|UK|Law & Order: UK}}'' || colspan="18" style="background:#ececec; color:gray;" class="table-na"| || style="background:tan;"| 1 || style="background:#ececec; color:gray;" class="table-na"| || style="background:tan;"| 2 || style="background:tan;"| 3 || style="background:tan;"| 4 || style="background:tan;"| 5 || colspan="12" style="background:#ececec; color:gray;" class="table-na" | || '''53''' |- style="text-align:center;" || ''{{abbr|TCI| Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent}}'' || colspan="33" style="background:#ececec; color:gray;" class="table-na"| || style="background:#D2EEFA;"|1 || style="background:#D2EEFA;"|2 || style="background:#ececec; color:gray;" class="table-na"| | '''16''' |- style="text-align:center;" | ''{{abbr|LA|Law & Order: LA}}'' || colspan="20" style="background:#ececec; color:gray;" class="table-na"| || style="background:#FFBF00;"| 1 || colspan="15" style="background:#ececec; color:gray;" class="table-na" | || '''22''' |- style="text-align:center;" | ''{{abbr|TC|Law & Order True Crime}}'' || colspan="27" style="background:#ececec; color:gray;" class="table-na"| || style="background:#F3E2A9;"| 1 || colspan="8" style="background:#ececec; color:gray;" class="table-na" | || '''8''' |- style="text-align:center;" | ''{{abbr|OC|Law & Order: Organized Crime}}'' || colspan="30" style="background:#ececec; color:gray;" class="table-na"| || style="background:#54C571;"| 1 || style="background:#54C571;"| 2 || style="background:#54C571;"| 3 || style="background:#54C571;"| 4 || style="background:#54C571;"| 5 || colspan="1" style="background:#ececec; color:gray;" class="table-na"| | '''75''' |- style="text-align:center;" ! | colspan="36" |'''Universe''' || '''{{formatnum:{{#expr:122+89+13+13+61+8+295+264+219+13+157+108+78}}}}''' |- style="text-align:center;" || ''{{abbr|HLOTS|Homicide: Life on the Street}}'' || colspan="2" style="background:#ececec; color:gray;" class="table-na"| || style="background:#00BFFF;"| 1 || style="background:#00BFFF;"| 2 || style="background:#00BFFF;"| 3 || style="background:#00BFFF;"| 4 || style="background:#00BFFF;"| 5 || style="background:#00BFFF;"| 6 || style="background:#00BFFF;"| 7 || colspan="27" style="background:#ececec; color:gray;" class="table-na" | || '''122''' |- style="text-align:center;" || ''{{abbr|NYU|New York Undercover}}'' || colspan="4" style="background:#ececec; color:gray;" class="table-na"| || style="background:#f7e463;"| 1 || style="background:#f7e463;"| 2 || style="background:#f7e463;"| 3 || style="background:#f7e463;"| 4 || colspan="28" style="background:#ececec; color:gray;" class="table-na" | || '''89''' |- style="text-align:center;" || ''{{abbr|DL|Deadline}}'' || colspan="10" style="background:#ececec; color:gray;" class="table-na"| || style="background:#F167B7;"| 1 || colspan="25" style="background:#ececec; color:gray;" class="table-na" | || '''13''' |- style="text-align:center;" || ''{{abbr|Con|Conviction}}'' || colspan="15" style="background:#ececec; color:gray;" class="table-na"| || style="background:#A9F5D0;"| 1 || colspan="20" style="background:#ececec; color:gray;" class="table-na" | || '''13''' |- style="text-align:center;" || ''{{abbr|IPS|In Plain Sight}}'' || colspan="17" style="background:#ececec; color:gray;" class="table-na"| || style="background:#ff0;"| 1 || style="background:#ff0;"| 2 || style="background:#ff0;"| 3 || style="background:#ff0;"| 4 || style="background:#ff0;"| 5 || colspan="14" style="background:#ececec; color:gray;" class="table-na" | || '''61''' |- style="text-align:center;" || ''Jo'' || colspan="22" style="background:#ececec; color:gray;" class="table-na"| || style="background:#40E0D0; text-align:center;"| 1 || colspan="13" style="background:#ececec; color:gray;" class="table-na" | || '''8''' |- style="text-align:center;" || ''{{abbr|Fire|hicago Fire}}'' || colspan="22" style="background:#ececec; color:gray;" class="table-na"| || style="background:#EAA221;"| 1 || style="background:#EAA221;"| 2 || style="background:#EAA221;"| 3 || style="background:#EAA221;"| 4 || style="background:#EAA221;"| 5 || style="background:#EAA221;"| 6 || style="background:#EAA221;"| 7 || style="background:#EAA221;"| 8 || style="background:#EAA221;"| 9 || style="background:#EAA221;"| 10 || style="background:#EAA221;"| 11 || style="background:#EAA221;"| 12 || style="background:#EAA221;"| 13 || style="background:#EAA221;"| 14 | '''295''' |- style="text-align:center;" || ''{{abbr|P.D.|Chicago P.D.}}'' || colspan="23" style="background:#ececec; color:gray;" class="table-na"| || style="background:#DF73FF;"| 1 || style="background:#DF73FF;"| 2 || style="background:#DF73FF;"| 3 || style="background:#DF73FF;"| 4 || style="background:#DF73FF;"| 5 || style="background:#DF73FF;"| 6 || style="background:#DF73FF;"| 7 || style="background:#DF73FF;"| 8 || style="background:#DF73FF;"| 9 || style="background:#DF73FF;"| 10 || style="background:#DF73FF;"| 11 || style="background:#DF73FF;"| 12 || style="background:#DF73FF;"| 13 | '''264''' |- style="text-align:center;" || ''{{abbr|Med|Chicago Med}}'' || colspan="25" style="background:#ececec; color:gray;" class="table-na"| || style="background:#c28b6c;"| 1 || style="background:#c28b6c;"| 2 || style="background:#c28b6c;"| 3 || style="background:#c28b6c;"| 4 || style="background:#c28b6c;"| 5 || style="background:#c28b6c;"| 6 || style="background:#c28b6c;"| 7 || style="background:#c28b6c;"| 8 || style="background:#c28b6c;"| 9 ||style="background:#c28b6c;"| 10 ||style="background:#c28b6c;"| 11 | '''219''' |- style="text-align:center;" || ''{{abbr|Justice|Chicago Justice}}'' || colspan="26" style="background:#ececec; color:gray;" class="table-na"| || style="background:#80ff80;"| 1 || colspan="9" style="background:#ececec; color:gray;" class="table-na" | || '''13''' |- style="text-align:center;" || ''FBI'' || colspan="28" style="background:#ececec; color:gray;" class="table-na"| || style="background:#F7819F;"|1 || style="background:#F7819F;"|2 || style="background:#F7819F;"|3 || style="background:#F7819F;"|4 || style="background:#F7819F;"|5 || style="background:#F7819F;"|6 || style="background:#F7819F;"|7 || style="background:#F7819F;"|8 | '''157''' |- style="text-align:center;" || ''{{abbr|MW|FBI: Most Wanted}}'' || colspan="29" style="background:#ececec; color:gray;" class="table-na"| || style="background:#CECEF6;"|1 || style="background:#CECEF6;"|2 || style="background:#CECEF6;"|3 || style="background:#CECEF6;"|4 || style="background:#CECEF6;"|5 || style="background:#CECEF6;"|6 || colspan="1" style="background:#ececec; color:gray;" class="table-na"| | '''108''' |- style="text-align:center;" || ''{{abbr|Intl|FBI: International}}'' || colspan="31" style="background:#ececec; color:gray;" class="table-na"| || style="background:#e99aed;"|1 || style="background:#e99aed;"|2 || style="background:#e99aed;"|3 || style="background:#e99aed;"|4 || colspan="1" style="background:#ececec; color:gray;" class="table-na"| | '''78''' |- style="text-align:center;" ! | colspan="36" |'''Total''' || '''{{formatnum:{{#expr:1521+1440}}}}''' |} </div> *CIA

==Location== ===Setting=== Most of the American series have been filmed almost entirely in the New York City area.{{Citation needed|date=June 2021}} The fictional Hudson University is a recurring location across multiple series in the franchise, based on an amalgam of Columbia University and New York University,<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Barron |first1=James |title=Where Everyone Majors in Murder |work=The New York Times |date=2010-03-29 |url=https://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/29/where-everyone-majors-in-murder/ |language=en-US |access-date=2021-06-20 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> with some other colleges appearing as additional filming locations. Hudson University has also appeared less frequently in many other television series and movies, and is a fictional college in the DC universe.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://study.com/hudson_university_new_york.html |website=study.com |title=Hudson University in New York: Fact or Fiction? |author=Megan Driscoll |access-date=23 May 2021}}</ref><ref name="Orquiola">{{cite web |url=https://screenrant.com/legends-tomorrow-dick-grayson-nightwing-hudson-university-exist/ |title=Legends of Tomorrow Season 5 Visits Dick Grayson's College (Does He Exist?) |last=Orquiola |first=John |date=May 13, 2020 |website=Screen Rant |access-date=June 22, 2021}}</ref>

The original ''Law & Order'' series has filmed a few episodes in the Los Angeles area and Baltimore; these episodes or portions of episodes were set in the cities in which they were filmed and concerned multi-jurisdictional investigations or extradition. ''Law & Order: LA'' expanded the franchise to a new main city, the new series' namesake. ''L&O: LA'' was canceled after one season.{{Citation needed|date=June 2021}}

===Effects on casting=== With some frequency, actors have appeared on the various series that make up the franchise, usually as different (sometimes very different) characters. This is because filming occurs in the New York City area and thus draws from the same pool of actors. Some prominent examples of the same actor playing different roles in different episodes are:

* S. Epatha Merkerson playing a maid whose child was killed in a season 1 episode of the original ''L&O'' before joining the cast in season 4 as Lieutenant Anita Van Buren and going on to be the second longest-serving cast member of the parent series. Merkerson also plays Sharon Goodwin in the ''Chicago'' franchise, which has shared numerous crossovers with ''SVU''. * Camryn Manheim appeared in three episodes of the original ''L&O'' in the first, third, and fourth seasons as three different characters before joining the main cast as Lieutenant Kate Dixon in the series' 21st season after being rebooted in 2022.<ref>{{cite news |title=Camryn Manheim Joins 'Law & Order' Revival On NBC |url=https://deadline.com/2021/12/camryn-manheim-cast-law-order-revival-nbc-season-21-1234888572/ |access-date=31 July 2022 |work=Deadline |date=10 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220303030126/https://deadline.com/2021/12/camryn-manheim-cast-law-order-revival-nbc-season-21-1234888572/ |archive-date=3 March 2022}}</ref> * Diane Neal playing a female rapist in an earlier season of ''Special Victims Unit'' before becoming the Assistant District Attorney for that series. * Annabella Sciorra playing a criminal defense attorney in ''Trial by Jury'' and later Det. Carolyn Barek, Det. Mike Logan's (Chris Noth) partner, in ''Criminal Intent''. * Jerry Orbach playing a defense attorney on the original series before joining it as Det. Lennie Briscoe. * Ice-T playing a pimp known as Seymour Stockton in the franchise's only film, ''Exiled: A Law & Order Movie'', before taking on the role of Tutuola on ''SVU''. * Anthony Anderson playing Detective Lucius Blaine in a seventh-season episode of ''SVU'' before playing Bernard on the original ''Law & Order''. * Annie Parisse played an exotic dancer in season 12 before joining the cast as Alexandra Borgia at the start of season 15. * Jeremy Sisto played a defense attorney in the last episode of season 17 before joining the cast as Cyrus Lupo at the start of season 18. Sisto also plays Jubal Valentine in the ''FBI'' franchise. * Kelli Giddish played two different characters on ''Criminal Intent'' and ''SVU'' before joining the show in season 13 as Amanda Rollins. * Raúl Esparza played different characters on ''Law & Order'' and ''Criminal Intent'' before joining ''SVU'' in its 14th season as Assistant District Attorney Rafael Barba. * Peter Scanavino played multiple characters in ''Law & Order'', ''Criminal Intent'', ''Trial by Jury'' and ''SVU'' before joining the cast in season 16 as Dominick Carisi. * Rick Gonzalez played a burglar in a season 1 episode of ''SVU'' before joining ''Organized Crime'' in season 3 as Detective Bobby Reyes. * Tony Goldwyn played Frank Goren in four episodes of ''Criminal Intent'' before joining the cast of ''Law & Order'' as D.A. Nicholas Baxter. * Jim Gaffigan, better known for his stand-up comedy routines which sometimes mention life in his family's New York City apartment, has appeared in five episodes of the franchise. In the original series as person of interest George Rozakis (1998, S9E4 "Flight") and murder suspect Larry Johnson (2009, S20E4 "Reality Bites"). In the SVU series he played Oliver Tunney, a kidnapping suspect (2001, S2E15 "Countdown"), and he appeared twice in Criminal Intent, shady crematorium operator Russel Matthews (2002, S2E1 "Dead") and corrupt FDA official Marty Palin (2007, S7E3 "Smile").

Also due to the New York filming, a number of actors appearing in '' Law & Order'' shows have had regular or recurring roles on soaps. Most notable is Tamara Tunie, who simultaneously played both medical examiner Melinda Warner on ''SVU'' as well as (until 2007) District Attorney Jessica Griffin on ''As the World Turns''. Likewise, New York theater actors have also been frequently cast.

Also as the result of sharing the same pool of New York–based television actors, the series' casts have had significant overlap with that of the former HBO series ''Oz''. This is perhaps most pronounced in ''Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'', whose cast has included three regularly credited actors (Christopher Meloni, BD Wong and Dean Winters), as well as two recurring actors (J. K. Simmons and Mike Doyle) who were also regularly credited actors on ''Oz'', also Kathryn Erbe from ''Oz'' starring in ''Law & Order: Criminal Intent''. Similarly, ''Law & Order: UK'' sees significant overlap with other programs' casts; most prominently series regulars Freema Agyeman and Peter Davison, who starred in ''Doctor Who'' as companion Martha Jones and the Fifth Doctor as well as Bradley Walsh who joined the show at the same time as Jodie Whittaker the Thirteenth Doctor as her companion Graham O'Brien.

==Characters in the franchise== {{Main|List of Law & Order characters{{!}}List of ''Law & Order'' characters|List of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit characters{{!}}List of ''Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'' characters|List of Law & Order: Criminal Intent characters{{!}}List of ''Law & Order: Criminal Intent'' characters|List of Law & Order: LA characters{{!}}List of ''Law & Order: LA'' characters}}

===Police=== {| class="wikitable" ! rowspan="2"| Series !! rowspan="2"|Character !! rowspan="2"|Portrayed by !! colspan="6"|''Law & Order'' franchise !!Universe !! colspan="2" |''Chicago'' franchise |- ! style="background:#FF5050" width="5%"|''{{abbr|L&O|Law & Order}}''!! style="background:#FFFF99" width="5%" |''{{abbr|SVU|Law & Order: Special Victims Unit}}''!! style="background:#87CEFA" width="5%" |''{{abbr|CI|Law & Order: Criminal Intent}}''!! style="background:#B6B6B4" width="5%" |''{{abbr|TBJ|Law & Order: Trial by Jury}}''!! style="background:#FFBF00" width="5%" |''{{abbr|LA|Law & Order: LA (previously Law & Order: Los Angeles)}}''!! style="background:#54C571" width="5%" |''{{abbr|OC|Law & Order: Organized Crime}}''!! style="background:#87CEFA" width="5%" |''{{abbr|HLOTS|Homicide: Life on the Street}}''!! style="background:#EAA221" width="5%" |''Fire''!! style="background:#DF73FF" width="5%" |''P.D.'' |- | rowspan="19" style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|'''''Law & Order''''' || Max Greevey || George Dzundza || style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|Main || colspan="8" | |- | Mike Logan || Chris Noth<ref group="N" name="Noth">Chris Noth joined the main cast of ''Criminal Intent'' following his departure from ''Law & Order''.</ref><ref group="N" name="Movie">Additionally, the characters of Mike Logan, Lennie Briscoe, Rey Curtis, Don Cragen and Anita Van Buren appear in the 1998 TV film ''Exiled: A Law & Order Movie''.</ref> || style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|Main || || style="background:#87CEFA" align="center"|Main || colspan="3"| || style="background:#87CEFA" align="center"|Guest | colspan="2" | |- | Donald Cragen || Dann Florek<ref group="N" name="Florek">Dann Florek joined the main cast of ''SVU'' following his departure from ''Law & Order''.</ref><ref group="N" name="Movie">Additionally, the characters of Mike Logan, Lennie Briscoe, Rey Curtis, Don Cragen and Anita Van Buren appear in the 1998 TV film ''Exiled: A Law & Order Movie''.</ref> || style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|Main || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Main || colspan="3"| || style="background:#54C571" align="center"|Guest || colspan="3" | |- | Phil Cerreta || Paul Sorvino || style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|Main || colspan="8" | |- | Lennie Briscoe || Jerry Orbach<ref group="N" name="Orbach">Jerry Orbach joined the main cast of ''Trial by Jury'' following his departure from ''Law & Order''.</ref><ref group="N" name="Movie">Additionally, the characters of Mike Logan, Lennie Briscoe, Rey Curtis, Don Cragen and Anita Van Buren appear in the 1998 TV film ''Exiled: A Law & Order Movie''.</ref> || style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|Main || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Guest || style="background:#87CEFA" align="center"|Guest || style="background:#B6B6B4" align="center"|Main || colspan="2"| || style="background:#87CEFA" align="center"|Guest | colspan="2" | |- | Anita Van Buren || S. Epatha Merkerson<ref group="N" name="Movie">Additionally, the characters of Mike Logan, Lennie Briscoe, Rey Curtis, Don Cragen and Anita Van Buren appear in the 1998 TV film ''Exiled: A Law & Order Movie''.</ref> || style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|Main || || style="background:#87CEFA" align="center"|Guest || style="background:#B6B6B4" align="center"|Guest || colspan="5" | |- | Rey Curtis || Benjamin Bratt<ref group="N" name="Movie">Additionally, the characters of Mike Logan, Lennie Briscoe, Rey Curtis, Don Cragen and Anita Van Buren appear in the 1998 TV film ''Exiled: A Law & Order Movie''.</ref> || style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|Main || colspan="5"| || style="background:#87CEFA" align="center"|Guest | colspan="2" | |- | Ed Green || Jesse L. Martin || style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|Main || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Guest || style="background:#87CEFA" align="center"|Guest || style="background:#B6B6B4" align="center"|Guest || colspan="5" | |- | Joe Fontana || Dennis Farina || style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|Main || colspan="2"| || style="background:#B6B6B4" align="center"|Guest || colspan="5" | |- | Nick Falco || Michael Imperioli || style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|Main || colspan="8" | |- | Nina Cassady || Milena Govich || style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|Main || colspan="8" | |- | Cyrus Lupo || Jeremy Sisto || style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|Main || colspan="8" | |- | Kevin Bernard || Anthony Anderson || style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|Main || colspan="8" | |- | Frank Cosgrove || Jeffrey Donovan || style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|Main || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Guest || colspan="3"| || style="background:#54C571" align="center"|Guest || colspan="3" | |- | Kate Dixon || Camryn Manheim || style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|Main || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Guest || colspan="3"| || style="background:#54C571" align="center"|Guest || colspan="3" | |- | |Jalen Shaw || Mehcad Brooks || style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|Main || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Guest || colspan="3"| || style="background:#54C571" align="center"|Guest || colspan="3" | |- | style="background: #ddffdd" colspan="1"|Vincent Riley || Reid Scott || style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|Main || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Guest || colspan="7" | |- | style="background: #ddffdd" colspan="1"|Jessica Brady || Maura Tierney || style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|Main || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Guest || colspan="7" | |- | style="background: #ddffdd" |Theo Walker || David Ajala || style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|Main || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Guest || colspan="7" | |- | colspan="27" style="background:#FF5050"| |- | rowspan="17" style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|'''''SVU''''' || Elliot Stabler || Christopher Meloni <ref group="N" name="Meloni">Christopher Meloni starred Detective Elliot Stabler in ''SVU'' prior to joining the main cast of ''Oranized Crime''.</ref>|| style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|Guest || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Main || || style="background:#B6B6B4" align="center"|Guest || || style="background:#54C571" align="center"|Main || colspan="3" | |- | style="background: #ddffdd" |Olivia Benson || Mariska Hargitay || style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|Guest || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Main || || style="background:#B6B6B4" align="center"|Guest || || style="background:#54C571" align="center"|Guest || || style="background:#EAA221" align="center"|Guest || style="background:#DF73FF" align="center"|Guest |- | John Munch || Richard Belzer<ref group="N" name="HLOTS">Belzer starred as Detective John Munch in all 122 episodes of ''Homicide'' prior to joining the cast of ''SVU''. He also appeared in ''Homicide: The Movie''.</ref> || style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|Guest || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Main || || style="background:#B6B6B4" align="center"|Guest || colspan="2"| || style="background:#87CEFA" align="center"|Main | colspan="2" | |- | Donald Cragen || Dann Florek<ref group="N" name="Florek">Dann Florek joined the main cast of ''SVU'' following his departure from ''Law & Order''.</ref><ref group="N" name="Movie">Additionally, the characters of Mike Logan, Lennie Briscoe, Rey Curtis, Don Cragen and Anita Van Buren appear in the 1998 TV film ''Exiled: A Law & Order Movie''.</ref> || style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|Main || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Main || colspan="3"| || style="background:#54C571" align="center"|Guest || colspan="3" | |- | Monique Jeffries || Michelle Hurd || || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Main || colspan="7" | |- | style="background: #ddffdd" |Odafin Tutuola || Ice-T || style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|Guest || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Main || colspan="3"| || style="background:#54C571" align="center"|Guest || colspan="2" | || style="background:#DF73FF" align="center"|Guest |- | Chester Lake || Adam Beach || || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Main || colspan="7" | |- | style="background: #ddffdd" |Amanda Rollins || Kelli Giddish || style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|Guest || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Main || colspan="3"| || style="background:#54C571" align="center"|Guest || || style="background:#EAA221" align="center"|Guest || style="background:#DF73FF" align="center"|Guest |- | Nick Amaro || Danny Pino || || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Main || colspan="6" | || style="background:#DF73FF" align="center"|Guest |- | Katriona Tamin || Jamie Gray Hyder || || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Main || colspan="7" | |- | Christian Garland || Demore Barnes || || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Main || colspan="3"| || style="background:#54C571" align="center"|Guest || colspan="3" | |- | Joe Velasco || Octavio Pisano || || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Main || colspan="3"| || style="background:#54C571" align="center"|Guest || colspan="3" | |- | Grace Muncy || Molly Burnett || || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Main || colspan="3"| || style="background:#54C571" align="center"|Guest || colspan="3" | |- | style="background: #ddffdd" |Terry Bruno || Kevin Kane || style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|Guest || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Main || colspan="7"| |- | Kate Silva || Juliana Aidén Martinez || style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|Guest || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Main || colspan="7"| |- | style="background: #ddffdd" |Renee Curry || {{nowrap|Aimé Donna Kelly}} || || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Main || colspan="7"| |- | style="background: #ddffdd" |Jake Griffin || Corey Cott || || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Main || colspan="7"| |- | colspan="27" style="background:#FFFF99" | |- | rowspan="12" style="background:#87CEFA" align="center"|'''''Criminal Intent''''' || Robert Goren || Vincent D'Onofrio || colspan="2"| || style="background:#87CEFA" align="center"|Main || colspan="6" | |- | Alexandra Eames || Kathryn Erbe || || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Guest || style="background:#87CEFA" align="center"|Main || colspan="6" | |- | James Deakins || Jamey Sheridan || colspan="2"| || style="background:#87CEFA" align="center"|Main || colspan="6" | |- | Mike Logan || Chris Noth<ref group="N" name="Noth">Chris Noth joined the main cast of ''Criminal Intent'' following his departure from ''Law & Order''.</ref><ref group="N" name="Movie">Additionally, the characters of Mike Logan, Lennie Briscoe, Rey Curtis, Don Cragen and Anita Van Buren appear in the 1998 TV film ''Exiled: A Law & Order Movie''.</ref> || style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|Main || || style="background:#87CEFA" align="center"|Main || colspan="3"| || style="background:#87CEFA" align="center"|Guest | colspan="2" | |- | Carolyn Barek || Annabella Sciorra || || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Guest || style="background:#87CEFA" align="center"|Main || colspan="6" | |- | Megan Wheeler || Julianne Nicholson || colspan="2"| || style="background:#87CEFA" align="center"|Main || colspan="6" | |- | Danny Ross || Eric Bogosian || colspan="2"| || style="background:#87CEFA" align="center"|Main || colspan="6" | |- | Nola Falacci || Alicia Witt || colspan="2"| || style="background:#87CEFA" align="center"|Main || colspan="6" | |- | Zack Nichols || Jeff Goldblum || colspan="2"| || style="background:#87CEFA" align="center"|Main || colspan="6" | |- | Serena Stevens || Saffron Burrows || colspan="2"| || style="background:#87CEFA" align="center"|Main || colspan="6" | |- | Zoe Callas || Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio || colspan="2"| || style="background:#87CEFA" align="center"|Main || colspan="6" | |- | Joseph Hannah || Jay O. Sanders || colspan="2"| || style="background:#87CEFA" align="center"|Main || colspan="6" | |- | colspan="26" style="background:#87CEFA" | |- | rowspan="3" style="background:#B6B6B4" align="center"|'''''Trial by Jury''''' || Hector Salazar || Kirk Acevedo || || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Guest || || style="background:#B6B6B4" align="center"|Main || colspan="5" | |- | Lennie Briscoe || Jerry Orbach<ref group="N" name="Orbach">Jerry Orbach joined the main cast of ''Trial by Jury'' following his departure from ''Law & Order''.</ref><ref group="N" name="Movie">Additionally, the characters of Mike Logan, Lennie Briscoe, Rey Curtis, Don Cragen and Anita Van Buren appear in the 1998 TV film ''Exiled: A Law & Order Movie''.</ref> || style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|Main || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Guest || style="background:#87CEFA" align="center"|Guest || style="background:#B6B6B4" align="center"|Main || colspan="2"| || style="background:#87CEFA" align="center"|Guest | colspan="2" | |- | Chris Ravell || Scott Cohen || colspan="3"| || style="background:#B6B6B4" align="center"|Main || colspan="5" | |- | colspan="26" style="background:#B6B6B4" | |- | rowspan="4" style="background:#FFBF00" align="center"|'''''LA''''' || Rex Winters || Skeet Ulrich || || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Guest || colspan="2"| || style="background:#FFBF00" align="center"|Main || colspan="4" | |- | Tomas Jaruszalski || Corey Stoll || colspan="4"| || style="background:#FFBF00" align="center"|Main || colspan="4" | |- | Arleen Gonzalez || Rachel Ticotin || colspan="4"| || style="background:#FFBF00" align="center"|Main || colspan="4" | |- | Ricardo Morales || Alfred Molina || colspan="4"| || style="background:#FFBF00" align="center"|Main || colspan="4" | |- | colspan="26" style="background:#FFBF00" | |- | rowspan="6" style="background:#54C571" align="center"|'''''Organized Crime''''' || Elliot Stabler || Christopher Meloni <ref group="N" name="Meloni">Christopher Meloni starred Detective Elliot Stabler in ''SVU'' prior to joining the main cast of ''Oranized Crime''.</ref>|| style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|Guest || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Main || || style="background:#B6B6B4" align="center"|Guest || || style="background:#54C571" align="center"|Main || colspan="3" | |- | Ayanna Bell || Danielle Moné Truitt || || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Guest || colspan="3"| || style="background:#54C571" align="center"|Main || colspan="3" | |- | Jet Slootmaekers || Ainsley Seiger || style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|Guest || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Guest || colspan="3"| || style="background:#54C571" align="center"|Main || colspan="3" | |- | Carmen Riley || Nona Parker-Johnson || colspan="5"| || style="background:#54C571" align="center"|Main || colspan="3" | |- | Jamie Whelan || Brent Antonello || colspan="1”| || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Guest || colspan="3"| || style="background:#54C571" align="center"|Main || colspan="3" | |- | Bobby Reyes || Rick Gonzalez || colspan="1”| || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Guest || colspan="3"| || style="background:#54C571" align="center"|Main || colspan="3" | |- | colspan="26" style="background:#54C571" | |- |} {{reflist|group=N}}

===Prosecutors=== {| class="wikitable" ! rowspan="2"| Series !! rowspan="2"|Character !! rowspan="2"|Portrayed by !! colspan="6"|''Law & Order'' franchise !! colspan="2" |Universe ! colspan="3" |''Chicago'' franchise |- ! style="background:#FF5050" width="5%"|''{{abbr|L&O|Law & Order}}''!! style="background:#FFFF99" width="5%" |''{{abbr|SVU|Law & Order: Special Victims Unit}}''!! style="background:#87CEFA" width="5%" |''{{abbr|CI|Law & Order: Criminal Intent}}''!! style="background:#B6B6B4" width="5%" |''{{abbr|TBJ|Law & Order: Trial by Jury}}''!! style="background:#FFBF00" width="5%" |''{{abbr|LA|Law & Order: LA (previously Law & Order: Los Angeles)}}''!! style="background:#54C571" width="5%" |''{{abbr|OC|Law & Order: Organized Crime}}''!! style="background:#87CEFA" width="5%" |''{{abbr|HLOTS|Homicide: Life on the Street}}''!! style="background:#98FB98" width="5%" |''{{abbr|Con|Conviction}}''!! style="background:#DF73FF" width="5%" |''P.D.''!! style="background:#c28b6c" width="5%" |''Med''!! style="background:#80ff80" width="5%" |''Justice'' |- | rowspan="16" style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|'''''Law & Order''''' || Benjamin Stone || Michael Moriarty || style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|Main || colspan="10" | |- | Paul Robinette || Richard Brooks || style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|Main<ref group="S" name="Brooks">Richard Brooks left ''Law & Order'' after the first three seasons and made guest appearances in "Custody", "Birthright" and "Fear America". In those episodes, Paul Robinette serves as a defense attorney.</ref> || colspan="9" | || style="background:#80ff80" align="center"|Guest<ref>{{cite news |last1=Metz |first1=Nina |title=Much familiar in Wolf's 4th Chicago franchise |url=https://digitaledition.chicagotribune.com/tribune/article_popover.aspx?guid=0ba12d92-d2bf-4d5d-b37e-98b490a4a233 |access-date=6 August 2022 |work=Chicago Tribune | oclc=7960243 |eissn=2165-171X |date=1 March 2017 |issn=1085-6706 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220806190730/https://digitaledition.chicagotribune.com/tribune/article_popover.aspx?guid=0ba12d92-d2bf-4d5d-b37e-98b490a4a233 |archive-date=6 August 2022 |department=Arts + Entertainment |page=1 |format=TV Review |id={{ProQuest|1872752604}}}}</ref> |- | Adam Schiff || Steven Hill || style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|Main || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Guest || colspan="9" | |- | Claire Kincaid || Jill Hennessy || style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|Main || colspan="5"| || style="background:#87CEFA" align="center"|Guest | colspan="4" | |- | |Jack McCoy || Sam Waterston<ref group="S" name="Movie">Additionally, the character of Jack McCoy appeared in the 1998 TV film ''Exiled: A Law & Order Movie''.</ref> || style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|Main || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Guest || || style="background:#B6B6B4" align="center"|Guest || colspan="2"| || style="background:#87CEFA" align="center"|Guest | colspan="4" | |- | Jamie Ross || Carey Lowell || style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|Main<ref group="S" name="Lowell">Carey Lowell starred in ''Law & Order'' in seasons seven to eight and made guest appearances in "Justice" and "School Daze". In those episodes, Jamie Ross serves as a defense attorney.</ref> || colspan="2"| || style="background:#B6B6B4" align="center"|Guest || colspan="2"| || style="background:#87CEFA" align="center"|Guest | colspan="4" | |- | Abbie Carmichael || Angie Harmon || style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|Main || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Guest || colspan="9" | |- | Serena Southerlyn || Elisabeth Röhm || style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|Main || colspan="10" | |- | Nora Lewin || Dianne Wiest || style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|Main || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Guest || style="background:#87CEFA" align="center"|Guest || colspan="8" | |- | Arthur Branch || Fred Dalton Thompson<ref group="S" name="Trial">Fred Dalton Thompson starred consecutively in both ''Law & Order'' and ''Law & Order: Trial by Jury''.</ref> || style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|Main || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Guest || style="background:#87CEFA" align="center"|Guest || style="background:#B6B6B4" align="center"|Main || colspan="3" | || style="background:#98FB98" align="center"|Guest | colspan="5" | |- | Alexandra Borgia || Annie Parisse || style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|Main || colspan="10" | |- | Connie Rubirosa || Alana de la Garza<ref group="S" name="LOLA">Alana de la Garza joined the main cast of ''Law & Order: LA'' following the cancellation of ''Law & Order''.</ref> || style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|Main || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Guest || colspan="2"| || style="background:#FFBF00" align="center"|Main || colspan="6" | |- | Michael Cutter || Linus Roache || style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|Main || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Guest || colspan="9" | |- | style="background: #ddffdd" |Nolan Price || Hugh Dancy || style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|Main || colspan="10" | |- | style="background: #ddffdd" |Samantha Maroun || Odelya Halevi || style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|Main || colspan="10" | |- | style="background: #ddffdd" |Nicholas Baxter || Tony Goldwyn || style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|Main || colspan="10" |

|- | colspan="29" style="background:#FF5050" | |- | rowspan="6" style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|'''''SVU''''' || Alexandra Cabot || Stephanie March<ref group="S" name="Conviction">During a four season absence from ''SVU'', March headlined the short-lived ''Conviction'' as ADA Cabot.</ref> || || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Main || colspan="5" | || style="background:#98FB98" align="center"|Main | colspan="3" | |- | Casey Novak || Diane Neal || || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Main || || style="background:#B6B6B4" align="center"|Guest || colspan="7" | |- | Kim Greylek || Michaela McManus || || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Main || colspan="9" | |- | Rafael Barba || Raúl Esparza || || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Main || colspan="3"| || style="background:#54C571" align="center"|Guest || colspan="5" | |- | Peter Stone || Philip Winchester || || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Main || colspan="6" | || style="background:#DF73FF" align="center"|Guest || style="background:#c28b6c" align="center"|Guest || style="background:#80ff80" align="center"|Main |- | style="background: #ddffdd" | Dominick Carisi Jr. || Peter Scanavino || style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|Guest || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Main || colspan="3"| || style="background:#54C571" align="center"|Guest || colspan="2" | || style="background:#DF73FF" align="center"|Guest || colspan="2"| |- | colspan="29" style="background:#FFFF99" | |- | style="background:#87CEFA" align="center"|'''''Criminal Intent''''' || Ron Carver || Courtney B. Vance || colspan="2"| || style="background:#87CEFA" align="center"|Main || colspan="8" | |- | colspan="28" style="background:#87CEFA" | |- | rowspan="3" style="background:#B6B6B4" align="center"|'''''Trial by Jury''''' || Tracey Kibre || Bebe Neuwirth || || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Guest || || style="background:#B6B6B4" align="center"|Main || colspan="7" | |- | Kelly Gaffney || Amy Carlson || colspan="3"| || style="background:#B6B6B4" align="center"|Main || colspan="7" | |- | Arthur Branch || Fred Dalton Thompson<ref group="S" name="Trial">Fred Dalton Thompson starred consecutively in both ''Law & Order'' and ''Law & Order: Trial by Jury''.</ref> || style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|Main || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Guest || style="background:#87CEFA" align="center"|Guest || style="background:#B6B6B4" align="center"|Main || colspan="3" | || style="background:#98FB98" align="center"|Guest | colspan="3" | |- | colspan="28" style="background:#B6B6B4" | |- | rowspan="4" style="background:#FFBF00" align="center"|'''''LA''''' || Connie Rubirosa || Alana de la Garza<ref group="S" name="LOLA">Alana de la Garza joined the main cast of ''Law & Order: LA'' following the cancellation of ''Law & Order''.</ref> || style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|Main || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Guest || colspan="2"| || style="background:#FFBF00" align="center"|Main || colspan="6" | |- | Jonah Dekker || Terrence Howard || || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Guest || colspan="2"| || style="background:#FFBF00" align="center"|Main || colspan="6" | |- | Lauren Stanton || Megan Boone || colspan="4"| || style="background:#FFBF00" align="center"|Main || colspan="6" | |- | Evelyn Price || Regina Hall || colspan="4"| || style="background:#FFBF00" align="center"|Main || colspan="6" | |- | colspan="29" style="background:#FFBF00" | |- |} {{reflist|group=S}}

===Other characters=== {| class="wikitable" ! rowspan="2"| Series !! rowspan="2"|Character !! rowspan="2"|Portrayed by !! colspan="5" |''Law & Order'' franchise !Universe!!''Chicago'' franchise |- ! style="background:#FF5050" width="5%"|''{{abbr|L&O|Law & Order}}''!! style="background:#FFFF99" width="5%" |''{{abbr|SVU|Law & Order: Special Victims Unit}}''!! style="background:#87CEFA" width="5%" |''{{abbr|CI|Law & Order: Criminal Intent}}''!! style="background:#B6B6B4" width="5%" |''{{abbr|TBJ|Law & Order: Trial by Jury}}''!! style="background:#54C571" width="5%" |''{{abbr|OC|Law & Order: Organized Crime}}''!! style="background:#8800CC" width="5%" |''{{abbr|NYU|New York Undercover}}''!! style="background:#EAA221" width="5%" |''Fire'' |- | rowspan="2" style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|'''''Law & Order''''' || Elizabeth Rodgers || Leslie Hendrix<ref group="P" name="Movie">Additionally, the character of Elizabeth Rogers appears in the 1998 TV film ''Exiled: A Law & Order Movie''.</ref> || style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|Guest || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Guest ||style="background:#87CEFA" align="center"|Guest || style="background:#B6B6B4" align="center"|Guest | colspan="3" | |- | Elizabeth Olivet || Carolyn McCormick || style="background:#FF5050" align="center"|Main || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Guest ||style="background:#87CEFA" align="center"|Guest || style="background:#B6B6B4" align="center"|Guest | || style="background:#8800CC" align="center" |Guest | |- | colspan="24" style="background:#FF5050" | |- | rowspan="2" style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|'''''SVU''''' || Melinda Warner || Tamara Tunie || || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Main || || style="background:#B6B6B4" align="center"|Guest ||style="background:#54C571" align="center"|Guest | || style="background:#EAA221" align="center" |Guest |- | George Huang || BD Wong || || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Main || colspan="5" | |- | colspan="24" style="background:#FFFF99" | |- | rowspan="1" style="background:#87CEFA" align="center"|'''''Criminal Intent''''' || Paula Gyson || Julia Ormond || colspan="2"| || style="background:#87CEFA" align="center"|Main || colspan="4" | |- | colspan="24" style="background:#87CEFA" | |- | rowspan="2" style="background:#54C571" align="center"|'''''Organized Crime''''' || Angela Wheatley || Tamara Taylor || || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Guest || colspan="2" | || style="background:#54C571" align="center"|Main | colspan="2" | |- | Richard Wheatley || Dylan McDermott || || style="background:#FFFF99" align="center"|Guest || colspan="2" | || style="background:#54C571" align="center"|Main | colspan="2" | |- | colspan="24" style="background:#54C571" | |} {{reflist|group=P}}

===''True Crime''===

{| class="wikitable" ! rowspan="2"| Series !! rowspan="2"|Character !! rowspan="2"|Portrayed by !! colspan="1"|''True Crime'' |- ! style="background:#EAA606" width="20%"|''Menendez'' |- | rowspan="13" style="background:#EAA606" align="center"|'''''The Menendez Murders''''' || Leslie Abramson || Edie Falco || style="background:#EAA606" align="center"|Main |- | Erik Menendez || Gus Halper || style="background:#EAA606" align="center"|Main |- | Lyle Menendez || Miles Gaston Villanueva || style="background:#EAA606" align="center"|Main |- |}

===Episode count=== ''Episode count current as of December 2024'' {| class="wikitable sortable" |+ List of ''Law & Order'' characters by number of appearances (50+ episodes) ! Character{{efn|The colors represent which series the character appeared in as a main cast member. In the case a character was a main cast member in two series, the color of the one in which they appeared most recently is shown.}} ! class="unsortable"|Primary series ! class="unsortable"|Episodes ! class="unsortable"|''Law & Order'' franchise ! class="unsortable"|Episodes ! class="unsortable"|''Law & Order'' universe ! class="unsortable"|Episodes ! Total appearances ! First appearance ! Last appearance |- | style="background:#FFFF99"| Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) | ''SVU'' (1– ) | 550{{efn|Hargitay has appeared as Benson in all but nine episodes of ''SVU'', missing one episode in ''Season 6'', one in ''Season 7'', five during ''Season 8'', one in ''Season 10'', and one in ''Season 12''.}} | • ''L&O'' • ''TBJ'' • ''OC'' | • 6 • 1 • 13 |• ''Chicago P.D.'' • ''Chicago Fire'' |• 3 • 1 | 574 |1999 |present |- | style="background:#FFFF99"| Fin Tutuola (Ice-T) | ''SVU'' (2– ) | 499 | • ''L&O'' • ''OC'' |• 1 • 2 |''Chicago P.D.'' | 3 | 505 |2000 |present |- | style="background:#FF5050"| Jack McCoy (Sam Waterston) | ''L&O'' (5–) | 405{{efn|name=movie}} | • ''SVU'' • ''TBJ'' | • 4 • 2 | ''Homicide'' | 2 | 413{{efn|name=movie}} |1994 |present{{efn|After the conclusion of ''Law & Order'' in 2010, Waterston made an appearance as McCoy on ''SVU'' in 2018. Waterson returned with the resumption of ''Law & Order'' in 2022.}} |- | style="background:#FF5050"| Anita Van Buren (S. Epatha Merkerson) | ''L&O'' (4–20) | 388{{efn|name=movie|+1 TV movie}} |• ''CI'' • ''TBJ'' |• 1 • 1 | ''None'' | 0 | 390{{efn|name=movie}} |1993 |2010 |- | style="background:#FFFF99"| Donald Cragen (Dann Florek) |• ''L&O'' (1–3) • ''SVU'' (1–16, 23) |• 69{{efn|name=movie}} • 308 | ''OC'' | 4 | ''None'' | 0 | 383{{efn|name=movie}} |1990 |2024{{efn|Florek left the cast of ''Law & Order'' in 1993. He became an original cast member of ''SVU'' in 1999. Florek left the main cast of ''SVU'' in January 2014, but returned for guest appearances in May 2015 and October 2021. He made other guest appearances on ''Organized Crime'' in 2022 and 2024.}} |- | style="background:#FFFF99"| John Munch (Richard Belzer) | ''SVU'' (1–15, 17) | 242 |• ''L&O'' • ''TBJ'' |• 4 • 1 |• ''Homicide'' • ''The Wire'' • ''The Beat'' |• 119{{efn|name=movie}} • 1 • 1 | 368{{efn|name=movie}} |1993{{efn|Belzer originated the Munch character on ''HLOTS'' in 1993, before becoming an original cast member of ''SVU'' in 1999.}} |2016{{efn|Belzer left the main cast of ''SVU'' in 2014 after appearing sporadically during seasons 11–15. He returned for a guest appearance on ''SVU'' in May 2016.}} |- | style="background:#54C571"| Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni) |• ''SVU'' (1–12) • ''OC'' (1– ) |• 278 • 66 |• ''L&O'' • ''TBJ'' |• 3 • 1 | ''None'' | 0 | 348 |1999 |present{{efn|Meloni left the cast of ''SVU'' in 2011, but returned in a lead role on ''Organized Crime'' in April 2021.}} |- | style="background:#FF5050"| Lennie Briscoe (Jerry Orbach) | ''L&O'' (3–14) | 273{{efn|name=movie}} |• ''SVU'' • ''CI'' • ''TBJ'' |• 3 • 1 • 2 | ''Homicide'' | 3 | 282{{efn|name=movie}} |1992 |2004 |- | style="background:#87CEFA"| Elizabeth Rodgers (Leslie Hendrix){{efn|Hendrix always appeared as Rodgers in a recurring role and not as a primary cast member.}} |• ''L&O'' (2–20) • ''CI'' (1–10) |• 143{{efn|name=movie}} • 110 |• ''SVU'' • ''TBJ'' |• 9 • 1 | ''None'' | 0 | 263{{efn|name=movie}} | 1992 | 2011 |- | style="background:#FFFF99"| Amanda Rollins (Kelli Giddish) | ''SVU'' (13–24) | 246 |• ''OC'' • ''L&O'' |• 4 • 1 |• ''Chicago P.D.'' • ''Chicago Fire'' |• 2 • 1 | 254 |2011 |2023 |- | style="background:#FF5050"| Adam Schiff (Steven Hill) | ''L&O'' (1–10) | 228 | ''SVU'' | 1 | ''None'' | 0 | 229 |1990 |2000 |- | style="background:#FF5050"| Ed Green (Jesse L. Martin) | ''L&O'' (10–18) | 198 |• ''SVU'' • ''CI'' • ''TBJ'' |• 2 • 1 • 1 | ''Andy Barker, P.I.'' | 1 | 203 |1999 |2008 |- | style="background:#FFFF99"| Dominick Carisi Jr. (Peter Scanavino) | ''SVU'' (16– ) | 198 |• ''OC'' • ''L&O'' |• 3 • 1 | ''Chicago P.D.'' | 1 | 203 |2016 |present |- | style="background:#FFFF99"| Melinda Warner (Tamara Tunie) | ''SVU'' (2–17, 19, 21–) | 173 | ''TBJ'' ''OC'' | 1 1 | ''Chicago Fire'' | 1 | 177 |2000 |present |- | style="background:#87CEFA"| Mike Logan (Chris Noth) | • ''L&O'' (1–5) • ''CI'' (4–7) |• 111{{efn|name=movie}} • 36 | ''None'' | 0 | ''Homicide'' | 1 | 148{{efn|name=movie}} |1990 |2008 |- | style="background:#87CEFA"| Alexandra Eames (Kathryn Erbe) | ''CI'' (1–10) | 142 | ''SVU'' | 2 | ''None'' | 0 | 144 |2001 |2013 |- | style="background:#FFFF99"| George Huang (BD Wong) | ''SVU'' (2–15, 17) | 143 | ''None'' | 0 | ''None'' | 0 | 143 |2001 |2015 |- | style="background:#FF5050"| Arthur Branch (Fred Thompson) | • ''L&O'' (13–17) • ''TBJ'' |• 116 • 13 |• ''SVU'' • ''CI'' |• 11 • 1 | ''Conviction'' | 1 | 142 |2002 |2007 |- | style="background:#87CEFA"| Robert Goren (Vincent D'Onofrio) | ''CI'' (1–10) | 133 | ''None'' | 0 | ''None'' | 0 | 141 |2001 |2011 |- | style="background:#87CEFA"| James Deakins (Jamey Sheridan) | ''CI'' (1–5) | 111 | ''None'' | 0 | ''None'' | 0 | 111 |2001 |2006 |- | style="background:#87CEFA"| Ron Carver (Courtney B. Vance) | ''CI'' (1–5) | 111 | ''None'' | 0 | ''None'' | 0 | 111 |2001 |2006 |- | style="background:#FFFF99"| Alexandra Cabot (Stephanie March) | ''SVU'' (2–6, 10–11, 13, 19) | 97 | ''None'' | 0 | ''Conviction'' | 13 | 110 |2000 |2018 |- | style="background:#FFFF99"| Casey Novak (Diane Neal) | ''SVU'' (5–9, 12–13) | 105 | ''TBJ'' | 1 | ''None'' | 0 | 106 |2003 |2012 |- | style="background:#FF5050"| Rey Curtis (Benjamin Bratt) | ''L&O'' (6–9, 20) | 95{{efn|name=movie}} | ''None'' | 0 | ''Homicide'' | 3 | 98 |1995 |2009{{efn|After departing ''Law & Order'' in 1999, Bratt returned for a guest appearance during the twentieth season in 2009.}} |- | style="background:#FF5050"| Connie Rubirosa (Alana de la Garza) | ''L&O'' (17–20) | 85 | • ''LA'' • ''SVU'' |• 8 • 1 | ''None'' | 0 | 94 |2006 |2014 |- | style="background:#FFFF99"| Nick Amaro (Danny Pino) | ''SVU'' (13–16, 23) | 91 | ''None'' | 0 | ''Chicago P.D.'' | 2 | 93 |2011 |2021 |- | style="background:#FFFF99"| Rafael Barba (Raúl Esparza) | ''SVU'' (14–19, 21–23) | 88 | ''OC'' | 1 | ''None'' | 0 | 89 |2012 |2022 |- | style="background:#FF5050"| Benjamin Stone (Michael Moriarty) | ''L&O'' (1–4) | 88 | ''None'' | 0 | ''None'' | 0 | 88 |1990 |1994 |- | style="background:#FF5050"| Serena Southerlyn (Elisabeth Röhm) | ''L&O'' (12–15) | 85 | ''None'' | 0 | ''None'' | 0 | 85 |2001 |2005 |- | style="background:#FF5050"| Abbie Carmichael (Angie Harmon) | ''L&O'' (9–11) | 72 | ''SVU'' | 6 | ''None'' | 0 | 78 |1998 |2001 |- | style="background:#FF5050"| Elizabeth Olivet (Carolyn McCormick) | ''L&O'' (2–7, 9–10, 13–20) | 67 |• ''SVU'' • ''CI'' • ''TBJ'' |• 6 • 1 • 1 | ''NY Undercover'' | 1 | 76 |1991 |2018 |- | style="background:#FF5050"| Paul Robinette (Richard Brooks) | ''L&O'' (1–3, 6, 16–17) | 69 | ''None'' | 0 | ''Chicago Justice'' | 1 | 70 |1990 |2017{{efn|After departing ''Law & Order'' in 1993, Brooks returned for guest appearances in seasons 6, 16, and 17, along with an appearance on ''Chicago Justice'' in 2017.}} |- | style="background:#FF5050"| Claire Kincaid (Jill Hennessy){{efn|Hennessy's twin sister Jacqueline played Kincaid in one episode in season 6, due to a scheduling conflict.}} | ''L&O'' (4–6) | 69 | ''None'' | 0 | ''Homicide'' | 1 | 70 |1993 |1996 |- | style="background:#FF5050"| Michael Cutter (Linus Roache) | ''L&O'' (18–20) | 63 | ''SVU'' | 4 | ''None'' | 0 | 67 |2008 |2012 |- | style="background:#FFFF99"| Noah Porter-Benson (''various''){{efn|Porter-Benson always appeared in a recurring role and not as a primary character.}} | ''SVU'' (15– ) | 65 | ''OC'' | 2 | ''None'' | 0 | 67 |2014 |present |- | style="background:#FF5050"| Cyrus Lupo (Jeremy Sisto) | ''L&O'' (18–20) | 63 | ''None'' | 0 | ''None'' | 0 | 63 |2008 |2010 |- | style="background:#87CEFA"| Danny Ross (Eric Bogosian) | ''CI'' (6–9) | 61 | ''None'' | 0 | ''None'' | 0 | 61 |2006 |2010 |- | style="background:#FF5050"| Kevin Bernard (Anthony Anderson) | ''L&O'' (18–21) | 60 | ''None'' | 0 | ''None'' | 0 | 60 |2008 |2022{{efn|Anderson returned to ''Law & Order'' with the resumption of the series in 2022, following a 12-year hiatus.}} |- | style="background:#54C571"| Ayanna Bell (Danielle Moné Truitt) | ''OC'' (1– ) | 52 | ''SVU'' | 4 | ''None'' | 0 | 56 |2021 |present |- | style="background:#54C571"| Jet Slootmaekers (Ainsley Seiger) | ''OC'' (1– ) | 52 |• ''SVU'' • ''L&O'' |• 3 • 1 | ''None'' | 0 | 56 |2021 |present |- | style="background:#FF5050"| Tony Profaci (John Fiore){{efn|Fiore always appeared as Profaci in a recurring role and not as a primary cast member.}} | ''L&O'' (1–9) | 53{{efn|name=movie}} | ''None'' | 0 | ''None'' | 0 | 53{{efn|name=movie}} |1990 |1998 |- | style="background:#FF5050"| Jamie Ross (Carey Lowell) | ''L&O'' (7–8, 10–11, 21) | 50 | ''TBJ'' | 2 | ''Homicide'' | 1 | 53 |1996 |2022{{efn|Lowell returned to ''Law & Order'' for one episode after the resumption of the series in 2022, following a 17-year hiatus.}} |- | style="background:#FFFF99"| Ryan O'Halloran (Mike Doyle){{efn|Doyle always appeared as O'Halloran in a recurring role and not as a primary cast member.}} | ''SVU'' (5–10) | 53 | ''None'' | 0 | ''None'' | 0 | 53 |2003 |2009 |- | style="background:tan"| Ronnie Brooks (Bradley Walsh) | ''UK'' (1–5) | 53 | ''None'' | 0 | ''None'' | 0 | 53 |2009 |2014 |- | style="background:#FF5050"| Emil Skoda (J. K. Simmons) | ''L&O'' (8–15, 20) | 44 |• ''SVU'' • ''CI'' |• 6 • 1 | ''NY Undercover'' | 1 | 52 |1997 |2010 |- | style="background:#FFFF99"| Ruben Morales (Joel de la Fuente){{efn|de la Fuente always appeared as Morales in a recurring role and not as a primary cast member.}} | ''SVU'' (3–12) | 52 | ''None'' | 0 | ''None'' | 0 | 52 |2002 |2011 |- |}

== Notes == {{notelist}}

== References == {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [https://www.nbc.com/law-order-hq ''Law & Order franchise'' – NBC Official site] [https://web.archive.org/web/20220812122412/https://www.nbc.com/law-and-order-hq Archived webpage] * [https://www.nbc.com/law-order ''Law & Order'' – NBC's official website] ** [https://wolfentertainment.com/television/current/law-order Official L&O Wolf Entertainment Website] ** [https://web.archive.org/web/20110525090013/http://www.tnt.tv/series/lawandorder/ ''Law & Order'' – TNT's reruns website] * [http://www.nbc.com/law-and-order-special-victims-unit/ ''Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'' – NBC's official website] ** [https://wolfentertainment.com/television/current/law-order-svu/ Official SVU Wolf Entertainment Website] ** [http://www.usanetwork.com/series/svu2/ USA Network's reruns website] * [http://www.usanetwork.com/series/criminalintent/ ''Law & Order: Criminal Intent'' – USA Network's official website] ** [https://wolfentertainment.com/television/past/law-order-criminal-intent/ Official CI Wolf Entertainment Website] * [https://www.nbc.com/law-and-order-organized-crime ''Law & Order: Organized Crime – NBC's official website''] ** [https://wolfentertainment.com/television/current/law-order-organized-crime/ Official OC Wolf Entertainment Website]

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