List of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit characters
Encyclopedia
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
, a spin-off of the crime drama Law & Order
, follows the detectives who work in the "Special Victims Unit" of the 16th District, New York City Police Department
, a unit that focuses on crimes involving rape
, sexual assault
and child molestation, as well as any crime loosely connected with any of the three, such as domestic violence
, kidnapping
and child abandonment
. Since its debut in September 1999, the series has generally shown four detectives working the unit, though at times, five, under the leadership of Captain Donald Cragen
. The unit also has a prosecutor assigned from the DA's office, and frequently interacts with specific medical examiners and the unit's psychiatrist George Huang
.
Three of the regular characters have appeared in three other NBC series: Captain Donald Cragen
(Florek), who was on the first three seasons of Law & Order, Sergeant John Munch
(Belzer), formerly a Baltimore
detective on Homicide: Life on the Street
. This character also made appearances on Law & Order, Law & Order: Trial by Jury
, Arrested Development, The Beat, The X-Files
and the HBO series The Wire
. Alexandra Cabot (March) was a lead character in the first and only season of Conviction where she had been promoted to Bureau Chief Executive ADA.
and Elliot Stabler
were named for creator Dick Wolf
's children. Wolf's third child, daughter Sarina, had a character named for her, Benson's mother was named Serena, as well as former ADA Serena Southerlyn
on the original Law & Order and Det. Serena Stevens on Law & Order: Criminal Intent.
Olivia Benson is a detective in the Manhattan Special Victims Unit, which investigates sex crimes and abuse. She is primarily partnered with Elliot Stabler
. She is tough, empathetic
, and completely dedicated to her job, to the point that she is seen as having no personal life. Her dedication sometimes wreaks havoc on her emotional state as she empathizes with victims of sexual assault
, having been the child of rape and later the victim of sexual assault while undercover. She has allowed her compassion for victims of abuse to sometimes cloud her professional judgment and impede her ability to remain impartial. Hargitay has received both a Golden Globe and an Emmy Award
for her portrayal of Benson.
John Munch was a detective and now a Sergeant, in the Manhattan Special Victims Unit. A conspiracy theorist and dedicated detective, Munch is first partnered with Brian Cassidy (Dean Winters
), whom he thinks of as a kind of younger brother, alternately poking fun at him and imparting (often questionable) advice on life and women. When Cassidy leaves the precinct in 2000, Munch is briefly partnered with Monique Jeffries
(Michelle Hurd
), and then with Odafin Tutuola (Ice-T). He and the gruff, uncompromising Tutuola get off to a rough start, but gradually came to like and respect each other.
The character was first created for the NBC police drama Homicide: Life on the Street
, where he worked as a homicide detective with the Baltimore Police Department
. The character was based on Jay Landsman
, a central figure in David Simon's true crime book Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets
, a documentary account of the homicide unit's operation over one year. After the series cancellation in 1999, the character was transferred to Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, having appeared within the original Law & Order
in cross-over
episodes. Within the series, it is eventually said he left Baltimore after his wife cheated on him with a friend. Munch has been the only fictional character played by a single actor to appear on eight different television shows: Homicide: Life on the Street
, Law & Order
, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Law & Order: Trial by Jury
, The X-Files
, Arrested Development, The Beat and The Wire
.
Odafin "Fin" Tutuola is a detective in the Manhattan Special Victims Unit. He was raised in Harlem
and he served in the United States Army
, where he saw combat
in Mogadishu
. A former undercover narcotic
s detective, Tutuola replaced Monique Jeffries
after she left the squad in 2000. He transferred out of narcotics after his partner was shot. He initially has a rocky relationship with his colleagues in SVU, especially his partner John Munch and Olivia Benson
. He sees the world in black and white
, with all criminals equally deserving of prison
regardless of extenuating circumstances. He also keeps a tight rein on his emotions, refusing to talk about his problems or to admit that the grisly nature of his work often affects him. He rarely talks about his personal life, not revealing he has a son to his fellow detectives until the sixth season. As the series progresses, he becomes closer with Munch and saves Benson from being raped. However, he also begins clashing more frequently with fellow detective Elliot Stabler. As of the Season 8 episode "Screwed", he is assigned Chester Lake as his new partner. After Lake kills a suspect, Stabler accuses Tutuola of tipping him off before he is taken into custody, and checks his phone records. Tutuola admits he called Lake, but says he did not expect him to run. Stabler quasi-apologizes for not trusting him, but Tutuola dismisses his apology because he believes Stabler will always be the same "bulldog". Afterwards, he requests a transfer from the squad, however the man in charge of transfers is a former colleague of Tutuola's who holds a grudge against him. Tutuola resolves himself to being "stuck" and his captain, Don Cragen, orders him to investigate a case with Stabler, who he calls a "headcase" and "cranky-balls". In more recent episodes, Tutuola has again warmed to Stabler. In 2009's "Solitary", when a suspect injures Stabler, Tutuola nearly throttles the suspect for attacking his "friend".
Donald Cragen is the Captain of the Special Victims Unit. A former homicide detective, he is portrayed as a somewhat stern but understanding father figure to the detectives who work under him and he gives them a great deal of leniency because he trusts their ability to get results, although he had an early habit of haranguing them about the weaknesses of their investigations. He was an alcoholic
for much of his early career, but goes sober
after pulling his service revolver on a taxi driver in a drunken rage. He has remained sober since, even after the death of his wife in a plane crash. Florek originally portrayed the character from 1990 to 1993 in the original Law & Order
series. In that series, Cragen was investigated by internal affairs
for corruption
. During the investigation to prove his innocence, he discovered that he was being framed by his former captain and mentor, whom he turns in. He has maintained bitter relations with the police bureaucracy
ever since. He is later transferred out of the Anti-Corruption Task Force before transferring to the newly formed Special Victims Unit.
Nick Amaro is a New York detective who transferred to the Special Victims Unit from warrants and narcotics. He mentions that his wife is doing overseas reporting in Iraq. Seen in "Blood Brothers", Amaro is fluent in Spanish
. He has a living mother (Nancy Ticotin) and a 4-year-old girl named Zara (Alison Fernandez) who are first seen in "Missing Pieces". While Rollins was used to flush out a suspect, Amaro risks losing a suspect after punching him repeatedly, as the suspect was attempting to rape Rollins. Amaro is a firm believer in divorce, and in "Russian Brides", he tells Olivia that his parents had an abusive relationship where his father abused his mother before he walked out of their lives and moved to Miami, FL when he was young. Amaro does not have any sympathy for anyone who rapes children or the mentally disabled, in "Educated Guess" he had an urge to physically assault a suspect, but Benson told him a solution would be to ensure that the perpetrator(s) never see the light of day.
Amanda Rollins is a detective from Atlanta, Georgia and moves to New York City to join the Special Victims Unit, amazed at the work Detective Benson has done over the past few years. In "Double Stands" Rollins deals with a serial rapist who originated in Atlanta that began to victimize women the further he moved up the East Coast
. Rollins does all she can to prove to Detectives Benson and Amaro that her rapist is in New York, almost falling victim to him in an attempt to flush him out; he took a preference to blonde and athletic women. In "Educated Guess", Rollins tells Tutuola that she has a sister who has psychotic problems and abuses drugs and later Rollins tells Olivia that while she was still a detective in Atlanta, there was an accident that occurred that allowed for her to transfer to the SVU.
Elliot Stabler is a detective in Manhattan
's 16th Precinct, also known as the Special Victims Unit, which investigates sex crime
s. A former Marine and a dedicated detective, he has a 97 percent closure rate, but his dedication can turn to obsession and cause him to take cases personally. At the start of the series he is married with four children. He separates from his wife Kathy during the series, and she files for divorce, but they reconcile after she becomes pregnant with their fifth child. He is a devout Catholic
whose faith sometimes complicates the cases he works on. His partner is Olivia Benson, with whom he generally has a good working relationship, but it is not without tension and friction.
In the Season 13 premiere, Scorched Earth
, it is revealed that Stabler has made the decision to retire from SVU.
Monique Jeffries was a police detective with Manhattan
's 16th Precinct, which investigates sex crimes, and one of the initial detectives in the SVU unit. Earlier in the series, she is partnered with various detectives, including Brian Cassidy. Initially, she is only seen at headquarters, doing research and showing up in court for various cases to represent the department. After Cassidy's departure near the end of the first season, she partners with Munch and begins going actively on investigations. Shortly after this, she is physically and emotionally shaken when a car explodes while she is pursuing a fleeing suspect. Survival of the incident leaves her feeling "restless", and she has a one night stand
with a man she recognized as a suspect in a previous sexual assault
case the unit had investigated. After she confesses this to a department psychiatrist, who is working for a commission investigating problems in various police units, she is taken off active duty and ordered to receive treatment. Captain Don Cragen, feeling she has become "reckless" and "a danger" to herself supports the decision. Finding desk duty intolerable, she cleans out her desk and leaves her gun and badge on the desk of Captain Cragen. In the second season, it is revealed that she was eventually reinstated and transferred to the Vice Unit.
Detective Chester Lake transferred to the Manhattan SVU from the Brooklyn Special Victims Unit at the end of the eighth season and was partnered with Detective Fin Tutuola
. He is of Native American
ancestry, specifically Mohawk
, and speaks proudly of his ancestors. He also used to compete as an amateur mixed martial artist
under the name "Naptime", but had to quit after tearing his ACL
. In the final episode of the ninth season, Lake begins attending meetings of individuals in Philadelphia who share information on "cold" murder cases. He later shoots and kills a fellow police officer, who was suspected of raping
two illegal immigrant girls ten years ago, killing one. Lake disappears while his fellow detectives investigate. They are able to prove Lake killed the other cop in self defense after he was shot at himself by a second NYPD officer with a history of brutality. Lake is found, wounded, and taken to the hospital. The second officer, however, is released after the jury deadlocks. The officer is killed the same night and Lake is found standing over the body and makes no denial to his fellow SVU detectives. He is arrested and last seen in the series sitting handcuffed in a police car. It was confirmed on April 18, 2008 that Beach would not be returning to the series to reprise the role in the subsequent season.
Brian Cassidy was a detective in the SVU during the series' first season. The youngest and least experienced member of the precinct, he has a genuine desire to put rapists
and child molesters
in prison
, but lacked the professional detachment necessary to deal with the often grisly sex crimes. He often has trouble concealing his anger and revulsion toward the cases he investigates and this created friction between him and his colleagues, made worse when they poke fun at his relative lack of sophistication. A genuinely talented and driven police detective, he makes a real effort to learn from the other members of the precinct, particularly Munch, whom he thinks of as a sort of older brother/mentor figure. He has a brief affair with Olivia Benson
, and has trouble dealing with her after the relationship ends. Cassidy was written out of the show midway through the first season. Cragen sends him to interview a young girl who was repeatedly raped and brutalized, causing Cassidy to realize that he cannot emotionally handle the types of crimes that a SVU detective must deal with on a daily basis. Cragen then offers to assist Cassidy with a transfer to another department, narcotics.
Detective Danielle "Dani" Beck was Detective Olivia Benson's temporary replacement in season 8, while Benson was on an undercover assignment (Mariska Hargitay
was on maternity leave). Dani had a husband, a cop named Mike Dooley, who was shot and killed in the line of duty. Off to a rocky start at first, she and Stabler eventually gained a mutual respect for one another. A turning point in their relationship occurred when they shared a passionate kiss after celebrating a case at a bar, although post-kiss nothing more than increased sexual chemistry was ever implied. Following a case involving child abuse
in which a traumatized adopted girl, whom Beck had been caring for, attempted to burn down her apartment and kill them both, Beck said to Stabler she could not stand working in the Special Victims Unit anymore unless he asked her to stay. Stabler reluctantly said he could not make that decision for her, so Dani decided it would be best to return to her old post at the Warrants squad. Hargitay returned to her role as Benson in the following episode.
Dr. Huang is an FBI forensic psychiatrist and criminal profiler, specializing in studying sexual predators and their victims. Though he is liked and respected by the SVU detectives and they generally defer to his professional judgment, his diagnoses sometimes hinder prosecutions, particularly where he finds mental illness, making defendants either not fully responsible for their crimes, or not fit to stand trial. He frequently observes interrogations of suspects, advising detectives on how to best interact to obtain a confession. Very little is known about Huang's personal life, other than that he is gay, which he noted in "Hardwired", has a sister (noted in "Inheritance"), and that he speaks Cantonese
and Mandarin.
Dr. Warner is the NYC medical examiner
. She served as a doctor in the U.S. Air Force during the Gulf War
. She is married and has a teenaged daughter. Though originally a recurring character she more recently became a regular cast member, and was most prominently featured in the episodes "Blast" and "Harm", the former seeing her becoming directly involved, through a series of circumstances, in the efforts to rescue an eight-year-old kidnapping victim who has just been diagnosed with leukemia
, and the latter seeing her testifying against another physician who is accused of helping the military to develop torture techniques. She is well liked by most of the SVU staff, though briefly goes against Stabler when he accuses her of botching a DNA test on Benson, expected to absolve her of a homicide (the DNA is later discovered to have been intentionally doctored to make Benson look guilty).
Dr. Skoda is a psychiatrist who works with the New York Police Department. In addition to his own private practice, he often testifies for the prosecution as an expert witness on whether a defendant is legally sane to stand trial. He also profiles suspects and offers advice to the district attorneys regarding witnesses' and suspects' mental state.
Dr. Elizabeth Rodgers was a recurring character in the Law & Order
franchise. She was the medical examiner on SVU throughout the first season and has since been replaced by Dr. Melinda Warner. She also had a recurring role on Law & Order
and Law & Order: Criminal Intent
.
Dr. Rebecca Hendrix is a former police officer who was at the police academy with Detective Benson. She left the force to become a psychiatrist. She appears for three episodes in the series' sixth season, to replace series regular B.D. Wong
while he was performing in Broadway's Pacific Overtures
. Within the series, it is said that Wong's character George Huang is on special assignment with the FBI back in Washington. Masterson reprises the role in the seventh season episode "Ripped" and in season eight's "Philadelphia". Mike Barry of Anton News stated that Masterson was "best known" for playing the role between 2004 and 2007.
Cabot first appears in the SVU episode "Wrong Is Right", when she is hired to work with SVU as their permanent ADA. She survived an assassination attempt by a drug cartel's hitman and then entered the Witness Protection Program. She returned to testify against her assassin and she had returned to the DA's office in season 10. She also appeared in the short-lived Law & Order
spinoff Conviction. Cabot was absent for the first four episodes of the 11th season to do some training in Albany
in order to return to work with the SVU detectives by the fifth episode ("Hardwired") after EADA Sonya Paxton entered court-ordered alcohol rehab. She left SVU in the season 11 episode "Witness" to work for the International Criminal Court
to seek justice for rape victims in the Congo
. She later returned in "Scorched Earth".
Elizabeth Donnelly was SVU's Bureau Chief Executive Assistant District Attorney for 12 episodes from season 3 to 6 and season 10. In the District Attorney's office, she serves as the supervisor for Cabot, and her successor Casey Novak. Donnelly is elevated to judge in season 7. In the season 10 episode "Persona", Donnelly takes a leave of absence from her role as a judge and resumes her previous role as ADA, to prosecute a cold case she was involved with in the 1970s, when a battered woman (Brenda Blethyn
) murdered her husband. She admits to Det. Olivia Benson
that she was somewhat responsible for the woman absconding from custody and therefore took on the case due to "unfinished business." Her role in the escape leads to mishaps in the justice system being termed "doing a Donnelly" for many years to follow. This episode calls attention to the difficulty Donnelly experiences as a woman working in the justice system. But the revelation that the fugitive had been pregnant at the time of her crime leads Donnelly to what, for her, is an act of leniency. She leaves the office, yet again, and returns to the role of a judge.
Casey Novak was SVUs Assistant District Attorney (Seasons 5–9), who replaced ADA Alex Cabot. Although she quickly loses her innocence when dealing with sex crimes, she still shows uneasiness when dealing with the gray areas of human involvement, preferring the letter of the law to the messiness of each individual reality. Nonetheless, Novak has a 71 percent success rate in the cases she prosecutes, whereas the average for prosecutors is 44 percent. After initial hesitation, she becomes particularly close to Stabler as they bond over being Catholic
and a love for sports. It is revealed that in her final year of law school, Novak was engaged to a man (Charlie) who suffered from schizophrenia
. She ended the relationship when his symptoms became so severe she felt she could no longer be intimate with him. In 2002, Charlie attacked her in her home during a psychotic episode. She convinced the police not to press charges, but ended the relationship. He eventually became homeless, and was found dead as a "John Doe
" in the spring of 2007. She developed a deep compassion for the mentally ill afterward, but still feels guilty for not being able to help him. She states that she is a big supporter of the U.S military
. She says that her father was an M60 Door Gunner on a Huey during the Vietnam War
. His helicopter crashed three times and he received a Purple Heart
. In her final year as the SVU ADA, she grew increasingly more reckless and unsure in her prosecution. It is implied that friend and former boss Liz Donnelly
aided in her censure, leading to her replacement by Kim Greylek.
It is revealed that Novak was censured for three years, and re-hired by the DA's office. This is explained in SVU episode "Reparations", where she returns to SVU to prosecute a rape case, with Law & Order: LA
Deputy District Attorney Jonah Dekker representing the defendant. Casey not only finds herself at odds with Dekker, but also Judge Petrovsky, who she had previously lied to in the season 9 finale ("Cold
"), which ultimately led to her censure
.
Kim Greylek was the SVU's Assistant District Attorney who replaced Casey Novak at the beginning of Season 10. Greylek previously worked in the U.S. Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women
in Washington, D.C.
where she had the nickname of "The Crusader." A dogged prosecutor, she pushed the detectives to make cases for the sake of politics in favor of pursuing actual offenders. She can be unrelenting, threatening to charge a defendant with a hate crime
for raping
two women and of having a teenage boy charged with assault
ing a police officer so he can be tested for HIV
. After appearing in only 14 episodes, the character was written out of the series as having left the unit to return to Washington. Greylek was replaced by former unit ADA Alexandra Cabot.
Sonya Paxton was SVUs Executive ADA who temporarily replaced Alexandra Cabot for four episodes in the 11th season, starting with the season premiere ("Unstable"
). Working in the Appeals bureau, she was the first to get a Capital Conviction
in New York when the then newly-elected Governor Pataki
brought back the death penalty in 1995. Paxton was sent down by Jack McCoy
to 'clean the house' in the 'he-said, she-said unit' due to too many convictions being overturned. However, things started out rocky as she butts heads with the SVU team, particularly Detective Stabler. In the second episode of Season 11 ("Sugar"
) she and he get into a heated argument after Paxton calls the suspect's lawyer after he declines his right to counsel twice. In the fourth episode of the season ("Hammered"
), when a man drinks heavily and goes home and murders a woman he met at a bar, the defense blames alcoholism
for the murder during the trial. Intending to use a computer-generated video mockup of the crime, Paxton accidentally plays a version in which the defendant's face is superimposed onto the attacker. The following morning, she arrives 45 minutes late to a mistrial hearing, appearing distraught and blaming a "fender bender". Judge Moredock
asked if she would need medical help, but the defendant pointed out that she was drunk. Judge Moredock ordered Benson to come with a breathalyzer
, which revealed her blood alcohol level was .082, resulting in a mistrial. The Judge ordered Paxton to seek treatment, prompting her temporary departure. At the end of "Hammered" she returns to the SVU squad and apologizes to the team, stating that she intends on making amends to each and every one of them.
She later appears in the episode "Turmoil"
, meeting Cabot outside the courtroom and telling her to watch out for Benson and Stabler, because they are only loyal to each other.
Sonya returned from her alcohol rehabilitation and served as an Executive ADA in the ninth episode ("Gray"
) of the 12th season to prove to the DA that she hadn't lost her 'winning ways'. In the seventeenth episode ("Pursuit"
), she returns again to help out an old friend Alicia Harding who starts receiving personal threats. Paxton was murdered during the episode while investigating the identity of the stalker. While he was attacking her, she was able to obtain his DNA by biting him - which ultimately helped solve the case.
Jo Marlowe is drafted by Jack McCoy
in the season 11 episode "Torch" after ADA Alexandra Cabot leaves to help rape victims in the Congo ("Witness"). A former lieutenant
, Marlowe had been Elliot Stabler's partner approximately four years before Benson. SVUs Executive Producer Neal Baer
describes her character as “a funny adrenaline junkie who loves to be in the middle of everything and shares a past with Stabler. She’s been married before and has a lot of secrets.” In the episode "Shattered", she reveals that she was diagnosed with an "aggressive" type of cancer and had a bilateral radical mastectomy
a year before joining the SVU squad.
Replacement for Mikka Von, she premieres mid-season. Hardwicke is a Brooklyn ADA who transfers to Manhattan SVU
due to her great admiration for detectives Benson and Stabler. It is known that Hardwicke has had some previous experience with Benson, stating she did something for her and her family. She has a 92% conviction rate (SVU: "Branded"
).
Executive ADA Michael Cutter (Law & Order) has been promoted to Bureau Chief Executive ADA and transferred to the Special Victims Unit where he is supervising the ADAs assigned to the precint. Show runner Warren Leight
stated, "If Cutter was a bit of a hot head in the past, the passage of time and some added responsibility in his new job has made him more mature, and perhaps a bit more jaded." Roache had to say, "I learned a lot from my time on Law & Order and it's going to be interesting to experiment with Cutter's development in this new context — I think Special Victims is going to be an area where Cutter's passion for justice can really come forth". The season 13 premiere episode, "Scorched Earth
" was Cutter's first appearance on SVU.
Crime Scene Unit Forensic Technician Officers
FBI Agent Dean Porter, worked with Benson as her handler during her stint undercover in an eco-terrorist group during season 8. He has also worked with the squad on several federal cases ("Savant", "Screwed", "Florida", "Infiltrated", and "Spooked").
Simon Marsden is Detective Benson's half-brother and caused extensive trouble throughout season 8 for Olivia and the entire squad.
Ed Tucker is a detective in Internal Affairs who usually comes to question the SVU detectives whenever there is an allegation of misconduct. He has been mocked by Stabler every time he has shown up at the unit, and has an ongoing feud with Captain Cragen. Tucker was introduced as a Sergeant, and later promoted to Lieutenant.
An FBI agent, first introduced in the episode "Raw" while working undercover to bring down a white supremacist group. Agent Lewis specializes in undercover work, often working under assumed identities for weeks or even months at a time. Her family (husband and children) are currently living in Europe to protect them from criminals who attempt to retaliate against her. One of these criminals, the leader of the aforementioned supremacist group, ordered a fellow inmate to attack and rape her ("Penetration"). Elliot Stabler has been injured each time she has worked with them, though she was only responsible for one of these.
Sister Peg was a Catholic Nun
who lived and worked in New York City. Most of her work involved helping and protecting prostitutes. As such, she sometimes came into contact with Manhattan SVU Detectives Elliot Stabler and Olivia Benson. She was killed in the 12th season finale episode "Smoked".
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit is an American police procedural television drama series set in New York City, where it is also primarily produced...
, a spin-off of the crime drama Law & Order
Law & Order
Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,...
, follows the detectives who work in the "Special Victims Unit" of the 16th District, New York City Police Department
New York City Police Department
The New York City Police Department , established in 1845, is currently the largest municipal police force in the United States, with primary responsibilities in law enforcement and investigation within the five boroughs of New York City...
, a unit that focuses on crimes involving rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
, sexual assault
Sexual assault
Sexual assault is an assault of a sexual nature on another person, or any sexual act committed without consent. Although sexual assaults most frequently are by a man on a woman, it may involve any combination of two or more men, women and children....
and child molestation, as well as any crime loosely connected with any of the three, such as domestic violence
Domestic violence
Domestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence , is broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, or cohabitation...
, kidnapping
Kidnapping
In criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or transportation of a person against that person's will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority...
and child abandonment
Child abandonment
Child abandonment is the practice of relinquishing interests and claims over one's offspring with the intent of never again resuming or reasserting them. Causes include many social and cultural factors as well as mental illness. An abandoned child is called a foundling .-Causes:Poverty is often a...
. Since its debut in September 1999, the series has generally shown four detectives working the unit, though at times, five, under the leadership of Captain Donald Cragen
Donald Cragen
Donald "Don" Cragen is a fictional character in the police procedural and legal drama television series Law & Order and its spinoff Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, played by Dann Florek.-Character appearances:...
. The unit also has a prosecutor assigned from the DA's office, and frequently interacts with specific medical examiners and the unit's psychiatrist George Huang
George Huang (Law & Order)
Special Agent George Huang, M.D. is a fictional character on the TV drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. He is portrayed by B. D. Wong.-Character overview:...
.
Three of the regular characters have appeared in three other NBC series: Captain Donald Cragen
Donald Cragen
Donald "Don" Cragen is a fictional character in the police procedural and legal drama television series Law & Order and its spinoff Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, played by Dann Florek.-Character appearances:...
(Florek), who was on the first three seasons of Law & Order, Sergeant John Munch
John Munch
Sergeant John Munch is a fictional character played by actor Richard Belzer. Munch first appeared on Homicide: Life on the Street. Upon that series' cancellation, the character was transplanted to Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, the first spin-off of the Law & Order franchise...
(Belzer), formerly a Baltimore
Baltimore Police Department
The Baltimore Police Department provides police services to the city of Baltimore, Maryland and was officially established by the Maryland Legislature on March 16, 1853...
detective on Homicide: Life on the Street
Homicide: Life on the Street
Homicide: Life on the Street is an American police procedural television series chronicling the work of a fictional version of the Baltimore Homicide Unit. It ran for seven seasons on NBC from 1993 to 1999, and was succeeded by a TV movie, which also acted as the de-facto series finale...
. This character also made appearances on Law & Order, Law & Order: Trial by Jury
Law & Order: Trial by Jury
Law & Order: Trial by Jury is an American television drama about criminal trials set in New York City. It was the third spin-off from the long-running Law & Order. The show's almost exclusive focus was on the criminal trial of the accused, showing both the prosecution's and defense's preparation...
, Arrested Development, The Beat, The X-Files
The X-Files
The X-Files is an American science fiction television series and a part of The X-Files franchise, created by screenwriter Chris Carter. The program originally aired from to . The show was a hit for the Fox network, and its characters and slogans became popular culture touchstones in the 1990s...
and the HBO series The Wire
The WIRE
the WIRE is the student-run College radio station at the University of Oklahoma, broadcasting in a freeform format. The WIRE serves the University of Oklahoma and surrounding communities, and is staffed by student DJs. The WIRE broadcasts at 1710 kHz AM in Norman, Oklahoma...
. Alexandra Cabot (March) was a lead character in the first and only season of Conviction where she had been promoted to Bureau Chief Executive ADA.
Creation and conception
The characters of Olivia BensonOlivia Benson
Det. Olivia "Liv" Benson is a fictional character on the NBC police procedural drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, portrayed by Mariska Hargitay. She is the former partner of Elliot Stabler. In Season 13, her partner will be Nick Amaro...
and Elliot Stabler
Elliot Stabler
Det. Elliot "El" Stabler is a fictional character on the TV crime drama series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, portrayed by Christopher Meloni. He was the partner of Olivia Benson before retiring, following a shooting.-Character overview:...
were named for creator Dick Wolf
Dick Wolf
Richard Anthony "Dick" Wolf is an American producer, specializing in crime dramas such as Miami Vice and the Law & Order franchise. Throughout his career he has won several awards including an Emmy Award and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.-Early life:Wolf was born in New York City, the son...
's children. Wolf's third child, daughter Sarina, had a character named for her, Benson's mother was named Serena, as well as former ADA Serena Southerlyn
Serena Southerlyn
Serena Southerlyn is a fictional character on the long-running NBC drama series Law & Order.-Character overview:Southerlyn joined the District Attorney's office in 2001 as an ADA, replacing Abbie Carmichael...
on the original Law & Order and Det. Serena Stevens on Law & Order: Criminal Intent.
Main characters
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| 1 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (season 1) Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, an American police procedural television series, premiered on September 20, 1999 on NBC. Created by Dick Wolf, it is the first spin-off of Law & Order and follows the detectives of a fictionalized version of the New York City Police Department's Special Victims... | 2 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (season 2) This article contains a list of episodes for season 2 of the television series, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.David J. Burke and Neal Baer served as chief executive producers; Baer took over in the season finale.-Cast:... | 3 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (season 3) This article contains a list of episodes for season 3 of the television series, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.In the aftermath of 9/11, the main title voiceover by Steven Zirnkilton was changed for the first few episodes to include the following dedication: "On September 11, 2001, New York City... | 4 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (season 4) This article contains a list of episodes for season 4 of the television series, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.B. D. Wong is added to the opening credits this season as Dr. George Huang.-Cast:*Christopher Meloni as Det. Elliot Stabler... | 5 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (season 5) This article contains a list of episodes for season 5 of the television series, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.Diane Neal joins the cast this season as Casey Novak, the SVU's new ADA.-Cast:*Christopher Meloni as Det. Elliot Stabler... | 6 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (season 6) This article contains a list of episodes for season 6 of the television series, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.-Cast:*Christopher Meloni as Det. Elliot Stabler*Mariska Hargitay as Det. Olivia Benson*Richard Belzer as Det. John Munch... | 7 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (season 7) This article contains a list of episodes for season 7 of the television series, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.Christopher Meloni was nominated for his first Emmy in the category of Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. Mariska Hargitay won the Emmy for Outstading Lead Actress in a Drama... | 8 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (season 8) This article contains a list of episodes for season 8 of the television series, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.-Cast:*Christopher Meloni as Det. Elliot Stabler*Mariska Hargitay as Det. Olivia Benson*Richard Belzer as Det. John Munch... | 9 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (season 9) This page contains a list of episodes for season 9 of the television series, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.-Cast:*Christopher Meloni as Det. Elliot Stabler*Mariska Hargitay as Det. Olivia Benson*Richard Belzer as Sgt. John Munch... | 10 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (season 10) This article contains a list of episodes for season 10 of the television series, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.-Cast:*Christopher Meloni as Det. Elliot Stabler*Mariska Hargitay as Det. Olivia Benson*Richard Belzer as Sgt. John Munch... | 11 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (season 11) The 11th season of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit premiered on September 23, 2009 and concluded on May 19, 2010. It was moved from Tuesdays to Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET for the NBC broadcast. On March 3, 2010 SVU returned to its previous time slot of 10 p.m. ET... | 12 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (season 12) The 12th season of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit premiered on September 22, 2010 on NBC and concluded on May 18, 2011. The timeslot was moved from 10 p.m. to 9 p.m. for the NBC broadcast in 2010... | 13 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (season 13) The 13th season of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit debuted on September 21, 2011 on NBC.This season Law & Order: SVU will be broadcast without any other running U.S. Law & Order series... |
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| Olivia Benson Olivia Benson Det. Olivia "Liv" Benson is a fictional character on the NBC police procedural drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, portrayed by Mariska Hargitay. She is the former partner of Elliot Stabler. In Season 13, her partner will be Nick Amaro... |
Mariska Hargitay Mariska Hargitay Mariska Hargitay is an American actress, best known for her role as New York City sex crimes Detective Olivia Benson on the NBC television drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, a role that has earned her multiple awards and nominations, including an Emmy and Golden Globe.The daughter of actress... |
Junior Detective/ Senior Detective |
Main | ~281 | ||||||||||||
| Nick Amaro | Danny Pino Danny Pino Daniel G. "Danny" Pino is an Cuban American actor. 2002 saw him appear in London's West End in the theatre play called Up for Grabs with Madonna. In May 2003, Pino played Desi Arnaz in a CBS special on the life of Lucille Ball, Lucy: The Lucille Ball Story. Pino was born in Miami, Florida... |
Detective | Main | 8 | ||||||||||||
| Amanda Rollins | Kelli Giddish Kelli Giddish Kelli Giddish is an American actress. She is known for her role as Diana Henry on the ABC's daytime drama All My Children . She is also known for her leading roles in the short-lived TV series Past Life and Chase... |
Detective | Main | 9 | ||||||||||||
| Elliot Stabler Elliot Stabler Det. Elliot "El" Stabler is a fictional character on the TV crime drama series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, portrayed by Christopher Meloni. He was the partner of Olivia Benson before retiring, following a shooting.-Character overview:... |
Christopher Meloni Christopher Meloni Christopher Peter Meloni is an American actor. He is best known for his television roles as NYPD Detective Elliot Stabler on the NBC police drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and as inmate Chris Keller on the HBO prison drama Oz.-Early life:Meloni was born the youngest of three children in... |
Senior Detective | Main | ~272 | ||||||||||||
| John Munch John Munch Sergeant John Munch is a fictional character played by actor Richard Belzer. Munch first appeared on Homicide: Life on the Street. Upon that series' cancellation, the character was transplanted to Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, the first spin-off of the Law & Order franchise... |
Richard Belzer Richard Belzer Richard Jay Belzer is an American stand-up comedian, author, and actor. He is perhaps best known for his role as John Munch, which he has portrayed as a regular cast member on the NBC police drama series Homicide: Life on the Street and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, as well as in guest... |
Senior Detective/ Sergeant |
Main | 226 | ||||||||||||
| Odafin Tutuola | Ice-T ICE-T * Ice-T, an American rapper and actor* ICE T , a tilting model of the German InterCityExpress series of high-speed trains... |
Junior Detective/ Senior Detective |
Main | ~257 | ||||||||||||
| Chester Lake | Adam Beach Adam Beach Adam Ruebin Beach is a Canadian Saulteaux actor.He is best known for his roles as Tommy on Walker, Texas Ranger, Kickin' Wing in Joe Dirt, Marine Private First Class Ira Hayes in Flags of Our Fathers, Private Ben Yazzie in Windtalkers, Dr... |
Junior Detective | Recurring | Main | 20 | |||||||||||
| Monique Jeffries Monique Jeffries Det. Monique Jeffries is a fictional character played by Michelle Hurd in the American crime drama television series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit on NBC. A regular cast member during the first two seasons, Jeffries is a tough and street-wise detective with the New York Police Department's... |
Michelle Hurd Michelle Hurd Michelle Hurd is an American stage, film, and television actress. She is married to actor Garret Dillahunt.-Early life:... |
Junior Detective | Main | Recurring | 25 | |||||||||||
| Donald Cragen Donald Cragen Donald "Don" Cragen is a fictional character in the police procedural and legal drama television series Law & Order and its spinoff Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, played by Dann Florek.-Character appearances:... |
Dann Florek Dann Florek Ezekial Dann Florek , professional name Dann Florek, is an American actor and director.-Early life:Florek was born in Flat Rock, Michigan. He attended Eastern Michigan University, but never graduated... |
Captain | Main | ~279 | ||||||||||||
| Dr. George Huang George Huang (Law & Order) Special Agent George Huang, M.D. is a fictional character on the TV drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. He is portrayed by B. D. Wong.-Character overview:... |
B.D. Wong B.D. Wong Bradley Darryl "BD" Wong is an American actor, best-known for his roles as Dr. George Huang on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, as Father Ray Mukada on HBO's Oz, Henry Wu in the movie Jurassic Park, and for his starring role as Song Liling in the Broadway production of M... |
Psychiatrist | Recurring | Main | 140 | |||||||||||
| Dr. Melinda Warner Melinda Warner Dr. Melinda Warner is a fictional character on the show Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, played by Tamara Tunie. Tunie was originally a recurring cast member until she was added to the main credits in season 7. She became a recurring cast member again in season 13.-Character overview:As the... |
Tamara Tunie Tamara Tunie Tamara Renee Tunie is an American actress. She is best known for her portrayal of attorney Jessica Griffin on the CBS soap opera As the World Turns, and medical examiner Melinda Warner on the NBC police drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit... |
Medical Examiner | Recurring | Main | Recurring | 203 | ||||||||||
| Alexandra Cabot | Stephanie March Stephanie March Stephanie Caroline March is an American actress, best known for her current portrayal of Alexandra Cabot on the television series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.-Early life:... |
Assistant District Attorney | Main | Guest | Recurring | Main | Recurring | 93 | ||||||||
| Casey Novak Casey Novak Casey Novak is a fictional character on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, portrayed by Diane Neal. She is the only female assistant district attorney to have appeared in five complete seasons in any Law & Order series and the longest-running ADA in the entire franchise.-Character:Casey Novak is a... |
Diane Neal Diane Neal Diane Neal is an American actress widely known for her role as Casey Novak on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.-Biography:... |
Assistant District Attorney | Main | Guest | Recurring | 111 | ||||||||||
| Kim Greylek | Michaela McManus Michaela McManus Michaela McManus is an American actress, best known for her portrayals of Lindsey Strauss on the television series One Tree Hill and A.D.A... |
Assistant District Attorney | Main | 13 | ||||||||||||
Olivia Benson
- Portrayed by Mariska HargitayMariska HargitayMariska Hargitay is an American actress, best known for her role as New York City sex crimes Detective Olivia Benson on the NBC television drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, a role that has earned her multiple awards and nominations, including an Emmy and Golden Globe.The daughter of actress...
- Episodes: "Payback" – present
Olivia Benson is a detective in the Manhattan Special Victims Unit, which investigates sex crimes and abuse. She is primarily partnered with Elliot Stabler
Elliot Stabler
Det. Elliot "El" Stabler is a fictional character on the TV crime drama series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, portrayed by Christopher Meloni. He was the partner of Olivia Benson before retiring, following a shooting.-Character overview:...
. She is tough, empathetic
Empathy
Empathy is the capacity to recognize and, to some extent, share feelings that are being experienced by another sapient or semi-sapient being. Someone may need to have a certain amount of empathy before they are able to feel compassion. The English word was coined in 1909 by E.B...
, and completely dedicated to her job, to the point that she is seen as having no personal life. Her dedication sometimes wreaks havoc on her emotional state as she empathizes with victims of sexual assault
Sexual assault
Sexual assault is an assault of a sexual nature on another person, or any sexual act committed without consent. Although sexual assaults most frequently are by a man on a woman, it may involve any combination of two or more men, women and children....
, having been the child of rape and later the victim of sexual assault while undercover. She has allowed her compassion for victims of abuse to sometimes cloud her professional judgment and impede her ability to remain impartial. Hargitay has received both a Golden Globe and an Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
for her portrayal of Benson.
John Munch
- Portrayed by Richard BelzerRichard BelzerRichard Jay Belzer is an American stand-up comedian, author, and actor. He is perhaps best known for his role as John Munch, which he has portrayed as a regular cast member on the NBC police drama series Homicide: Life on the Street and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, as well as in guest...
- Episodes: "Payback" – present
John Munch was a detective and now a Sergeant, in the Manhattan Special Victims Unit. A conspiracy theorist and dedicated detective, Munch is first partnered with Brian Cassidy (Dean Winters
Dean Winters
Dean Winters is an American actor, who has portrayed Ryan O'Reily on HBO's Oz, Johnny Gavin on FX Network's Rescue Me, and Dennis Duffy on NBC's 30 Rock...
), whom he thinks of as a kind of younger brother, alternately poking fun at him and imparting (often questionable) advice on life and women. When Cassidy leaves the precinct in 2000, Munch is briefly partnered with Monique Jeffries
Monique Jeffries
Det. Monique Jeffries is a fictional character played by Michelle Hurd in the American crime drama television series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit on NBC. A regular cast member during the first two seasons, Jeffries is a tough and street-wise detective with the New York Police Department's...
(Michelle Hurd
Michelle Hurd
Michelle Hurd is an American stage, film, and television actress. She is married to actor Garret Dillahunt.-Early life:...
), and then with Odafin Tutuola (Ice-T). He and the gruff, uncompromising Tutuola get off to a rough start, but gradually came to like and respect each other.
The character was first created for the NBC police drama Homicide: Life on the Street
Homicide: Life on the Street
Homicide: Life on the Street is an American police procedural television series chronicling the work of a fictional version of the Baltimore Homicide Unit. It ran for seven seasons on NBC from 1993 to 1999, and was succeeded by a TV movie, which also acted as the de-facto series finale...
, where he worked as a homicide detective with the Baltimore Police Department
Baltimore Police Department
The Baltimore Police Department provides police services to the city of Baltimore, Maryland and was officially established by the Maryland Legislature on March 16, 1853...
. The character was based on Jay Landsman
Jay Landsman
The book was later developed into the television series Homicide: Life on the Street. He was the inspiration for the fictional character John Munch on that show and a character named Jay Landsman on the television series The Wire, created by Simon. Landsman portrayed himself in a brief appearance...
, a central figure in David Simon's true crime book Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets
Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets
Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets is a 1991 book written by Baltimore Sun reporter David Simon describing a year spent with detectives from the Baltimore Police Department homicide squad...
, a documentary account of the homicide unit's operation over one year. After the series cancellation in 1999, the character was transferred to Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, having appeared within the original Law & Order
Law & Order
Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,...
in cross-over
Fictional crossover
A fictional crossover is the placement of two or more otherwise discrete fictional characters, settings, or universes into the context of a single story. They can arise from legal agreements between the relevant copyright holders, or because of unauthorized efforts by fans, or even amid common...
episodes. Within the series, it is eventually said he left Baltimore after his wife cheated on him with a friend. Munch has been the only fictional character played by a single actor to appear on eight different television shows: Homicide: Life on the Street
Homicide: Life on the Street
Homicide: Life on the Street is an American police procedural television series chronicling the work of a fictional version of the Baltimore Homicide Unit. It ran for seven seasons on NBC from 1993 to 1999, and was succeeded by a TV movie, which also acted as the de-facto series finale...
, Law & Order
Law & Order
Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,...
, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Law & Order: Trial by Jury
Law & Order: Trial by Jury
Law & Order: Trial by Jury is an American television drama about criminal trials set in New York City. It was the third spin-off from the long-running Law & Order. The show's almost exclusive focus was on the criminal trial of the accused, showing both the prosecution's and defense's preparation...
, The X-Files
The X-Files
The X-Files is an American science fiction television series and a part of The X-Files franchise, created by screenwriter Chris Carter. The program originally aired from to . The show was a hit for the Fox network, and its characters and slogans became popular culture touchstones in the 1990s...
, Arrested Development, The Beat and The Wire
The WIRE
the WIRE is the student-run College radio station at the University of Oklahoma, broadcasting in a freeform format. The WIRE serves the University of Oklahoma and surrounding communities, and is staffed by student DJs. The WIRE broadcasts at 1710 kHz AM in Norman, Oklahoma...
.
Fin Tutuola
- Portrayed by Ice-TICE-T* Ice-T, an American rapper and actor* ICE T , a tilting model of the German InterCityExpress series of high-speed trains...
- Episodes: "Wrong is Right" – present
Odafin "Fin" Tutuola is a detective in the Manhattan Special Victims Unit. He was raised in Harlem
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
and he served in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
, where he saw combat
Operation Gothic Serpent
Operation Gothic Serpent was a military operation conducted by special operations forces of the United States with the primary mission of capturing warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid...
in Mogadishu
Mogadishu
Mogadishu , popularly known as Xamar, is the largest city in Somalia and the nation's capital. Located in the coastal Benadir region on the Indian Ocean, the city has served as an important port for centuries....
. A former undercover narcotic
Narcotic
The term narcotic originally referred medically to any psychoactive compound with any sleep-inducing properties. In the United States of America it has since become associated with opioids, commonly morphine and heroin and their derivatives, such as hydrocodone. The term is, today, imprecisely...
s detective, Tutuola replaced Monique Jeffries
Monique Jeffries
Det. Monique Jeffries is a fictional character played by Michelle Hurd in the American crime drama television series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit on NBC. A regular cast member during the first two seasons, Jeffries is a tough and street-wise detective with the New York Police Department's...
after she left the squad in 2000. He transferred out of narcotics after his partner was shot. He initially has a rocky relationship with his colleagues in SVU, especially his partner John Munch and Olivia Benson
Olivia Benson
Det. Olivia "Liv" Benson is a fictional character on the NBC police procedural drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, portrayed by Mariska Hargitay. She is the former partner of Elliot Stabler. In Season 13, her partner will be Nick Amaro...
. He sees the world in black and white
Black-and-white
Black-and-white, often abbreviated B/W or B&W, is a term referring to a number of monochrome forms in visual arts.Black-and-white as a description is also something of a misnomer, for in addition to black and white, most of these media included varying shades of gray...
, with all criminals equally deserving of prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
regardless of extenuating circumstances. He also keeps a tight rein on his emotions, refusing to talk about his problems or to admit that the grisly nature of his work often affects him. He rarely talks about his personal life, not revealing he has a son to his fellow detectives until the sixth season. As the series progresses, he becomes closer with Munch and saves Benson from being raped. However, he also begins clashing more frequently with fellow detective Elliot Stabler. As of the Season 8 episode "Screwed", he is assigned Chester Lake as his new partner. After Lake kills a suspect, Stabler accuses Tutuola of tipping him off before he is taken into custody, and checks his phone records. Tutuola admits he called Lake, but says he did not expect him to run. Stabler quasi-apologizes for not trusting him, but Tutuola dismisses his apology because he believes Stabler will always be the same "bulldog". Afterwards, he requests a transfer from the squad, however the man in charge of transfers is a former colleague of Tutuola's who holds a grudge against him. Tutuola resolves himself to being "stuck" and his captain, Don Cragen, orders him to investigate a case with Stabler, who he calls a "headcase" and "cranky-balls". In more recent episodes, Tutuola has again warmed to Stabler. In 2009's "Solitary", when a suspect injures Stabler, Tutuola nearly throttles the suspect for attacking his "friend".
Donald Cragen
- Portrayed by Dann FlorekDann FlorekEzekial Dann Florek , professional name Dann Florek, is an American actor and director.-Early life:Florek was born in Flat Rock, Michigan. He attended Eastern Michigan University, but never graduated...
- Episodes: "Payback" – present
Donald Cragen is the Captain of the Special Victims Unit. A former homicide detective, he is portrayed as a somewhat stern but understanding father figure to the detectives who work under him and he gives them a great deal of leniency because he trusts their ability to get results, although he had an early habit of haranguing them about the weaknesses of their investigations. He was an alcoholic
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
for much of his early career, but goes sober
Sobriety
Sobriety is the condition of not having any measurable levels, or effects from, alcohol or other drugs that alter ones mood or behaviors. According to WHO "Lexicon of alcohol and drug terms..." sobriety is continued abstinence from alcohol and psychoactive drug use...
after pulling his service revolver on a taxi driver in a drunken rage. He has remained sober since, even after the death of his wife in a plane crash. Florek originally portrayed the character from 1990 to 1993 in the original Law & Order
Law & Order
Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,...
series. In that series, Cragen was investigated by internal affairs
Internal affairs (law enforcement)
The internal affairs division of a law enforcement agency investigates incidents and plausible suspicions of lawbreaking and professional misconduct attributed to officers on the force...
for corruption
Police corruption
Police corruption is a specific form of police misconduct designed to obtain financial benefits, other personal gain, or career advancement for a police officer or officers in exchange for not pursuing, or selectively pursuing, an investigation or arrest....
. During the investigation to prove his innocence, he discovered that he was being framed by his former captain and mentor, whom he turns in. He has maintained bitter relations with the police bureaucracy
Bureaucracy
A bureaucracy is an organization of non-elected officials of a governmental or organization who implement the rules, laws, and functions of their institution, and are occasionally characterized by officialism and red tape.-Weberian bureaucracy:...
ever since. He is later transferred out of the Anti-Corruption Task Force before transferring to the newly formed Special Victims Unit.
Nick Amaro
- Portrayed by Danny PinoDanny PinoDaniel G. "Danny" Pino is an Cuban American actor. 2002 saw him appear in London's West End in the theatre play called Up for Grabs with Madonna. In May 2003, Pino played Desi Arnaz in a CBS special on the life of Lucille Ball, Lucy: The Lucille Ball Story. Pino was born in Miami, Florida...
- Episodes: "Personal Fouls" – present
Nick Amaro is a New York detective who transferred to the Special Victims Unit from warrants and narcotics. He mentions that his wife is doing overseas reporting in Iraq. Seen in "Blood Brothers", Amaro is fluent in Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
. He has a living mother (Nancy Ticotin) and a 4-year-old girl named Zara (Alison Fernandez) who are first seen in "Missing Pieces". While Rollins was used to flush out a suspect, Amaro risks losing a suspect after punching him repeatedly, as the suspect was attempting to rape Rollins. Amaro is a firm believer in divorce, and in "Russian Brides", he tells Olivia that his parents had an abusive relationship where his father abused his mother before he walked out of their lives and moved to Miami, FL when he was young. Amaro does not have any sympathy for anyone who rapes children or the mentally disabled, in "Educated Guess" he had an urge to physically assault a suspect, but Benson told him a solution would be to ensure that the perpetrator(s) never see the light of day.
Amanda Rollins
- Portrayed by Kelli GiddishKelli GiddishKelli Giddish is an American actress. She is known for her role as Diana Henry on the ABC's daytime drama All My Children . She is also known for her leading roles in the short-lived TV series Past Life and Chase...
- Episodes: "Scorched EarthScorched Earth (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit)"Scorched Earth" is the thirteenth season premiere episode of the NBC legal drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and the 273rd overall episode of the series. It aired on NBC in the United States on September 21, 2011...
" – present
Amanda Rollins is a detective from Atlanta, Georgia and moves to New York City to join the Special Victims Unit, amazed at the work Detective Benson has done over the past few years. In "Double Stands" Rollins deals with a serial rapist who originated in Atlanta that began to victimize women the further he moved up the East Coast
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
. Rollins does all she can to prove to Detectives Benson and Amaro that her rapist is in New York, almost falling victim to him in an attempt to flush him out; he took a preference to blonde and athletic women. In "Educated Guess", Rollins tells Tutuola that she has a sister who has psychotic problems and abuses drugs and later Rollins tells Olivia that while she was still a detective in Atlanta, there was an accident that occurred that allowed for her to transfer to the SVU.
Elliot Stabler
- Portrayed by Christopher MeloniChristopher MeloniChristopher Peter Meloni is an American actor. He is best known for his television roles as NYPD Detective Elliot Stabler on the NBC police drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and as inmate Chris Keller on the HBO prison drama Oz.-Early life:Meloni was born the youngest of three children in...
- Episodes: "Payback" – "Smoked"
Elliot Stabler is a detective in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
's 16th Precinct, also known as the Special Victims Unit, which investigates sex crime
Sex and the law
In general, laws proscribe acts which are considered either sexual abuse, or behavior that societies consider to be inappropriate and against the social norms. In addition, certain categories of activity may be considered crimes even if freely consented to...
s. A former Marine and a dedicated detective, he has a 97 percent closure rate, but his dedication can turn to obsession and cause him to take cases personally. At the start of the series he is married with four children. He separates from his wife Kathy during the series, and she files for divorce, but they reconcile after she becomes pregnant with their fifth child. He is a devout Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
whose faith sometimes complicates the cases he works on. His partner is Olivia Benson, with whom he generally has a good working relationship, but it is not without tension and friction.
In the Season 13 premiere, Scorched Earth
Scorched Earth (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit)
"Scorched Earth" is the thirteenth season premiere episode of the NBC legal drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and the 273rd overall episode of the series. It aired on NBC in the United States on September 21, 2011...
, it is revealed that Stabler has made the decision to retire from SVU.
Monique Jeffries
- Portrayed by Michelle HurdMichelle HurdMichelle Hurd is an American stage, film, and television actress. She is married to actor Garret Dillahunt.-Early life:...
- Episodes: "Payback" – "Runaway"
Monique Jeffries was a police detective with Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
's 16th Precinct, which investigates sex crimes, and one of the initial detectives in the SVU unit. Earlier in the series, she is partnered with various detectives, including Brian Cassidy. Initially, she is only seen at headquarters, doing research and showing up in court for various cases to represent the department. After Cassidy's departure near the end of the first season, she partners with Munch and begins going actively on investigations. Shortly after this, she is physically and emotionally shaken when a car explodes while she is pursuing a fleeing suspect. Survival of the incident leaves her feeling "restless", and she has a one night stand
One Night Stand
One Night Stand is an HBO stand-up series that first aired on February 15, 1989. The half-hour series aired weekly and featured stand-up comedy specials from some of the top performing comedians. The series originally comprised 55 specials over the course of its four years on HBO...
with a man she recognized as a suspect in a previous sexual assault
Sexual assault
Sexual assault is an assault of a sexual nature on another person, or any sexual act committed without consent. Although sexual assaults most frequently are by a man on a woman, it may involve any combination of two or more men, women and children....
case the unit had investigated. After she confesses this to a department psychiatrist, who is working for a commission investigating problems in various police units, she is taken off active duty and ordered to receive treatment. Captain Don Cragen, feeling she has become "reckless" and "a danger" to herself supports the decision. Finding desk duty intolerable, she cleans out her desk and leaves her gun and badge on the desk of Captain Cragen. In the second season, it is revealed that she was eventually reinstated and transferred to the Vice Unit.
Chester Lake
- Portrayed by Adam BeachAdam BeachAdam Ruebin Beach is a Canadian Saulteaux actor.He is best known for his roles as Tommy on Walker, Texas Ranger, Kickin' Wing in Joe Dirt, Marine Private First Class Ira Hayes in Flags of Our Fathers, Private Ben Yazzie in Windtalkers, Dr...
- Episodes: "Outsider" – "ColdCold (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit)Cold is the season finale of the ninth season of the legal drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.-Plot summary:An old murder case of a teenage girl is reopened, when Detective Lake is caught in a gunfight and wounded by the case's former investigator, Detective Edward Kralik...
"
Detective Chester Lake transferred to the Manhattan SVU from the Brooklyn Special Victims Unit at the end of the eighth season and was partnered with Detective Fin Tutuola
Fin Tutuola
Det. Odafin "Fin" Tutuola is a fictional character and protagonist on the TV drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, played by Ice-T.The character's name is taken from the book The Palm Wine Drinkard by Amos Tutuola, a member of the Yoruba people of Nigeria...
. He is of Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
ancestry, specifically Mohawk
Mohawk nation
Mohawk are the most easterly tribe of the Iroquois confederation. They call themselves Kanien'gehaga, people of the place of the flint...
, and speaks proudly of his ancestors. He also used to compete as an amateur mixed martial artist
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
under the name "Naptime", but had to quit after tearing his ACL
Anterior cruciate ligament
The anterior cruciate ligament is a cruciate ligament which is one of the four major ligaments of the human knee. In the quadruped stifle , based on its anatomical position, it is referred to as the cranial cruciate ligament.The ACL originates from deep within the notch of the distal femur...
. In the final episode of the ninth season, Lake begins attending meetings of individuals in Philadelphia who share information on "cold" murder cases. He later shoots and kills a fellow police officer, who was suspected of raping
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
two illegal immigrant girls ten years ago, killing one. Lake disappears while his fellow detectives investigate. They are able to prove Lake killed the other cop in self defense after he was shot at himself by a second NYPD officer with a history of brutality. Lake is found, wounded, and taken to the hospital. The second officer, however, is released after the jury deadlocks. The officer is killed the same night and Lake is found standing over the body and makes no denial to his fellow SVU detectives. He is arrested and last seen in the series sitting handcuffed in a police car. It was confirmed on April 18, 2008 that Beach would not be returning to the series to reprise the role in the subsequent season.
Brian Cassidy
- Portrayed by Dean WintersDean WintersDean Winters is an American actor, who has portrayed Ryan O'Reily on HBO's Oz, Johnny Gavin on FX Network's Rescue Me, and Dennis Duffy on NBC's 30 Rock...
- Episodes: "Payback" – "Disrobed"
Brian Cassidy was a detective in the SVU during the series' first season. The youngest and least experienced member of the precinct, he has a genuine desire to put rapists
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
and child molesters
Child sexual abuse
Child sexual abuse is a form of child abuse in which an adult or older adolescent uses a child for sexual stimulation. Forms of child sexual abuse include asking or pressuring a child to engage in sexual activities , indecent exposure with intent to gratify their own sexual desires or to...
in prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
, but lacked the professional detachment necessary to deal with the often grisly sex crimes. He often has trouble concealing his anger and revulsion toward the cases he investigates and this created friction between him and his colleagues, made worse when they poke fun at his relative lack of sophistication. A genuinely talented and driven police detective, he makes a real effort to learn from the other members of the precinct, particularly Munch, whom he thinks of as a sort of older brother/mentor figure. He has a brief affair with Olivia Benson
Olivia Benson
Det. Olivia "Liv" Benson is a fictional character on the NBC police procedural drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, portrayed by Mariska Hargitay. She is the former partner of Elliot Stabler. In Season 13, her partner will be Nick Amaro...
, and has trouble dealing with her after the relationship ends. Cassidy was written out of the show midway through the first season. Cragen sends him to interview a young girl who was repeatedly raped and brutalized, causing Cassidy to realize that he cannot emotionally handle the types of crimes that a SVU detective must deal with on a daily basis. Cragen then offers to assist Cassidy with a transfer to another department, narcotics.
Danielle Beck
- Portrayed by Connie Nielsen
- Episodes: "Clock" – "Cage"
Detective Danielle "Dani" Beck was Detective Olivia Benson's temporary replacement in season 8, while Benson was on an undercover assignment (Mariska Hargitay
Mariska Hargitay
Mariska Hargitay is an American actress, best known for her role as New York City sex crimes Detective Olivia Benson on the NBC television drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, a role that has earned her multiple awards and nominations, including an Emmy and Golden Globe.The daughter of actress...
was on maternity leave). Dani had a husband, a cop named Mike Dooley, who was shot and killed in the line of duty. Off to a rocky start at first, she and Stabler eventually gained a mutual respect for one another. A turning point in their relationship occurred when they shared a passionate kiss after celebrating a case at a bar, although post-kiss nothing more than increased sexual chemistry was ever implied. Following a case involving child abuse
Child abuse
Child abuse is the physical, sexual, emotional mistreatment, or neglect of a child. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Children And Families define child maltreatment as any act or series of acts of commission or omission by a parent or...
in which a traumatized adopted girl, whom Beck had been caring for, attempted to burn down her apartment and kill them both, Beck said to Stabler she could not stand working in the Special Victims Unit anymore unless he asked her to stay. Stabler reluctantly said he could not make that decision for her, so Dani decided it would be best to return to her old post at the Warrants squad. Hargitay returned to her role as Benson in the following episode.
George Huang
- Portrayed by B.D. WongB.D. WongBradley Darryl "BD" Wong is an American actor, best-known for his roles as Dr. George Huang on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, as Father Ray Mukada on HBO's Oz, Henry Wu in the movie Jurassic Park, and for his starring role as Song Liling in the Broadway production of M...
- Episodes: "Pique" – "Bombshell"
Dr. Huang is an FBI forensic psychiatrist and criminal profiler, specializing in studying sexual predators and their victims. Though he is liked and respected by the SVU detectives and they generally defer to his professional judgment, his diagnoses sometimes hinder prosecutions, particularly where he finds mental illness, making defendants either not fully responsible for their crimes, or not fit to stand trial. He frequently observes interrogations of suspects, advising detectives on how to best interact to obtain a confession. Very little is known about Huang's personal life, other than that he is gay, which he noted in "Hardwired", has a sister (noted in "Inheritance"), and that he speaks Cantonese
Cantonese
Cantonese is a dialect spoken primarily in south China.Cantonese may also refer to:* Yue Chinese, the Chinese language that includes Cantonese* Cantonese cuisine, the cuisine of Guangdong province...
and Mandarin.
Melinda Warner
- Portrayed by Tamara TunieTamara TunieTamara Renee Tunie is an American actress. She is best known for her portrayal of attorney Jessica Griffin on the CBS soap opera As the World Turns, and medical examiner Melinda Warner on the NBC police drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit...
- Episodes: "Noncompliance" – present
Dr. Warner is the NYC medical examiner
Medical examiner
A medical examiner is a medically qualified government officer whose duty is to investigate deaths and injuries that occur under unusual or suspicious circumstances, to perform post-mortem examinations, and in some jurisdictions to initiate inquests....
. She served as a doctor in the U.S. Air Force during the Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
. She is married and has a teenaged daughter. Though originally a recurring character she more recently became a regular cast member, and was most prominently featured in the episodes "Blast" and "Harm", the former seeing her becoming directly involved, through a series of circumstances, in the efforts to rescue an eight-year-old kidnapping victim who has just been diagnosed with leukemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
, and the latter seeing her testifying against another physician who is accused of helping the military to develop torture techniques. She is well liked by most of the SVU staff, though briefly goes against Stabler when he accuses her of botching a DNA test on Benson, expected to absolve her of a homicide (the DNA is later discovered to have been intentionally doctored to make Benson look guilty).
Emil Skoda
- Portrayed by J.K. Simmons
- Episodes from: 2000–2001
Dr. Skoda is a psychiatrist who works with the New York Police Department. In addition to his own private practice, he often testifies for the prosecution as an expert witness on whether a defendant is legally sane to stand trial. He also profiles suspects and offers advice to the district attorneys regarding witnesses' and suspects' mental state.
Elizabeth Rodgers
- Portrayed by Leslie HendrixLeslie HendrixLeslie Hendrix is an American actress. She is best known for playing the role of Elizabeth Rodgers on four Law & Order series...
- Episodes: "Payback" – "Misleader"
Dr. Elizabeth Rodgers was a recurring character in the Law & Order
Law & Order (franchise)
The Law & Order franchise is a number of related American television series created by Dick Wolf and originally broadcast on NBC, all of which deal with some aspect of the criminal justice system...
franchise. She was the medical examiner on SVU throughout the first season and has since been replaced by Dr. Melinda Warner. She also had a recurring role on Law & Order
Law & Order
Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,...
and Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Law & Order: Criminal Intent is an American police procedural television drama series set in New York City, where it was also primarily produced. Created and produced by Dick Wolf and René Balcer, the series premiered on September 30, 2001, as the second spin-off of Wolf's successful crime drama...
.
Rebecca Hendrix
- Portrayed by Mary Stuart MastersonMary Stuart MastersonMary Stuart Masterson is an American film, stage and television actress and director.-Early life:Masterson was born in New York City to writer/director Peter Masterson and actress Carlin Glynn. She has two siblings: Peter Masterson Jr., and Alexandra Masterson, who are both involved in the...
- Episodes: "WeakWeak (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit)"Weak" is an Emmy Award-winning episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. It originally aired on November 30, 2004. B. D. Wong does not appear in this episode.-Episode recap:...
", "Contagious", "Identity", "Ripped", "Philadelphia"
Dr. Rebecca Hendrix is a former police officer who was at the police academy with Detective Benson. She left the force to become a psychiatrist. She appears for three episodes in the series' sixth season, to replace series regular B.D. Wong
B.D. Wong
Bradley Darryl "BD" Wong is an American actor, best-known for his roles as Dr. George Huang on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, as Father Ray Mukada on HBO's Oz, Henry Wu in the movie Jurassic Park, and for his starring role as Song Liling in the Broadway production of M...
while he was performing in Broadway's Pacific Overtures
Pacific Overtures
Pacific Overtures is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, a libretto by John Weidman, and additional material by Hugh Wheeler. The musical is set in 1853 Japan and follows the difficult Westernization of Japan, through the lives of two friends caught in the change...
. Within the series, it is said that Wong's character George Huang is on special assignment with the FBI back in Washington. Masterson reprises the role in the seventh season episode "Ripped" and in season eight's "Philadelphia". Mike Barry of Anton News stated that Masterson was "best known" for playing the role between 2004 and 2007.
Alexandra Cabot
- Portrayed by Stephanie MarchStephanie MarchStephanie Caroline March is an American actress, best known for her current portrayal of Alexandra Cabot on the television series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.-Early life:...
- Episodes: "Wrong is Right" – "Loss", "Ghost", "Lead" – "Selfish", "Liberties", "Hardwired" – "Witness", "Scorched Earth" – present
Cabot first appears in the SVU episode "Wrong Is Right", when she is hired to work with SVU as their permanent ADA. She survived an assassination attempt by a drug cartel's hitman and then entered the Witness Protection Program. She returned to testify against her assassin and she had returned to the DA's office in season 10. She also appeared in the short-lived Law & Order
Law & Order
Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,...
spinoff Conviction. Cabot was absent for the first four episodes of the 11th season to do some training in Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
in order to return to work with the SVU detectives by the fifth episode ("Hardwired") after EADA Sonya Paxton entered court-ordered alcohol rehab. She left SVU in the season 11 episode "Witness" to work for the International Criminal Court
International Criminal Court
The International Criminal Court is a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression .It came into being on 1 July 2002—the date its founding treaty, the Rome Statute of the...
to seek justice for rape victims in the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
. She later returned in "Scorched Earth".
Elizabeth Donnelly
- Portrayed by Judith LightJudith LightJudith Ellen Light is an American actress. Her television roles include Karen Wolek on the soap opera One Life to Live, Angela Bower on the sitcom Who's the Boss?, Claire Meade on ABC's TV series Ugly Betty and Judge Elizabeth "Liz" Donnelly on Law & Order Special Victims Unit.-Early life:Light...
- Episodes: "Guilt" – "Persona"
Elizabeth Donnelly was SVU's Bureau Chief Executive Assistant District Attorney for 12 episodes from season 3 to 6 and season 10. In the District Attorney's office, she serves as the supervisor for Cabot, and her successor Casey Novak. Donnelly is elevated to judge in season 7. In the season 10 episode "Persona", Donnelly takes a leave of absence from her role as a judge and resumes her previous role as ADA, to prosecute a cold case she was involved with in the 1970s, when a battered woman (Brenda Blethyn
Brenda Blethyn
Brenda Anne Blethyn, OBE is an English actress who has worked in theatre, television and film. Blethyn has received two Academy Award nominations, two SAG Award nominations, two Emmy Award nominations and three Golden Globe Award nominations, winning one...
) murdered her husband. She admits to Det. Olivia Benson
Olivia Benson
Det. Olivia "Liv" Benson is a fictional character on the NBC police procedural drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, portrayed by Mariska Hargitay. She is the former partner of Elliot Stabler. In Season 13, her partner will be Nick Amaro...
that she was somewhat responsible for the woman absconding from custody and therefore took on the case due to "unfinished business." Her role in the escape leads to mishaps in the justice system being termed "doing a Donnelly" for many years to follow. This episode calls attention to the difficulty Donnelly experiences as a woman working in the justice system. But the revelation that the fugitive had been pregnant at the time of her crime leads Donnelly to what, for her, is an act of leniency. She leaves the office, yet again, and returns to the role of a judge.
Casey Novak
- Portrayed by Diane NealDiane NealDiane Neal is an American actress widely known for her role as Casey Novak on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.-Biography:...
- Episodes: "Serendipity" – "ColdCold (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit)Cold is the season finale of the ninth season of the legal drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.-Plot summary:An old murder case of a teenage girl is reopened, when Detective Lake is caught in a gunfight and wounded by the case's former investigator, Detective Edward Kralik...
", "Reparations", "Blood Brothers" – present
Casey Novak was SVUs Assistant District Attorney (Seasons 5–9), who replaced ADA Alex Cabot. Although she quickly loses her innocence when dealing with sex crimes, she still shows uneasiness when dealing with the gray areas of human involvement, preferring the letter of the law to the messiness of each individual reality. Nonetheless, Novak has a 71 percent success rate in the cases she prosecutes, whereas the average for prosecutors is 44 percent. After initial hesitation, she becomes particularly close to Stabler as they bond over being Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
and a love for sports. It is revealed that in her final year of law school, Novak was engaged to a man (Charlie) who suffered from schizophrenia
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by a disintegration of thought processes and of emotional responsiveness. It most commonly manifests itself as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking, and it is accompanied by significant social...
. She ended the relationship when his symptoms became so severe she felt she could no longer be intimate with him. In 2002, Charlie attacked her in her home during a psychotic episode. She convinced the police not to press charges, but ended the relationship. He eventually became homeless, and was found dead as a "John Doe
John Doe
The name "John Doe" is used as a placeholder name in a legal action, case or discussion for a male party, whose true identity is unknown or must be withheld for legal reasons. The name is also used to refer to a male corpse or hospital patient whose identity is unknown...
" in the spring of 2007. She developed a deep compassion for the mentally ill afterward, but still feels guilty for not being able to help him. She states that she is a big supporter of the U.S military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
. She says that her father was an M60 Door Gunner on a Huey during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. His helicopter crashed three times and he received a Purple Heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
. In her final year as the SVU ADA, she grew increasingly more reckless and unsure in her prosecution. It is implied that friend and former boss Liz Donnelly
Elizabeth Donnelly
Elizabeth Donnelly is a fictional character on the NBC crime drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, portrayed by Judith Light since 2002.-Character overview:...
aided in her censure, leading to her replacement by Kim Greylek.
It is revealed that Novak was censured for three years, and re-hired by the DA's office. This is explained in SVU episode "Reparations", where she returns to SVU to prosecute a rape case, with Law & Order: LA
Law & Order: Los Angeles
Law & Order: LA, originally titled Law & Order: Los Angeles, is an American police procedural and legal drama television series set in Los Angeles, where it was produced...
Deputy District Attorney Jonah Dekker representing the defendant. Casey not only finds herself at odds with Dekker, but also Judge Petrovsky, who she had previously lied to in the season 9 finale ("Cold
Cold (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit)
Cold is the season finale of the ninth season of the legal drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.-Plot summary:An old murder case of a teenage girl is reopened, when Detective Lake is caught in a gunfight and wounded by the case's former investigator, Detective Edward Kralik...
"), which ultimately led to her censure
Censure
A censure is an expression of strong disapproval or harsh criticism. Among the forms that it can take are a stern rebuke by a legislature, a spiritual penalty imposed by a church, and a negative judgment pronounced on a theological proposition.-Politics:...
.
Kim Greylek
- Portrayed by Michaela McManusMichaela McManusMichaela McManus is an American actress, best known for her portrayals of Lindsey Strauss on the television series One Tree Hill and A.D.A...
- Episodes: "Trials" – "Lead"
Kim Greylek was the SVU's Assistant District Attorney who replaced Casey Novak at the beginning of Season 10. Greylek previously worked in the U.S. Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women
Office on Violence Against Women
The Office on Violence Against Women , a component of the U.S. Department of Justice, provides national leadership in developing the nation's capacity to reduce violence against women through the implementation of the Violence Against Women Act ....
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
where she had the nickname of "The Crusader." A dogged prosecutor, she pushed the detectives to make cases for the sake of politics in favor of pursuing actual offenders. She can be unrelenting, threatening to charge a defendant with a hate crime
Hate crime
In crime and law, hate crimes occur when a perpetrator targets a victim because of his or her perceived membership in a certain social group, usually defined by racial group, religion, sexual orientation, disability, class, ethnicity, nationality, age, gender, gender identity, social status or...
for raping
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
two women and of having a teenage boy charged with assault
Assault
In law, assault is a crime causing a victim to fear violence. The term is often confused with battery, which involves physical contact. The specific meaning of assault varies between countries, but can refer to an act that causes another to apprehend immediate and personal violence, or in the more...
ing a police officer so he can be tested for HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
. After appearing in only 14 episodes, the character was written out of the series as having left the unit to return to Washington. Greylek was replaced by former unit ADA Alexandra Cabot.
Sonya Paxton
- Portrayed by Christine LahtiChristine LahtiChristine Lahti is an American actress and film director. Lahti has had a successful career in television and film. Throughout her career she has garnered 2 Golden Globe Awards from 8 Nominations, An Emmy Award from 6 Nominations and 2 Academy Award nominations...
- Episodes: "Unstable" – "Hammered", "Turmoil", "Gray", "Pursuit"
Sonya Paxton was SVUs Executive ADA who temporarily replaced Alexandra Cabot for four episodes in the 11th season, starting with the season premiere ("Unstable"
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (season 11)
The 11th season of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit premiered on September 23, 2009 and concluded on May 19, 2010. It was moved from Tuesdays to Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET for the NBC broadcast. On March 3, 2010 SVU returned to its previous time slot of 10 p.m. ET...
). Working in the Appeals bureau, she was the first to get a Capital Conviction
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
in New York when the then newly-elected Governor Pataki
George Pataki
George Elmer Pataki is an American politician who was the 53rd Governor of New York. A member of the Republican Party, Pataki served three consecutive four-year terms from January 1, 1995 until December 31, 2006.- Early life :...
brought back the death penalty in 1995. Paxton was sent down by Jack McCoy
Jack McCoy
John James "Jack" McCoy is a fictional character in the television drama Law & Order, created by Michael S. Chernuchin and played by Sam Waterston since 1994. He is the second-longest tenured character on the show, after Lt. Anita Van Buren . On January 28, 2009, McCoy's character ended the longest...
to 'clean the house' in the 'he-said, she-said unit' due to too many convictions being overturned. However, things started out rocky as she butts heads with the SVU team, particularly Detective Stabler. In the second episode of Season 11 ("Sugar"
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (season 11)
The 11th season of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit premiered on September 23, 2009 and concluded on May 19, 2010. It was moved from Tuesdays to Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET for the NBC broadcast. On March 3, 2010 SVU returned to its previous time slot of 10 p.m. ET...
) she and he get into a heated argument after Paxton calls the suspect's lawyer after he declines his right to counsel twice. In the fourth episode of the season ("Hammered"
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (season 11)
The 11th season of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit premiered on September 23, 2009 and concluded on May 19, 2010. It was moved from Tuesdays to Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET for the NBC broadcast. On March 3, 2010 SVU returned to its previous time slot of 10 p.m. ET...
), when a man drinks heavily and goes home and murders a woman he met at a bar, the defense blames alcoholism
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
for the murder during the trial. Intending to use a computer-generated video mockup of the crime, Paxton accidentally plays a version in which the defendant's face is superimposed onto the attacker. The following morning, she arrives 45 minutes late to a mistrial hearing, appearing distraught and blaming a "fender bender". Judge Moredock
Barry Moredock
Barry Moredock is a fictional character on the NBC crime drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, portrayed by John Cullum since 2003.-Character overview:...
asked if she would need medical help, but the defendant pointed out that she was drunk. Judge Moredock ordered Benson to come with a breathalyzer
Breathalyzer
A breathalyzer or breathalyser is a device for estimating blood alcohol content from a breath sample...
, which revealed her blood alcohol level was .082, resulting in a mistrial. The Judge ordered Paxton to seek treatment, prompting her temporary departure. At the end of "Hammered" she returns to the SVU squad and apologizes to the team, stating that she intends on making amends to each and every one of them.
She later appears in the episode "Turmoil"
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (season 11)
The 11th season of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit premiered on September 23, 2009 and concluded on May 19, 2010. It was moved from Tuesdays to Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET for the NBC broadcast. On March 3, 2010 SVU returned to its previous time slot of 10 p.m. ET...
, meeting Cabot outside the courtroom and telling her to watch out for Benson and Stabler, because they are only loyal to each other.
Sonya returned from her alcohol rehabilitation and served as an Executive ADA in the ninth episode ("Gray"
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (season 12)
The 12th season of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit premiered on September 22, 2010 on NBC and concluded on May 18, 2011. The timeslot was moved from 10 p.m. to 9 p.m. for the NBC broadcast in 2010...
) of the 12th season to prove to the DA that she hadn't lost her 'winning ways'. In the seventeenth episode ("Pursuit"
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (season 12)
The 12th season of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit premiered on September 22, 2010 on NBC and concluded on May 18, 2011. The timeslot was moved from 10 p.m. to 9 p.m. for the NBC broadcast in 2010...
), she returns again to help out an old friend Alicia Harding who starts receiving personal threats. Paxton was murdered during the episode while investigating the identity of the stalker. While he was attacking her, she was able to obtain his DNA by biting him - which ultimately helped solve the case.
Jo Marlowe
- Portrayed by Sharon StoneSharon StoneSharon Vonne Stone is an American actress, film producer, and former fashion model. She achieved international recognition for her role in the erotic thriller Basic Instinct...
- Episodes: "Torch" – "Shattered"
Jo Marlowe is drafted by Jack McCoy
Jack McCoy
John James "Jack" McCoy is a fictional character in the television drama Law & Order, created by Michael S. Chernuchin and played by Sam Waterston since 1994. He is the second-longest tenured character on the show, after Lt. Anita Van Buren . On January 28, 2009, McCoy's character ended the longest...
in the season 11 episode "Torch" after ADA Alexandra Cabot leaves to help rape victims in the Congo ("Witness"). A former lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
, Marlowe had been Elliot Stabler's partner approximately four years before Benson. SVUs Executive Producer Neal Baer
Neal Baer
Neal Baer, MD is an American pediatrician and television writer and producer. He is best known for his work on the television shows ER and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.-Education:...
describes her character as “a funny adrenaline junkie who loves to be in the middle of everything and shares a past with Stabler. She’s been married before and has a lot of secrets.” In the episode "Shattered", she reveals that she was diagnosed with an "aggressive" type of cancer and had a bilateral radical mastectomy
Radical mastectomy
Radical mastectomy is a surgical procedure in which the breast, underlying chest muscle , and lymph nodes of the axilla are removed as a treatment for breast cancer....
a year before joining the SVU squad.
Gillian Hardwicke
- Portrayed by Melissa SagemillerMelissa SagemillerMelissa Sagemiller is an American television and film actress.-Early life and education:Sagemiller was born in Washington, D.C. to a political activist mother and a professional American football player father, who played in the NFL for the New York Giants and the Washington Redskins. She attended...
- Episodes: "Branded" – "Bombshell"
Replacement for Mikka Von, she premieres mid-season. Hardwicke is a Brooklyn ADA who transfers to Manhattan SVU
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit is an American police procedural television drama series set in New York City, where it is also primarily produced...
due to her great admiration for detectives Benson and Stabler. It is known that Hardwicke has had some previous experience with Benson, stating she did something for her and her family. She has a 92% conviction rate (SVU: "Branded"
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (season 12)
The 12th season of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit premiered on September 22, 2010 on NBC and concluded on May 18, 2011. The timeslot was moved from 10 p.m. to 9 p.m. for the NBC broadcast in 2010...
).
Michael Cutter
- Portrayed by Linus RoacheLinus RoacheLinus William Roache is an English actor.-Early life:Roache was born in Manchester, the son of Coronation Street actor William Roache and actress Anna Cropper. Roache was educated at Bishop Luffa Church of England School in Chichester, West Sussex and at the independent Rydal School in Colwyn Bay,...
- Episodes: "Scorched EarthScorched Earth (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit)"Scorched Earth" is the thirteenth season premiere episode of the NBC legal drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and the 273rd overall episode of the series. It aired on NBC in the United States on September 21, 2011...
" - present
Executive ADA Michael Cutter (Law & Order) has been promoted to Bureau Chief Executive ADA and transferred to the Special Victims Unit where he is supervising the ADAs assigned to the precint. Show runner Warren Leight
Warren Leight
Warren Leight is an American playwright, screenwriter, film director and television producer. He is best known for his work on Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Lights Out and the showrunner for In Treatment and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit....
stated, "If Cutter was a bit of a hot head in the past, the passage of time and some added responsibility in his new job has made him more mature, and perhaps a bit more jaded." Roache had to say, "I learned a lot from my time on Law & Order and it's going to be interesting to experiment with Cutter's development in this new context — I think Special Victims is going to be an area where Cutter's passion for justice can really come forth". The season 13 premiere episode, "Scorched Earth
Scorched Earth (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit)
"Scorched Earth" is the thirteenth season premiere episode of the NBC legal drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and the 273rd overall episode of the series. It aired on NBC in the United States on September 21, 2011...
" was Cutter's first appearance on SVU.
Other police officers outside of SVU
| Name | Portrayed by | Year | # Eps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technician Ruben Morales | Joel de la Fuente Joel de la Fuente Joel de la Fuente is an American actor. He is best known for his roles as 1st Lieutenant Paul Wang in Space: Above and Beyond, Peter Davies in 100 Centre Street, and recurring appearances on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as TARU Tech Ruben Morales.-Early life:Born in New Hartford, New York, de... |
2002–present | 52 |
| Officer Ramirez | Donnetta Lavinia Grays | 2003–2007 | 7 |
| Officer Robbins | William H. Burns | 2002–2006 | 6 |
| Chief of Detectives Muldrew | John Schuck John Schuck Conrad John Schuck Jr. is an American actor, primarily in stage, movies and television. He is best-known for his roles as police commissioner Rock Hudson's mildly slow-witted assistant, Sgt. Charles Enright in the 1970s crime drama McMillan & Wife, and as Lee Meriwether's husband, Herman Munster... |
2004–2010 | 8 |
Crime Scene Unit Technicians
Full title: New York City Police DepartmentNew York City Police Department
The New York City Police Department , established in 1845, is currently the largest municipal police force in the United States, with primary responsibilities in law enforcement and investigation within the five boroughs of New York City...
Crime Scene Unit Forensic Technician Officers
| Name | Portrayed by | Year | # Eps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgie | Welly Yang Welly Yang Wellington Yang is an Taiwanese American actor, playwright, and singer.-Biography:Yang was born in New York City. His parents emigrated from Taiwan in 1969. His mother returned to Taipei in 1991 to direct foreign affairs for the Democratic Progressive Party... |
1999–2003 | 13 |
| Captain Judith Siper | Caren Browning | 1999–present | 42 |
| Harry Martin | Lou Carbonneau | 2000–2002 | 12 |
| David Layton | Jordan Gelber Jordan Gelber -Broadway:He is known for originating the role of struggling comedian Brian in the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical Avenue Q. Gelber also performed on Broadway in Arthur Miller's All My Sons as Frank Lubey... |
2002–2003 | 8 |
| Burt Trevor | Daniel Sunjata Daniel Sunjata Daniel Sunjata is an American actor who performs in film, television and in the theater.-Career:... |
2002–2004 | 15 |
| Ryan O'Halloran | Mike Doyle Mike Doyle (actor) Mike Doyle is an American actor, screenwriter, director and producer. He is best known for his recurring roles in the television series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, playing Forensics Tech Ryan O'Halloran, and Oz, playing Adam Guenzel.... |
2003–2009 | 52 |
| Millie Vizcarrondo | Paula Garcés Paula Garcés Paula Garcés is a Colombian American film and television actress, known for her appearance in films such as Clockstoppers and The Harold and Kumar Series, and on TV shows such as CSI: Miami, The Shield, Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, The Sopranos, Oz and Warehouse 13.-Early life:Garcés was... |
2005 | 4 |
| Dale Stuckey | Noel Fisher | 2009 | 4 |
| Adrienne ‘Andy’ Sung | James Chen | 2011–present | 4 |
Assistant US Attorneys
| Name | Portrayed by | Year | # Eps |
|---|---|---|---|
| AUSA Claudia Williams | Pam Grier Pam Grier Pamela Suzette "Pam" Grier is an American actress. She became famous in the early 1970s, after starring in a string of moderately successful women in prison and blaxploitation films such as 1974's Foxy Brown. Her career was revitalized in 1997 after her appearance in Quentin Tarantino's film... |
2003–2004 | 2 |
| AUSA Raul Menedez | Robert Montano Robert Montano Robert Montano is an American film and television actor.-Life and career:Montano was born in Bayside, Queens, New York, and raised in Hempstead on Long Island, close enough to smell manure from Belmont Park racetrack, which led to his first career as a professional racehorse jockey. However, by 18,... |
2005 | 1 |
| AUSA Marion Springer | Jayne Atkinson Jayne Atkinson Jayne Atkinson is an English-born American film, theatre and television actress. She is perhaps best known for the role of Karen Hayes on 24 as well as her Tony Award-nominated roles in The Rainmaker and Enchanted April... |
2007 | 1 |
| AUSA Christine Danielson | Gloria Reuben Gloria Reuben Gloria Reuben is a Canadian singer and actress of film and television, known for her role as Jeanie Boulet on the popular medical drama ER and for her role of Rosalind Whitman in the TV show Raising the Bar.-Life and career:... |
2010–2011 | 2 |
| AUSA Camilla Velez | Valerie Cruz Valerie Cruz Valerie Cruz is an American actress.Cruz was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey of Cuban ancestry. She attended Florida State University and received a BFA theatre degree.... |
2010 | 1 |
Manhattan District Attorneys
| Name | Portrayed by | Year | # Eps | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DA Adam Schiff Adam Schiff (Law & Order) Adam Schiff is a fictional character on the TV drama series Law & Order. He was played by Steven Hill from 1990 to 2000. Schiff was one of the main characters of the series and appeared in every episode of the first ten seasons except for Everybody's Favorite Bagman, which was produced before Hill... |
Steven Hill Steven Hill Steven Hill is an American film and television actor. His two better-known roles are District Attorney Adam Schiff on the NBC TV drama series Law & Order, whom he portrayed for ten seasons , and Dan Briggs, the original team leader of the Impossible Missions Force on CBS's television series... |
2000 | 1 | Crossing over from Law & Order Law & Order Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,... |
| DA Nora Lewin Nora Lewin Nora Lewin was a fictional character on the TV show Law & Order, played by two-time Academy Award winning actress Dianne Wiest from 2000 to 2002. Her character was particularly notable for the fact that she was the first woman in the program's history to hold the position of New York County... |
Dianne Wiest Dianne Wiest Dianne Wiest is an American actress. She has had a successful career on stage, television, and film, and has won two Academy Awards, two Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe Award. Wiest has also been nominated for a BAFTA Award.-Early life:... |
2000–2002 | 2 | Crossing over from Law & Order Law & Order Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,... |
| DA Arthur Branch Arthur Branch Arthur Branch is a fictional attorney and a regular character on the TV crime dramas Law & Order and Law & Order: Trial by Jury. Branch has also appeared on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, and Conviction.... |
Fred Dalton Thompson Fred Dalton Thompson Fred Dalton Thompson , is an American politician, actor, attorney, lobbyist, columnist, and radio host. He served as a Republican U.S... |
2003–2006 | 11 | Crossing over from Law & Order Law & Order Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,... |
| DA Jack McCoy Jack McCoy John James "Jack" McCoy is a fictional character in the television drama Law & Order, created by Michael S. Chernuchin and played by Sam Waterston since 1994. He is the second-longest tenured character on the show, after Lt. Anita Van Buren . On January 28, 2009, McCoy's character ended the longest... |
Sam Waterston Sam Waterston Samuel Atkinson "Sam" Waterston is an American actor and occasional producer and director. Among other roles, he is noted for his Academy Award-nominated portrayal of Sydney Schanberg in 1984's The Killing Fields, and his Golden Globe- and Screen Actors Guild Award-winning portrayal of Jack McCoy... |
2007–2010 | 2 | Crossing over from Law & Order Law & Order Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,... |
Bureau Chief Executive Assistant District Attorneys
| Name | Portrayed by | Year | # Eps | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BC-EADA Elizabeth Donnelly Elizabeth Donnelly Elizabeth Donnelly is a fictional character on the NBC crime drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, portrayed by Judith Light since 2002.-Character overview:... |
Judith Light Judith Light Judith Ellen Light is an American actress. Her television roles include Karen Wolek on the soap opera One Life to Live, Angela Bower on the sitcom Who's the Boss?, Claire Meade on ABC's TV series Ugly Betty and Judge Elizabeth "Liz" Donnelly on Law & Order Special Victims Unit.-Early life:Light... |
2002–2004, 2008 | 12 | Later Judge Elizabeth Donnelly |
| BC-EADA Christine Danielson | Gloria Reuben Gloria Reuben Gloria Reuben is a Canadian singer and actress of film and television, known for her role as Jeanie Boulet on the popular medical drama ER and for her role of Rosalind Whitman in the TV show Raising the Bar.-Life and career:... |
2007 | 1 | Later AUSA Christine Danielson |
| BC-EADA Michael Cutter Michael Cutter Michael "Mike" Cutter is a fictional character on the long-running NBC series Law & Order and its spinoff Law & Order: Special Victims Unit played by Linus Roache. The character debuted in L&O's eighteenth season premiere, broadcast January 2, 2008, and remained through its series finale on May... |
Linus Roache Linus Roache Linus William Roache is an English actor.-Early life:Roache was born in Manchester, the son of Coronation Street actor William Roache and actress Anna Cropper. Roache was educated at Bishop Luffa Church of England School in Chichester, West Sussex and at the independent Rydal School in Colwyn Bay,... |
2011–present | 3 | Crossing over from Law & Order Law & Order Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,... |
Executive Assistant District Attorneys
| Name | Portrayed by | Year | # Eps | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EADA Jack McCoy Jack McCoy John James "Jack" McCoy is a fictional character in the television drama Law & Order, created by Michael S. Chernuchin and played by Sam Waterston since 1994. He is the second-longest tenured character on the show, after Lt. Anita Van Buren . On January 28, 2009, McCoy's character ended the longest... |
Sam Waterston Sam Waterston Samuel Atkinson "Sam" Waterston is an American actor and occasional producer and director. Among other roles, he is noted for his Academy Award-nominated portrayal of Sydney Schanberg in 1984's The Killing Fields, and his Golden Globe- and Screen Actors Guild Award-winning portrayal of Jack McCoy... |
2000 | 1 | Crossing over from Law & Order Law & Order Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,... ; later became DA |
| EADA Charlie Phillips | Jeffrey DeMunn Jeffrey DeMunn Jeffrey DeMunn is an American theatre, film and television actor.-Life and career:DeMunn was born in Buffalo, New York, the son of Violet and James DeMunn. Stepson of noted actress Betty Lutes DeMunn... |
2000–2001 | 2 | |
| EADA Stan Villani | Ron Leibman Ron Leibman -Career:Leibman was a member of the Compass Players in the late 1950s. He has appeared in many films such as Phar Lap; Where's Poppa?; The Hot Rock; Slaughterhouse-Five; The Super Cops; Up the Academy; Norma Rae; Romantic Comedy; Zorro, The Gay Blade; Garden State; and Rhinestone... |
2001 | 4 | |
| EADA - | Ben Gazzara Ben Gazzara -Early life:Gazzara was born Biagio Anthony Gazzara in New York City, the son of Italian immigrants Angelina and Antonio Gazzara, who was a laborer and carpenter. Gazzara grew up on New York's tough Lower East Side. He actually lived on E. 29th Street and participated in the drama program at... |
2001 | 1 | |
| EADA Tracey Kibre Tracey Kibre Tracey Kibre is a fictional character on the now defunct Law & Order: Trial by Jury, portrayed by Bebe Neuwirth. A tough, focused prosecutor, Kibre has worked for the Manhattan District Attorney's Office for fifteen years and is a stark contrast to the Executive ADAs in the other three Law & Order... |
Bebe Neuwirth Bebe Neuwirth Beatrice "Bebe" Neuwirth is an American actress, singer and dancer. She has worked in television and is known for her portrayal of Dr. Lilith Sternin, Dr. Frasier Crane's wife , on both the TV sitcom Cheers , and its spin-off Frasier... |
2005 | 1 | Crossing over from Law & Order: Trial By Jury Law & Order: Trial by Jury Law & Order: Trial by Jury is an American television drama about criminal trials set in New York City. It was the third spin-off from the long-running Law & Order. The show's almost exclusive focus was on the criminal trial of the accused, showing both the prosecution's and defense's preparation... |
| EADA Lydia Ramos | Priscilla Lopez Priscilla Lopez Priscilla Lopez is an American singer, dancer, and actress.-Early life:Lopez was born in the Bronx, New York to Francisco Lopez, a hotel banquet foreman and Laura , who were moved to New York from their native Puerto Rico... |
2008 | 1 | |
| EADA Sonya Paxton | Christine Lahti Christine Lahti Christine Lahti is an American actress and film director. Lahti has had a successful career in television and film. Throughout her career she has garnered 2 Golden Globe Awards from 8 Nominations, An Emmy Award from 6 Nominations and 2 Academy Award nominations... |
2009–2011 | 7 | |
| EADA Garrett Blaine | Teddy Sears Teddy Sears Edward M. "Teddy" Sears is an American television actor, best known for his roles on One Life to Live and the TNT series Raising the Bar.- Early life :... |
2010 | 1 |
Assistant District Attorneys
| Name | Portrayed by | Year | # Eps | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADA Abbie Carmichael Abbie Carmichael Abigail "Abbie" Carmichael is a fictional character on the TV drama Law & Order created by Rene Balcer and portrayed by model/actress Angie Harmon... |
Angie Harmon Angie Harmon Angela Michelle "Angie" Harmon is an American fashion model and television/film actress. She became a well-known model before gaining international fame for her roles in Baywatch Nights and Law & Order.... |
1999–2000 | 6 | Crossing over from Law & Order Law & Order Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,... |
| ADA Erica Alden | Reiko Aylesworth Reiko Aylesworth Reiko M. Aylesworth is an American film, television and stage actress, best known for her role on the television series 24 as Michelle Dessler.-Life and career:... |
2000 | 3 | |
| ADA Kathleen Eastman | Jenna Stern Jenna Stern Jenna Louise Stern is an American actress.Member of an artist family, Stern is the daughter of actor/producer Tom Stern and Academy award-nominated and Golden Globe-winning actress Samantha Eggar. Her brother, Nicolas Stern, is a producer for film and television... |
2000 | 2 | |
| ADA David Goreman | Liam Craig | 2001 | 1 | |
| ADA Bettina Amador | Marisol Nichols Marisol Nichols Marisol Nichols is an American actress best known for her role in the sixth season of 24 as Special Agent Nadia Yassir.-Early life:... |
2003 | 1 | |
| ADA Alexandra Cabot | Stephanie March Stephanie March Stephanie Caroline March is an American actress, best known for her current portrayal of Alexandra Cabot on the television series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.-Early life:... |
2005–2009, 2011–present | 11 | Regular character from seasons 2–5, 11 |
| ADA Brinkman | Nick Basta | 2007 | 1 | |
| ADA Fritz | Albert Jones | 2007–2009 | 2 | |
| ADA Kristen Torres | Lizette Carrion Lizette Carrión Lizette Carrión is an American actress, best known for her portrayal of Pfc. Esmeralda "Doublewide" Del Rio in the 2005 FX network television series Over There.... |
2008–2009 | 2 | |
| ADA Samantha Copeland | Melinda McGraw Melinda McGraw Melinda Leigh McGraw is an American actress. She has starred in movies such as Albino Alligator , Wrongfully Accused , and Nutty Professor II: The Klumps , and is also known for her television performances on The Commish, The X-Files and Mad Men.-Early life:McGraw was born in Nicosia, Cyprus, to... |
2009 | 1 | |
| ADA Kendra Gill | Gretchen Egolf Gretchen Egolf Gretchen Egolf is an American film and television actress.Egolf grew up in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where she began acting in theatre as a child. After high school, she attended the Juilliard School for drama in New York and has been living and working in New York and Los Angeles ever since... |
2009–2010 | 2 | |
| ADA Jo Marlowe | Sharon Stone Sharon Stone Sharon Vonne Stone is an American actress, film producer, and former fashion model. She achieved international recognition for her role in the erotic thriller Basic Instinct... |
2010 | 4 | |
| ADA Sherri West | Francie Swift Francie Swift Francie Swift is an American actress best known for her versality and the wide variety of roles she has played.Swift was born in Amarillo, Texas and attended Tascosa High School... |
2010–2011 | 4 | Later Defense Attorney Sherri West |
| ADA Mikka Von | Paula Patton Paula Patton Paula Maxine Patton is an American actress. She is mostly known for her appearances in the films Idlewild , Déjà Vu , Mirrors , Swing Vote , Precious , Just Wright , and Jumping the Broom .-Early life and career:Patton was born in Los Angeles, to Joyce , a European-American... |
2010 | 1 | |
| ADA Gillian Hardwicke | Melissa Sagemiller Melissa Sagemiller Melissa Sagemiller is an American television and film actress.-Early life and education:Sagemiller was born in Washington, D.C. to a political activist mother and a professional American football player father, who played in the NFL for the New York Giants and the Washington Redskins. She attended... |
2010–2011 | 10 | |
| ADA Casey Novak Casey Novak Casey Novak is a fictional character on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, portrayed by Diane Neal. She is the only female assistant district attorney to have appeared in five complete seasons in any Law & Order series and the longest-running ADA in the entire franchise.-Character:Casey Novak is a... |
Diane Neal Diane Neal Diane Neal is an American actress widely known for her role as Casey Novak on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.-Biography:... |
2011–present | 4 | Regular character from seasons 5–9 |
| ADA Rose Callier | Tabitha Holbert | 2011 | 1 | |
Defense Attorneys
| Name | Portrayed by | Year | # Eps | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roger Kressler | Ned Eisenberg Ned Eisenberg Ned Eisenberg is an American actor known for his recurring role on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as Roger Kressler.... |
1999–present | 17 | |
| James Woodrow | Craig Wroe | 2000–2007 | 9 | |
| Pam Alder | Paige Turco Paige Turco Jean Paige Turco is an American actress. She is known for playing April O'Neil in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III.-Early life:... |
2001 | 1 | |
| Don Newvine | Frank Deal Frank Deal Frank Deal is an American actor and acting teacher based in New York City. He has a successful career in television, theatre, and film, as well as steady teaching jobs at Juilliard and NYU's Tisch School of the Arts.-Career:... |
2001 | 3 | |
| Ms. Regal | Liz Larsen Liz Larsen Liz Larsen in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is an American actress. She is best known for playing Jessica Reed on Law & Order.... |
2001–2002 | 2 | |
| Carolyn Maddox | CCH Pounder CCH Pounder Carol Christine Hilaria Pounder , known professionally as C. C. H. Pounder , is a Guyanese-American film and television actress... |
2001–present | 5 | |
| Gina Bernado | Illeana Douglas Illeana Douglas Illeana Douglas is an American actress, director, screenwriter, and producer.-Background:Douglas is a granddaughter of the actor Melvyn Douglas and his first wife, artist Rosalind Hightower, and has said that her grandfather's performance in Being There, in particular, was influential on her own... |
2002–2003 | 3 | |
| Cleo Conrad | Jill Marie Lawrence | 2002–2008 | 17 | |
| Trevor Langan | Peter Hermann Peter Hermann Peter Hermann is a German-American actor and writer. He is married to actress Mariska Hargitay, with whom he has three children.-Career:Hermann had brief stints on a variety of television shows that include the soap opera, Guiding Light , the ABC Family show, Beautiful People and the Lifetime... |
2002–present | 27 | |
| Nikki Staines | Callie Thorne Callie Thorne Calliope "Callie" Thorne is an American actress known for her current role as Dr. Dani Santino on the USA Network series Necessary Roughness... |
2003–2004 | 2 | |
| Morty Berger | Michael Lerner Michael Lerner (actor) -Life and career:Lerner was born in Brooklyn, New York of Romanian Jewish descent, the son of Blanche and George Lerner, who was a fisherman and antiques dealer. He was raised in Bensonhurst and Red Hook. His brother, Ken Lerner, is also an actor... |
2003–2006 | 2 | |
| Barry Moredock Barry Moredock Barry Moredock is a fictional character on the NBC crime drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, portrayed by John Cullum since 2003.-Character overview:... |
John Cullum John Cullum John Cullum is an American actor and singer. He has appeared in many stage musicals and dramas, including On the Twentieth Century and Shenandoah , winning the Tony Awards for Best Leading Actor in a Musical for each... |
2003–2007 | 6 | Later Judge Barry Moredock |
| Donna Emmett | Viola Davis Viola Davis Viola Davis is an American actress.Known primarily as a stage actress, Davis won a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play and a Drama Desk Award for her role in King Hedley II . She won a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play for her role in the... |
2003–2008 | 7 | |
| Rebecca Balthus | Beverly D'Angelo Beverly D'Angelo Beverly Heather D'Angelo is an American actress and singer.-Early life:D'Angelo was born in Columbus, Ohio, the daughter of Priscilla , a violinist, and Gene D'Angelo, a bass player and television station manager. She is of part Italian ancestry... |
2003–2008 | 5 | |
| Lionel Granger | David Thornton David Thornton (actor) David Thornton is an American actor. He is the husband of Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter Cyndi Lauper, whom he married in 1991. Their son, Declyn Wallace Thornton Lauper, was born on November 19, 1997.- Filmography :... |
2003–2010 | 10 | |
| Lorna Scarry | Mariette Hartley Mariette Hartley Mary Loretta "Mariette" Hartley is an American character actress.-Personal life:Hartley was born in Weston, Connecticut, the daughter of Mary Ickes “Polly” , a manager and saleswoman, and Paul Hembree Hartley, an account executive. Her maternal grandfather was psychologist John B... |
2003-present | 6 | |
| Dave Seaver | Michael Boatman Michael Boatman Michael Patrick Boatman is an Image Award-nominated American actor and writer. He is best known for his roles as U.S. Army Specialist Samuel Beckett in the ABC drama series China Beach, as New York City mayoral aide Carter Heywood in the ABC sitcom Spin City, and as sports agent Stanley Babson in... |
2003–present | 7 | Crossing over from Law & Order Law & Order Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,... |
| Lynne Riff | Blair Brown Blair Brown Bonnie Blair Brown is an American theater, film, and television actress. She has had a number of high profile roles, including a Tony Award-winning turn in the play Copenhagen on Broadway, as well as a run as the title character in the television comedy-drama The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd,... |
2004 | 2 | |
| Chauncey Zierko | Peter Riegert Peter Riegert Peter Riegert is an American actor, screenwriter, and film director, best known for his role as Boon from Animal House and crooked New Jersey State Assemblyman Ronald Zellman on the HBO original series The Sopranos.-Early life:... |
2004–2007 | 7 | |
| Oliver Gates | Barry Bostwick Barry Bostwick Barry Knapp Bostwick is an American actor and singer. He is known for playing Brad Majors in the 1975 cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show, replacing Peter Scolari as Mr. Tyler in the sitcom What I Like About You, and playing mayor Randall Winston in the sitcom Spin City... |
2004–2007 | 5 | |
| Jason Whitaker | Bradley Cooper Bradley Cooper Bradley Cooper is an American film, theater, and television actor. He is known for his roles in the films The Hangover, The A-Team, and Limitless. In 2011, People magazine named Cooper "Sexiest Man Alive".-Early life:... |
2005 | 1 | Cross-over episode with Law & Order: Trial By Jury Law & Order: Trial by Jury Law & Order: Trial by Jury is an American television drama about criminal trials set in New York City. It was the third spin-off from the long-running Law & Order. The show's almost exclusive focus was on the criminal trial of the accused, showing both the prosecution's and defense's preparation... |
| Sophie Devere | Annie Potts Annie Potts Anne Hampton "Annie" Potts is an American film and television actress. She is known for her roles in the 1980s popular films such as Ghostbusters , Pretty in Pink , Jumpin' Jack Flash , Who's Harry Crumb? and Ghostbusters II . Potts is also known as a voice-actress... |
2005–2009 | 4 | |
| Linden Delroy | J. Paul Nicholas | 2005–present | 11 | |
| Hashi Horowitz | Joe Grifasi Joe Grifasi Joseph G. "Joe" Grifasi is an American character actor of film, stage and television.Grifasi was born in Buffalo, New York, the son of Patricia and Joseph J. Grifasi, a skilled laborer. Grifasi graduated from Bishop Fallon High School, a now defunct Catholic high school in Buffalo. He played... |
2005–present | 8 | |
| Charlie Moss | James Naughton James Naughton James Naughton is an American director, theater, film and television actor.-Early life:Naughton was born in Middletown, Connecticut, the son of Rosemary and Joseph Naughton, both of whom were teachers He is the brother of actor David Naughton.-Career:Naughton graduated from Brown University and... |
2006–2007 | 2 | |
| Matthew Braden | Steven Weber Steven Weber (actor) Steven Robert Weber is an American actor. He is best known for his role in the television show Wings which aired throughout the 1990s on NBC.-Early life:... |
2007 | 3 | |
| Russell Hunter | Austin Lysy | 2007–present | 7 | |
| Avery Hemmings | Michelle Borth Michelle Borth Michelle Borth is a American actress who portrayed characters on The Forgotten and critically acclaimed HBO cable television series Tell Me You Love Me, a role for which film.com proclaimed her "the nakedest person in TV history."... |
2008 | 1 | |
| Julia Zimmer | Kelly Bishop Kelly Bishop Carole "Kelly" Bishop is an American actress and dancer, best-known for her roles as matriarch Emily Gilmore on the series Gilmore Girls, and as the mother of Jennifer Grey's character in the film Dirty Dancing... |
2008–2009 | 2 | |
| Miranda Pond | Alex Kingston Alex Kingston Alexandra Elizabeth "Alex" Kingston is an English actress. She is most widely known for her roles as Dr. Elizabeth Corday on the NBC medical drama ER and as River Song in Doctor Who.-Early life and education:... |
2009–2010 | 4 | |
| Patrice Larue | Jeri Ryan Jeri Ryan Jeri Lynn Zimmermann Ryan is an American actress best known for her roles as the liberated Borg, Seven of Nine, on Star Trek: Voyager; Tara Cole on Leverage; and Veronica "Ronnie" Cooke on Boston Public. She was also a regular on the science fiction show Dark Skies and the legal drama series... |
2009–2010 | 3 | |
| Dwight Stannich | Robert Klein Robert Klein Robert Klein is an American stand-up comedian, singer and actor.-Early life:Klein was born in the Bronx, the son of Frieda and Benjamin Klein, and was raised in a "prototypical 1950s Bronx Jewish" environment. After graduating from DeWitt Clinton High School, Klein planned to study medicine... |
2009–present | 3 | |
| Ms. Owens | Monique Gabriela Curnen Monique Gabriela Curnen Monique Gabriela Curnen is an American film and television actress.- Early life :Curnen's mother is from Puerto Rico and her father is of German and Irish descent. Growing up in Framingham, Massachusetts, she attended Framingham South High School, where she was president of the Drama Club and acted... |
2010 | 1 | |
| Ingrid Block | Lena Olin Lena Olin Lena Maria Jonna Olin is a Swedish actress.-Early life:Olin was born the youngest of three children, in Stockholm, Sweden. She is the daughter of actress Britta Holmberg and the director Stig Olin... |
2010 | 1 | |
| Orville Underwood | David Patrick Kelly David Patrick Kelly David Patrick Kelly is an American actor and musician who has appeared in numerous films, including some major roles.-Career:... |
2011 | 1 | |
| Jonah Dekker | Terrence Howard Terrence Howard Terrence Dashon Howard is an American actor. Having his first major role in the 1995 film Mr. Holland's Opus, which subsequently led to a number of roles in films and high visibility among African American audiences. Howard broke into the mainstream with a succession of well-reviewed television... |
2011 | 1 | Crossing over from Law & Order: LA |
| Stan Exley | Ron Rifkin Ron Rifkin Ron Rifkin is an American actor. He is best-known for his roles as Arvin Sloane on the spy drama Alias and as Saul Holden on the American family drama Brothers & Sisters.-Personal life:... |
2011–present | 2 | |
| Bayard Ellis | Andre Braugher Andre Braugher Andre Braugher is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his roles as Thomas Searles in the film Glory, as the fiery detective Frank Pembleton on Homicide: Life on the Street from 1993 to 1998 and again in the 2000 made-for-TV film Homicide: Life on the Street, and as Owen Thoreau Jr... |
2011–present | 1 | |
| Sherri West | Francie Swift Francie Swift Francie Swift is an American actress best known for her versality and the wide variety of roles she has played.Swift was born in Amarillo, Texas and attended Tascosa High School... |
2011 | 1 |
Judges
| Name | Portrayed by | Year | # Eps | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Judge Kevin Beck | Peter Francis James Peter Francis James Peter Francis James is an American actor and voice-over artist, distinguished by his strong baritone.-Life and career:He was born September 16, 1956, in Chicago, Illinois to David James and Mary Galloway James... |
2000 | 5 | |
| Judge Barry Abrams | Patrick Tovatt Patrick Tovatt Patrick Tovatt is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his roles on several soap operas, including Zane Lindquist on Another World ; Matt McCleary on Search for Tomorrow ; and Cal Stricklyn on As the World Turns... |
2000 | 1 | Crossing over from Law & Order Law & Order Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,... |
| Judge Walter Schreiber | John Ramsay | 2000 | 1 | Crossing over from Law & Order Law & Order Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,... |
| Judge Margaret Barry | Doris Belack | 2000–2001 | 2 | Crossing over from Law & Order Law & Order Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,... |
| Judge Susan Valdera | Leslie Ayvazian Leslie Ayvazian Leslie Ayvazian is an award-winning playwright and character actress.Ms. Ayvazian is the recipient of the Roger L. Stevens and the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize for her work Nine Armenians, which was produced at Manhattan Theatre Club... |
2000–2002 | 5 | |
| Judge Mark Seligman | Tom O'Rourke | 2000–2006 | 19 | |
| Judge Alan Ridenour | Harvey Atkin Harvey Atkin Harvey Atkin is a Canadian voice actor who has worked in feature films and television. He has also done voice-overs, and has voiced animations.- Early life :... |
2000–present | 18 | |
| Judge Lena Petrovsky | Joanna Merlin | 2000–present | 43 | |
| Judge Arthur Cohen | David Lipman | 2002–2009 | 13 | |
| Judge Danielle Larsen | Sheila Tousey Sheila Tousey Sheila May Tousey is an Native American actress.-Biography:Born in Keshena, Wisconsin, Tousey is a Menominee and Stockbridge-Munsee Indian, raised on both Menominee and Stockbridge-Munsee Reservations.-Filmography:-External links:*... |
2003–2004 | 10 | |
| Judge Walter Bradley | Peter McRobbie Peter McRobbie Peter McRobbie is a Scottish-born, American-based character actor.-Career:McRobbie has more than 60 movies and television series to his credit. The movies include Spider-Man 2, World Trade Center, Sleepers, and Bullets over Broadway... |
2003–present | 17 | Crossing over from Law & Order Law & Order Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,... |
| Judge Lois Preston | Audrie J. Neenan Audrie J. Neenan Audrie J. Neenan is an American actress. She is best known on screen for her role as the raucous, abrasive madam Ray Parkins in the 1983 action film Sudden Impact and for playing judges in the TV series Law & Order and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as Lois Preston... |
2003–present | 20 | |
| Judge Mary Clark | Marlo Thomas Marlo Thomas Margaret Julia “Marlo” Thomas is an American actress, producer, and social activist known for her starring role on the TV series That Girl . She also serves as National Outreach Director for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital... |
2004 | 4 | |
| Judge Philip Wyler | William Whitehead | 2004 | 2 | |
| Judge Oliver Taft | Tom Skerritt Tom Skerritt Thomas Roy "Tom" Skerritt is an American actor who has appeared in over 40 films and more than 200 television episodes since 1962.-Early life:... |
2004 | 1 | |
| Judge Rebecca Steinman | Susan Blommaert Susan Blommaert - Biography :Blommaert acted in several episodes of the television series Law & Order . She has worked with Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman in her most recent films.- Filmography :* Forever Lulu... |
2004 | 1 | Crossing over from Law & Order Law & Order Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,... |
| Judge Joseph Terhune | Philip Bosco Philip Bosco -Personal life:Bosco was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, the son of Margaret Raymond , a policewoman, and Philip Lupo Bosco, a carnival worker. Bosco went to high school at St. Peter's Preparatory School in Jersey City. He attended the Catholic University of Washington, D.C. Bosco married Nancy... |
2004–2006 | 6 | |
| Judge Karen Taten | Patricia Kalember Patricia Kalember Patricia Kathryn Kalember is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Georgiana "Georgie" Reed Whitsig on the NBC drama Sisters , Susannah Hart Shepherd on the popular 1980s television show Thirtysomething and as Judge Karen Taten on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit .- Life and... |
2004–present | 9 | |
| Judge Elizabeth Donnelly Elizabeth Donnelly Elizabeth Donnelly is a fictional character on the NBC crime drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, portrayed by Judith Light since 2002.-Character overview:... |
Judith Light Judith Light Judith Ellen Light is an American actress. Her television roles include Karen Wolek on the soap opera One Life to Live, Angela Bower on the sitcom Who's the Boss?, Claire Meade on ABC's TV series Ugly Betty and Judge Elizabeth "Liz" Donnelly on Law & Order Special Victims Unit.-Early life:Light... |
2005–present | 13 | |
| Judge Joseph Malloy | Ron McLarty Ron McLarty Ron McLarty is an American actor, playwright and author. He began his career in theatre during the early 1970s with one his earliest professional performances being the role of Lucky in Michael Weller's Moonchildren for the play's American premiere at the Arena Stage in Washington D.C. in November... |
2006 | 1 | |
| Judge Peter Harrison | Peter Gerety Peter Gerety Peter Gerety is an American actor.Gerety began acting while a student at Boston University, participating in productions at the Charles Playhouse. In 1965, he joined the Trinity Square Repertory Company, a resident theater company in Providence, Rhode Island where he appeared in over 125... |
2007–2008 | 3 | |
| Judge Gregory Trenton | John Henry Cox | 2007–2010 | 2 | |
| Judge Barry Moredock Barry Moredock Barry Moredock is a fictional character on the NBC crime drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, portrayed by John Cullum since 2003.-Character overview:... |
John Cullum John Cullum John Cullum is an American actor and singer. He has appeared in many stage musicals and dramas, including On the Twentieth Century and Shenandoah , winning the Tony Awards for Best Leading Actor in a Musical for each... |
2008–present | 5 | |
| Judge Hilda Marsden | Swoosie Kurtz Swoosie Kurtz Swoosie Kurtz is an American actress. She began her career in theater during the 1970s and shortly thereafter began a career in television, garnering ten nominations and winning one Emmy Award. Her most famous television project was her role on the 1990s NBC drama Sisters... |
2009 | 1 | |
| Judge Joshua Koehler | Alan Dale Alan Dale Alan Hugh Dale is a New Zealand actor. As a child, Dale developed a love of theatre and also became a rugby player. After retiring from the sport he took on a number of professions to support his family, before deciding to become a professional actor at the age of 27. With work limited in New... |
2009 | 1 | |
| Judge Maskin | Tonye Patano Tonye Patano Tonye Patano is an American actress. She is most known for portraying Heylia James on the American TV show Weeds.She has appeared in television shows such as Law & Order, Sex and the City, Monk and Third Watch... |
2009–2010 | 4 | |
| Judge D. Andrews | Lindsay Crouse Lindsay Crouse -Early life:Crouse was born in New York City, the daughter of Anna and Russel Crouse, a playwright. Her full name—Lindsay Ann Crouse—is an intentional tribute to the Broadway writing partnership of Lindsay and Crouse. Her father and his writing partner, Howard Lindsay, wrote much of... |
2009–present | 7 | |
| Judge Sylvia Quinn | Kate Nelligan Kate Nelligan Patricia Colleen "Kate" Nelligan is a Canadian BAFTA award winning stage, film and television actress.-Early life:Nelligan, the fourth of six children, was born in London, Ontario, the daughter of Josephine Alice , a schoolteacher, and Patrick Joseph Nelligan, a factory repairman and municipal... |
2010–present | 2 | |
| Judge Marcus Ridiger | Dick Latessa Dick Latessa Richard Robert "Dick" Latessa is an American actor.Latessa was born in Cleveland, Ohio to a mother who was an automotive upholstery maker. Latessa made his Broadway debut in The Education of H*Y*M*A*N K*A*P*L*A*N in 1968... |
2010 | 1 | |
| Judge Sheila Tripler | Anita Gillette Anita Gillette Anita Gillette is an American actress, most notable for her work on Broadway and as a celebrity guest on various game shows.... |
2010 | 2 |
Medical Experts and Hospital personnel
| Name | Portrayed by | Year | # Eps | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dr. Elizabeth Rodgers | Leslie Hendrix Leslie Hendrix Leslie Hendrix is an American actress. She is best known for playing the role of Elizabeth Rodgers on four Law & Order series... |
1999–2000 | 9 | Crossing over from Law & Order Law & Order Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,... |
| Dr. Emil Skoda Emil Škoda Emil Ritter von Škoda was a Bohemian engineer and industrialist, working during the time of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.-Biography:... |
J.K. Simmons | 2000–2001 | 6 | Crossing over from Law & Order Law & Order Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,... |
| Dr. Melinda Warner Melinda Warner Dr. Melinda Warner is a fictional character on the show Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, played by Tamara Tunie. Tunie was originally a recurring cast member until she was added to the main credits in season 7. She became a recurring cast member again in season 13.-Character overview:As the... |
Tamara Tunie Tamara Tunie Tamara Renee Tunie is an American actress. She is best known for her portrayal of attorney Jessica Griffin on the CBS soap opera As the World Turns, and medical examiner Melinda Warner on the NBC police drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit... |
2000–2005, 2011–present | 70 | Regular character from seasons 7–12 |
| Dr. George Huang George Huang (Law & Order) Special Agent George Huang, M.D. is a fictional character on the TV drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. He is portrayed by B. D. Wong.-Character overview:... |
B.D. Wong B.D. Wong Bradley Darryl "BD" Wong is an American actor, best-known for his roles as Dr. George Huang on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, as Father Ray Mukada on HBO's Oz, Henry Wu in the movie Jurassic Park, and for his starring role as Song Liling in the Broadway production of M... |
2001–2002 | 20 | Regular character from seasons 4–12 |
| Paramedic Martinez | Joselin Reyes | 2003–present | 14 | |
| ER Nurse Carey Hutchins | Elizabeth Flax | 2003–present | 12 | |
| Dr. Rebecca Hendrix | Mary Stuart Masterson Mary Stuart Masterson Mary Stuart Masterson is an American film, stage and television actress and director.-Early life:Masterson was born in New York City to writer/director Peter Masterson and actress Carlin Glynn. She has two siblings: Peter Masterson Jr., and Alexandra Masterson, who are both involved in the... |
2004–2007 | 5 | |
| Dr. Emily Sopher | Linda Emond Linda Emond Linda Emond is an American stage, film and television actress.-Training and career:Emond graduated with an MFA from the Professional Actor Training Program at the University of Washington in Seattle... |
2004–2009 | 4 | |
| Dr. Kyle Beresford | Stephen Gregory Stephen Gregory (actor) Stephen Gregory is an American actor who grew up in Manhasset, a Long Island suburb, 15 miles to the east of Manhattan.... |
2004–present | 18 | |
| Dr. Manning | Amir Arison | 2009–present | 8 |
The Stabler family
| Name | Portrayed by | Year | # Eps | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kathy Stabler | Isabel Gillies Isabel Gillies Isabel Gillies is an actress and author. She has played Elliot Stabler's wife, Kathy, in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit since 1999... |
1999–2011 | 30 | |
| Maureen Stabler | Erin Broderick | 1999–2007 | 13 | |
| Kathleen Stabler | Holiday Segal | 1999 | 6 | |
| Richard "Dickie" Stabler | Jeffrey Scaperrotta Jeffrey Scaperrotta Jeffrey Scaperrotta is an American actor notable for his recurring role as Richard "Dickie" Stabler on the NBC drama series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.-Filmography:- External links :*... |
1999–2009 | 17 | |
| Elizabeth Stabler | Patricia Cook | 1999–2007 | 13 | |
| Kathleen Stabler | Alison Siko | 2002–2011 | 16 | Replaced Holiday Segal as Kathleen |
| Eliot Stabler Jr. | Various | 2008-2011 | 3 | |
| Bernadette Stabler | Ellen Burstyn Ellen Burstyn Ellen Burstyn is a leading American actress of film, stage, and television. Burstyn's career began in theatre during the late 1950s, and over the next ten years she appeared in several films and television series before joining the Actors Studio in 1967... |
2008 | 1 | Elliot's mother |
Dean Porter
- Portrayed by Vincent SpanoVincent SpanoVincent M. Spano is an American stage, film and television actor, and film director and producer. He received a Cable Ace Award nomination in 1988 for his role as Mark Ciuni in Il cugino americano.-Backround:...
.
FBI Agent Dean Porter, worked with Benson as her handler during her stint undercover in an eco-terrorist group during season 8. He has also worked with the squad on several federal cases ("Savant", "Screwed", "Florida", "Infiltrated", and "Spooked").
Simon Marsden
- Portrayed by Michael WestonMichael WestonMichael Weston is an American television and film actor. His best-known roles are the private detective Lucas Douglas on House, the homicidal meth addict Jake in the critically acclaimed HBO drama Six Feet Under and Pvt...
.
Simon Marsden is Detective Benson's half-brother and caused extensive trouble throughout season 8 for Olivia and the entire squad.
Ed Tucker
- Portrayed by Robert John Burke.
Ed Tucker is a detective in Internal Affairs who usually comes to question the SVU detectives whenever there is an allegation of misconduct. He has been mocked by Stabler every time he has shown up at the unit, and has an ongoing feud with Captain Cragen. Tucker was introduced as a Sergeant, and later promoted to Lieutenant.
Dana Lewis
- Portrayed by Marcia Gay HardenMarcia Gay HardenMarcia Gay Harden is an American film and theatre actress. Harden's breakthrough role was in Miller's Crossing and then The First Wives Club which was followed by several roles which gained her wider fame including the hit comedy Flubber and Meet Joe Black...
. - Episodes: "Raw", "Informed", "Penetration"
An FBI agent, first introduced in the episode "Raw" while working undercover to bring down a white supremacist group. Agent Lewis specializes in undercover work, often working under assumed identities for weeks or even months at a time. Her family (husband and children) are currently living in Europe to protect them from criminals who attempt to retaliate against her. One of these criminals, the leader of the aforementioned supremacist group, ordered a fellow inmate to attack and rape her ("Penetration"). Elliot Stabler has been injured each time she has worked with them, though she was only responsible for one of these.
Sister Peg
- Portrayed by Charlayne WoodardCharlayne WoodardCharlaine "Charlayne" Woodard is an American film, stage and television actress and playwright. She has written four plays, titled Pretty Fire, Neat, In Real Life, which she starred in, and "Flight"....
- Episodes: "Silence", "Chameleon", "Loss", "Criminal", "Identity", "Pure", "Underbelly", "Smoked"
Sister Peg was a Catholic Nun
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
who lived and worked in New York City. Most of her work involved helping and protecting prostitutes. As such, she sometimes came into contact with Manhattan SVU Detectives Elliot Stabler and Olivia Benson. She was killed in the 12th season finale episode "Smoked".