Characters
Main characters
Police officers
Sergeants
Name | Portrayed by | Year | Episodes | Junior Partners | Notes |
---|
Max Greevey | George Dzundza | 1990–1991 | 23 | Mike Logan | Murdered in 1991.[5][6][7] [Note: The title card for the episode indicates his murder occurred on Friday, April 6th, which would mean he was murdered in 1990.][8] |
Phil Cerreta | Paul Sorvino | 1991–1992 | 31 | Transferred to a desk job at the 110th Precinct after being shot. |
Senior detectives
Name | Portrayed by | Year | Episodes | Junior Partners | Notes |
---|
Lennie Briscoe | Jerry Orbach | 1992–2004 | 273 | Mike Logan (1992–1995) Rey Curtis (1995–1999) Ed Green (1999–2004) | - Retired (2004)
- Deceased (2005) (due to Jerry Orbach's death in December 2004).
|
Joe Fontana | Dennis Farina | 2004–2006 | 46 | Ed Green (2004–2006) Nick Falco (2005) | |
Ed Green | Jesse L. Martin | 2006–2008 | 198 | Nina Cassady (2006–2007) Cyrus Lupo (2008) | - Promoted to Senior Detective (2006).
- Retired following his absolution during an IAB investigation (2008).
|
Cyrus Lupo | Jeremy Sisto | 2008–2010 | 63 | Kevin Bernard | - Transferred from Intelligence Division (2008).
- Promoted to Senior Detective (2008).
|
Kevin Bernard | Anthony Anderson | 2022 | 60 | Frank Cosgrove | - Transferred from IAB (2008)
- Promoted to Senior Detective (2022)
- Most likely retired, resigned or transferred (2022)
|
Frank Cosgrove | Jeffrey Donovan | 2022–2023 | 32 | Jalen Shaw | - Promoted to Senior Detective (2022).
- Let go by IAB (2024)
|
Jalen Shaw | Mehcad Brooks | 2024– | TBD | Vincent Riley | - Promoted to Senior Detective (2024).
|
Junior detectives
Name | Portrayed by | Year | Episodes | Senior Partners | Notes |
---|
Mike Logan | Chris Noth | 1990–1995 | 111 | Max Greevey (1990–1991) Phil Cerreta (1991–1992) Lennie Briscoe (1992–1995) | |
Rey Curtis | Benjamin Bratt | 1995–1999 | 94 | Lennie Briscoe | - Took early retirement so he could care for his ill wife (1999).
- Returned in 2009 to bury his deceased wife in New York.
|
Ed Green | Jesse L. Martin | 1999–2006 | 198 | Lennie Briscoe (1999–2004) Joe Fontana (2004–2006) | - Promoted to Senior Detective (2006).
- Retired following his absolution during an IAB investigation (2008).
|
Nick Falco | Michael Imperioli | 2005 | 5 | Joe Fontana | - Temporary replacement from Brooklyn for Ed Green, while Green was recovering from a gunshot wound.
- Appears again in 2006 as a murder suspect, but was later cleared.
|
Nina Cassidy | Milena Govich | 2006–2007 | 22 | Ed Green | - Nicknamed "Detective Beauty Queen" after her involvement in a shooting that led to her promotion.
- Dismissed in 2007, although no reason is given on the show.
|
Cyrus Lupo | Jeremy Sisto | 2008 | 63 | - Transferred from Intelligence Division (2008).
- Promoted to Senior Detective (2008).
|
Kevin Bernard | Anthony Anderson | 2008–2010 | 51 | Cyrus Lupo | - Transferred from IAB (2008).
- Promoted to Senior Detective (2022).
- Most likely retired, resigned or transferred (2022).
|
Frank Cosgrove | Jeffrey Donovan | 2022 | 10 | Kevin Bernard | - Promoted to Senior Detective (2022).
- Let go and jammed up by IAB (2024).
|
Jalen Shaw | Mehcad Brooks | 2022– | 22 | Frank Cosgrove | - Transferred from another Homicide Division (2022).
- Promoted to Senior Detective (2024).
|
Vincent Riley | Reid Scott | 2024– | TBD | Jalen Shaw | - Recruited by Lieutenant Kate Dixon[9] (2024).
|
Supervising officers
Name | Portrayed by | Rank | Year | Episodes | Notes |
---|
Donald Cragen | Dann Florek | Captain | 1990–1993 | 66 | - Transferred to the Anti-Corruption Task Force and later to the Manhattan Special Victims Unit.
- Left the NYPD in 2014, taking a six month vacation that brought him up to the mandatory retirement age.
- Returned briefly in 2015 to help the SVU re-examine a decades-old rape case.
- Return in 2021 via video chat to help the SVU on a case.
- Returned in 2022 to assist Stabler in a case.
|
Anita Van Buren | S. Epatha Merkerson | Lieutenant | 1993–2010 | 390 | - Most likely retired (2010).
|
Kate Dixon | Camryn Manheim | Lieutenant | 2022–2024 | 45 | |
Prosecutors
Executive Assistant District Attorneys
Name | Portrayed by | Year | Partners | Episodes | Notes |
---|
Benjamin Stone | Michael Moriarty | 1990–1994 | Paul Robinette, Claire Kincaid | 88 | - Resigns due to his feelings of guilt over the death of a witness whose safety he tried to guarantee.
- In 1996, Adam Schiff informs Jack McCoy that Stone is travelling in Europe.
- In 2018, an episode of Law & Order: SVU discusses his death, and shows his funeral.
|
Jack McCoy | Sam Waterston | 1994–2007 | Claire Kincaid, Jamie Ross, Abbie Carmichael, Serena Southerlyn, Alexandra Borgia, Connie Rubirosa | 405 | - Promoted to interim New York County District Attorney (2008)
- Begins his campaign to be elected as Manhattan DA in 2009, with support from Adam Schiff
- Episode count includes first 303 episodes as Executive Assistant DA, DA thereafter
|
Michael Cutter | Linus Roache | 2008–2010 | Connie Rubirosa | 63 | - Promoted to Bureau Chief of the Sex Crimes Unit of the DA's office (2011).
|
Nolan Price | Hugh Dancy | 2022– | Samantha Maroun | TBD | |
Assistant District Attorneys
- In the 1997 season 7 episode "We Like Mike", Caleb Duff is listed as Assistant District Attorney beneath Adam Schiff as District Attorney and John J. McCoy as Executive Assistant District Attorney at the New York County District Attorney's Office, though he never appears on screen.
Manhattan District Attorneys
Name | Portrayed by | Terms | Episodes | Notes |
---|
Alfred Wentworth | Roy Thinnes | 1988 | 1 | |
Adam Schiff | Steven Hill | 1990–2000 | 228 | |
Nora Lewin | Dianne Wiest | 2000–2002 | 48 | - Prior to her appointment as interim DA by the Governor of New York, she was a law professor (2000).
- Chooses not to run for election following her interim term (2002).
|
Arthur Branch | Fred Thompson | 2002–2007 | 116 | |
Jack McCoy | Sam Waterston | 2007–2010 & 2022–2024 | 405 | - Appointed Interim DA after Branch's departure in 2007.
- Begins his election campaign to become DA in 2009,
- winning the election that year.
- Episode count includes first 303 episodes as Executive Assistant DA.
|
Nicholas Baxter | Tony Goldwyn | 2024- | TBA | - Appointed District Attorney after the departure of Jack McCoy.
|
Other main characters
Recurring characters
NYPD personnel
NYPD officials
Name | Portrayed by | Year | Episodes |
---|
Chief of Detectives Laird | James Biberi | 2008–2010 | 3 |
Borough Chief Commander James Dietz | Michael Cullen | 1998–1999 | 3 |
Borough Detective Commander Joseph Strudevant | Dan Lauria | 2000–2001 | 2 |
27th Precinct support detectives
Name | Portrayed by | Year | Episodes |
---|
Detective Tony Profaci | John Fiore | 1990–1998 | 53 and Exiled |
Detective Gia | Gia Galeano | 1994–1997 | 11 |
Detective Morris LeMotte | Larry Clarke | 1998–2000 | 20 |
Detective Reina Perez | Nancy Ticotin | 2001 | 6 |
Detective Ana Cordova | Andrea Navedo | 2001–2004 | 24 |
Sergeant Martinez | Joe Gonzalez | 2002–2004 | 7 |
Detective Mariluz Rivera | Selenis Leyva | 2004–2006 | 18 |
Detective Joe Cormack | Joe Forbrich | 2008–2009 | 17 |
Sergeant Royce | Tijuana Ricks | 2009–2010 | 5 |
Detective Dani Vertiz | Shayvawn Webster | 2022 | 9 |
Detective Violet Yee | Connie Shi | 2022–present | TBD |
Crime Scene Unit investigators / crime lab technicians
Name | Portrayed by | Year | Episodes |
---|
Forensic Technician Medill | Donald Corren | 1992–1999 | 17 |
Forensic Technician Arlene Shrier | Christine Farrell | 16 |
CSU Technician Jessica Reed | Liz Larsen | 1998–2006 | 12 |
CSU Technician Julian Beck | John Cariani | 2002–2006 | 26 |
Computer Forensic Technician Myra Camp | Megan Byrne | 2003–2004 | 6 |
CSU Technician Lisa Santoro | Abigail Lopez | 2004–2005 | 3 |
Assistant Medical Examiners
Defense attorneys
Judges
Arraignment judges
Name | Portrayed by | Year | Episodes |
---|
Arraignment Judge Morris Torledsky | David Lipman | 1992–2005 | 26 |
Arraignment Judge Colin Fraser | Larry Sherman | 1994–2004 | 12 |
Arraignment Judge Harriet Doremus | Barbara Spiegel | 1991–2003 | 12 |
Arraignment Judge Janice Goldberg | Fran Lebowitz | 2001–2007 | 12 |
Arraignment Judge Ian Feist | Merwin Goldsmith | 1991–2005 | 11 |
Arraignment Judge William Koehler | Mark Kenneth Smaltz | 1998–2007 | 11 |
Arraignment Judge Antonia Mellon | Mary Lou Mellace | 1999–2006 | 9 |
Arraignment Judge Joseph Flint | Doug Stender | 1999–2005 | 9 |
Arraignment Judge Anna Shiro | Karen Shallo | 2000–2005 | 8 |
Arraignment Judge David Venturelli | Vince Pacimeo | 1998–2000 | 4 |
Arraignment Judge Lisa Cutler | Kathleen Chalfant | 2001–2009 | 3 |
Arraignment Judge Harper | Brian Smiar | 1990 | 2 |
Trial judges
Name | Portrayed by | Year | Episodes |
---|
Trial Judge Alan Berman | David Rosenbaum | 1992–2004 | 14 |
Trial Judge Walter Bradley | Peter McRobbie | 2001–2009 | 13 |
Trial Judge Lisa Pongracic | Charlotte Colavin | 1992–2006 | 13 |
Trial Judge Elizabeth Mizener | Lynn Cohen | 1993–2006 | 12 |
Trial Judge Walter Schreiber | John Ramsey | 1991–2001 | 11 |
Trial Judge Margaret Barry | Doris Belack | 1990–2001 | 10 |
Trial Judge Herman Mooney | Ben Hammer | 1991–2002 | 9 |
Trial Judge Harrison Taylor | Michael Mulheren | 1999–2006 | 9 |
Trial Judge Andrew Barsky | Fred J. Scollay | 1992–1999 | 8 |
Trial Judge Donald Karan | Jordan Charney | 2000–2006 | 8 |
Trial Judge Grace Larkin | Rochelle Oliver | 1993–2003 | 8 |
Trial Judge Rebecca Stein | Joan Copeland | 1991–2001 | 8 |
Trial Judge Rebecca Steinman | Susan Blommaert | 1991–2004 | 8 |
Trial Judge Deborah Burke | Donna Hanover | 1997–2004 | 7 |
Trial Judge Michael Callahan | Bernie McInerney | 1991–1999 | 7 |
Trial Judge Henry Fillmore | William Severs | 1991–2004 | 7 |
Trial Judge Rosalyn Lenz | Tanya Berezin | 1991–2001 | 7 |
Trial Judge Barbara Lusky | Iris Little Thomas | 1999–2009 | 7 |
Trial Judge Eric Caffey | John Newton | 1991–1998 | 6 |
Trial Judge Rochelle Desmond | Patricia R. Floyd | 2006–2009 | 6 |
Trial Judge Nathan Murphy | Mark Zimmerman | 1997–2008 | 6 |
Trial Judge Robert Quinn | Roger Serbagi | 1992–1999 | 6 |
Trial Judge Joseph Rivera | Shawn Elliott | 1994–2002 | 6 |
Trial Judge Carla Solomon | Lauren Klein | 1999–2005 | 6 |
Trial Judge William Wright | Ron McLarty | 1998–2000 | 4 |
Trial Judge Hugo Bright | Robert J. Hogan | 2003–2006 | 4 |
Trial Judge Delano Burns | Mike Hodge | 1991–2006 | 4 |
Trial Judge John Laramie | Peter Francis James | 2008–2010 | 4 |
Trial Judge Manuel Leon | Sam Gray | 1990–1994 | 4 |
Trial Judge Michael Schneider | David Little | 2004–2006 | 4 |
Trial Judge Leanne Dreben | Milica Govich | 2022–2024 | 4 |
Trial Judge Norman Barclay | Wayne Duvall | 2004–2010 | 3 |
Trial Judge Gary Feldman | Cliff Gorman | 1998 | 3 |
Trial Judge Eric Bertram | George Murdock | 1992–1999 | 3 |
Trial Judge Derek Hafner | David Wolos-Fonteno | 2001–2009 | 3 |
Trial Judge Elayne Link | Maggie Burke | 1993–2003 | 3 |
Trial Judge Ida Zeller | Polly Adams | 2009 | 3 |
Trial Judge Keith Fischer | Tom Mardirosian | 2004–2006 | 2 |
Trial Judge Linda Taft | Jenna Stern | 2009–2010 | 2 |
Appellate judges
Name | Portrayed by | Year | Episodes |
---|
Appellate Judge Pamela Jensen | Norma Fire | 1993–2003 | 7 |
Appellate Judge Shawn McNamara | George Bartenieff | 1993–1999 | 4 |
Appellate Judge Bloom | Ira Wheeler | 1991–1993 | 2 |
Appellate Judge Lewis Getman | Leslie Barrett | 1991–1993 | 2 |
Appellate Judge Barry Marton | Graham Brown | 1991–1993 | 2 |
Appellate Judge Wayne Humphrey | Chester A. Sims II | 1993–1995 | 2 |
Guest characters
See also
References