List of Law & Order characters

Law & Order follows the fictional cases of a group of police detectives and prosecutors who represent the public in the criminal justice system. Since its September 1990 debut, each season features a main cast of six main characters: two detectives and their supervising officer (Law) within the New York City Police Department, alongside two prosecuting district attorneys and the Manhattan District Attorney (Order). The first season followed detectives Max Greevey (George Dzundza) and Mike Logan (Chris Noth), and Captain Donald Cragen (Dann Florek); ADAs Ben Stone (Michael Moriarty) and Paul Robinette (Richard Brooks), and District Attorney Adam Schiff (Steven Hill).

The series, with a run of more than 20 seasons to date, is known for its revolving cast, with most of its original cast having left the show within the first five seasons. The longest-serving main cast members of the series are Sam Waterston as EADA/DA Jack McCoy (1994–2010, 2022–2024), S. Epatha Merkerson as Lieutenant Anita Van Buren (1993–2010), and Jerry Orbach as Detective Lennie Briscoe (1992–2004). The following is a list of characters by role type who have appeared over the various seasons since the series's premiere.

Main characters

*Law & Order* main characters
Character	Portrayed by	Position	Seasons
Character	Portrayed by	Position	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	M	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26
Max Greevey	George Dzundza	Senior Detective Sergeant	Main	Does not appear
Mike Logan	Chris Noth	Junior Detective	Main					Does not appear				Main	Does not appear
Donald Cragen	Dann Florek	Captain	Main			Does not appear	Guest	Does not appear				Main	Guest	Does not appear				Guest	Does not appear
Ben Stone	Michael Moriarty	Executive Assistant DA	Main				Does not appear
Paul Robinette	Richard Brooks	Assistant DA	Main			Does not appear		Guest	Does not appear										Guest		Does not appear
Adam Schiff	Steven Hill	District Attorney	Main									Does not appear	Main	Does not appear
Phil Cerreta	Paul Sorvino	Senior Detective Sergeant	Does not appear	Main		Does not appear
Lennie Briscoe	Jerry Orbach	Senior Detective	Does not appear		Main													Does not appear
Anita Van Buren	S. Epatha Merkerson	Lieutenant	Does not appear			Main																		Does not appear
Claire Kincaid	Jill Hennessy	Assistant DA	Does not appear			Main			Does not appear
Jack McCoy	Sam Waterston	Executive Assistant DA Interim DA DA	Does not appear				Main																				Does not appear
Rey Curtis	Benjamin Bratt	Junior Detective	Does not appear					Main					Does not appear										Guest	Does not appear
Jamie Ross	Carey Lowell	Assistant DA	Does not appear						Main		Does not appear		Guest		Does not appear									Guest	Does not appear
Abbie Carmichael	Angie Harmon	Assistant DA	Does not appear								Main	Does not appear	Main		Does not appear
Ed Green	Jesse L. Martin	Junior Detective Senior Detective	Does not appear										Main									Does not appear
Nora Lewin	Dianne Wiest	Interim District Attorney	Does not appear											Main		Does not appear
Serena Southerlyn	Elisabeth Röhm	Assistant DA	Does not appear												Main				Does not appear
Arthur Branch	Fred Thompson	District Attorney	Does not appear													Main					Does not appear
Joe Fontana	Dennis Farina	Senior Detective	Does not appear															Main		Does not appear
Nick Falco	Michael Imperioli	Junior Detective	Does not appear															Main	Guest	Does not appear
Alexandra Borgia	Annie Parisse	Assistant DA	Does not appear															Main		Does not appear
Nina Cassady	Milena Govich	Junior Detective	Does not appear																	Main	Does not appear
Connie Rubirosa	Alana de la Garza	Assistant DA	Does not appear																	Main				Does not appear
Cyrus Lupo	Jeremy Sisto	Junior Detective Senior Detective	Does not appear																		Main			Does not appear
Michael Cutter	Linus Roache	Executive Assistant DA	Does not appear																		Main			Does not appear
Kevin Bernard	Anthony Anderson	Junior Detective Senior Detective	Does not appear																		Main				Does not appear
Frank Cosgrove	Jeffrey Donovan	Junior Detective Senior Detective	Does not appear																					Main		Does not appear
Kate Dixon	Camryn Manheim	Lieutenant	Does not appear																					Main			Does not appear
Nolan Price	Hugh Dancy	Executive Assistant DA	Does not appear																					Main
Samantha Maroun	Odelya Halevi	Assistant DA	Does not appear																					Main
Jalen Shaw	Mehcad Brooks	Junior Detective	Does not appear																						Main			Does not appear
Vincent Riley	Reid Scott	Senior Detective	Does not appear																							Main
Nicholas Baxter	Tony Goldwyn	District Attorney	Does not appear																							Main
Jessica Brady	Maura Tierney	Lieutenant	Does not appear																								Main
Theo Walker	David Ajala	Junior Detective	Does not appear																									Main
Rob Calvino	James Badge Dale	Senior Detective	Does not appear																										Main

Police

Sergeants

Max Greevey

Portrayed by George Dzundza (1990–1991)
Episodes: "Prescription for Death" – "Confession"

Following the conclusion of the first season, Dzundza exited the role.

Phil Cerreta

Portrayed by Paul Sorvino (1991–1992)
Episodes: "Confession" – "Point of View"

Sorvino exited the role, citing the exhausting filming schedule, a need to broaden his horizons, and the desire to preserve his vocal cords for singing opera. As a result, Phil departed the series after he was shot in the line of duty and transferred to an administrative position in another precinct.

Senior detectives

Lennie Briscoe

Portrayed by: Jerry Orbach (1992–2004)
Episodes: "Point of View" – "C.O.D."

Joe Fontana

Portrayed by: Dennis Farina (2004–2006)
Episodes: "Paradigm" – "Invaders"

Cyrus Lupo

Portrayed by: Jeremy Sisto (2008–2010)
Episodes: "Called Home" – "Rubber Room"

Kevin Bernard

Portrayed by: Anthony Anderson (2008–2010; 2022)
Episodes: "Burn Card" – "Rubber Room"; "The Right Thing" – "Black and Blue"

Frank Cosgrove

Portrayed by: Jeffrey Donovan (2022–2023)
Episodes: "Gimme Shelter – Part Three" – "Open Wounds"

Vincent Riley

Portrayed by: Reid Scott (2024–2026)
Episodes: "Freedom of Expression" – Into the Mystic"

Rob Calvino

Portrayed by: James Badge Dale (since 2026)
Episodes: "Into the Mystic" – present

Junior detectives

Name	Portrayed by	Year	Episodes	Squad Supervisors	Senior Partners	Notes
Mike Logan	Chris Noth	1990–1995	111	Max Greevey (1990–1991)	Lennie Briscoe (1992–1995)	Assigned to Staten Island from 1995 to 2005 after punching a homophobic politician. Solved a major murder & police corruption case in Exiled. Joined One Police Plaza's Major Case Squad 2005–2008. Retired after solving a cold case (CI: "Last Rites").
Rey Curtis	Benjamin Bratt	1995–1999	94		Lennie Briscoe	Transferred from transferred from OCCB (1995). 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		Ed Green	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	2022–2024	22		Frank Cosgrove	Transferred from a different Homicide Division (2022). Promoted to Senior Detective (2024). Went back to Brooklyn to take a new position at the 88th Precinct (2025).
Vincent Riley	Reid Scott	2024–2026	36		Jalen Shaw	Recruited by Lieutenant Kate Dixon (2024) Promoted to Senior Detective (2025) Died by gunshot in 2026.
Theo Walker	David Ajala	2025–present	TBD		Vincent Riley	Transferred from Narcotics (2025)

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. Returned in 2021 via video chat to help the SVU on a case. Returned in 2022 and 2024 to assist Stabler in Organized Crime. Died off screen (cause unknown), a wake was held in the 27th season premiere of SVU (2025).
Anita Van Buren	S. Epatha Merkerson	Lieutenant	1993–2010	390	Possibly retired (2010)
Kate Dixon	Camryn Manheim		2022–2024	45	Tagged along with her son Patrick after he accepted a job offer in Miami (2024)
Jessica Brady	Maura Tierney		2024–present		Transferred from the 2-9 precinct (2024.

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
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–present	Samantha Maroun	TBD

Assistant District Attorneys

Name	Portrayed by	Year	Partners	Episodes	Notes
Paul Robinette	Richard Brooks	1990–1993	Ben Stone	66	Resigns to pursue private practice in 1993. Appears in three subsequent episodes as a defense attorney between 1996 and 2005.
Claire Kincaid	Jill Hennessy	1993–1996	Ben Stone, Jack McCoy	68	Dies in a car crash in 1996.
Jamie Ross	Carey Lowell	1996–1998	Jack McCoy	48	Former defense attorney who graduated from Columbia Law School Resigns to pursue private practice and to spend more time with her daughter (1998), whom she had a bitter custody battle for with her ex. Initially supported the death penalty, but eventually became an opponent. Reappears as a defense attorney in 1999 and 2001. Reappears as a judge in two episodes of Law & Order: Trial by Jury (2005). Reappears in season 21 episode "The Right Thing" (2022).
Abbie Carmichael	Angie Harmon	1998–2001		72	Resigns to accept a job at the United States Attorney General's Office (2001).
Serena Southerlyn	Elisabeth Röhm	2001–2005		85	Fired by Arthur Branch for being inappropriately sympathetic towards a defendant she was prosecuting (2005).
Alexandra Borgia	Annie Parisse	2005–2006		34	Dies after being kidnapped and beaten during a murder trial (2006).
Connie Rubirosa	Alana de la Garza	2006–2010	Jack McCoy, Michael Cutter	85	Moves to Los Angeles and joins the DA's office there as a DDA (2011). Later appears in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as a federal prosecutor leading an investigation into an underage sex trafficking operation (2014).
Samantha Maroun	Odelya Halevi	2022–present	Nolan Price	TBD

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	Only appears in "Everybody's Favorite Bagman"
Adam Schiff	Steven Hill	1990–2000	228	Leaves office to work overseas for The Holocaust Project with Simon Wiesenthal and to investigate Swiss banks (2000). Went with former President Jimmy Carter as part of a delegation to Zimbabwe (2008).
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), which often provoked her critics to dismiss her as a detached academic with no practical experience. Chooses not to run for election following her interim term (2002) The first woman in the program's history to hold the position of New York County District Attorney.
Arthur Branch	Fred Thompson	2002–2007	116	Branch's departure, the reason for which was never specified on the series, occurred after Thompson announced his campaign for the Republican Party's 2008 nomination for President.
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.
Nicholas Baxter	Tony Goldwyn	2024–present	TBD	Appointed District Attorney after the departure of Jack McCoy.

Notelist

↑ Paul Sorvino was credited as a series regular through the eighth episode of the third season.
↑ Jerry Orbach was first credited as a series regular with the ninth episode of the third season.
↑ Jesse L. Martin was not credited as a series regular for episodes 21 to 24 of the fifteenth season, due to his temporary exit from the series. He returned with the first episode of the sixteenth season.
↑ Michael Imperioli was credited as a series regular from episodes 21 to 24.
↑ James Badge Dale was initially credited as a guest star in season 26 before being promoted to series regular beginning with the third episode.

↑ During the second season premiere, Max was portrayed by an uncredited actor.

References

↑ Carlson, Erin (October 31, 2008). "Can 'Law & Order' outlive 'Gunsmoke'?". San Jose Mercury News. Associated Press. Retrieved November 6, 2008.
↑ Courrier, Kevin; Green, Susan (November 22, 1999). Law & Order: The Unofficial Companion (2nd ed.). Los Angeles, California: Renaissance Books. p. 111. ISBN 1-58063-108-8.
↑ Courrier, Kevin; Green, Susan (November 20, 1999). Law & Order: The Unofficial Companion. Los Angeles, California: Renaissance Books. pp. 123–125. ISBN 1-58063-108-8.
↑ Reynolds, Robin (July 17, 2023). "Law & Order: The longest-running members of the cast". MovieWeb. Archived from the original on October 23, 2026. Retrieved October 22, 2026.
↑ "Endurance". Law & Order. Season 11. Episode 1. October 18, 2000. NBC.

[fn2-2] Paul Sorvino was credited as a series regular through the eighth episode of the third season.

[fn3-3] Jerry Orbach was first credited as a series regular with the ninth episode of the third season.

[fn4-4] Jesse L. Martin was not credited as a series regular for episodes 21 to 24 of the fifteenth season, due to his temporary exit from the series. He returned with the first episode of the sixteenth season.

[fn5-5] Michael Imperioli was credited as a series regular from episodes 21 to 24.

[fn6-6] James Badge Dale was initially credited as a guest star in season 26 before being promoted to series regular beginning with the third episode.

[fn1-7] During the second season premiere, Max was portrayed by an uncredited actor.

[APMercury-1] Carlson, Erin (October 31, 2008). "Can 'Law & Order' outlive 'Gunsmoke'?". San Jose Mercury News. Associated Press. Retrieved November 6, 2008.

[8] Courrier, Kevin; Green, Susan (November 22, 1999). Law & Order: The Unofficial Companion (2nd ed.). Los Angeles, California: Renaissance Books. p. 111. ISBN 1-58063-108-8.

[9] Courrier, Kevin; Green, Susan (November 20, 1999). Law & Order: The Unofficial Companion. Los Angeles, California: Renaissance Books. pp. 123–125. ISBN 1-58063-108-8.

[MovieWeb-Reynolds_1-10] Reynolds, Robin (July 17, 2023). "Law & Order: The longest-running members of the cast". MovieWeb. Archived from the original on October 23, 2026. Retrieved October 22, 2026.

[endurance-11] "Endurance". Law & Order. Season 11. Episode 1. October 18, 2000. NBC.