Everything to Know About Law & Order Season 25

Law & Order is set to return this fall for a historic season: The long-running Dick Wolf procedural, which went off the air in 2010 and returned after a decade-plus hiatus in 2022, will celebrate its 25th season. The show has seen characters come and go, but the storylines remain as thought-provoking as ever — with no shortage of guest stars.

To answer all your burning questions ahead of the NBC procedural'sanniversary season, we've gathered everything we know so far, including when Law & Order Season 25 will premiere, who will be in the new season, who is leaving, and where you can watch it.

Everything you need for fall TV:

• The fall shows we're looking forward to most
• All the new shows coming this fall
• The ultimate guide to what to watch in September

Law & Order cast changes

Mehcad Brooks, who played Detective Jalen Shaw, will not be returning for Law & Order Season 25. Sources said that the show and Brooks had mutually parted ways, according to Deadline, which first reported the news in July. Brooks had played Detective Shaw since Season 22.

This news came after Deadline had already reported in May that series regulars for the show would be in fewer episodes during Season 25 due to cost-cutting measures by NBC. The peacock network made similar cuts across Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and all One Chicago shows.

Law & Order release date

Law & Order Season 25 will premiere on Thursday, Sept. 25, at 8/7c. The episode will be followed by Season 27 of Law & Order: SVU at 9/8c. 

For the first time since 2022, Law & Order: Organized Crime will be joining the Thursday night fall lineup — but not with new episodes. Season 5, which previously aired on Peacock earlier this year, will reair at 10/9c beginning Sept. 25. The Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni) drama has not been renewed for a sixth season yet.

Law & Order will premiere live on NBC and Peacock. The episode will be available to stream on Peacock the next morning.

What will Season 25 be about?

Although Law & Order episodes feature a new crime and case each episode, Season 24 ended with a cliffhanger that will likely carry into the new season. The Season 24 finale case revolved around a woman's murder, with the killer's DNA turning up in the cold case of ADA Samantha Maroun's sister's death. The unsolved case was a recurring storyline for Maroun (played by Odelya Halevi), and she was unable to stay away from the case, despite orders from her boss, Executive ADA Nolan Price (Hugh Dancy). The killer was found not guilty and then found dead. When Price asked Maroun if she was responsible for his death, she closed the door on him.

In a preview of the Season 24 finale in April, Dancy told TV Insider that his character "is left in a place of not knowing whether he really knows his colleagues the way he thought he did." We anticipate Season 25 picking up where this storyline left off: The detectives will need to solve the killer's murder and determine if Maroun is involved. The outcome of the investigation will likely dictate how Price and Maroun move forward as colleagues in the season. Additionally, the premiere will have to explain Detective Shaw's absence. 

When Dancy spoke to TV Insider, he told them he hoped the show could tell more of the main character's personal life, going beyond the episodic storylines. "I wonder if the show could sustain storylines that stretched beyond one episode," he said. "I have no interest in killing off that structure that works so beautifully and so well. But I think we've also maybe earned the chance to play a little."

Who will be in Law & Order Season 25?

The main characters for Law & Order Season 25 are likely to be the same as the previous season, with the exception of Brooks. No casting announcements have been made about who will replace Brooks's character, Detective Shaw. 

Law & Order main cast:

• Hugh Dancy as Executive ADA Nolan Price
• Odelya Halevi as ADA Samantha Maroun
• Reid Scott as Detective Vincent Riley
• Tony Goldwyn as a new district attorney
• Maura Tierney as Lieutenant Jessica Brady

Where to watch Law & Order

Seasons 1-20 of Law & Order are available to stream on Hulu with a subscription. Seasons 13-20 and 24 are available for subscribers of Peacock. New episodes of Season 25 will be available to watch on Peacock the morning after it airs on NBC. Seasons 21-23 are available to purchase on Apple TV or Prime Video.