Filmed on location in New York, the drama showcases the sometimes-complex process of determining guilt or innocence, while lives hang in the balance. Often inspired by the latest headlines, the plots highlight legal, ethical or personal dilemmas to which people can relate.
When the founder of an AI-infused dating app is murdered, Detectives Shaw and Riley delve into who would want the love-obsessed man dead.
Riley's personal and professional lives clash when his brother is connected to a murder investigation; Price takes a chance on a witness who can testify to a hidden motive.
When a pipe bomb explodes, Shaw and Riley race to find if the target was a contraversial author or a fertility doctor. Despite the victim surviving, Price and Maroun push for murder charges.
A student is accused of killing his teacher; when the suspect's age puts the case in limbo, Price and Maroun put the school's policies on trial. Shaw's attempts to connect with the suspect backfire.
When the dean of a swanky prep school is murdered, Shaw and Riley must dig into the toxic system of pressure on the students to succeed. Brady's son asks for a favour.
When tragedy strikes the family of a prominent judge, Brady must determine if the murder is connected to any of her rulings. Baxter steps in when a key witness refuses to testify.
When a narcotics officer is shot in the back, Brady heads to her former precinct to investigate. As the suspect's story unravels, she teams up with Shaw and Riley to uncover the truth.
Shaw and Riley discover a shocking motive after a young man is pushed in front of a train. In court, Price must persuade Baxter to testify about the misuse of legislation he wrote.
Shaw and Riley investigate a music mogul's murder.
When a wealthy man is executed in his home, Shaw and Riley aim to determine who was greedy enough to want him dead; Price must try a difficult case amidst his father's failing health.
The squad searches for a motive in a teen's death without knowing her identity.
A young lawyer with a secret past is found dead. Price and Baxter debate the pros and cons of prison as a punishment versus alternative justice options.
An actor's foray into experimental drug therapy leads to his murder. Shaw reconnects with a mentor who may hold the key to identifying a suspect.
When an up-and-coming politician is found dead, Shaw and Riley untangle the victim's personal life to identify a suspect; Baxter steps aside himself to help Price make the case.
Brady works with an ex-colleague to find a murder suspect turned folk hero who appears omnipresent, while Baxter, Price and Maroun clash over handling increased public attention.
A student's fatal fall leads Riley to uncover family secrets about her final moments. Price and Maroun depend on a child's testimony to solve an improbable murder case.
A rising basketball star is shot dead, leaving the squad scrambling for leads. After a suspect's capture goes awry, Shaw and Riley are firmly divided over what they witnessed.
A mysterious phone call to Captain Benson of the SVU leads detectives to the scene of a brutal murder.
A murdered car mechanic may have led a double life. As Shaw and Riley dig into his mysterious past, prosecutors face complex questions of culpability at trial.
A tough-love sports agent is found stabbed to death, leaving a trail of suspects who wanted him gone, but Price and Maroun worry that a lack of motive will tank their case.
When a model is murdered, Shaw and Riley suspect an obsessed admirer has turned violent, but weak evidence threatens Price and Maroun's case.