NBC will lawyer-up on Wednesday nights as the Emmy Award-winning "Law & Order" resumes with a two-hour season premiere event on Wednesday, January 2 (9-11 p.m. ET), and will continue on Wednesdays starting January 9 (10-11 p.m. ET) preceded by this season's network broadcast premiere of "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" (9-10 p.m. ET) in its return to NBC that night.

Joining the "Law & Order" cast for the show's 18th season are Jeremy Sisto as Detective Cyrus Lupo and Linus Roache as Chief Assistant District Attorney Michael Cutter. Cutter reports to Jack McCoy (Sam Waterston) who has been promoted to District Attorney, replacing Arthur Branch (Fred Thompson).

In "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," Alicia Witt joins the cast for the first six episodes as Logan's detective partner while Nicholson is on maternity leave.