Alex Cabot
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Alexandra "Alex" Cabot is a fictional character within the ''
Law & Order ''Law & Order'' is an American police procedural and legal drama television series created by Dick Wolf and produced by Wolf Entertainment and Universal Television, launching the ''Law & Order'' franchise. ''Law & Order'' aired its entire ...
''
universe The universe is all of space and time and their contents. It comprises all of existence, any fundamental interaction, physical process and physical constant, and therefore all forms of matter and energy, and the structures they form, from s ...
portrayed by
Stephanie March Stephanie Caroline March is an American actress and activist. She is known for playing Alexandra Cabot in the NBC crime drama series '' Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'' (2000–2018) and its spinoff media. She is also recognized for her act ...
. She is a primary character in '' Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'' and ''
Conviction In law, a conviction is the determination by a court of law that a defendant is Guilty (law), guilty of a crime. A conviction may follow a guilty plea that is accepted by the court, a jury trial in which a verdict of guilty is delivered, or a ...
''.


Character overview

Cabot first appears in the ''SVU'' episode "Wrong Is Right", when she is hired to work with SVU as their permanent
assistant district attorney In the United States, a district attorney (DA), county attorney, county prosecutor, state attorney, state's attorney, prosecuting attorney, commonwealth's attorney, or solicitor is the chief prosecutor or chief law enforcement officer represe ...
(ADA) overseeing the legality of its arrests, following a rotating mix of ADAs, among them
Abbie Carmichael Abby or Abbie is a given name, most often a shortened form of Abigail and Albert. Notable women * Abbie Betinis (born 1980), American composer * Abby Binay (born 1975), Filipino politician * Abbie Boudreau (born 1979), American televisi ...
(
Angie Harmon Angela Michelle Harmon (born August 10, 1972) is an American actress and model. She won ''Seventeens modeling contest in 1987 at age 15, signed with IMG Models, and appeared on covers for magazines such as ''Cosmopolitan'' and ''Esquire''. ...
) of the original ''
Law & Order ''Law & Order'' is an American police procedural and legal drama television series created by Dick Wolf and produced by Wolf Entertainment and Universal Television, launching the ''Law & Order'' franchise. ''Law & Order'' aired its entire ...
''. She is a graduate of
Harvard Law School Harvard Law School (HLS) is the law school of Harvard University, a Private university, private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1817, Harvard Law School is the oldest law school in continuous operation in the United ...
, and has an "uncle Bill" who is a federal judge. She was born on May 31, 1966. While Cabot has great compassion for the victims of
sexual assault Sexual assault is an act of sexual abuse in which one intentionally Physical intimacy, sexually touches another person without that person's consent, or Coercion, coerces or physically forces a person to engage in a sexual act against their w ...
,
child sexual abuse Child sexual abuse (CSA), also called child molestation, is a form of child abuse in which an adult or older adolescent uses a child for sexual stimulation. Forms of child sexual abuse include engaging in Human sexual activity, sexual activit ...
and
domestic violence Domestic violence is violence that occurs in a domestic setting, such as in a marriage Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes r ...
for whom she advocates, her strict code of legal ethics often forces her to make harsh decisions and judgments that go against her personal feelings. Her moral compass has earned her respect within the SVU squad. She does occasionally bend the rules to suit her own notions of justice, but often with unpleasant results. In one case, she is so determined to put serial child molester Roy Barnett (Beau Gravitte) in prison that she aggressively pressures one of his victims, Sam Cavanaugh (
Bret Harrison Bret Michael Harrison (born April 6, 1982) is an American actor. He is known predominantly for his work on comedy television series such as ''Grounded for Life'', '' The Loop'', ''Reaper'', and '' Breaking In''. Early life Harrison was born in ...
), to testify, going so far as to threaten the boy with legal action if he does not comply. Sam later attempts
suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Risk factors for suicide include mental disorders, physical disorders, and substance abuse. Some suicides are impulsive acts driven by stress (such as from financial or ac ...
, leaving him with severe
brain damage Brain injury (BI) is the destruction or degeneration of brain cells. Brain injuries occur due to a wide range of internal and external factors. In general, brain damage refers to significant, undiscriminating trauma-induced damage. A common ...
and thus unable to testify. She then lies to the detectives about having a search warrant for Sam's home, which results in Barnett's conviction on a technicality, but gets her in trouble with her superiors. She is let off with a one-month suspension. Executive producer and head writer
Neal Baer Neal Baer (born 1955) is an American pediatrician and television writer and producer. He is best known for his work on the television shows '' Designated Survivor'', '' ER'' and '' Law & Order: Special Victims Unit''. Early life and education ...
has said that an unaddressed
sexual tension Sexual tension is a social phenomenon that occurs when two individuals interact and one or both feel sexual attraction, but the consummation is postponed or never happens. A common scenario is where the two individuals function in proximity, such ...
exists between Cabot and Detective
Olivia Benson Olivia Margaret "Liv" Benson is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the NBC police procedural drama '' Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'', portrayed by Mariska Hargitay. Benson holds the rank and pay-grade of Captain and is the Co ...
(
Mariska Hargitay Mariska Magdolna Hargitay Mariska says her own first name and the name of her father; the interviewer, James Lipton, also says her full name near the start of the show. (; born January 23, 1964) is an American actress, producer, and philanthrop ...
). Baer said, "We read the fan sites. We know that people are into the Alex-Olivia thing. All the codes are in there." When asked in a 2009 press call if Cabot and Benson were in love, March said, "I’m not saying we’re not…I’m not saying we’re not in love."


Departure from ''SVU''

After three seasons, Cabot made her departure from SVU in the season-five episode "Loss", in which she is prosecuting a
rapist Rape is a type of sexual assault involving sexual intercourse, or other forms of sexual penetration, carried out against a person without consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority, or against a person wh ...
named Rafael Zapata Gaviria (Jacinto Taras Riddick), who works for drug lord Cesar Velez. Zapata had brutally raped and murdered an undercover
NYPD The City of New York Police Department, also referred to as New York City Police Department (NYPD), is the primary law enforcement agency within New York City. Established on May 23, 1845, the NYPD is the largest, and one of the oldest, munic ...
officer who was working with the
Drug Enforcement Administration The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is a Federal law enforcement in the United States, United States federal law enforcement agency under the U.S. Department of Justice tasked with combating illicit Illegal drug trade, drug trafficking a ...
(DEA). Cabot receives a threat on her life, as well as that of her mother. Despite warnings from the rest of the SVU squad, Cabot continues to prosecute the case, unwilling to let Zapata scare her. Tim Donovan (
Josh Hopkins William Joshua Hopkins (born September 12, 1970) is an American actor. His best known roles include Raymond Millbury on '' Ally McBeal'' (2001–2002), Grayson Ellis on '' Cougar Town'' (2009–2015), and Liam O'Connor on '' Quantico'' (2015–2 ...
), a key witness and DEA special agent, is murdered in a car bombing right before Cabot's eyes. Cabot initially wants to try Zapata, even with no witness and her own life on the line, but after pressure from the SVU detectives and District Attorney
Arthur Branch Arthur Branch is a fictional character on the TV crime drama ''Law & Order'' and one of its spinoffs, '' Law & Order: Trial by Jury''. Branch has also appeared on '' Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'', '' Law & Order: Criminal Intent'', and '' ...
(
Fred Thompson Freddie Dalton Thompson (August 19, 1942 – November 1, 2015) was an American politician, attorney, lobbyist, columnist, actor, and radio personality. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as a Unite ...
), she drops the charges. However, Zapata is immediately arrested by federal agents for the witness's murder and is subsequently killed in his cell. At the conclusion of the episode, Cabot is apparently killed in a
drive-by shooting A drive-by shooting is a type of assault that usually involves the perpetrator(s) firing a weapon from within a motor vehicle and then fleeing. Drive-by shootings allow the perpetrators to quickly strike their targets and flee the scene before l ...
while saying goodnight to Benson and Detective
Elliot Stabler Elliot Stabler Sr. is a fictional character, played by Christopher Meloni and one of the lead characters on the NBC police procedural series ''Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'' and ''Law & Order: Organized Crime''. Stabler was a lead for the fi ...
(
Christopher Meloni Christopher Peter Meloni (; born April 2, 1961) is an American actor. He is known for portraying NYPD Detective Elliot Stabler on the NBC legal drama series '' Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'' (1999–2011, 2021–present) and its spin-off '' ...
). In the following scene, a cold, quiet SVU squad room is shown with Stabler reading a newspaper proclaiming her death. Benson and Stabler are called to a deserted area by federal agents, where Cabot emerges from the car. She tells the stunned detectives that she had insisted on telling them the truth before disappearing into the
Witness Protection Program Witness protection is security provided to a threatened person providing testimonial evidence to the justice system, including defendants and other clients, before, during, and after trials, usually by police. While witnesses may only require p ...
. She is replaced in the following episode by ADA Casey Novak (
Diane Neal Diane Neal (born November 17, 1976) is an American actress. She is best known for portraying New York Assistant District Attorney Casey Novak in the television series '' Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'' from 2003 to 2012. She is also known for ...
).


First reappearance on ''SVU''

In the season-six episode "
Ghost In folklore, a ghost is the soul or Spirit (supernatural entity), spirit of a dead Human, person or non-human animal that is believed by some people to be able to appear to the living. In ghostlore, descriptions of ghosts vary widely, from a ...
", events surrounding the arrest of Liam Connors (
Brían F. O'Byrne Brían Francis O'Byrne (born 16 May 1967) is an Irish actor who works and lives in the United States. He was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for his role in the miniseries '' Mildred Pierce'' (2011) and won a BAFTA TV Award for his role in ...
), the
assassin Assassination is the willful killing, by a sudden, secret, or planned attack, of a personespecially if prominent or important. It may be prompted by political, ideological, religious, financial, or military motives. Assassinations are orde ...
who shot her, led to Cabot's return from the Witness Protection Program as Connors is arrested for her murder while being pursued for several others and an attempted murder of a young boy who witnessed one of his crimes. She reveals that the assumed identity she was given was that of an insurance salesperson from Tulsa, that she was living and working in Wisconsin under the name "Emily", and that she missed her mother's funeral while in hiding. She is reluctant to see Connors convicted of a murder he did not commit (he does not know she is alive, either), but still wants justice and testifies against him in court. Connors goes to prison, having been found guilty under two counts of
attempted murder Attempted murder is a crime of attempt in various jurisdictions. Canada Section 239 of the ''Criminal Code'' makes attempted murder punishable by a maximum of life imprisonment. If a gun is used, the minimum sentence is four, five or seve ...
(Cabot and an eight-year-old boy), plus five counts of murder. Upon winning the case, the SVU squad goes to Novak's office to celebrate, awaiting Cabot to join them. She does not show up, and federal agents inform them that she has once again been moved and given a new identity.


In ''Conviction''

About a year after her reappearance on ''SVU'', Cabot returns to New York and resumes her work in the district attorney's office as the homicide bureau chief (replacing Tracey Kibre from '' Law & Order: Trial by Jury'') in the ''Law & Order'' spinoff ''
Conviction In law, a conviction is the determination by a court of law that a defendant is Guilty (law), guilty of a crime. A conviction may follow a guilty plea that is accepted by the court, a jury trial in which a verdict of guilty is delivered, or a ...
''. She plays a tough but understanding supervisor to a young group of ADAs. Her attitude and personality in this role were much different from those of the young ADA who prosecuted cases in ''SVU''. Cabot's departure from witness protection and return to New York as a bureau chief was not explained during the show's airing, as she was a last-minute addition to the cast and most of the early episodes had already been written before she was added. Plans were made for later episodes to explain Cabot's return to New York, plus a greater exploration of her personal life and past, but the cancellation of ''Conviction'' made this moot.


Second reappearance on ''SVU''

The explanation of Cabot's return from witness protection to the DA's office in ''Conviction'' was finally revealed in the ''SVU'' season-10 episode, "
Lead Lead () is a chemical element; it has Chemical symbol, symbol Pb (from Latin ) and atomic number 82. It is a Heavy metal (elements), heavy metal that is density, denser than most common materials. Lead is Mohs scale, soft and Ductility, malleabl ...
", where she reveals to the SVU detectives that she has been asked by DA
Jack McCoy John James McCoy is a fictional character in the American television drama ''Law & Order''. He was created by Dick Wolf and Michael S. Chernuchin and has been portrayed by Sam Waterston during the show's original run from 1994 to 2010 and agai ...
(
Sam Waterston Samuel Atkinson Waterston (born November 15, 1940) is an American actor. Waterston is known for his work in theater, television, and film. He has received numerous accolades including a Primetime Emmy Award, Golden Globe Award, and Screen Actor ...
) to step in for Kim Greylek (
Michaela McManus Michaela McManus (born May 20, 1983) is an American actress, known for her portrayals of Lindsey Strauss on '' One Tree Hill'', A.D.A. Kim Greylek on '' Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'', and Grace Karn on the NBC drama '' Aquarius''. Early ...
), when Greylek was called back to the
Justice Department A justice ministry, ministry of justice, or department of justice, is a ministry or other government agency in charge of the administration of justice. The ministry or department is often headed by a minister of justice (minister for justice in a ...
. At that point, she had not told her former colleagues of her return; she is implied, and later confirmed, to be still
traumatized Psychological trauma (also known as mental trauma, psychiatric trauma, emotional damage, or psychotrauma) is an emotional response caused by severe distressing events, such as bodily injury, sexual violence, or other threats to the life of the ...
by her attempted murder. The detectives learn she had left witness protection after Velez died in prison and Connors was
extradited In an extradition, one jurisdiction delivers a person accused or convicted of committing a crime in another jurisdiction, into the custody of the other's law enforcement. It is a cooperative law enforcement procedure between the two jurisdic ...
to
Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
. Sometime between 2006 and 2007, she stepped down from the position of homicide bureau chief and is replaced by Christine Danielson (
Gloria Reuben Gloria Elizabeth Reuben (born June 9, 1964) is a Canadian-American actress, producer, and singer. She is well-known for her role as Jeanie Boulet on the medical drama '' ER'' (1995–1999, 2008), for which she was twice nominated for an Emmy Aw ...
). Cabot begins work in the Appeals Bureau until her return to SVU. She remains at SVU for the remainder of the season, in which she appears in six episodes in what Cabot calls a "temporary" role. She replaces Greylek. In the season-11 premiere, Cabot is revealed to be training in Albany, and will eventually return to the Appeals Bureau. McCoy asks Executive ADA Sonya Paxton (
Christine Lahti Christine Ann Lahti (born April 4, 1950) is an American actress and filmmaker. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for the 1984 film '' Swing Shift''. Her other film roles include '' ...And Justice for All'' (197 ...
) to assume Cabot's role. Paxton is ultimately fired for showing up to trial drunk, and Cabot returns to her old job, commenting that she had "clawed her way" out of Appeals to return to SVU, to prosecute Kevin O’Donnell (
Garret Dillahunt Garret Lee Dillahunt (born November 24, 1964) is an American actor. He is best known for his work in television, including the roles Burt Chance on the Fox sitcom '' Raising Hope'', for which he was nominated for the Critics' Choice Television ...
), the leader of a
pedophile advocacy Pedophile advocacy groups ( alternatively spelled paedophile advocacy groups) are organizations that advocate for the abolition or lowering of the age of consent and the normalization of adult sexual relations with children. Such groups have exi ...
group. In this episode, Stephanie March is added to the season-11 opening credits as a series regular (though only in episodes in which she appears). Benson and Stabler are later informed that Cabot is being investigated by the
state bar association A state bar association is a bar association that represents or seeks to represent the attorneys practicing law in a particular U.S. state. Their functions differ from state to state, but often include administration of the state bar examination fo ...
for withholding evidence. In that same episode, Paxton returns to give Cabot some "much needed advice" that helps her win the case. In another episode, Cabot tries a rape case with an illegal immigrant from the
Democratic Republic of the Congo The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), also known as the DR Congo, Congo-Kinshasa, or simply the Congo (the last ambiguously also referring to the neighbouring Republic of the Congo), is a country in Central Africa. By land area, it is t ...
as her star witness. The witness was raped in the Congo, and Cabot works to help her get
asylum Asylum may refer to: Types of asylum * Asylum (antiquity), places of refuge in ancient Greece and Rome * Benevolent asylum, a 19th-century Australian institution for housing the destitute * Cities of Refuge, places of refuge in ancient Judea * ...
, as well as trying the rape case, which then becomes a murder case after the victim dies from an infection caused by injuries sustained during the rape. The rapist is convicted and Cabot gets the witness a
visa Visa most commonly refers to: * Travel visa, a document that allows entry to a foreign country * Visa Inc., a US multinational financial and payment cards company ** Visa Debit card issued by the above company ** Visa Electron, a debit card ** Vi ...
to remain in the United States without fear of being deported. However, the case affects both the witness and Cabot; the witness decides to return to the Congo to help rape victims there, while Cabot decides to take a leave of absence and joins the prosecutor's office of the
International Criminal Court The International Criminal Court (ICC) is an intergovernmental organization and International court, international tribunal seated in The Hague, Netherlands. It is the first and only permanent international court with jurisdiction to prosecute ...
, which prosecutes sex crimes and other human rights abuses in areas such as the Congo. She is replaced by ADA Jo Marlowe (
Sharon Stone Sharon Vonne Stone (born March 10, 1958) is an American actress and film producer. Known for primarily playing femmes fatales and women of mystery on film and television, she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1990s. She is the ...
).


Subsequent appearances


Season 13

ADAs Alexandra Cabot and Casey Novak both returned to '' Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'' for the show's 13th season. In the season premiere "
Scorched Earth A scorched-earth policy is a military strategy of destroying everything that allows an enemy military force to be able to fight a war, including the deprivation and destruction of water, food, humans, animals, plants and any kind of tools and i ...
", Cabot makes her first appearance in the squad room since season 11. She is the lead prosecutor in a rape case against Roberto Di Stasio (
Franco Nero Francesco Clemente Giuseppe Sparanero (born 23 November 1941), known professionally as Franco Nero, is an Italian actor. His breakthrough role was as the title character in the Spaghetti Western film '' Django'' (1966), which made him a pop cul ...
), a diplomat in the running to become Italy's next prime minister. When the accuser, a hotel maid (
Anika Noni Rose Anika Noni Rose (born September 6, 1972) is an American actress. She is best known for voicing Tiana (The Princess and the Frog), Tiana in ''The Princess and the Frog'' (2009). She was named a Disney Legends, Disney Legend in 2011. Rose starred ...
), is caught on tape admitting she could make money off her alleged rapist, Cabot's new boss, SVU's Bureau Chief ADA
Michael Cutter Michael may refer to: People * Michael (given name), a given name * he He ..., a given name * Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael Given name * Michael (bishop elect)">Michael (surname)">he He ..., a given nam ...
(
Linus Roache Linus William Roache (born 1 February 1964) is a British actor. He played Executive ADA List of Law & Order characters#Michael Cutter, Michael Cutter in the NBC dramas ''Law & Order'' (2008–2010) and ''Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'' (2011 ...
), says that they are dropping the charges. Cabot fights Cutter, however, and the case does make it to trial, with mixed results; the jury finds the defendant guilty of
unlawful imprisonment False imprisonment or unlawful imprisonment occurs when a person intentionally restricts another person's movement within any area without legal authority, justification, or the restrained person's permission. Actual physical restraint is n ...
, but are deadlocked on the rape charge. In the episode "Spiraling Down", Cabot is convinced by the detectives to set up a
sting operation In law enforcement, a sting operation is a deceptive operation designed to catch a person attempting to commit a crime. A typical sting will have an undercover law enforcement officer, detective, or co-operative member of the public play a rol ...
to catch johns after they rescue an underaged prostitute. They arrest former professional quarterback Jake Stanton (
Treat Williams Richard Treat Williams Jr. (December 1, 1951 – June 12, 2025) was an American actor, whose career on stage and in film and television spanned five decades. He received many accolades for his work, including nominations for three Golden Globe ...
), and both Cabot and Benson seek to make an example out of him, but Cabot is unexpectedly forced to face off with defense attorney Bayard Ellis (
Andre Braugher Andre Keith Braugher ( ; July 1, 1962 – December 11, 2023) was an American actor known for his roles as Detective Frank Pembleton in the NBC police drama series '' Homicide: Life on the Street'' (1993–1999) and Captain Raymond Holt in the ...
) at trial, after Benson tells Stanton's wife to call him. After the case takes a turn for the worse, Cabot berates Benson after court when Benson defends Stanton. Cabot implies she knows Benson had something to do with Ellis defending Stanton. Cabot ultimately loses the case after the jury finds Stanton not guilty due to mental instability caused by the numerous concussions he suffered during his career. Cabot is the prosecutor in seven episodes of season 13, sharing the ADA duties with Novak, Cutter, and David Haden (
Harry Connick Jr. Joseph Harry Fowler Connick Jr. (born September 11, 1967) is an American singer, pianist, composer, actor, and former television host. As of 2019, he has sold over 30 million records worldwide. Connick is ranked among the top60 best-selling ma ...
). The character makes her final appearance in the season in "Learning Curve", in which she helps the investigation of sexual abuse in an exclusive preparatory school.


Season 19

Cabot returns six years later in the Season 19 episode, "Sunk Cost Fallacy". At this point, she has retired from the D.A.'s office, and now helps battered women escape their abusers by “disappearing” them – smuggling them out of New York City and giving them new identities. In SVU's latest case, a woman named Jules Hunter (Sarah Wilson) and her four-year-old daughter Ruby have gone missing, and the detectives find evidence of their apparent murders in Jules' car. They arrest their chief suspect, Jules’ abusive husband Nick (
Scott Porter Matthew Scott Porter (born July 14, 1979) is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Jason Street in the NBC television drama '' Friday Night Lights'', as George Tucker in The CW comedy-drama series '' Hart of Dixie'' and as Mayor ...
). However, now-Lieutenant Benson discovers that Cabot had faked Jules’ and Ruby's deaths in order to help them escape their abusive home and start new lives. Benson is forced to reduce the charges against Nick to assault, and he makes bail. He then sues the department and the D.A.'s office for $50 million. During the resulting
bench trial A bench trial is a trial by judge, as opposed to a jury. The term applies most appropriately to any administrative hearing in relation to a summary offense to distinguish the type of trial. Many legal systems ( Roman, Islamic) use bench trials ...
, Nick's lawyer calls Benson as a witness and gets her to reveal that Jules and Ruby are alive. Cabot tries to hide them again, but Benson persuades Jules to stay and help put Nick in prison. Soon afterward, however, Jules is killed in an apparent car accident. Both Cabot and Benson believe that Nick is responsible, but he nevertheless wins custody of Ruby. Though now on opposite sides, Cabot and Benson part ways on good terms; they express admiration for each other and hug. Cabot then goes to meet another client.


Credits

March has been credited in 97 episodes of ''SVU'' (appearing in 94), making her the third-longest
ADA Ada may refer to: Arts and entertainment * '' Ada or Ardor: A Family Chronicle'', a novel by Vladimir Nabokov Film and television * Ada, a character in 1991 movie '' Armour of God II: Operation Condor'' * '' Ada... A Way of Life'', a 2008 Bollywo ...
in the franchise history, surpassed by Casey Novak (''SVU''), and
Ron Carver ''Law & Order: Criminal Intent'', a Spin-off (media), spin-off of the crime drama ''Law & Order'', follows the detectives who work in the "Major Case Squad" of the New York City Police Department, a unit that focuses on high-profile cases (in most ...
('' Law & Order: Criminal Intent''). Additionally, she is credited in all 13 episodes of ''Conviction'', bringing her total episode count to 110 (appearing in 107).


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cabot, Alexandra Television characters introduced in 2000 Fictional assistant district attorneys Fictional female lawyers Law & Order: Special Victims Unit characters American female characters in television Fictional vigilantes