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The Best Episodes of Law & Order Season 12

Every episode of Law & Order Season 12 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of Law & Order Season 12!

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In cases ripped from the headlines, police investigate serious and often deadly crimes, weighing the evidence and questioning the suspects until someone is taken into custody. The district attorney's office then builds a case to

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
    Law & Order Season 12 Episode 7 - Myth of Fingerprints
    8.1/10(398 votes)

    S12:E7

    A murder investigation uncovers deliberately faulty forensics in the wrongful conviction of two men 12 years earlier in the case that paved the way for Van Buren's promotion.

    Director:David Platt
    Writer:Unknown

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  2. Law & Order Season 12 Episode 13 - DR 1-102
    7.9/10(343 votes)

    S12:E13

    The bludgeoning of two women in their apartment leads the detectives to a suspect who has taken a hostage while demanding legal representation ... and Southerlyn's actions, while heroic, results in disbarment proceedings against her for violation of Disciplinary Rule 1-102.

    Director:Richard Dobbs
    Writers:Marc Guggenheim, Aaron Zelman

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  3. Law & Order Season 12 Episode 15 - Access Nation
    7.8/10(331 votes)

    S12:E15

    The murder of a psychologist leads to a case involving a computer company that sells information and their responsibility in shielding their clients' history in order to serve their needs.

    Director:Constantine Makris
    Writers:Sean Jablonski, Terri Kopp

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  4. Law & Order Season 12 Episode 1 - Who Let the Dogs Out?
    7.7/10(407 votes)

    S12:E1

    The investigation into the death of a jogger mauled by a vicious dog leads to an Attica inmate, his attorneys, and an underground dog-fighting ring.

    Director:Don Scardino
    Writers:Kathy McCormick, Douglas Stark

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  5. Law & Order Season 12 Episode 3 - For Love or Money
    7.7/10(360 votes)

    S12:E3

    The death of a parolee, who was a hit man, leads to a wealthy widow and daughter and whether they hired him to kill their rich relative.

    Director:Constantine Makris
    Writers:Sean Jablonski, Wendy Battles

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  6. Law & Order Season 12 Episode 14 - Missing
    7.7/10(322 votes)

    S12:E14

    When a girl's parents frantically search for her, Briscoe and Green see that the girl's belongings were packed up in her apartment. They learn that the girl had been seeing a married man -- her boss. When the boss is brought up on charges, his wife sheds some new evidence.

    Director:David Platt
    Writers:Eric Overmyer, Matt Witten

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  7. Law & Order Season 12 Episode 20 - Dazzled
    7.7/10(332 votes)

    S12:E20

    A woman is drugged and falls to her death, and the evidence suggests that her ex-boyfriend and her current husband's ex-wife may have conspired to kill her.

    Director:Lewis Gould
    Writers:Eric Overmyer, Matt Witten

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  8. Law & Order Season 12 Episode 17 - Girl Most Likely
    7.6/10(336 votes)

    S12:E17

    When a high school student is found dead in an apartment building, Briscoe and Green suspect that the murder was a result of her running a website. As McCoy and Southerlyn investigate the case further, they realize that her best friend, who was reluctant to come forward as a witness, may be the answer to the murder.

    Director:Steve Shill
    Writer:Lynn Mamet

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  9. Law & Order Season 12 Episode 23 - Oxymoron
    7.6/10(314 votes)

    S12:E23

    The investigation of a woman's strangulation leads to a case involving the selling of drugs and a gangster's son.

    Director:Constantine Makris
    Writer:Michael Harbert

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  10. Law & Order Season 12 Episode 2 - Armed Forces
    7.5/10(344 votes)

    S12:E2

    The fatal stabbing of a man leads to the discovery of his status as a Vietnam war veteran and the truths uncovered about an incident that occured with him and three former soliders in his division.

    Director:Martha Mitchell
    Writers:Sean Jablonski, Richard Sweren

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  11. Law & Order Season 12 Episode 10 - Prejudice
    7.5/10(328 votes)

    S12:E10

    The murder of a magazine publishing company's black CEO leads to a suspect who has a clear streak of racism and whose attorney intends on using that as a mental defect.

    Director:Edwin Sherin
    Writer:Jill Goldsmith

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  12. Law & Order Season 12 Episode 5 - Possession
    7.4/10(329 votes)

    S12:E5

    Investigating the murder of a woman in a rent-controlled apartment, the detectives discover that she was engaged in a long-running battle with her landlord and had been blocking the potentially lucrative sale of the building.

    Director:James Quinn
    Writer:Robert Palm

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  13. Law & Order Season 12 Episode 22 - Attorney Client
    7.4/10(315 votes)

    S12:E22

    The wife of an attorney with many disgruntled clients is killed but the detectives believe that he was the intended target as he was willing to reveal information despite confidentially agreements. As the investigation continues, his tumultuous love life is exposed and the prosecutors are suspicious of his desire to return to the courtroom.

    Director:Matthew Penn
    Writer:Jill Goldsmith

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  14. Law & Order Season 12 Episode 24 - Patriot
    7.4/10(327 votes)

    S12:E24

    A tenement building explodes and the lone victim is Joseph Haden. The building was rent controlled and there had been a tenant strike, so the police initially suspect arson. But the landlord doesn't have insurance, ruling out their arson theory, and the medical examiner discovers that Haden's neck was broken and he was tied up before the explosion happened. Trying to figure out Haden is even more difficult. He didn't appear to have a family or a girlfriend and never got any substantial mail. He worked at the Jiffy Job service station making minimum wage, yet had $90,000 in the bank. Briscoe and Green do some more digging and find out that Haden was using an alias, and his real name was Yusuf Haddad.

    Director:David Platt
    Writers:Sean Jablonski, William N. Fordes

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  15. Law & Order Season 12 Episode 11 - The Collar
    7.3/10(306 votes)

    S12:E11

    The death of a cleric leads the detectives to a priest who was given information by a murder suspect outside of the church but insists that he can't discuss anything about it, bringing McCoy to question whether the confessional seal should apply.

    Director:Matthew Penn
    Writer:Richard Sweren

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  16. Law & Order Season 12 Episode 12 - Undercovered
    7.3/10(306 votes)

    S12:E12

    The father of a dying girl gets his revenge on an insurance executive who denied a certain leukemia treatment for his daughter. One problem arises when the father is technically on both sides of the law.

    Director:Jace Alexander
    Writers:Wendy Battles, Noah Baylin

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  17. Law & Order Season 12 Episode 16 - Born Again
    7.3/10(313 votes)

    S12:E16

    The investigation into the death of an 11-year-old girl uncovers the possible culpability of the child's mother and a rebirthing therapist.

    Director:Jace Alexander
    Writer:Unknown

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  18. Law & Order Season 12 Episode 19 - Slaughter
    7.3/10(305 votes)

    S12:E19

    The investigation of a student's killing leads to a case involving meat contamination at a food service.

    Director:Constantine Makris
    Writer:Rob Wright

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  19. Law & Order Season 12 Episode 9 - 3 Dawg Night
    7.2/10(349 votes)

    S12:E9

    When a celebrity is implicated in a nightclub murder, McCoy and Southerlyn battle the flaks who attempt to insulate their client from any involvement or interrogation.

    Director:Stephen Wertimer
    Writer:Unknown

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  20. Law & Order Season 12 Episode 4 - Soldier of Fortune
    7.1/10(321 votes)

    S12:E4

    The daring daylight kidnapping of a diamond dealer which results in two murders at the scene uncovers an international dynasty of diamond sales and its links to a foreign civil war.

    Director:Richard Dobbs
    Writer:Barry Schindel

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  21. Law & Order Season 12 Episode 18 - Equal Rights
    7.1/10(289 votes)

    S12:E18

    A stock analyst's murder leads the detectives to a corporation whose stock had fallen ... and plenty of suspects in the investors.

    Director:James Quinn
    Writer:Terri Kopp

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  22. Law & Order Season 12 Episode 6 - Formerly Famous
    7.0/10(331 votes)

    S12:E6

    The shooting death of a former singer's wife leads the detectives to investigate his manager and sons after his explanation of the events surrounding her death have no credibility.

    Director:Richard Dobbs
    Writers:Marc Guggenheim, Wendy Battles

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  23. Law & Order Season 12 Episode 8 - The Fire This Time
    6.9/10(310 votes)

    S12:E8

    When a building is set ablaze, a girl must be identified despite her fatal burns. Through further investigation, it turns out that an extreme environmentalist group struck the match...

    Director:David Platt
    Writer:David Black

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  24. Law & Order Season 12 Episode 21 - Foul Play
    6.9/10(271 votes)

    S12:E21

    The investigation into the death of a private investigator uncovers corruption, deceit, and immigration fraud in a Youth Baseball League whose manager will go to any lengths to win.

    Director:Richard Dobbs
    Writers:Richard Sweren, Stuart Feldman

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Season 12 Ratings Summary

"Myth of Fingerprints" is the best rated episode of "Law & Order" season 12. It scored 8.1/10 based on 398 votes. Directed by David Platt and written by Unknown, it aired on 11/14/2001. This episode is rated 0.2 points higher than the second-best, "DR 1-102".