This Fan-Favorite Is Returning In Law & Order: SVU Season 23

For the second straight year, fans will get to see assistant district attorney-turned-defense attorney Rafael Barba (played by Raúl Esparza) back in a "Law & Order" courtroom as he takes on current prosecutor Dominick Carisi in Kathy Stabler's murder case. A new clip from NBC shows Barba and Captain Olivia Benson embracing before he reveals why he's come back into the fold. "I want to let you know who I am considering defending," Barba tells the former SVU detective. "As long as it's not Richard Wheatley, we're good," she replies before a cutscene shows Barba being hired by Wheatley — Kathy Stabler's alleged killer, who is played by Dylan McDermott. 

During her interview with TV Insider, "Organized Crime" actor Danielle Moné Truitt described the dramatic courtroom dynamic between Barba and Carisi in the upcoming crossover event. "Carisi is a great lawyer, and so is Barba," said Truitt. "And they both are really good at giving a certain perspective to the audience. So we'll see which one works." Fans will also get to see attorney Barba in all his scheming glory, Truitt added. "[Barba] doesn't play fair at all," she said. "He tries to talk about things that don't even have anything to do with the case to kind of throw her off. But I think she does a good job navigating it. He's Barba's being Barba."