Law & Order: For the Defense nixed at NBC

Withdrawn!

NBC has backed off a decision to launch another Law & Order series as part of its fall schedule. EW has confirmed that Law & Order: For the Defense — which was supposed to take an "unflinching look inside a criminal defense firm" — will not be moving forward.

The drama was to be overseen by former CSI showrunner Carol Mendelsohn, but Law & Order honcho Dick Wolf reportedly didn't like the way things were progressing. The series had yet to be cast.

There are still two L&Os on the schedule for fall: Law & Order: SVU and Law & Order: Organized Crime. The dramas will air Thursdays. Wolf also has three of his dramas on NBC Wednesdays: Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, and Chicago P.D.

Monica Schipper/FilmMagic Dick Wolf

Chances are pretty good that Wolf won't give up on finding new ways to spin off the L&O from the mothership. He has a massive nine-figure deal at Universal TV, so he's all but required to help keep the lights on at NBC. Wolf is also doing his part over at CBS: He's behind all three of the FBI series on that network.

NBC launches its fall schedule Sept. 20, while CBS starts rolling out originals Sept. 12.

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