In the year Law & Order premiered (1990), actress Marlee Matlin famously spoke before Congress to advocate for federal legislation making closed captioning a standard feature on all televisions. This effort led to the Television Decoder Circuitry Act, which eventually made subtitles and captions much more accessible for viewers of early seasons of the show. Iconic Opening Monologue

: "Never get Freudian on a man holding a pickle." .

: "I'm a Catholic — I can feel guilty about anything." . Rare Pilot Intro

The subtitles for the show's opening are perhaps the most recognizable in television history:

Fans frequently highlight subtitles from the show's early seasons, particularly those featuring the sharp, cynical wit of Lennie Briscoe or the intense courtroom delivery of Ben Stone and Jack McCoy:

"In the criminal justice system, the people are represented by two separate yet equally important groups: the police, who investigate crime; and the district attorneys, who prosecute the offenders. These are their stories." Memorable Dialogue & Quotes