Detectives Winters and Jaruszalski are called to investigate when they suspect that a local actress, Chelsea Sennett (Danielle Panabaker), is part of a burglary ring targeting the homes of famous LA residents. They discover that the burglaries are committed by the remaining members of a gang while Chelsea escorts the homeowner out for the night. While following up leads regarding Chelsea's involvement, the Sennetts are burgled themselves – and Chelsea's mother Trudy shoots one of the assailants. When Chelsea denies all involvement in the burglaries, another likely suspect appears. Meanwhile, DDAs Morales and Price struggle to secure a conviction in court when it is discovered that the assailant that Trudy shot dead was having an affair with her at the time.

• Inspired by The Bling Ring Burglars, a group of out-of-control teenagers and young adults accused of targeting homes of actors like Paris Hilton and Orlando Bloom.^[32][33]

Detectives Winters and Jaruszalski investigate when two children are killed in an explosion in a meth lab in Sylmar. They discover that the explosion was the result of deliberate interference with the lab, as someone had placed denatured alcohol into the mixture in an attempt to kill the dealer. They soon find that the explosion was caused by a group of local men and women who have converted to radical Islam in an attempt to stop the drug crime in the local area. However, things soon become serious when a plot to blow up a cargo shipment at Los Angeles International Airport is uncovered. Although the bombing is prevented, DDAs Dekker and Stanton must fight the Justice Department after they learn the accused are to be tried for treason. Dekker must convince the Department of Defense that the accused must be tried for the murder of the two children in LA.

• Inspired by the Jihad Jane case.^[37]

Detectives Winters and Jaruszalski investigate when a woman who is four months pregnant is hit by a car. They learn that Rebecca Townley (Rebecca Mader) was having an affair with U.S. Congressman Thomas Nelson (John Hickey), and in order to prevent his wife finding out, was living with his employee, Adam Yarborough (Rob Benedict). The detectives soon discover that Nelson's wife, a seriously ill cancer patient, paid Rebecca's ex-husband, Robert Forrester (Michael Mosley) to kill Rebecca after she discovered her husband's deceit.

• Inspired by the political scandal of U.S. Senator John Edwards, Democratic from North Carolina, from an extramarital affair and subsequent child with a campaign staff worker.^[39]

Detectives Winters and Jaruszalski investigate when a maintenance worker is found murdered in the river that he was cleaning just hours earlier. The case soon takes a worrying turn when they discover that he was investigating a series of eight murders that were committed in the local area in the early 1990s. The detectives soon realize that none of the murders were ever linked, and as such, a serial killer managed to slip through the radar. However, luck appears to be thrown their way when a murder matching the MO of the original killings is committed just hours later. The case leads to the man's co-worker, who has been living under a false identity for several years and could well be the man they are looking for. DDAs Dekker and Stanton are troubled when the case reaches court after the initial charges are thrown out due to a technicality relating to the obtaining of DNA, and as such, the attorney's office must recreate their case from scratch in order to win a conviction.

• Inspired by the murders committed by Lonnie David Franklin Jr.^[42]

Detectives Winters and Jaruszalski investigate when female pro golfer Kristin Halstead is found murdered in her apartment. Their investigation leads to major pro golfer Chip Jarrow (Marc Blucas), a man with a well-known sex addiction problem. Kristin had been following Jarrow after he was spotted with a woman that Kristin believed was her girlfriend, and that she was blackmailing him by threatening to tell his wife. However, after they learn that Jarrow's wife already knows about his infidelity, the detectives soon begin to believe that Kristin was threatening Jarrow's son Luke (Hutch Dano). When the case reaches court, DDAs Dekker and Stanton discover that he committed the murder on the orders of his mother, Monica (Bellamy Young).

• Inspired by the infidelity scandal of Tiger Woods and the fallout,^[44] as well as cases of parental alienation syndrome.^[45] This is also the last episode chronologically to star Megan Boone as DDA Lauren Stanton.

Detectives Winters and Jaruszalski investigate when a quinceañera erupts in violence, leaving multiple people dead. The investigation leads to the homeowner, who was working on a project to turn a protected dope field in Zuma Canyon into housing blocks for poor families. During their search for answers, they find a young boy protecting the dope field and discover he is the only witness that can help their case. As the detectives begin to close in on a suspect, Winters is murdered in a drive-by shooting at his house. Distraught by the death of his best friend and colleague, Jaruszalski goes all out to secure a suspect. DDAs Morales and Price must risk upsetting the Mexican government by prosecuting the defendant (Jose Pablo Cantillo). However, after the only witness is murdered in a police holding cell, the case falls apart and the murderer is released. Morales tries to convince DA Hardin to find another way of securing a conviction, but after a stern warning, makes a shocking decision to return to the police force and leave the DA's office.

• Show name changed to Law & Order: LA as of this episode.

Detectives Morales and Jaruszalski investigate when a woman is brutally raped and murdered in her own home, whilst her husband (Tim DeKay) is tied up in the bathroom and her son is murdered in cold blood. The case leads the detectives to discover a series of similar cases committed by a serial rapist, and after a short investigation, their main suspect emerges as disturbed Secret Service agent Ray Garson (Jason Beghe). When the case reaches court, DDA Dekker and his new partner DDA Connie Rubirosa struggle to convince the judge to proceed to trial after Detective Morales' actions in regard to questioning the defendant, and the exclusion of a body in a murder case linked to the series of rapes. Hanging by a thread, Dekker realizes his only hope to secure a conviction is to unthread a secure web of details in order to catch the killer red handed.

• Alana de la Garza joins the cast in this episode as DDA Connie Rubirosa. Inspired by the case of Russell Williams in Canada.^[47]

Detectives Morales and Jaruszalski investigate when a high speed car chase results in the discovery of a woman's body. They soon begin to suspect the victim's boyfriend, who was jealous after he believed she was having an affair with one of her co-workers. However, he divulges information which leads the detectives to believe that the victim had come across a scam at her place of work, in which council workers were charging $100 for fake work permits to allow traders to work in East Pasadena. They soon discover that the victim's murder may be on the orders of one of the highest-ranking councilmen in power. As the trail of the murder investigation uncovers massive corruption in City Hall, Detective Morales' efficiency as a police officer comes under scrutiny after he shoots two of the suspected conspirators in the victim's murder. DDAs Dekker and Rubirosa attempt to maintain order as the case gains media publicity, and citizens begin to mobilize in protest.

• Inspired by the 2010 City of Bell scandal.^[49]

Detectives Morales and Jaruszalski investigate when successful Hollywood stylist Lily Walker is shot through the head while sitting in her car. Fingerprints on the car door lead to a convicted criminal who had been released on parole just three weeks prior to the murder. The detectives track him down, but when confronted by detectives, he commits suicide with his own gun. They soon discover his innocence in the case, and that the fingerprints on the car door had been lifted from his apartment and placed on the car to incriminate him. The case soon leads to Lily's best friend, a fellow Hollywood stylist who was ousted after Lily discovered she had been illegally pocketing money that belonged to the state. As the fellow stylist's driver admits to the murder committed on her orders, DDAs Dekker and Rubirosa navigate their way through the details in hope of bringing the real culprit to justice.

• Inspired by the murder of Hollywood publicist, Ronni Chasen.^[51]

Detectives Morales and Jaruszalski investigate when crazed gunman Larry Shepard opens fire during a rally with State Senator Celeste Kelman. During the incident, seven innocent people are murdered in cold blood. With the help of modern technology, the detectives manage to identify a solid lead and possible motive for the shooting. They discover that Shepard believed that Kelman had kidnapped his daughter Ariel, and that by murdering her, would find Ariel alive and well. However, it is soon discovered that Ariel is, in fact, a fictional character from a video game that Shepard believed was real. Morales soon becomes concerned when Jaruszalksi disappears without trace, and unknown to him, has, in fact, traveled to Mexico in an attempt to find his partner Rex Winters' killer. DDAs Dekker and Rubirosa struggle to reach an agreement after they have a row over how to handle the case.

• This episode was originally intended to be the season finale.^[19][20] Inspired by the 2011 Tucson, AZ shooting,^[55] Tucson's NBC affiliate KVOA chose not to air the episode during prime time.^[56]

Detectives Morales and Jaruszalski investigate when casino worker George Patrick is found murdered in his hotel bathroom after a heated argument with his cousin. They discover that his wife and long term partner, Christine, had been stealing money from his casino in order to fund other relationship-based robberies, thus allowing her to elope to New York with her partner in crime. However, it soon appears that the accused are just part of a much bigger scam being committed. In an attempt to convict the real mastermind, DDAs Dekker and Rubirosa reluctantly strike a deal with those involved. But just as they do so, the accused's criminal lawyer accuses Detective Morales of obtaining a confession through intimidation. With Morales suspended over his conduct, it becomes up to Jaruszalski to clear his partner's name and discover who exactly is prompting the witnesses to lie in court.

• This episode marks the last appearance of Alana de la Garza as DDA Connie Rubirosa.

Detectives Winters and Jaruszalski investigate when a father of two is found viciously murdered in his bathtub. The investigation leads to a theory that the two men shot by two police officers on arrival at the victim's house were kidnappers attempting to extort money from the victim's rich Russian relatives. The detectives soon discover that the two dead kidnappers are part of a four-man ring who have traveled over from Moscow to commit a series of similar crimes. As evidence relating to another kidnapping comes to light, the detectives must attempt to find the other victim before she is murdered as well. The detectives speak to the woman's husband and daughter (Skyler Day) who gives them a video the kidnappers had skyped them. As the woman is found safe and well, the case is thrown into a totally new light when her husband's fingerprint matches a fingerprint belonging to a Russian spy who had previously infiltrated the White House some 10 years previously. DDAs Dekker and Stanton must act quickly to secure a conviction against the kidnappers before his main two witnesses are extradited to Russia by ICE for their part in the infiltration of the White House.

• This episode marks the point when the series returns to cases investigated by Winters before his death.