NBC's lineup for Law & Order: SVU in the 2026 TV schedule changed after just one episode back from the winter hiatus when news broke of allegations against guest star Timothy Busfield, resulting in his episode being pulled just days before it was scheduled to air. At the time, it was unknown if Busfield's character was so central to the episode that there was no salvaging it or if NBC would find a way to air it without him. Now, we have an answer: FBI and Dexter vet David Zayas will take over the role for the episode.
After Zayas appeared in an arc of FBI's third and fourth seasons, this guest gig on SVU will mark his return to the expansive Dick Wolf TV universe, although he won't be reprising the role that was such a menace to Jubal (Jeremy Sisto) and Isobel (Alana De La Garza) on the CBS series. Deadline reports that Zayas was recast as the guest star for the next episode, called "Corrosive," and he'll play the judge originally portrayed by Busfield prior to an arrest warrant being issued for him for alleged child abuse.
