Reid Scott is departing NBC's "Law & Order" after three seasons as Senior Detective Vincent Riley, with James Badge Dale ("13 Hours", "1923") set to take over as a new Senior Detective. The change continues the long-running procedural's tradition of annual cast turnover, and marks another high-profile swap for a show that regularly refreshes its ensemble. Scott's exit is reportedly his own decision, driven by the toll of commuting cross-country and spending nine months a year away from his family while filming in New York, and both sides describe the departure as amicable.

Scott, believed to have one more year left on his contract, is returning to set to film additional episodes that will properly conclude Det. Riley's storyline before Dale's character is introduced, though the exact timing of the handover has not been confirmed. Riley had most recently been paired with Junior Detective Theo Walker (David Ajala), having previously worked alongside Jalen Shaw (Mehcad Brooks, who left last summer); Scott himself had replaced Jeffrey Donovan in the role. Dale will join returning cast members Tony Goldwyn, Hugh Dancy, Maura Tierney, Odelya Halevi and Ajala when Season 26 premieres on 8 October at 10pm, immediately after the "Law & Order: SVU" season opener.