ABC is developing Con Law, a new legal drama from writer and executive producer Joey Falco, with 20th Television attached as the studio behind the project.
The drama is in the development stage at the broadcast network, meaning ABC has not yet ordered a pilot or series. Casting, additional producers and production timing have not been announced. The project is being positioned as a scripted legal drama, a genre that has long been central to network television and is seeing renewed attention as broadcasters look for recognizable, high-concept formats that can cut through a crowded marketplace.
Falco is writing and executive producing the project. While details of the premise are being kept under wraps, the title suggests a story rooted in constitutional law, a corner of the legal world that offers built-in stakes: civil liberties, governmental power, personal rights and cases that can resonate beyond the courtroom.
For ABC, the development of Con Law comes as broadcast networks continue to refine their scripted pipelines after several years of industry disruption, including pandemic-related production delays, the 2023 writers and actors strikes, and a broader recalibration of television budgets. Legal dramas remain attractive because they offer both procedural engines and character-driven storytelling, giving networks a flexible model that can support case-of-the-week episodes while building serialized arcs around attorneys, judges, clients and institutions.
The genre has also demonstrated unusual durability across eras of television. From L.A. Law and The Practice to Boston Legal, Damages, The Good Wife and How to Get Away With Murder, courtroom series have repeatedly found ways to reflect the anxieties and debates of their moment. More recently, CBS found success with its new take on Matlock, while library titles such as Suits have surged on streaming, reminding executives that legal storytelling can travel well when the premise, characters and tone align.
That context makes Con Law a notable development swing for ABC. The network already has a strong foundation in character-forward drama, with series such as Grey’s Anatomy, The Rookie, 9-1-1 and Will Trent helping define its current scripted identity. A legal drama with a contemporary hook could fit into that lineup by offering high-stakes conflicts that feel topical without relying solely on ripped-from-the-headlines storytelling.
20th Television’s involvement is also significant. As part of Disney Television Studios, 20th is one of the company’s most important scripted suppliers, producing for ABC, Hulu, Disney+ and outside buyers. The studio’s relationship with ABC gives projects like Con Law a natural path through the network development system, though the competition for pilot and series orders remains intense as broadcasters order fewer shows than they did in earlier peak-network eras.
Falco’s role as creator, writer and executive producer places the project squarely in the writer-driven tradition of legal television. The best shows in the space typically depend on a strong authorial point of view: not only in how cases are built, but in what the series chooses to argue about justice, power and accountability. A title like Con Law signals the potential for stories that live at the intersection of law and politics, though the final direction of the series will depend on the script and ABC’s creative notes as development continues.
The development also reflects a broader broadcast strategy: lean into familiar genres while searching for a fresh angle. Medical dramas, cop procedurals, rescue shows and legal series remain valuable because audiences understand the rules quickly. The challenge is differentiation. In a marketplace where viewers are choosing between network TV, streaming originals, sports, unscripted programming and social video, a new drama has to announce why it deserves a weekly appointment.
For legal dramas, that often means finding a distinctive workplace, an unusual protagonist or a thematic lane that feels urgent. Constitutional law could give Con Law access to issues involving free speech, privacy, voting rights, policing, religion, protest and executive authority — subjects with obvious dramatic potential. If handled with sophistication, the series could offer ABC both the accessibility of a procedural and the broader conversation value of a prestige-leaning drama.
The project arrives during a period when networks are being more selective about development. Rather than loading up on a large number of pilots, broadcasters have increasingly shifted toward year-round development, straight-to-series decisions in select cases and more targeted orders. That environment raises the bar for every script. A project needs not only a strong concept, but also a clear sense of tone, repeatability and audience fit.
Still, the appetite for well-executed legal television remains strong. Courtroom stories provide conflict by design, and the best ones can turn abstract legal principles into deeply personal stakes. For ABC, which has a long history of mixing emotional drama with social relevance, Con Law could become a vehicle for both if it advances beyond the script stage.
What Happens Next
Con Law will continue through ABC’s development process, where the network and studio will evaluate Falco’s script and determine whether to move forward with a pilot order or another form of production commitment. If the project advances, the next steps would likely include attaching additional producers, hiring a director and beginning the casting process.
For now, Con Law remains one to watch on ABC’s development slate — a legal drama with a potentially timely framework, a major studio behind it and a genre pedigree that still carries real value in the broadcast business.