This episode appears to be based on three separate cases/incidents:
- The 2003 Jayson Blair plagiarism scandal. Blair, a black reporter was caught fabricating articles when he was employed by the New York Times.
- The 2003 capture of Andrew Luster. Luster was heir to the Max Factor cosmetics fortune, who was charged with multiple counts of rape, sodomy and sexual assaults using date-rape drug GHB. He fled after posting $1 million bail and was convicted in absentia and sentenced to 124 years and a $1 million fine. He was apprehended in Mexico several months later. His sentence was reduced to 50 years; he is eligible for parole 2028.
- The Criticism of the affirmative action policy.
Peter Jacobson (Randolph J. 'Randy' Dworkin, Esq.) previously played the part of Dr. Karl Styne in episode 4.21, Doubles (1994).
Mark Zimmerman has played five different characters over the course of the series:
- Episode 2.17 Sisters of Mercy (1992) - Polygraph Tester.
- Episode 3.17 Conduct Unbecoming (1993) - Mooren.
- Episode 6.18 Atonement (1996) - Frederick Scannel.
- Episode 8.2 Denial (1997) - Judge Nathan Murray.
- Episode 11.15 Swept Away - A Very Special Episode (2001) - Lawyer for Gavin.
- Episode 14.2 Bounty (2003) onwards - Judge Nathan Murphy.