The original 'Law and Order' did become inconsistent in its later seasons, so Season 11 onwards, especially post-Briscoe. It was still watchable, but Seasons 1-10 were a lot more consistent and had a much higher number of great and more episodes. The regular cast members were also a good deal better. Season 14 was though a contender for the best post-Season 10 season, with a good number of great episodes (including the best season opener for the show since Season 11's).
"Can I Get a Witness" to me was a great episode and one of the best of Season 14. Not quite "Bodies", "Identity" or "Darwinian", but close. Benefitting primarily from having one of the most intricate and suspenseful cases of the season and from that the policing and legal portions are equally good, when there have been many times where one half is a little, or sometimes much, better than the other. "Can I Get a Witness" is a complex episode, but not in a bad way.
Never did properly get behind Elisabeth Rohm's casting or behind the character of Southerlyn, with a small group of exceptions, and her acting is a lot less involving and a lot colder than the rest of the cast's.
Everything else though is great to truly excellent. Can find nothing to fault the production values for though, the slickness and grit still present and likewise with the more fluid editing. The music is used relatively sparingly and is not too intrusively orchestrated, fitting too with the mood. The direction is generally alert but also sympathetic, shining in the character interactions in the legal scenes. Liked the tautness, edge and thought-probing of the second half's writing.
Did like the policing scenes very much, there was grit and urgency with no signs of the routine, benefitting hugely from the great characters of Briscoe and Green and their beautifully gelled chemistry. Easily my personal favourite police lead pairing on the show, and none of the pairings since equalled or came close to its level. The legal portions are even better, where there is even more suspense and with much more at stake. Not to mention its complexity, a very complex case with a lot going on without being overly so that it becomes confusing. The acting is extremely good from the rest of the regulars, particularly Jerry Orbach and Sam Waterston and support was strong.
Great all in all. 9/10.