Cyberpunk 2077 I Fought the Law Guide (PS5, Xbox)

In Cyberpunk 2077, the side job I Fought the Law tasks you with investigating a murder in Watson. It’s also one of those investigations where your decisions can ripple outward—potentially even opening the door to a romance with River Ward. Below is a complete walkthrough of how to trigger the mission and what to do step-by-step once Elizabeth Peralez brings you into the case.

Checklists: What You Need Before I Fought the Law Starts

Before you can solve the murder, you’ll need to clear the right prior side content. The setup below is the specific chain the walkthrough confirms as reliable, though there may be other triggers in the wild.

Clear Act 2 missions: Ghost Town, Lightning Breaks, and Life During Wartime, then also complete Automatic Love and The Space In Between.
Important note: It’s unclear whether Automatic Love and The Space In Between alone are sufficient, or whether the job is tied to in-game time. The guide notes that fast-forwarding at least a day did not make the mission appear, which suggests pure time-gating is unlikely.
Possible player progression factors: There’s also a chance that your Level or Street Cred affects whether it unlocks. In the tested run, the mission became available at Level 12 and Street Cred 13.

How to Unlock I Fought the Law in Cyberpunk 2077

To start I Fought the Law, follow the confirmed method below. While there may be multiple ways to trigger it, this is the route that has been verified to work.

Complete Act 2 missions: Ghost Town, Lightning Breaks, Life During Wartime, and then also finish Automatic Love and The Space In Between.
Note: There’s a possibility that completing Automatic Love and The Space In Between by themselves will unlock the job, or that the mission is tied to time passing. However, fast-forwarding at least one in-game day didn’t bring the quest up, so the guide considers that less likely.
Level / Street Cred may matter: In the reported test, the unlock happened at Level 12 and Street Cred 13.

I Fought the Law Walkthrough (From Call to Club Footage)

When the side job becomes available, you’ll receive a call from Elizabeth Peralez. Accept the job, then drive to the destination.

Get in the car

At the location, climb into the back seat. You’ll be met by Jefferson, who is running for mayor. From there, continue the conversation to get the details you need for the investigation.

Watch the braindance and look for clues

Open the braindance editor and search for evidence. You’re aiming to move into editing mode, then switch layers as needed. Since you’re already in scanning mode, you generally only need to hover over the relevant area—using the small magnifying icon—until the scan completes. The clue clips will show up highlighted on the editing bar like normal. In total, there are 6 clues to gather:

Audio 00:10 – 00:32: Scan the two men talking in front of the stage.
Visual 00:10 – 00:14: Scan the man standing far left of the stage, closest to the door.
Visual 00:29 – 00:35: Scan the door to the left of the stage—the exit the men use.
Visual 01:00: The back area near the metal detector/front desk. Check the wall to the left of the metal detector.
Visual 01:00: In the back area, scan the cyberpsycho who just entered the building.
Audio 01:03 – 01:14: In the back area, scan the cyberpsycho again to hear what he says/sings.

Exit the braindance

After you’ve reviewed everything, you’ll be prompted to leave the braindance.

Talk to Jefferson

Now you need to speak with Jefferson about what you found. No matter which option you choose, you’ll learn more about the people involved and who had access to what. At the end of the conversation, you receive River Ward’s contact information.

Call Detective Ward

Bring up your contacts and call Ward via the d-pad. He’ll tell you to meet him at the Chubby Buffalo so you can keep digging into the death of Rhyne.

Meet with Detective Ward

Go to Ward. He’ll introduce you to his partner, who will be leaving soon anyway. Ward will ask who hired you; you can tell him, and the guide notes that whether you share it or not won’t change anything important.

Get in River’s car

Follow River to his vehicle and talk about the case. You’ll be asked to meet with the informer or the CI. Once you make that choice, you can skip the remainder of the ride if you want.

Meet the CI — Ask the informant about the Red Queen’s Race

Approach the informant. Regardless of how you start the conversation, he gets spooked and runs. Chase him down; the door locks behind him. If you have 6 Strength, you can force the door open. If not, you can back out, exit the building, and follow the market from there. Either way, you’ll find him in the alley—by then, Ward will have already gotten to him.

Interrogate the informant

Get answers in whatever style you prefer. Whether you go in aggressively or more politely, he’ll provide the information you need.

From here, you can either investigate the other lead or go to the club. Choose whichever path fits your plan.

Ask around at the vendors

Look for vendor prompts that let you ask about Christine. Once your minimap updates with Christine’s location, head there—River will already be waiting.

Talk to Christine to understand what pushed Horvath into killing. When the conversation ends, follow River back to his car.

Deal with the Tyger Claws

The Tyger Claws are surrounding the car—referred to as a “pig wagon.” River says he’ll handle it, so stay quiet when dialogue comes up to avoid a fight. If you start “talking smack,” they’ll attack.

Enter the warehouse

The guard at the front gate won’t let you in without conflict, so you need an alternate route.

If you have 6 Technical Ability, you can pass through the gate around the back left (next to the green dumpster).

Otherwise, keep moving around the left side. If you spot two billboards—one advertising Saving your corporate career and the other for a peep show—you’re heading the right way. Continue until you reach an opening.

Once you’re inside the area, an Animal waits ahead. You can use a nearby generator as a distraction, then go for a stealth takedown. There are two dumpsters nearby—one before the stairs and another to the left of the stairs—ideal for dumping the body.

When you’re ready, keep climbing the stairs and take the blue door on the right to enter the warehouse interior.

Find a Way Into the Club

Animals are scattered around this section, and not all of them will appear on your minimap at once. Scan the area for dumpsters and crates to hide bodies in. If things go sideways, you can retreat the way you came and use the two dumpsters outside. Also remember that some cover spots are located upstairs.

If your cover is blown, River will step in and help you out.

To enter the club, you must remove all the Animals. They’ll notice you if you walk up and open the cargo container doors that lead into the club.

Defeat the Animals

This part is designed for a more forceful approach. When you go down the stairs and turn right, you’ll find a door that can be pried open if you have a Strength Attribute of 3. Inside is useful loot, including grenades.

Optional: You can incapacitate and interrogate the Animal boss, Shareef Nabi. The guide suggests taking him down with a non-lethal weapon. It specifically mentions using the Cottonmouth Club obtained during The Space Between, since it’s non-lethal.

Look for the Office

Search the whole area first—there’s loot to grab—then head for the office. It’s up the stairs, through the door on the left. From there, go through the next door ahead to the right of the Surprise Them poster.

Watch the Footage

Use the computer. Check the files to view the camera footage.

Leave and Finish Things Up With Elizabeth and Jefferson Peralez

Once you’ve watched the footage and gathered what you need, leave the location and return to the Peralez penthouse to report your findings to Elizabeth and Jefferson Peralez.

Cyberpunk 2077 I Fought the Law Walkthrough: Trigger, Choices, River Romance

Checklists: What You Need Before I Fought the Law Starts

How to Unlock I Fought the Law in Cyberpunk 2077