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A court show (also known as a judge show, legal/courtroom program, courtroom series, or judicial show) is a broadcast programming subgenre of either
legal drama A legal drama is a genre of film and television that generally focuses on narratives regarding legal practice and the justice system. The American Film Institute (AFI) defines "courtroom drama" as a genre of film in which a system of justice play ...
s or reality legal programming. Court shows present content mainly in the form of legal hearings between
plaintiff A plaintiff ( Π in legal shorthand) is the party who initiates a lawsuit (also known as an ''action'') before a court. By doing so, the plaintiff seeks a legal remedy. If this search is successful, the court will issue judgment in favor of t ...
s (or claimants in the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and ...
) and
defendants In court proceedings, a defendant is a person or object who is the party either accused of committing a crime in criminal prosecution or against whom some type of civil relief is being sought in a civil case. Terminology varies from one jurisdi ...
presided over by a judge, often in one of two formats: a scripted/improvised format performed by an
actor An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), lit ...
; or an arbitration-based reality format with the case handled by an adjudicator who was formerly a judge or attorney. At present, these shows typically portray
small claims court Small-claims courts have limited jurisdiction to hear civil cases between private litigants. Courts authorized to try small claims may also have other judicial functions, and go by different names in different jurisdictions. For example, it may ...
cases, produced in a simulation of a small claims courtroom inside of a television studio. However, in 2020 through 2021, numerous aspects of this genre were largely forsaken due to
COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quick ...
, such as hearings transpiring from simulated courtroom studio sets. More so than other genres, the pandemic resulted in transformations that were drastic and conspicuous on court shows, because of their unique nature which demands a transition in disputants for each individual episode. The genre first began in radio broadcasting in the 1930s, starting with ''
The Court of Human Relations ''The Court of Human Relations'' is an American old-time radio Human-interest story, human-interest program and very first court show, pioneering the popular judicial genre that would later transform into televised entertainment. It was broadcast o ...
'', and then the genre later shifted to television in the late 1940s, beginning with such TV shows as ''
Court of Current Issues ''Court of Current Issues'' (initially known as ''Court of Public Opinion'') is a nontraditional court show featuring public-affairs debates. The program aired live on Tuesday nights from 1948-1951 on the DuMont Television Network. Originally a h ...
'', '' Your Witness'', '' Famous Jury Trials'', etc.


Synopsis

The most widely used techniques in court show genre have been A) dramatizations (scripted or loosely script-directed hearings) and B) arbitration-based reality shows. The genre began with dramatizations and remained the technique of choice for roughly six decades. By the late 1990s, however, arbitration-based reality shows had overwhelmingly taken over as the technique of choice within the genre, the trend continuing into the present. Dramatizations were either fictional cases (often inspired from factual details in actual cases) or reenactments of actual trials. The role of the judge was often taken by a retired real-life judge, a
law school A law school (also known as a law centre or college of law) is an institution specializing in legal education, usually involved as part of a process for becoming a lawyer within a given jurisdiction. Law degrees Argentina In Argentina, ...
professor or an actor. Arbitration-based reality shows, on the other hand, have typically involved litigants who have agreed to have their disputes aired on national television so as to be adjudicated by a television show "judge". Due to the forum merely being a simulated courtroom constructed within a television studio as opposed to a legitimate court of law, the shows' "judges" are actually arbitrators and what is depicted is a form of binding arbitration. The arbitrators presiding in modern court programs have had at least some legal experience, which is often listed as requirement by these programs. These television programs tend to air once or twice for every weekday as part of daytime television. With production costs minimal (under $200,000 a week, whereas entertainment magazines cost five times that) and an
evergreen In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has foliage that remains green and functional through more than one growing season. This also pertains to plants that retain their foliage only in warm climates, and contrasts with deciduous plants, whic ...
, episodic format, court shows are easily and frequently
rerun A rerun or repeat is a rebroadcast of an episode of a radio or television program. There are two types of reruns – those that occur during a hiatus, and those that occur when a program is syndicated. Variations In the United Kingdom, the word ...
. Like talk shows, the procedure of court shows varies based upon the titular host. In most cases, they are
first-run syndication Broadcast syndication is the practice of leasing the right to broadcasting television shows and radio programs to multiple television stations and radio stations, without going through a broadcast network. It is common in the United States wher ...
programs. In 2001, the genre began to beat out soap operas in daytime television ratings. While all syndicated shows are steadily losing audiences, court shows have the slowest rate of viewer erosion. Accordingly, by the end of the 2000s, the number of court shows in syndication had, for the first time, equaled the number of talk shows. As reported in late 2012, court programming is the second highest-rated genre on daytime television. The genre's most formidable competitors in syndication have been the
sitcom A sitcom, a portmanteau of situation comedy, or situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who mostly carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troupe may use ...
and
game show A game show is a genre of broadcast viewing entertainment (radio, television, internet, stage or other) where contestants compete for a reward. These programs can either be participatory or demonstrative and are typically directed by a host, ...
genres.


Court show genre beginnings


Radio court show era

The beginnings of the court show genre are embedded in radio broadcasting, dating back to the mid-1930s. While television has been available since the 1920s, it would not become the main media venue or even popular until the 1950s. The era from the late 1920s to the mid-1950s is commonly called radio's Golden Age. In the mid-1930s, the Hauptmann trial sparked an upsurge of fascination with dramatized court shows wherein trials and hearings were acted out. As radio fans were denied the vicarious thrill of eavesdropping on the actual courtroom trials, many turned to this venue of entertainment. In these programs, testimonies were limited to the most captivating, explosive portions of the original case. Though there was risk of libel and slander suits in producing court case recreations, this threat was commonly sidestepped by taking from trials of the distant past, with the original participants dead. Prior to 1936, there were only 2 major radio court shows, ''
The Court of Human Relations ''The Court of Human Relations'' is an American old-time radio Human-interest story, human-interest program and very first court show, pioneering the popular judicial genre that would later transform into televised entertainment. It was broadcast o ...
'' and ''Goodwill Court''. * ''
The Court of Human Relations ''The Court of Human Relations'' is an American old-time radio Human-interest story, human-interest program and very first court show, pioneering the popular judicial genre that would later transform into televised entertainment. It was broadcast o ...
'' (1934–39), also known as ''True Story Court of Human Relations'' premiered on January 1, 1934, ''The Court of Human Relations'' represents the very first courtroom series. It is a radio series that offered reenactments of genuine courtroom litigation, presided over by actor Percy Hemus as "The Judge". Just before the end of each broadcast, the home audience was "invited" to render the
verdict In law, a verdict is the formal finding of fact made by a jury on matters or questions submitted to the jury by a judge. In a bench trial, the judge's decision near the end of the trial is simply referred to as a finding. In England and Wales ...
, giving the impression that the show was interactive. This was misleading, however, as listeners had no way of contacting the broadcast. Moreover, being scripted, the verdict was already decided. * '' A. L. Alexander's Goodwill Court'' (1935–36) The second ever courtroom series, the broadcast initially aired on New York station
WMCA WMCA may refer to: *WMCA (AM), a radio station operating in New York City * West Midlands Combined Authority, the combined authority of the West Midlands metropolitan county in the United Kingdom *Wikimedia Canada The Wikimedia Foundation, ...
until moving to
NBC radio The National Broadcasting Company's NBC Radio Network (known as the NBC Red Network prior to 1942) was an American commercial radio network which was in operation from 1926 through 2004. Along with the NBC Blue Network it was one of the first tw ...
on September 20, 1936. Not a dramatization, the radio broadcast was an early example of reality courtroom shows. The series featured mediator Alexander hearing the woeful accounts of various real-life defendants (never identified by name and strongly admonished not to use bad language). The defendants' cases would be discussed by a panel of real-life judges, offering
legal advice Legal advice is the giving of a professional or formal opinion regarding the substance or procedure of the law in relation to a particular factual situation. The provision of legal advice will often involve analyzing a set of facts and advising a ...
. The show was forced off the air by the end of 1936 as the New York County Lawyers' Association had lodged a protest over the dispensation of free counsel over the air. As a result, the
New York Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the State of New York is the trial-level court of general jurisdiction in the New York State Unified Court System. (Its Appellate Division is also the highest intermediate appellate court.) It is vested with unlimited civ ...
prohibited actual judges and lawyers from appearing on the program, a ban that would extend to all future legal shows of the era. * '' Famous Jury Trials'' (first appeared on radio, 1936–49; then on television, 1949–52; then in film, 1971) A long-running American radio broadcast that started out on the
Mutual Network The Mutual Broadcasting System (commonly referred to simply as Mutual; sometimes referred to as MBS, Mutual Radio or the Mutual Radio Network) was an American commercial radio network in operation from 1934 to 1999. In the Old-time radio, golden ...
in 1936, airing on this station until 1939. After that, the broadcast was moved over to ABC/
Blue Network The Blue Network (previously known as the NBC Blue Network) was the on-air name of a now defunct American radio network, which broadcast from 1927 through 1945. Beginning as one of the two radio networks owned by the National Broadcasting Comp ...
from 1940 to 1949. The series would later be transformed into a television program, moving to network TV once the television era took hold. The radio broadcast featured the reenactments of famous court cases throughout history. Listeners were taken into the courtroom where a judge was instructing a jury. Stories were delivered flat without music (atypical of radio shows at the time), giving the testimony added reality and weight. * ''Consider Your Verdict'' (1945–55) A long-running radio broadcast that took the same format of ''Famous Jury Trials''.


Original TV court show genre (1948–95)


Early stages of televised court shows

As television began to transcend radio, the previous era of radio broadcast court programming had waned. By 1948, court programming had begun to relocate and appear on television for the first time, and thus, the television court show genre was born. In its early stages, television court shows largely followed the same "dramatized" format as radio court shows, though with the new element of physical- and visual-based entertainment. The vast majority of these court shows were depicted in
black-and-white Black-and-white (B&W or B/W) images combine black and white in a continuous spectrum, producing a range of shades of grey. Media The history of various visual media began with black and white, and as technology improved, altered to color. ...
.


Dramatized court show

::''This court show type is a subgenre. For its broader, collective genres, see
legal drama A legal drama is a genre of film and television that generally focuses on narratives regarding legal practice and the justice system. The American Film Institute (AFI) defines "courtroom drama" as a genre of film in which a system of justice play ...
and
dramatic programming In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...
.'' In the same way as some films are based on true stories, some featured cases on courtroom dramas are based on real-life cases. On the other hand, some are altogether made up, though often drawing on details from actual cases. To recreate cases and make them up, staff members working for the court shows would research the country's court cases. From the cases they felt would make for captivating television, they derived ideas or simply cases to recreate. Typically, the role of judge on these programs was played by a law school professor, an actor, or a retired judge. The roles of litigants, bailiffs, court reporters, and announcers were always performed by actors and actresses. While some of these court shows were scripted and required precise memorization, others were outlined and merely required ad-libbing. In outlined cases, actor-litigants and -witnesses were instructed to never get too far off the angle of the case. Under its dramatized format, the early court show genre shared more of a resemblance to legal dramas than the programs that have come to represent the modern judicial genre. While the introduction of this technique dates back to the late 1940s, the departure of its popular use occurred in the early 1990s. The technique scarcely existed for a great deal of time, that is, up until
Entertainment Studios Entertainment Studios, Inc., also known as Allen Media Group, is an American media and entertainment company based in Los Angeles. Owned and founded in 1993 by businessman Byron Allen, the company was initially involved in the production and ...
recently reintroduced the methodology, airing three staged court shows as of the 2012–13 television season: '' America's Court with Judge Ross'', '' We the People With Gloria Allred'', and '' Justice for All with Judge Cristina Pérez''. Each of these series uses a filming style and format more closely resembling arbitration-based court shows than the filmed dramas seen in early television. A standard disclaimer in tiny print is shown at the end of each of these programs. Entertainment Studios has been criticized for use of the technique. As of the first half of the 2012–13 television season, the three court shows have been the lowest rated in the judicial genre.


List of originally traditional court shows

The following court shows all follow a basic setup that represents the most widely used technique from the original era of judicial programming. This setup is that of a
mock trial A mock trial is an act or imitation trial. It is similar to a moot court, but mock trials simulate lower-court trials, while moot court simulates appellate court hearings. Attorneys preparing for a real trial might use a mock trial consisti ...
which saw dramatized court case proceedings being heard and eventually ruled upon by an actor-judge or actors-jury. Roles were made up of plaintiffs, defendants, and judges; and frequently lawyers, juries, and witnesses. Unlike the present-day where the norm is the handling civil trials, most of the court shows in this era were criminal trials. The main setting was the courtroom; however, performance and drama had been known to leave the courtroom sporadically for short periods so as to add a story-like quality and fill out the plotline. Some of the shows had thematic cases, such as traffic-themed (''Traffic Court''), divorce-themed (''Divorce Court''), etc. * '' Your Witness'' ( ABC, 1949–1950) A short-lived court show that involves case reenactments. * '' Famous Jury Trials'' (first appeared on radio, 1936–1949; then on television,
DuMont Television Network The DuMont Television Network (also known as the DuMont Network, DuMont Television, simply DuMont/Du Mont, or (incorrectly) Dumont ) was one of America's pioneer commercial television networks, rivaling NBC and CBS for the distinction of being ...
, 1949–1952; then in film, 1971) A long-running courtroom series that had originally run for 13 years on radio before relocating to television where it would run for an additional four years. In addition to its lives on radio and television, ''Famous Jury Trials'' also existed as a movie, produced nearly two decades later in 1971. In total, the series enjoyed a 17-year run. The televised version featured dramatized cases in a courtroom setting and flashbacks to fill out the stories. It was an anthology series with no regular characters. Since the show was live, the actors playing the litigants had to dash, huffing and puffing, from the courtroom set to the set where the flashback was staged, then back to the courtroom set. According to actor
Frankie Thomas Frank Marion Thomas Jr. (April 9, 1921 – May 11, 2006), was an American actor, author and bridge-strategy expert who played both lead and supporting roles on Broadway, in films, in post-World War II radio, and in early television. He was ...
(also of ''The Black Robe''): ''"The format established on the radio show created frenzy on TV. The show opened in a courtroom with someone testifying and faded out to a flashback of the events covered in the testimony. But of course the flashback involved the same actor or actress seen in the initial courtroom scene, and the problem was that the different sets were in quite far apart in a large studio."'' * ''
The Black Robe ''The Black Robe'' is an 1881 partially-epistolary novel by famed English writer, Wilkie Collins. The book, which relates the misadventures of one "Lewis Romayne", is noted for its anti-Catholic lens. Plot summary As the story begins, Romayne a ...
'' (
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
, 1949–50) A short-lived court show first known as ''Police Night Court'', the series featured recreated cases from New York City's Night Court. Cases were performed live by actors, taking the parts of defendants, witnesses, and lawyers. The show consisted of a judge (always played by Frankie Thomas Sr.). On occasion, actual defendants and witnesses played themselves. * '' They Stand Accused'' (first titled ''Cross Question'' and seen locally in Chicago in 1948 and then nationally on CBS in 1949. It was renamed ''They Stand Accused'' while running on the DuMont network from 1949 to 1952 and again in 1954) An anthology courtroom series, ''They Stand Accused'' reenacted actual trials with juries drawn from the
studio audience A studio audience is an audience present for the recording of all or part of a television program or radio program. The primary purpose of the studio audience is to provide applause and/or laughter to the program's soundtrack (as opposed to canned ...
. * ''
Divorce Court ''Divorce Court'' is an American court show that revolves around settling the disputes of couples going through divorces. The show has had four separate runs, all in first-run syndication. Since the debut of the original series in 1957, it is ...
'' (syndicated, originally aired from 1957 to 1969; 1986 to 1991; 1999–present) A long-running court show that was inspired by the successes of ''Perry Mason'' and ''Traffic Court''. Among the most successful of dramatized court shows was
KTTV KTTV (channel 11) is a television station in Los Angeles, California, United States, serving as the West Coast flagship of the Fox network. It is owned and operated by the network's Fox Television Stations division alongside MyNetworkTV ou ...
-Los Angeles' ''Divorce Court'', which ran in prime time and out-rated all other network shows. Likewise, the 1980s era of the show was also immensely popular. The scenes were scripted and actors took the roles of the lawyers and other characters from real-life cases, but Judge
William B. Keene William Bigby Keene (February 23, 1925 – January 10, 2018)
University of Cali ...
made his own decisions. During the first and second incarnations of the show, actors portrayed the litigants: the plaintiff, who initiated the divorce proceedings, and the defendant, who either sought a reconciliation or sought a divorce decree of his/her own. In addition, a number of witnesses testified on behalf of the litigants, and student attorneys argued the cases. * ''
Perry Mason Perry Mason is a fictional character, an American criminal defense lawyer who is the main character in works of detective fiction written by Erle Stanley Gardner. Perry Mason features in 82 novels and 4 short stories, all of which involve a c ...
'' ( CBS, 1957–66) A courtroom dramatic series later revived as ''
The New Perry Mason ''The New Perry Mason'' is a CBS TV series that ran from 1973 to 1974. It was a revival of the 1957 ''Perry Mason'' television series about Erle Stanley Gardner's brilliant defense attorney. Plot All of the major characters of the original seri ...
'' (CBS, 1973–74) and then again, though in the form of a
TV movie A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...
featuring some of the original cast members, not those of the revival, in 1985. Other Perry Mason TV movies followed until star
Raymond Burr Raymond William Stacy Burr (May 21, 1917September 12, 1993) was a Canadian actor known for his lengthy Hollywood film career and his title roles in television dramas '' Perry Mason'' and '' Ironside''. Burr's early acting career included roles ...
died in 1993. ''Mason'' was far more of a traditional, fully scripted dramatic program than just a courtroom program, with location shooting which often provided the background for the subsequent courtroom scenes, and also occasional excursions into Mason's private life. Early episodes were often based on the series of Mason novels authored by
Erle Stanley Gardner Erle Stanley Gardner (July 17, 1889 – March 11, 1970) was an American lawyer and author. He is best known for the Perry Mason series of detective stories, but he wrote numerous other novels and shorter pieces and also a series of nonfiction b ...
. * ''Traffic Court'' (first seen locally in Los Angeles in 1957 and then nationally on ABC from 1958 to 1959) A short-lived court show which reenacted traffic cases. ''(See also the television court series Speeders Fight Back, listed in below section).'' * ''
The Court of Last Resort ''The Court of Last Resort '' is an American television dramatized court show which aired October 4, 1957 – April 11, 1958, on NBC. It was co-produced by Erle Stanley Gardner's Paisano Productions, which also brought forth the long-running hit ...
'' (NBC, 1957–58; ABC, 1959–60) A courtroom program that dramatized the work of criminal law experts who assisted defendants believed to be unjustly convicted. * ''
The Verdict is Yours ''The Verdict Is Yours'' was an American courtroom drama that aired on CBS Daytime from September 2, 1957, to September 28, 1962, and in primetime from July 3 to September 25, 1958. Overview ''The Verdict Is Yours'' premiered on September 2, 195 ...
'' (CBS, 1957–62) A courtroom program with fictional yet unscripted cases. The show used actual attorneys as the show's lawyers and judges. Jurors were drawn from the studio audience. * '' Day in Court'' (ABC, 1958–65) A daytime court show based on actual trials with professional actors portraying the litigants and witnesses. Real attorneys played the role of lawyers. Current and former law professors played the role of the judge. * '' Accused'' (ABC, 1958–59) A nighttime court show spun off from the daytime court show, '' Day in Court''. ''Accused'' featured a new story and characters each week, but with a recurring judge (Edgar Allan Jones, a
UCLA The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California ...
law professor), a bailiff, a clerk, and a court reporter.
Prosecution A prosecutor is a legal representative of the prosecution in states with either the common law adversarial system or the Civil law (legal system), civil law inquisitorial system. The prosecution is the legal party responsible for presenting the ...
and
defense Defense or defence may refer to: Tactical, martial, and political acts or groups * Defense (military), forces primarily intended for warfare * Civil defense, the organizing of civilians to deal with emergencies or enemy attacks * Defense indus ...
was played by real lawyers but actors played the role of defendants and witnesses in what were mostly criminal cases. The stories were based on little-known trials, researched by staff, lawyers, and law students. * ''People's Court of Small Claims'' (Syndicated, ABC Films, 1958) A short-lived court program presided over by Orrin B. Evans, a professor and later dean of the USC Law Center 1963–68. He presided over three small claims cases per half-hour in his strait-laced and quiet style. The actors were given the framework of a plot which were loosely based on a real case. They would then
improvise Improvisation is the activity of making or doing something not planned beforehand, using whatever can be found. Improvisation in the performing arts is a very spontaneous performance without specific or scripted preparation. The skills of impr ...
these plots. * '' Night Court U.S.A.'' (began as local production of L.A. station, KTLA; then went into syndication, 1958) A short-lived court show in which the announcer introduces the show as "real cases and real people," but although these may be real cases, actors are taking on all the roles. The series, thanks in part to lax licensing, remains in occasional reruns to this day. * ''Morning Court'' (ABC, 1960–61) A short-lived spin-off court show of '' Day in Court'', sharing its same concept. The court show stemmed from the success of ''Day in Court'' and ''Accused''. The program consisted of a bailiff, court reporter, and alternating judge. * ''Courtroom U.S.A.'' (syndicated, 1960) A short-lived courtroom program that featured recreated, dramatized versions of actual court cases. * ''
Arrest and Trial ''Arrest and Trial'' is a 90-minute American crime/legal drama series that ran during the 1963-1964 season on ABC, airing Sundays from 8:30-10 pm Eastern. Overview The majority of episodes consists of two segments. Set in Los Angeles, the fi ...
'' (ABC, 1963–64) A short-lived court series which initiated the formula later used on ''Law and Order.'' * ''
Crown Court The Crown Court is the court of first instance of England and Wales responsible for hearing all indictable offences, some either way offences and appeals lied to it by the magistrates' courts. It is one of three Senior Courts of England and W ...
'' (Granada TV, 1972–1984) Fictional cases in dramatised trial proceedings deliberated upon and with unscripted verdicts from real members of the public selected from those eligible to serve on juries. * '' The Judge'' (Syndicated, Genesis/Colbert, 1986–92) Originally known as ''Custody Court'', ''The Judge'' is a court show that first ran for a dozen years as a local show on WBNS in
Columbus, Ohio Columbus () is the state capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the 14th-most populous city in the U.S., the second-most populous city in the Midwest, after Chicago, an ...
. After that, it was picked up and syndicated by CBS in 1986. It centered on family court situations and involved children and adolescents in custody, paternity,
Juvenile delinquency Juvenile delinquency, also known as juvenile offending, is the act of participating in unlawful behavior as a minor or individual younger than the statutory age of majority. In the United States of America, a juvenile delinquent is a perso ...
, and
adoption Adoption is a process whereby a person assumes the parenting of another, usually a child, from that person's biological or legal parent or parents. Legal adoptions permanently transfer all rights and responsibilities, along with filiation, fro ...
hearings. Though based on real-life cases, it was entirely scripted and usually added melodramatic details. Judge Robert Franklin was played by actor Bob Shield. * ''
Trial by Jury A jury trial, or trial by jury, is a legal proceeding in which a jury makes a decision or findings of fact. It is distinguished from a bench trial in which a judge or panel of judges makes all decisions. Jury trials are used in a significan ...
'' (Syndicated, 1989–90) A short-lived, daily court show that was somewhat based on actual cases. The program was hosted by
Raymond Burr Raymond William Stacy Burr (May 21, 1917September 12, 1993) was a Canadian actor known for his lengthy Hollywood film career and his title roles in television dramas '' Perry Mason'' and '' Ironside''. Burr's early acting career included roles ...
, who provided commentary both on the facts and points of law.
Joseph Campanella Joseph Anthony Campanella (November 21, 1924 – May 16, 2018) was an American character actor. He appeared in more than 200 television and film roles from the early 1950s to 2009. Campanella was best remembered for his roles as Joe Turino on ' ...
played the role of the
prosecuting A prosecutor is a legal representative of the prosecution in states with either the common law adversarial system or the civil law inquisitorial system. The prosecution is the legal party responsible for presenting the case in a criminal tr ...
attorney;
Charles Siebert Charles Alan Siebert (March 9, 1938 – May 1, 2022) was an American actor and television director. As an actor, he is probably best known for his role as Dr. Stanley Riverside II on the television series ''Trapper John, M.D.'', a role he portra ...
acted as the defense attorney; and Madlyn Rhue was the judge. Rhue's presiding as a female judge was novel, courtroom programming dominated by men playing the part of judge to that point. * ''
Superior Court In common law systems, a superior court is a court of general jurisdiction over civil and criminal legal cases. A superior court is "superior" in relation to a court with limited jurisdiction (see small claims court), which is restricted to civi ...
'' (Syndicated, 1986–90) A court show that presented recreations of actual civil and criminal trials from Los Angeles Superior Court. Initially, it starred a former real-life judge (William D. Burns, Jr.) and lawyers, though not the judge and lawyers involved in the original cases. Beginning in 1988, actor Raymond St. Jacques began playing the role of Judge Clayton Thomas. Lawyers, litigants and court watchers were also played by actors. * ''Verdict'' (CBS, 1991) A short-lived court show that used the introduction: "You are about to witness an actual criminal trial. There are no actors, no scripts, no reenactments. Every second is real." However, this introduction was misleading as the court show was entirely fictitious. As a result of its introduction, it was said that the show misrepresents the profession of lawyers and the legal system as a whole.


List of originally nontraditional court shows

* ''On Trial'' (ABC, 1948–52) A court show featuring public affairs issues brought to public attention in a courtroom format. A real-life judge presided over the arguments of counsel and expert witnesses' testimony on controversial issues. The first episode debated the prohibition of wire-tapping. ''(Not to be confused with the 1987–88 reality court show of the same name).'' * ''
Court of Current Issues ''Court of Current Issues'' (initially known as ''Court of Public Opinion'') is a nontraditional court show featuring public-affairs debates. The program aired live on Tuesday nights from 1948-1951 on the DuMont Television Network. Originally a h ...
'' (DuMont Television Network, 1948–51) Not a legal show per se, the series is a nontraditional court program of the era in which debates on topical issues were presented. * ''Politics on Trial'' (ABC, 1952) A short-lived court series in which Democrat and
Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
parties A party is a gathering of people who have been invited by a host for the purposes of socializing, conversation, recreation, or as part of a festival or other commemoration or celebration of a special occasion. A party will often feature ...
were presented in a trial format. Prominent members of both political parties presented different issues. This was followed by the other party's "opposing counsel" and defense. A real judge presided. The series was intended to educate the voters in the upcoming presidential election. * ''The Court of Human Relations'' (NBC, 1959) A short-lived court program in which personal advice was given. * ''Parole'' (Syndicated, Telestar, 1959) A short-lived unaffected reality court program. Because the series was a reality, it was considered nontraditional within its era; however, the program was drastically different from the later reality programs that would become the norm in the present-day courtroom genre. In this court show, cuts from real parole hearings in various prisons were presented in 15- or 30-minute segments. As litigation was not tampered with at all and cameras were simply taken into legitimate courts of law to capture the legal system naturally, the show was arguably more realistic than present-day court shows, which use a binding
arbitration Arbitration is a form of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) that resolves disputes outside the judiciary courts. The dispute will be decided by one or more persons (the 'arbitrators', 'arbiters' or 'arbitral tribunal'), which renders the ...
format. The series was merely used as a syndication " filler" however. * ''
The People's Court ''The People's Court'' is an American arbitration-based reality court show, featuring an arbitrator handling small claims disputes in a simulated courtroom set. Within the court show genre, it is the first of all arbitration-based reality sty ...
'' (Syndicated,
Ralph Edwards Ralph Livingstone Edwards (June 13, 1913DeLong, Thomas A. (1996). ''Radio Stars: An Illustrated Biographical Dictionary of 953 Performers, 1920 through 1960''. McFarland & Company, Inc. . Pp. 86-87. – November 16, 2005) was an American radio ...
/Stu Billett Productions,
Telepictures Productions Telepictures (also known as Telepictures Productions; formerly known as Telepictures Distribution and Telepictures Corporation) is an American television show and filmmaking company, currently operating as a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Television ...
,
Warner Bros. Television Warner Bros. Television Studios (operating under the name Warner Bros. Television; formerly known as Warner Bros. Television Division) is an American television production and distribution studio of the Warner Bros. Television Group division of ...
, 1981–93, 1997–present) After the court show genre went on a lengthy hiatus, it returned with ''The People's Court''. The show is a long-running arbitration-based reality, the very first of this kind. Originally, it was nontraditional as it was a reality-based member of a genre made up mostly of pretend litigation. Unlike ''Parole'', however, litigation was not captured in its most natural state. Rather, the court show draws on ordinary people who have filed grievances in civil court, but have opted to have their cases arbitrated by a retired judge in a simulated courtroom. The program's team of researchers canvasses courts across the country in search of the most compelling, unique and thought-provoking cases (though in its 1981–1993 life, the litigants were people who had filed cases solely in Los Angeles County where the show was taped). Cases would run the gamut from disputes between neighbors, family members and intimates to dissatisfied customers suing businesses. Former
Los Angeles County Los Angeles County, officially the County of Los Angeles, and sometimes abbreviated as L.A. County, is the List of the most populous counties in the United States, most populous county in the United States and in the U.S. state of California, ...
Superior Court In common law systems, a superior court is a court of general jurisdiction over civil and criminal legal cases. A superior court is "superior" in relation to a court with limited jurisdiction (see small claims court), which is restricted to civi ...
Judge Joseph Wapner presided over the series in its first life. Rarely losing his cool, Wapner addressed the litigants with respect and listened patiently as they presented their cases. He was stodgy and known for asking thoughtful questions designed to test the credibility of the testimonies. He retired from the courtroom before his verdicts to review both the facts and the law before rendering a reasoned verdict. This era of the series helmed by Joseph Wapner was cancelled after 12 seasons due to low ratings. * ''Guilty or innocent'' (Syndicated, Genesis/Colbert, 1984) A short-lived court show in which real trials were reenacted in 10 to minutes. Contestants could win up to $10,000 if they were able to reach the same verdict as the real jury. "King of Torts" Melvin Belli hosted the trial and John Shearin moderated the 10-minute deliberations. * ''On Trial'' (Syndicated, 1987–88) A short-lived unaffected reality court show, similar in format to ''Parole''. The series featured
Raymond Burr Raymond William Stacy Burr (May 21, 1917September 12, 1993) was a Canadian actor known for his lengthy Hollywood film career and his title roles in television dramas '' Perry Mason'' and '' Ironside''. Burr's early acting career included roles ...
. The show sat in on real trials in actual courtrooms that allowed cameras. Clooney adds commentary and explains legal terminology to the edited trial segments. He is also joined by an attorney who consults. ''(Not to be confused with the 1948–1952 court show of the same name).'' * '' Kids' Court'' (
Nickelodeon Nickelodeon (often shortened to Nick) is an American pay television channel which launched on April 1, 1979, as the first cable channel for children. It is run by Paramount Global through its networks division's Kids and Family Group. It ...
, 1988–94) In a case of real audience participation, "legal cases" of interest to kids who must pay for such things as a broken walkman, phone calls private, punishment for bullying, etc., are presented for judgment. The plaintiffs and defendants are picked from the 8- to 13-year-old audience, given about 15 minutes to review the particulars of their character and the facts of their case, and it is left up to them to present the most convincing case. The presiding judge is "the honorable Judge O. Meter", an applause meter in the shape of a wigged jurist. After the jury cheers its approval, whichever side has the better reading on the barometer is the victor. * '' Final Appeal: From the Files of Unsolved Mysteries'' (NBC, 1992) A short-lived spin-off court show of ''
Unsolved Mysteries ''Unsolved Mysteries'' is an American mystery documentary television show, created by John Cosgrove and Terry Dunn Meurer. Documenting cold cases and paranormal phenomena, it began as a series of seven specials, presented by Raymond Burr, Ka ...
''. Robert Stack hosted the series that, like ''Court of Last Resort'', looked at the cases of a convicted felons from both the prosecutor and defense sides. This was to determine whether or not the case should be reopened. Viewers decided if the person was entitled to an appeal. The show's slogan was "No system is perfect. Mistakes can happen." * '' Jones & Jury'' (Syndicated, Lighthearted Entertainment, 1994–1995) A short-lived, combination talk/arbitration-based reality court show presided over by former
Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
, New York Prosecutor and District Attorney
Star Jones Starlet Marie Jones (born March 24, 1962), better known as Star Jones, is an American lawyer, journalist, television personality, fashion designer, author, and women's and diversity advocate. She is best known as one of the first co-hosts on the ...
. Small claims cases from courts in southern California were tried. Audience participation set this show apart from other programs in the genre. Not only did the judge get to question the litigants but so did the audience. After Jones dispensed common sense jury instructions, the audience voted on a verdict. In the end, Jones decided who won or lost in what were legally binding decisions. The cases ran from minor to major issues, such as
credit card fraud Credit card fraud is an inclusive term for fraud committed using a payment card, such as a credit card or debit card. The purpose may be to obtain goods or services or to make payment to another account, which is controlled by a criminal. The ...
among family members. While only a short stint, the series made
Star Jones Starlet Marie Jones (born March 24, 1962), better known as Star Jones, is an American lawyer, journalist, television personality, fashion designer, author, and women's and diversity advocate. She is best known as one of the first co-hosts on the ...
the first
Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...
person to preside over a court show. ''Jones & Jury'' is also the second ever arbitration-based reality court show, only behind ''The People's Court''. On January 10, 2022, it was announced that Jones would return to the court show genre, presiding over longest-running courtroom program ''
Divorce Court ''Divorce Court'' is an American court show that revolves around settling the disputes of couples going through divorces. The show has had four separate runs, all in first-run syndication. Since the debut of the original series in 1957, it is ...
'' beginning with its 40th season in fall 2022. * ''Judge for Yourself'' (Syndicated, Buena Vista, 1994–95) This "court of public opinion" added the presence of celebrities as jury foremen/women. It was an hourlong daytime program that selected eight audience members to sit in a jury box and ponder such questions as: "Older Women With Younger Men: Is He too Young for Her?" "Sexless Marriages: Can They Work?" "Is Lisa too overweight to make it as a singer?" After listening to the witnesses, the "jury" retired to a chamber. There, under the eye of the camera, they deliberated each case. They then returned to the show's host, former Los Angeles lawyer Bill Handel, and delivered their non-binding "verdict". Viewers were also given a 900 telephone number to register their opinions into the program. At times, television personalities have taken a seat on the jury and led the deliberation process, such as
Sally Kirkland Sally Kirkland (born October 31, 1941) is an American film, television and stage actress and producer. A former member of Andy Warhol's The Factory and an active member in 1960s New York avant-garde theater, she has appeared in more than 250 fi ...
,
Charlene Tilton Charlene L. Tilton (born December 1, 1958) is an American actress and singer. She is widely known for playing Lucy Ewing, the niece of brothers J. R. Ewing and Bobby Ewing (played by Larry Hagman and Patrick Duffy), on the television ser ...
,
Zsa Zsa Gabor Zsa Zsa Gabor (, ; born Sári Gábor ; February 6, 1917 – December 18, 2016) was a Hungarian-American socialite and actress. Her sisters were actresses Eva and Magda Gabor. Gabor competed in the 1933 Miss Hungary pageant, where she ...
, Mother Love and
Jo Marie Payton Jo Marie Payton (born August 3, 1950) is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her roles as Harriette Baines Winslow on the ABC/ CBS sitcom ''Family Matters'' (1989–1998), a role she originated on its forerunner series '' Perf ...
(''
Family Matters ''Family Matters'' is an American television sitcom that debuted on ABC on September 22, 1989, and ended on May 9, 1997. However it moved to CBS, where it was shown from September 19, 1997, to July 17, 1998. A spin-off of '' Perfect Strangers, ...
''). ''(See also the television court series
Jury Duty Jury duty or jury service is service as a juror in a legal proceeding. Juror selection process The prosecutor and defense can dismiss potential jurors for various reasons, which can vary from one state to another, and they can have a specifi ...
, listed in below section).''


Modern TV court show genre (1996–present)


Arbitration-based reality court show

Far more realistic than their dramatized predecessors, arbitration-based reality versions do not use actors, scripts, improvisation or recreations. Rather, they feature litigants who have legitimately been served and filed
lawsuit - A lawsuit is a proceeding by a party or parties against another in the civil court of law. The archaic term "suit in law" is found in only a small number of laws still in effect today. The term "lawsuit" is used in reference to a civil act ...
s, presenting their cases to an adjudicator (in exchange for agreeing to appear on the show, the litigants must agree to dismiss their genuine cases
with prejudice Prejudice is a legal term with different meanings, which depend on whether it is used in criminal, civil, or common law. In legal context, "prejudice" differs from the more common use of the word and so the term has specific technical meanings. ...
). Behavior and commentary from all participants involved is self-directed as opposed to production script-directed. As such, these types of court shows fall into a subcategory of reality television. It is for these reasons that many of these particular programs make clear claims to authenticity, as text and voiceovers remind viewers that the cases, litigants, and outcomes are "real". Despite possessing certain real-life elements, however, arbitration-based reality court shows are less credible than "unaffected" reality court programs, which draw on footage from actual courtrooms holding legal proceedings to capture the legal system as naturally as possible (e.g., ''
Parole Parole (also known as provisional release or supervised release) is a form of early release of a prison inmate where the prisoner agrees to abide by certain behavioral conditions, including checking-in with their designated parole officers, or ...
'', '' On Trial''). The "judges" in arbitration-based court programs are not presiding as actual judges, but rather arbitrators or adjudicators. For one to be considered an acting judge, he/she must be operating within a court and thus bound by the rules and regulations of the legal system.
Jerry Springer Gerald Norman Springer (born February 13, 1944) is a British-American broadcaster, journalist, actor, producer, former lawyer, and politician. He hosted the tabloid talk show '' Jerry Springer'' between September 30, 1991 and July 26, 2018, an ...
noted that most attorneys can get the "special certification" required to serve as an arbitrator and host a court show with only a day's training: "if you're a lawyer, it's almost automatic unless you've killed someone." The setting in these types of court shows is not a legitimate court of law, but rather a studio set designed to look like a courtroom. In this respect, arbitrators are not legally restricted to mandatory courtroom/legal policies, procedures, and codes of conduct; rather, they can preside in ways intended for entertainment. Moreover, they have the power to act by their own standards and enforce their own rules and regulations. This power is reinforced through agreements signed by the parties prior to the case proceedings. Once waivers have been signed, arbitrators gain jurisdiction over the legal parties, and thus these litigants are bound by the rules and regulations set by the arbitrator. One study noted, "In exchange for streamlining the process (and likely sacrificing some legal rights), litigants surrender their fates to the media apparatus and experience a justice system ruled by the conventions of television drama and personality of the presiding television judge." Arbitration-based reality shows guarantee monetary relief if the judgement is won. The show pays the judgment from a fund reserved for each case, paid for by the show's advertising and syndication revenue; the defendant and plaintiff alike are both compensated with an appearance fee. In actual small claims courts, however, winning the judgement is frequently only the first step as judgments do not ensure the victor the money he/she is owed. Getting the defendant to pay his or her judgment can be taxing and courts typically do not get involved, which means it is left up to the victors to collect.


Rise of arbitration-based reality court shows

During its first 1981–93 life, ''
The People's Court ''The People's Court'' is an American arbitration-based reality court show, featuring an arbitrator handling small claims disputes in a simulated courtroom set. Within the court show genre, it is the first of all arbitration-based reality sty ...
'' with Joseph Wapner existed as a nontraditional court show, featuring real-life arbitrations in an era of dramatized court programming. It is the first "arbitration-based reality" court show to air, beginning in 1981. In addition, it is the first popular, long-running "reality" court show. Prior to the arrival of ''The People's Court'', real life elements were next to nonexistent on court shows, with the exception of a few short-lived nontraditional court shows; these precedent reality court shows, however, were only loosely related to judicial proceedings, except for one: ''
Parole Parole (also known as provisional release or supervised release) is a form of early release of a prison inmate where the prisoner agrees to abide by certain behavioral conditions, including checking-in with their designated parole officers, or ...
'' (1959), which took footage from real-life courtrooms holding legal proceedings. Since the advent of arbitration-based reality court shows by ''The People's Court'', numerous other duplicate courtroom programs have been produced. Its revolutionizing impact, however, was not immediate. After ''The People's Court's'' cancellation in 1993, a second arbitration-based reality court show surfaced the year following, '' Jones & Jury'' (1994–95). This was the only arbitration-based reality court show airing during this time and short-lived in its existence. The two other court shows in production during this time were nontraditional programs ''Kids' Court'' (1989–94) and ''Judge for Yourself'' (1994–95). In 1996, a third arbitration-based reality court show emerged, ''
Judge Judy ''Judge Judy'' is an American arbitration-based reality court show presided over by former Manhattan Family Court Judge Judith Sheindlin. The show featured Sheindlin as she adjudicated real-life small-claims disputes within a simulated courtr ...
''. Upon debuting, it was described as an "edgier" version of ''The People's Court'', adding attitude to the bench. It was only after the ratings boom of ''Judge Judy'' in the late 1990s that a slew of other arbitration-based reality court shows arrived on the scene. In fact, due to the popularity of Judy Sheindlin's show, dramatized court shows became largely a thing of the past (that is, however, until 2010 when
Entertainment Studios Entertainment Studios, Inc., also known as Allen Media Group, is an American media and entertainment company based in Los Angeles. Owned and founded in 1993 by businessman Byron Allen, the company was initially involved in the production and ...
by
Byron Allen Byron Allen Folks (born April 22, 1961) is the founder of the U.S. entertainment company Entertainment Studios which includes The Weather Channel. He is also a television producer, philanthropist, and comedian in his younger years. Notable s ...
entered the court show field, delivering a host of scripted/improvised courtroom programs). Among the influx of other reality court shows included the resurrections of the previously cancelled and defunct ''People's Court'' and ''Divorce Court'' (adopting the arbitration-based reality format of its counterparts). Following after ''Judge Judy'', most court shows began using
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show titles consisting of the judge's name, and the popularity of impersonal titles dwindled considerably. ''Judge Judy'' remained the highest rated court show for its entire 25 season run. It was the highest rated show in all of daytime television programming from 2009 to 2010 television season to its series finale June 2021. Justice David Sills noted in one opinion that "daytime television in the early 21st century has been full of 'judge shows,' where ordinary people bring a dispute for decision before a celebrity jurist." ''Divorce Court'' is the only show in the genre to have utilized both popular formats ("dramatized" and "arbitration reality") during their heyday. Moreover, of all the shows in the modern judicial genre, ''Divorce Court'' is the oldest. It has also had the most seasons in the entire genre. The series has had three lives in syndication, from 1957 to 1969 (dramatized); from 1985 to 1992 (dramatized); and currently since 1999 (arbitration-based reality). Altogether, as of the 2021–22 season, the court show has had a grand total of 42 seasons. In second place is ''The People's Court'' with 37 seasons and two lives as of the 2021–22 season. With no suspensions in its production history, ''Judge Judy'' has had the longest lasting individual life of any reality court show. The program completed its 25th and final season during the 2020-21 television season. Of the court shows currently in production, ''
Judge Mathis ''Judge Mathis'' is an American syndicated arbitration-based reality court show presided over by Judge Greg Mathis, a former judge of Michigan's 36th District Court and Black-interests motivational speaker/activist. The courtroom series premi ...
'' (23 seasons as of 2021–22) is the longest running courtroom program that hasn't survived via temporary series cancellations/revivals and multiple varying casting changes to the judge's seat.


List of present-day traditional court shows

The following court shows all follow a basic setup that represents the most widely used approach in the present-day judicial genre. Beyond the use of arbitration, other key elements include a simulated courtroom as the main
setting Setting may refer to: * A location (geography) where something is set * Set construction in theatrical scenery * Setting (narrative), the place and time in a work of narrative, especially fiction * Setting up to fail a manipulative technique to e ...
in these programs (in some of these court shows, an area just outside the courtroom is regularly used to tape litigant feedback after their case), and one to four hearings typically take up the entirety of the program. The court cases that are captured all operate in the form of
small claims court Small-claims courts have limited jurisdiction to hear civil cases between private litigants. Courts authorized to try small claims may also have other judicial functions, and go by different names in different jurisdictions. For example, it may ...
. For example, only small-scale civil matters are heard and ruled on, such as back rent, unpaid personal loans or wages, minor property damage, minor consumer complaints, etc. As another example of the small claims format, relief that is sought is money or recovery of personal property. As another example, litigation is conducted in the form of a
bench trial A bench trial is a trial by judge, as opposed to a trial by jury. The term applies most appropriately to any administrative hearing in relation to a summary offense to distinguish the type of trial. Many legal systems (Roman, Islamic) use bench ...
(as opposed to its more common counterpart, the
jury trial A jury trial, or trial by jury, is a legal proceeding in which a jury makes a decision or findings of fact. It is distinguished from a bench trial in which a judge or panel of judges makes all decisions. Jury trials are used in a signific ...
) as only the court show's arbiter may rule on the dispute. Another example, there are no lawyers present and litigants must defend themselves. An additional example, the maximum award limit is $5,000. As indicated below, the only traditional court shows still in original episodes from the 1990s or prior are ''The People's Court'' (1981) and ''Judge Mathis'' (1999), thus making ''Judge Mathis'' the longest running court show still in its first run that hasn't had any temporary production halts or recasting of the show's arbitrator. * ''
Judge Judy ''Judge Judy'' is an American arbitration-based reality court show presided over by former Manhattan Family Court Judge Judith Sheindlin. The show featured Sheindlin as she adjudicated real-life small-claims disputes within a simulated courtr ...
'' (Syndicated,
Big Ticket Entertainment Big Ticket Television, Inc. (also known as Big Ticket Entertainment and Big Ticket Pictures) is an Emmy Award-winning American production company. Big Ticket is a subsidiary of CBS Studios (formerly CBS Paramount Television and CBS Television Stud ...
,
CBS Television Distribution CBS Media Ventures, Inc. (formerly CBS Television Distribution, Inc. and CBS Paramount Domestic Television, Inc.) is an American television distribution company owned by CBS Studios, part of CBS Entertainment Group, a division of Paramount G ...
, 1996–2021) A court show presided over by former
Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...
Family Court Family courts were originally created to be a Court of Equity convened to decide matters and make orders in relation to family law, including custody of children, and could disregard certain legal requirements as long as the petitioner/plainti ...
Judge Judy Sheindlin. Sheindlin pioneered the genre's tough adjudicating approach. Big Ticket marketed the program to potential buyers as one that offered "justice with an attitude" when it entered first-run syndication in September 1996. Her reputation as being tough with a crusty and cheeky nature led to an ''L.A. Times'' article in 1993, followed by a ''
60 Minutes ''60 Minutes'' is an American television news magazine broadcast on the CBS television network. Debuting in 1968, the program was created by Don Hewitt and Bill Leonard, who chose to set it apart from other news programs by using a unique st ...
'' segment, and then her retirement in May 1996 from the bench and the television show in September of that year. Her saucy "on your best day, you're not as smart as I am on my worst day" approach quickly became popular once on television. Sheindlin's court proceedings were very controlled, matter-of-fact, less dramatic and less "
Springer Springer or springers may refer to: Publishers * Springer Science+Business Media, aka Springer International Publishing, a worldwide publishing group founded in 1842 in Germany formerly known as Springer-Verlag. ** Springer Nature, a multinationa ...
-like" than other court shows mainly due to Sheindlin's strict, no-nonsense approach. This could be exampled in Sheindlin's constant coercion of rules, as well as her coercion of the litigants to be concise and relevant. Of all the television judges, she was the only one to never use a gavel though has threatened to use it on a few occasions. Three years into her run, Sheindlin was generating US$75 million in revenue for Big Ticket. Her ratings doubled. ''Judge Judy'' dominated the genre's ratings from its series premiere to its series finale. Moreover, since before ''
The Oprah Winfrey Show ''The Oprah Winfrey Show'', often referred to as ''The Oprah Show'' or simply ''Oprah'', is an American daytime syndicated talk show that aired nationally for 25 seasons from September 8, 1986, to May 25, 2011, in Chicago, Illinois. Produced ...
'' left the air, ''Judge Judy'' was both the top-rated daytime television program and syndicated program. In the 2011–12 and 2013–14 seasons, as well as the 2014–15 season through its finale season in 2020–21, ''Judy'' was the top rated program in all of syndication. It's also worthy to note that the two court shows that outnumber ''Judge Judy''s seasons, ''Divorce Court'' and ''The People's Court'', have lasted via multiple reincarnations and shifting arbitrators. Thus, Sheindlin also has a record for being the court show genre's longest serving arbitrator, a distinction that earned her a place in the ''
Guinness World Records ''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...
'' in September 2015 during the show's 20th season. She is the first arbitrator or judge to preside over a court show for 20 seasons, and later 25 seasons. Moreover, ''Judge Judy'' holds the longest lasting individual life of any courtroom program due to the cancellation(s) of ''Divorce Court'' and ''The People's Court'' (the only 2 shows in the genre that outnumber ''Judge Judy''s seasons). The courtroom series concluded with the 25th anniversary season during the 2020-21 television season. Sheindlin, however, resumes her legal dispute handling through courtroom spin-off series '' Judy Justice''. * ''
The People's Court ''The People's Court'' is an American arbitration-based reality court show, featuring an arbitrator handling small claims disputes in a simulated courtroom set. Within the court show genre, it is the first of all arbitration-based reality sty ...
'' (Syndicated, R.C. Entertainment,
RDF Television Banijay (formerly Banijay Entertainment and later Banijay Group) is a French television production and distribution company which is the world's largest international content producer and distributor with over 120 production companies across 22 ...
, Ralph Edwards/Stu Billett Productions,
Warner Bros. Television Distribution Warner Bros. Television Studios (operating under the name Warner Bros. Television; formerly known as Warner Bros. Television Division) is an American television production and distribution studio of the Warner Bros. Television Group division of ...
, 1981–93, 1997–present) When ''The People's Court'' was revived for a 13th season some 4 years after its cancellation, it was brought back without Joseph Wapner. Rather, former lawyer and
Mayor of New York The mayor of New York City, officially Mayor of the City of New York, is head of the executive branch of the government of New York City and the chief executive of New York City. The mayor's office administers all city services, public property ...
Ed Koch Edward Irving Koch ( ; December 12, 1924February 1, 2013) was an American politician, lawyer, political commentator, film critic, and television personality. He served in the United States House of Representatives from 1969 to 1977 and was ma ...
was presiding over the program, lasting two seasons (1997–99); this was followed by former
New York Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the State of New York is the trial-level court of general jurisdiction in the New York State Unified Court System. (Its Appellate Division is also the highest intermediate appellate court.) It is vested with unlimited civ ...
Justice Jerry Sheindlin, who is the husband of Judge Judy Sheindlin, lasting for one and a half seasons (1999–00, winter 2001). Following Sheindlin, former Florida State Circuit Court Judge
Marilyn Milian Marilyn Milian (born May 1, 1961) is an American television personality, lecturer, and retired Florida Circuit Court judge. Since March 12, 2001, Milian has presided over the American courtroom television series ''The People's Court''. She is th ...
(2001–present) took over the bench and ratings on the show finally saw improvement. (Portraits of all the show's previous arbiters as well as Wapner's bailiff, Rusty Burrell, hang in the hallway where litigant interviews are held). By completion of the 2012–13 season, Milian reached seasons presiding over the series, outlasting Joseph Wapner and officially making her the longest reigning judge of ''The People's Court''. As the show's youngest and first female arbiter, Milian is very animated, at times gesticulating and motioning wildly from the bench. In addition, she often departs from the bench to interact with litigants. Milian also displays a good-natured, lively sass while interacting with the litigants; however, she is mostly noted for her soundness of judgment and levelheadedness. Milian has observed that a majority of her cases are emotionally charged for the litigants, not about the money but the principle. Connecting to its title, ''The People's Court'' returns from all of its commercial breaks with a segment in which a crowd of random people, shown outdoors, provide feedback on the ongoing case. Under Milian, the program has become the genre leader in the Daytime Emmy Award-winning arena, winning 4 times by June 2021. * '' Judge Joe Brown'' (Syndicated, Big Ticket Entertainment, CBS Television Distribution, 1998–2013) A court show produced by the same team responsible for ''Judge Judy'' and taped directly beside Sheindlin's courtroom set, within the same television studio. Brown's half-hour courtroom series dealt with small claims cases and was the second highest rated court show for its entire 15-year run, behind ''Judge Judy''. Most of the time, the cases revolved around relationships. The series consisted of a court reporter who introduced the program, provided regular updates returning from commercials, and closed out the program. The court show tended to add striking new features for each successive season, such as a season in which a system whereby the judge could poll the audience and receive their input was introduced. Brown is a retired Shelby County State
Criminal In ordinary language, a crime is an unlawful act punishable by a state or other authority. The term ''crime'' does not, in modern criminal law, have any simple and universally accepted definition,Farmer, Lindsay: "Crime, definitions of", in C ...
Court A court is any person or institution, often as a government institution, with the authority to adjudicate legal disputes between parties and carry out the administration of justice in civil, criminal, and administrative matters in acco ...
judge. For the most part, Brown had a languid and perfunctory nature about him while hearing cases, particularly while gathering all the facts and hearing the conflicting stories. Occasionally, however, once he suspected a certain party of being guilty, Brown became particularly cantankerous with them shown in his irritated, quarrelsome communication style. Brown also frequently subjected certain litigants to harsh tirades and judgmental commentary, sometimes even while up on his feet, pacing around the bench area. The harshest of his tirades were delivered to males on the series. Brown was criticized for these behaviors as "lacking self-control"; he was quoted as once roaring, ''"You get the devil out of my courtroom! That's the end of it! Case dismissed."'' * '' Judge Mills Lane'' (Syndicated,
Paramount Domestic Television Paramount Domestic Television (PDT) was the television distribution arm of American television production company Paramount Television, once the TV arm of Paramount Pictures. It was formed in 1982 originally as Paramount Domestic Television and V ...
now known as CBS Television Distribution, 1998–2001) A real-life
Nevada District Court In the Nevada state court system, the Nevada District Courts are the trial courts of general jurisdiction, where criminal, civil, family, and juvenile matters are generally resolved through arbitration, mediation, and bench or jury trials. The ...
judge for more than eight years and a professional boxing referee with more than 100 championship fights under his belt,
Mills Lane Mills Bee Lane III (November 12, 1937 – December 6, 2022) was an American boxing referee and professional boxer, a two-term Washoe County, Nevada district court judge, and television personality. Lane was best known for having officiated se ...
was supremely cut out for his TV role when the series premiered in August 1998. The court show was taped at
WPIX WPIX (channel 11) is a television station in New York City. Owned by Mission Broadcasting, it is operated under a local marketing agreement (LMA) by Nexstar Media Group, making it a ''de facto'' owned-and-operated station and flagship of ...
-TV and later at
CBS Broadcast Center The CBS Broadcast Center is a television and radio production facility located in New York City. It is CBS's main East Coast production hub, similar to CBS Studio Center in Los Angeles as the West Coast hub. The Broadcast Center is one of t ...
, both in New York City. The court show was in many respects a typical example of its genre, with Lane presiding over small-claims cases for which a $3000
jurisdiction Jurisdiction (from Latin 'law' + 'declaration') is the legal term for the legal authority granted to a legal entity to enact justice. In federations like the United States, areas of jurisdiction apply to local, state, and federal levels. J ...
al limit had been imposed. What set ''Judge Mills Lane'' apart from the rest of the courtroom shows, however, was Mills Lane himself: Although he claimed not be as "strict" as rival TV jurist Judith Sheindlin, he was nonetheless as tough and sassy as they come, sometimes even fierce and frightening presence. This was especially to home viewers, particularly at points when the camera would zoom in on the Maximum Mills mug as Lane chewed out litigants. He started out each case with his famous locution: "Let's get it on." Reportedly, whenever Lane began shaking his gavel at a plaintiff or defendant, you could be sure all "
hell In religion and folklore, hell is a location in the afterlife in which evil souls are subjected to punitive suffering, most often through torture, as eternal punishment after death. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hell ...
" was going to break loose. On more than one occasion, the bailiff would be forced to clear the courtroom in the roughneck manner of a nightclub bouncer. Lane would sometimes let loose with so rapid verbal barrage that no one knew what he was talking about but they knew he was mad. Ratings for ''Judge Mills Lane'' were never anything to brag about however. Despite this, the series managed to hang around for three years; reportedly, the only reason it was cancelled was because viewers were "repelled by the new season three theme song". * ''
Judge Mathis ''Judge Mathis'' is an American syndicated arbitration-based reality court show presided over by Judge Greg Mathis, a former judge of Michigan's 36th District Court and Black-interests motivational speaker/activist. The courtroom series premi ...
'' (Syndicated,
Telepictures Productions Telepictures (also known as Telepictures Productions; formerly known as Telepictures Distribution and Telepictures Corporation) is an American television show and filmmaking company, currently operating as a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Television ...
, Syndicated Productions, Warner Bros. Television Distribution, 1999–present) a court show with an uncustomary longevity and still in production, currently the longest running court show still in production that hasn't survived through temporary cancellations/revivals and varying arbitrators. The court show is described as bringing a unique perspective. ''Judge Mathis'' is a daily, hour-long, ''
NAACP Image Award The NAACP Image Awards is an annual awards ceremony presented by the U.S.-based National Association for the Advancement of Colored People ( NAACP) to honor outstanding performances in film, television, theatre, music, and literature. Similar to ...
'' winning, Daytime Emmy Award-winning program. The show's star, former
Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and t ...
Superior Court In common law systems, a superior court is a court of general jurisdiction over civil and criminal legal cases. A superior court is "superior" in relation to a court with limited jurisdiction (see small claims court), which is restricted to civi ...
and
civil rights activist Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations, and private individuals. They ensure one's entitlement to participate in the civil and political life of ...
Judge
Greg Mathis Gregory Ellis Mathis (born April 5, 1960), known professionally as Judge Mathis, is a former Michigan 36th District Court judge, television court show arbitrator, author, television producer, and Black interests motivational speaker/activist. ...
is the longest reigning
African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
court show judge as of the 2014–15 season (the show's 16th). Moreover, he is the second longest serving arbitrator in the court show genre, just behind Judith Sheindlin. His program also holds a record of having the second longest individual life of any court show and reached 20 seasons in September 2018, a rarity for court programs. Early on in the series, Mathis highlighted his troubled youth turned success story through his theme song as a way of motivating and inspiring his audiences (especially youth audiences) to believe that there is no adversity they cannot pick themselves up from. It is from his background that Mathis derives much of his courtroom formula. Up-close and personal in approach, ''Judge Mathis'' prompts litigants to recount their case as far as intimate and emotional details go, before getting into what's directly pertinent to the lawsuit. In this manner, cases on ''Judge Mathis'' tend to be deeper and more revealing than those of most other court shows. Having a mixture of comedy and sternness about him, Mathis is as fun-filled and humorous as he is lecturing and shaming towards wrong choices and misconduct. When he's not expressing his resentment over wrongful actions, his courtroom audience is regularly heard in fits of laughter. Mathis sometimes even banters directly at audience members. Mathis has also been noted to shift between formal and informal speaking styles during his cases, as examples, having wisecracked, ''"Y'all out here having catfights, tryin' to become jailbirds,"'' and ''"Don't nobody know what choo' did. Shoot! Choo' just didn't get caught."'' * ''
Judge Hatchett ''Judge Hatchett'' is an American arbitration-based reality court show, produced and distributed by Sony Pictures Television. The series premiered on September 4, 2000 and ran for eight seasons until its cancellation on May 23, 2008. It was Sony ...
'' (Syndicated,
Sony Television Sony Television, Sony TV, or Sony HD may refer to any of the following television-related products from Japanese conglomerate Sony: * Television sets designed and manufactured by Sony Corporation in Japan ** Trinitron, television hardware brand (196 ...
, 2000–08) A court show that delivered a diverse mix of family court,
juvenile court A juvenile court, also known as young offender's court or children's court, is a tribunal having special authority to pass judgements for crimes that are committed by children who have not attained the age of majority. In most modern lega ...
and unusual small claims cases. Each case on the show was explored in-depth, which often brought forth hidden, unpredictable angles that cut to the heart of the conflict. What distinguished the series apart from other shows in the genre was its trademark " intervention segments". These were creative sentences handed out by the arbitrator to help litigants understand the implications of their actions and learn how to better handle problems. These reality-check experiences were shot on location around the country from the waters in New York's harbor to the streets of Los Angeles's
inner city The term ''inner city'' has been used, especially in the United States, as a euphemism for majority-minority lower-income residential districts that often refer to rundown neighborhoods, in a downtown or city centre area. Sociologists some ...
and offer guidance that can be blunt, confrontational, enriching or motivational. The cornerstone of the series was retired
Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...
State Court
Chief Judge A chief judge (also known as presiding judge, president judge or principal judge) is the highest-ranking or most senior member of a lower court or circuit court with more than one judge. According to the Federal judiciary of the United States, th ...
Glenda Hatchett. Hatchett started out on the program as a gentle and compassionate jurist before later becoming a scurrilous and scalding disciplinarian. Hatchett came up with her innovative sentencing approach during her years as head of one of the country's largest juvenile court systems. * '' Curtis Court'' (Syndicated,
King World Productions King World Productions, Inc. (also known as King World Entertainment, King World Enterprises, or simply King World) was a production company and syndicator of television programming in the United States independently established in 1964 until acq ...
, 2000–01) A court show presided over by James Curtis. Curtis, a former California prosecutor, ran his TV court with a kinder, gentler hand than those of his competitors. Although a traditional court show, the series stood out for its use of expert witnesses, single-trial episodes, and on-location examinations of
evidence Evidence for a proposition is what supports this proposition. It is usually understood as an indication that the supported proposition is true. What role evidence plays and how it is conceived varies from field to field. In epistemology, evidenc ...
. The program was shot in New York and used pending cases from that area. Uniquely, Curtis acknowledged himself as an arbitrator as opposed to a judge. He was known for looking beyond the result to find the source of the problem. After the cancellation of Curtis Court, he became an anchor on
Court TV Court TV is an American digital broadcast network and former cable television channel. It was originally launched in 1991 with a focus on crime-themed programs such as true crime documentary series, legal analysis talk shows, and live news cov ...
. * ''
Texas Justice ''Texas Justice'' is a syndicated American arbitration-based reality court show. In the program, cases were run by former Houston attorney Larry Joe Doherty, and the program was recorded at the studios of Fox station KRIV (Channel 26) in Hou ...
'' (Syndicated,
Fox Broadcasting Company The Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly known simply as Fox and stylized in all caps as FOX, is an American commercial broadcast television network owned by Fox Corporation and headquartered in New York City, with master control operations ...
, 2001–05) A court show that dispensed
Texas Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...
-style justice.
Larry Joe Doherty Larry Joe Doherty or LJD (born July 29, 1946) is a Texas legal ethics attorney and former television star of the syndicated courtroom show ''Texas Justice''. He was the Democratic candidate for the 10th Congressional District of Texas in 200 ...
ran the series as arbitrator. Doherty is a senior partner with
Houston Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 ...
's Doherty & Wagner and a former Houston attorney. He earned his
Juris Doctor The Juris Doctor (J.D. or JD), also known as Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D., JD, D.Jur., or DJur), is a graduate-entry professional degree in law and one of several Doctor of Law degrees. The J.D. is the standard degree obtained to practice l ...
from the
University of Houston The University of Houston (UH) is a Public university, public research university in Houston, Texas. Founded in 1927, UH is a member of the University of Houston System and the List of universities in Texas by enrollment, university in Texas ...
in 1970 and was licensed by the Supreme Court of Texas that same year. ''"I want to educate the public that there is a way to get your disputes resolved quickly,"'' Doherty said of his courtroom debut. ''"I'm going to try and dispense broad justice without harshness or hostility."'' The program focused on a cross-section of relationship and general dispute cases from the
Southern Southern may refer to: Businesses * China Southern Airlines, airline based in Guangzhou, China * Southern Airways, defunct US airline * Southern Air, air cargo transportation company based in Norwalk, Connecticut, US * Southern Airways Express, M ...
and
Southwestern The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A compass rose is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—each sep ...
regions of the country. Living up to the court show's title, the program's look, music and style evoked a country rural presence and
cowboy A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the '' vaqu ...
atmosphere. To boot, Doherty had an innate country
drawl A drawl is a perceived feature of some varieties of spoken English and generally indicates slower, longer vowel sounds and diphthongs. The drawl is often perceived as a method of speaking more slowly and may be erroneously attributed to laziness ...
and a
Walker, Texas Ranger ''Walker, Texas Ranger'' is an American action crime television series created by Leslie Greif and Paul Haggis. It was inspired by the film '' Lone Wolf McQuade'', with both this series and that film starring Chuck Norris as a member of the ...
like aura about him. As arbitrator of the series, Doherty was both criticized and praised as being "folksy". He has also been criticized for making "smart aleck wisecracks" on the series. Doherty addressed litigants by their first names and ran a "rowdy" courtroom with audience members hooting, hollering, laughing, sighing, and groaning. In addition, the multitude of camera shots on the program's eye-rolling baliff, William Bowers, was also criticized. * '' Judge Alex'' (Syndicated,
20th Television 20th Television (formerly 20th Century Fox Television, 20th Century-Fox Television, and TCF Television Productions, Inc.) is an American television production company that is a division of Disney Television Studios, part of The Walt Disney Comp ...
, 2005–2014) A court show presided by former police officer, attorney, and Florida Circuit Court Judge Alex E. Ferrer. When Ferrer took the job as television arbitrator, he not only became the second Hispanic arbiter on
English-language English is a West Germanic language of the Indo-European language family, with its earliest forms spoken by the inhabitants of early medieval England. It is named after the Angles, one of the ancient Germanic peoples that migrated to the i ...
television (Marilyn Milian of ''The People's Court'', who's also a
Cuban American Cuban Americans ( es, cubanoestadounidenses or ''cubanoamericanos'') are Americans who trace their cultural heritage to Cuba regardless of phenotype or ethnic origin. The word may refer to someone born in the United States of Cuban descent or ...
, is the first) but the first and thus far only former police officer to preside over a court show. At 19, Ferrer became
Miami-Dade County Miami-Dade County is a county located in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Florida. The county had a population of 2,701,767 as of the 2020 census, making it the most populous county in Florida and the seventh-most populous county in ...
's youngest police officer when he was hired by the city of Coral Gables. At 24, he graduated from the
University of Miami The University of Miami (UM, UMiami, Miami, U of M, and The U) is a private research university in Coral Gables, Florida. , the university enrolled 19,096 students in 12 colleges and schools across nearly 350 academic majors and programs, i ...
with a law degree and left the police force to practice law. At 34, he was elected judge, making him the youngest circuit court judge in the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court, where he oversaw family and criminal cases. While Ferrer handled cases that ranged from armed robberies to
kidnapping In criminal law, kidnapping is the unlawful confinement of a person against their will, often including transportation/asportation. The asportation and abduction element is typically but not necessarily conducted by means of force or fear: the p ...
s and first-degree murders, his cases on ''Judge Alex'' are described as far tamer, entertaining, and by the arbiter himself as oftentimes "bizarre". Every three weeks, he taped 10 cases per day over three days in Houston, where the show was based (once ''Texas Justice'' was cancelled, its courtroom set and
theme song Theme music is a musical composition that is often written specifically for radio programming, television shows, video games, or films and is usually played during the title sequence, opening credits, closing credits, and in some instances at ...
was used for ''Judge Alex''); Ferrer then flew back to his home in Miami, where he lives with his wife and two children. According to ''
Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'' magazine, ''Judge Alex'' averaged 3 million viewers per week. Personable and sensible with a sense of humor, Ferrer is less harsh and vocal than some of his judicial counterparts, though he does keep a firm control over his courtroom and does not tolerate misconduct. The arbiter had been characterized as "
handsome Handsome may refer to: *Physical attractiveness *Human physical appearance Music *Handsome (band), an American rock band Albums *Handsome (EP), ''Handsome'' (EP), 1989 EP by American band Tar *Handsome (Handsome album), ''Handsome'' (Handsome al ...
" and given to telling it like it is. Ferrer's rulings were often prefaced by his explanation of the law at hand to his audience. * ''
Cristina's Court Cristina Perez (born October 27, 1964) is an American actress, television personality, writer and TV judge. Biography She was born in New York City, raised in California to parents of Colombian descent, received two BAs at UCLA and her JD ...
'' (Syndicated, 20th Television, 2006–2009) Cristina Pérez had hosted the very popular court show, ''La Corte de Familia'' (Family Court), for
Telemundo Telemundo (; formerly NetSpan) is an American Spanish-language terrestrial television network owned by NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises, a division of NBCUniversal, which in turn is owned by Comcast. It provides content nationally with pr ...
prior to ''Cristina's Court''. The former lawyer was marketed as the first TV judge to ever cross over from the
Spanish-language Spanish ( or , Castilian) is a Romance language of the Indo-European language family that evolved from colloquial Latin spoken on the Iberian peninsula. Today, it is a global language with more than 500 million native speakers, mainly in the Am ...
to English-language market. ''Cristina's Court'' focused on both small claims cases, conflicts, and legal arguments between families, couples, friends, business partners, and co-workers. Pérez's decisions were injected with her own morals and family values. The series was not only the first in the genre to win a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Legal/Courtroom Program but the only court show to win the prize more than once, winning three consecutive years in a row, one of those years even after the show's cancellation. According to the ''Syndicated Network Television Association'', Perez ranked as the second most trustworthy and influential host in syndication among adults 18–34, ranking just behind
Oprah Winfrey Oprah Gail Winfrey (; born Orpah Gail Winfrey; January 29, 1954), or simply Oprah, is an American talk show host, television producer, actress, author, and philanthropist. She is best known for her talk show, ''The Oprah Winfrey Show'', b ...
. * '' Judge Maria Lopez'' (Syndicated,
Sony Pictures Television Sony Pictures Television Inc. (abbreviated as SPT) is an American television production and distribution studio. Based at the Sony Pictures Studios complex in Culver City, it is a division of Sony Entertainment's unit Sony Pictures Entertainme ...
, 2006–08) Like her contemporary, Judge Alex Ferrer, Maria Lopez is a
refugee A refugee, conventionally speaking, is a displaced person who has crossed national borders and who cannot or is unwilling to return home due to well-founded fear of persecution.
of Castro's
Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribb ...
, arriving in the US at the age of 8 and learning to speak fluent English within three months. In 1988, Lopez became the first Latina appointed to the
Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut Massachusett_writing_systems.html" ;"title="nowiki/> məhswatʃəwiːsət.html" ;"title="Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət">Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət'' En ...
bench and two years later, the first person of Latin origin on the state's Supreme Court. Lopez was forced to resign the bench for refusing to apologize for alleged
judicial misconduct Judicial misconduct occurs when a judge acts in ways that are considered unethical or otherwise violate the judge's obligations of impartial conduct. Actions that can be classified as judicial misconduct include: conduct prejudicial to the effect ...
after convicting a
transgender A transgender (often abbreviated as trans) person is someone whose gender identity or gender expression does not correspond with their sex assigned at birth. Many transgender people experience dysphoria, which they seek to alleviate through ...
defendant of
sexual assault Sexual assault is an act in which one intentionally sexually touches another person without that person's consent, or coerces or physically forces a person to engage in a sexual act against their will. It is a form of sexual violence, which ...
. Her show used the same production staff responsible for the long-running ''Judge Hatchett.'' "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the courtroom!" was Judge Lopez' motto, and it must have struck a chord with viewers: within a month of its debut, ''Judge Maria Lopez'' was earning higher ratings than any other new syndicated offering. The series was unable to sustain this early momentum and was cancelled after only two seasons. * '' Judge David Young'' (Syndication, Sony Pictures Television, 2007–09) A court show presided over by retired Miami-Dade County Judge David Young, the first openly gay television "judge". Playing off this fact, much of the arbitrator's behavior was comically
camp Camp may refer to: Outdoor accommodation and recreation * Campsite or campground, a recreational outdoor sleeping and eating site * a temporary settlement for nomads * Camp, a term used in New England, Northern Ontario and New Brunswick to descri ...
as he dealt out such warnings as "There's only one
queen Queen or QUEEN may refer to: Monarchy * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom ** List of queens regnant * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mother ...
in this courtroom and that's me," and "You go ''girl."'' In fact, the show's tagline was "Justice with a snap" as the judge regularly finger-snapped the litigants upon his making of sassy remarks. Young was criticized for this behavior as perpetuating gay stereotypes. However, he insisted that he was intending to be a role model for
LGBT ' is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use since the 1990s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for sexuality and gender identity. The LGBT term ...
youth. Zany and full of courtroom antics, David Young would randomly break out into
show tune A show tune is a song originally written as part of the score of a work of musical theatre or musical film, especially if the piece in question has become a standard, more or less detached in most people's minds from the original context. T ...
s during the hearings and was rarely very serious on the bench. In regards to his courtroom antics, Young described himself as merging his two dream jobs of theater and the law and never being able to get away with the behavior he got away with in his television courtroom in a real-life courtroom. He had a strong and playful chemistry with his bailiff Tawya Young who shared his last name but had no relation to him. * '' Judge Jeanine Pirro'' (
CW Network CW may stand for: Science and technology * centiwatt (cW), one hundredth of a watt * Cω, a programming language * CW complex, a type of topological space * Carrier wave, in radio communications * CodeWarrior, an integrated development environm ...
, 2008–09, syndication, 2010–11, Telepictures/Warner Bros.) A court show that was later shortened to ''Judge Pirro'' by the 2nd season. The daily, 60-minute series was taped in Chicago and headed by former
District Attorney In the United States, a district attorney (DA), county attorney, state's attorney, prosecuting attorney, commonwealth's attorney, or state attorney is the chief prosecutor and/or chief law enforcement officer representing a U.S. state in a ...
and judge of
Westchester County, New York Westchester County is located in the U.S. state of New York. It is the seventh most populous county in the State of New York and the most populous north of New York City. According to the 2020 United States Census, the county had a population ...
,
Jeanine Pirro Jeanine Ferris Pirro (born June 2, 1951) is an American television host, author, and a former New York State judge, prosecutor, and politician. Pirro was the host of Fox News Channel's ''Justice with Judge Jeanine'' until 2022 when she became ...
. Pirro had risen to TV prominence as a legal commentator for the
Fox News Channel The Fox News Channel, abbreviated FNC, commonly known as Fox News, and stylized in all caps, is an American multinational conservative cable news television channel based in New York City. It is owned by Fox News Media, which itself is ...
and was the
Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
nominee for New York Attorney General in 2006. Most of the court show's small claims cases were lurid, many of the litigants coming off like Jerry Springer rejects. Pirro's many years on the bench, specializing in
domestic abuse Domestic violence (also known as domestic abuse or family violence) is violence or other abuse that occurs in a domestic setting, such as in a marriage or cohabitation. ''Domestic violence'' is often used as a synonym for '' intimate partne ...
and sex-offense cases, did not seem to prepare her for the shocking revelations made in her television courtroom. In fact, the first episode was a rape case, leaving the judge dumbstruck. Pirro spent much of her time on the show shouting "Let's back up a minute!" as litigants popped out one surprise after another. According to an analysis of court shows, the series came off as contrived and the judge's responses sounded rehearsed. And at times, it appeared as though Pirro's responses had been taped separately, rather than during the actual testimony (the producers however insisted that show was totally unrehearsed). * '' Family Court with Judge Penny'' (Syndicated, Program Partners/Sony Pictures Television, 2008–09) Retired
Fulton County, Georgia Fulton County is located in the north-central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 1,066,710, making it the state's most-populous county and its only one with over one million inha ...
Judge Penny Brown Reynolds was discovered by TV producers after she was shown on ''
Dr. Phil Phillip Calvin McGraw (born September 1, 1950), better known as Dr. Phil, is an American television personality and author best known for hosting the talk show '' Dr. Phil''. He holds a doctorate in clinical psychology, though he ceased rene ...
''. Reynolds was one of four daughters raised in hardship and poverty in a tough
New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
neighborhood by a single mother. She never met her father and grew up watching her mother violently abused by her boyfriends. Reynolds soon became a single mother herself and the patterns in her mother's life began repeating themselves in her own life as well. These circumstances inspired her to enter law where she earned three degrees, all with honors. When Hollywood came a calling, Reynolds was in the middle of her
seminary A seminary, school of theology, theological seminary, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called ''seminarians'') in scripture, theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as clergy ...
studies where she was earning her
Master of Divinity For graduate-level theological institutions, the Master of Divinity (MDiv, ''magister divinitatis'' in Latin) is the first professional degree of the pastoral profession in North America. It is the most common academic degree in seminaries and di ...
degree. She told TV producers any future show would have to wait until she finished seminary. The cases on the court show involved matters that affected families, from husbands vs. wives to parents suing children. A more sentimental and deeper installment of the court shows, ''Family Court with Judge Penny'' was promoted as a show that took the viewer past resolving a lawsuit but to the hearts of the matters, repairing and mending broken families and relationships. Acting as more of a psychologist, Reynolds possessed a soulful, tenderhearted, nurturing, and empowering nature. * '' Judge Karen'' (Syndicated, Sony Pictures Television, 2008–09) Karen Mills-Francis hailed from the same Miami, Florida, jurisdiction as fellow television arbitrator David Young. In fact, it was David Young who recommended Mills-Francis to his court show producer as the next rising judicial star. In 2000, Karen was appointed administrative judge in
Miami-Dade County Miami-Dade County is a county located in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Florida. The county had a population of 2,701,767 as of the 2020 census, making it the most populous county in Florida and the seventh-most populous county in ...
. She is also a
foster mother Foster care is a system in which a minor has been placed into a ward, group home (residential child care community, treatment center, etc.), or private home of a state-certified caregiver, referred to as a "foster parent" or with a family me ...
and former
public defender A public defender is a lawyer appointed to represent people who otherwise cannot reasonably afford to hire a lawyer to defend themselves in a trial. Several countries provide people with public defenders, including the UK, Hungary and Singapore, ...
of underprivileged adults and minors. Few court shows could lay claim to being as colorful as ''Judge Karen''. As examples, the show intro consisted of Mills-Francis remarking ''"Justice isn't always black and white"''; the arbiter is black with blonde hair; the arbiter wore a burgundy
court dress Court dress comprises the style of clothes and other attire prescribed for members of courts of law. Depending on the country and jurisdiction's traditions, members of the court ( judges, magistrates, and so on) may wear formal robes, gowns ...
; and the arbiter sat before a light purple backdrop. Moreover, ''Judge Karen'' introduced several innovations to the court show genre, such as witnesses being sequestered until summoned (so as to prevent witnesses from simply playing off the
testimony In law and in religion, testimony is a solemn attestation as to the truth of a matter. Etymology The words "testimony" and "testify" both derive from the Latin word ''testis'', referring to the notion of a disinterested third-party witness. ...
of their comrade), litigants cross-examining the witnesses, etc. Several of the cases brought before Mills-Francis allowed her to plead the cause of children's rights. On the program, Mills-Francis was known for her heartfelt caring, as well as her humorous and catchy sass, often delivered in the form of homilies such as "God protects babies and fools—and you're no baby." And whenever a litigant took to behaviors Karen found objectionable, she was quick to deliver saucy scoldings, such as "Stay in your lane—I can drive." * ''
Swift Justice with Jackie Glass ''Swift Justice with Jackie Glass'' (also known simply as ''Swift Justice'' and previously known as ''Swift Justice with Nancy Grace'') is an American arbitration-based reality court show that was first hosted by HLN host and former Fulton County ...
'' (Syndicated, CBS Television Distribution, 2010–12) A court show originally known as ''Swift Justice with Nancy Grace'', it captured HLN host and former
Fulton County, Georgia Fulton County is located in the north-central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 1,066,710, making it the state's most-populous county and its only one with over one million inha ...
prosecutor Nancy Grace resolving small claims disputes. The show debuted with strong ratings. Unlike other court shows, Grace did not don a court dress and operated without the use of a
gavel A gavel is a small ceremonial mallet commonly made of hardwood, typically fashioned with a handle. It can be used to call for attention or to punctuate rulings and proclamations and is a symbol of the authority and right to act officially in the ...
and bailiff. Moreover, the show had its arbitrator stand behind a glass podium, Grace adding to this by roaming about the studio. Grace was known for her fast rulings without allowing the litigants a word in edgewise, reportedly leading to several lawsuits against the program by its litigants. After the first season, Grace amicably bowed out of the series due to CBS' decision to move production from
Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,7 ...
(where Grace lives) to Los Angeles. After this, Jackie Glass (former Nevada Eighth District Court/ Clark County judge, who sentenced former NFL star O. J. Simpson for armed robbery and kidnapping in 2008) took over as arbitrator of the series. The court show used technology,
polygraph A polygraph, often incorrectly referred to as a lie detector test, is a device or procedure that measures and records several physiological indicators such as blood pressure, pulse, respiration, and skin conductivity while a person is asked ...
testing, and expert witness to help the arbitrator in settling disputes. The series was not renewed for another season under Glass, cancelled due to low ratings. * ''Judge Karen's Court'' (Syndicated,
Litton Entertainment The Hearst Media Production Group (formerly Litton Syndications and Litton Entertainment) is an American media and production company based in New York City, New York as a division of the Hearst Television subsidiary of Hearst Communications, with ...
, 2010–2011) In Karen Mills-Francis' return to the judicial genre after the cancellation of her previous courtroom series, she was promoted as not having lost any amount of pizzazz or razzle-dazzle. In fact, upon returning to the genre, she snapped, ''"Ya'll thought I had left the bench for good. Ha! I was on vacation."'' Promoted as razor sharp with plenty of style, Karen's compassion and catchy sass from her previous court show were highlighted in promotions for her second courtroom series: ''"I can run a circle around you faster than you realized I started drawing a circle."'' In keeping with the arbitrator's trademarked innovativeness, ''Judge Karen's Court'' also introduced new elements, such as "You Be The Judge": A segment in which gadgets are used by the courtroom audience to weigh in on who they think should win the case just before Mills-Francis' ruling. In spite of promotions to colorfulness, however, her second series courtroom and overall look was much duller and drearier than her previous courtroom. Mills-Francis' second try was unfortunately unsuccessful and the series was cancelled after only one season, despite reports of renewal for a second season. * '' L'Arbitre'' ( V television network, 2011–present) A French language court show adjudicated by Canadian and former
family law Family law (also called matrimonial law or the law of domestic relations) is an area of the law that deals with family matters and domestic relations. Overview Subjects that commonly fall under a nation's body of family law include: * Marriage ...
lawyer Anne-France Goldwater. Goldwater is renowned for helping legalize
same-sex marriage in Canada Same-sex marriage in Canada was progressively introduced in several provinces by court decisions beginning in 2003 before being legally recognized nationwide with the enactment of the ''Civil Marriage Act'' on July 20, 2005. On June 10, 2003, th ...
. Promoted as
Quebec Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirte ...
's version of ''Judge Judy'', Goldwater is noted for a humorously rough and abrasive manner and rapid wit on the bench. Goldwater is, however, critical of ''Judge Judy'', stating ''"I love Judy Sheindlin, but I don't like the direct insults to people. My job is not to sit there and be disdainful and say 'You fool. What are you doing here.'"'' The show features petty small claims disputes, such as couples arguing over who gets the big screen TV and neighbors with broken fence issues. Beyond the entertainment value, Goldwater has stated one of her goals is to show people how to resolve petty issues and squabbles without resorting to overburdening the legal system. * ''
Judge Rinder ''Judge Rinder'' is a British arbitration-based reality court show that has been on air on ITV since 11 August 2014. The show depicts Robert Rinder as an arbitrator overseeing civil cases. Rinder began his career in criminal law in 2003. ...
'' ( ITV,
ITV Studios ITV Studios is a British multinational television production and distribution company owned by the British television broadcaster ITV plc. It handles production and distribution of programmes broadcast on the ITV network and third-party broadca ...
, 2014–present) An hour-long
British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...
reality court show that has aired since August 11, 2014, it stars the criminal barrister Robert Rinder as the arbitrator. Rinder oversees cases about disputes on a variety of different issues in his small claims courtroom. Issues have involved everything from money and pets to issues involving serious relationship breakdowns and conflicts over wills. By the end of Rinder's first season (or "series" as it is worded in British English), Rinder had already earned the title of "Daytime King" for racking up high ratings. Filmed in Manchester, Judge Rinder has been lauded for his entertainment value as well as engaging the British audiences with their own legal system, bringing small court proceedings into popular culture. Explained Rinder, "The show has triggered discussion about the legal issues we can be faced with, across the board. You may have a consumer rights issue – ‘can I take this back? What are my rights against the company?’ Or I lent money to a friend and now I need it back. Or I’ve got a deadbeat ex-husband and how do I get him to pay the child support he owes?’ Then there's personal injury, contracts; just about everything." * '' Judge Faith'' ( The Torante Company, Trifecta Entertainment & Media, 2014–2018) A court show that features
Faith Jenkins Faith Elizabeth Lattimore ( Jenkins; born September 21, 1977) is an American attorney, legal commentator and media personality. On March 11, 2014, she joined MSNBC as a legal analyst. Currently, she is presiding judge over the long-running courtr ...
, a former New York City Prosecutor and legal analyst for MSNBC as the judge. * ''
Judge Romesh ''Judge Romesh'' is a British comedy television show broadcast on Dave. It features Romesh Ranganathan settling disputes in a fictional civil court. The show is unscripted, and the claimant and defendant are generally members of the public, alt ...
'' (
Dave (TV Channel) Dave is a British free-to-air television channel owned by UKTV, a subsidiary of BBC Studios. It broadcasts mainly comedy, with some factual programming. The channel took the name Dave on 15 October 2007, but it had been on air under various id ...
,
Hungry Bear Media Hungry Bear Media is a British television production company founded in 2014 by Dan Baldwin and Juliet Denison-Gay. History In 2014, Hungry Bear Media was founded by television executive Dan Baldwin and television executive Juliet Denison-Gay. ...
, 2018–2019) is a comedy court show hosted by
Romesh Ranganathan Jonathan Romesh Ranganathan (born 27 March 1978), is an English actor and comedian. He is known for his deadpan and often self-deprecating comedy. Ranganathan has made numerous appearances on television comedy panel shows, and in 2016 he co-p ...
. * ''
Judge Jerry ''Judge Jerry'' is an American arbitration-based reality court show presided over by Jerry Springer, who previously hosted ''Jerry Springer'' from 1991 to 2018. The series began its run in first-run syndication on September 9, 2019, and was dist ...
'' (
NBCUniversal Television Distribution NBCUniversal Syndication Studios (a.k.a. NUSS), formerly known as NBCUniversal Television Distribution (a.k.a. NUTD), Universal Domestic Television, Studios USA Television Distribution and MCA TV, is the television syndication division of NBCUniv ...
, 2019–present) NBCUniveral, which has historically syndicated tabloid talk shows but had never distributed an arbitration court show, will enter the genre with ''Judge Jerry''. It will replace the long-running tabloid talk show ''
Jerry Springer Gerald Norman Springer (born February 13, 1944) is a British-American broadcaster, journalist, actor, producer, former lawyer, and politician. He hosted the tabloid talk show '' Jerry Springer'' between September 30, 1991 and July 26, 2018, an ...
'' and share its host, former
Mayor of Cincinnati The Mayor of Cincinnati is recognised as the official head and representative of the city for all purposes. There have been seventy-six mayors of Cincinnati, the first of which being David Ziegler in 1802. The current mayor is Aftab Pureval, w ...
and media personality
Jerry Springer Gerald Norman Springer (born February 13, 1944) is a British-American broadcaster, journalist, actor, producer, former lawyer, and politician. He hosted the tabloid talk show '' Jerry Springer'' between September 30, 1991 and July 26, 2018, an ...
. * '' Chrissy's Court'' (
Quibi Quibi ( ) was a short-lived American short-form streaming platform that generated content for viewing on mobile devices. It was founded in Los Angeles in August 2018 as NewTV by Jeffrey Katzenberg and was led by Meg Whitman, its CEO. The serv ...
, 2020) Model
Chrissy Teigen Christine Diane Teigen (born November 30, 1985) is an American model and television personality. She made her professional modeling debut in the annual ''Sports Illustrated'' Swimsuit Issue in 2010 and later appeared on the 50th anniversary co ...
will oversee this upcoming arbitration court show produced exclusively for mobile device audiences. Teigen's mother, "Pepper Thai," will serve as bailiff. The show is being billed as a comedy but will operate within the same format as non-comedic arbitration court shows. * ''
Relative Justice ''Relative Justice'' is an American arbitration-based reality court show presided over by Texas, California, and New York State licensed attorney Judge Rhonda Wills. ''Relative Justice'' is produced by Wrigley Media Group, in association with ...
'' (Syndicated, Wrigley Media Group, Bloom 'N Apple Entertainment, 2021–present) a court show presided over by Texas, California, and New York State Licensed Attorney Judge Rhonda Wills. *'' Judy Justice'' ( Streamed, IMDb TV which was retitled
Amazon Freevee Amazon Freevee is an American ad-supported video-on-demand (VOD) streaming service owned by Amazon, with original and licensed programming. History Amazon Freevee launched as a free, ad-supported video channel by the Amazon-owned online data ...
,
Amazon Studios Amazon Studios is an American television and film producer and distributor that is a subsidiary of Amazon. It specializes in developing television series and distributing and producing films. It was started in late 2010. Content is distributed th ...
, Sox Entertainment, 2021–present) A
spin-off Spin-off may refer to: *Spin-off (media), a media work derived from an existing work *Corporate spin-off, a type of corporate action that forms a new company or entity * Government spin-off, civilian goods which are the result of military or gov ...
of the successful, top Nielsen-rated courtroom series ''
Judge Judy ''Judge Judy'' is an American arbitration-based reality court show presided over by former Manhattan Family Court Judge Judith Sheindlin. The show featured Sheindlin as she adjudicated real-life small-claims disputes within a simulated courtr ...
'', this courtroom strip brings back famed television jurist
Judith Sheindlin Judith Susan Sheindlin (''née'' Blum; born October 21, 1942), known professionally as Judge Judy, is an American court show arbitrator, media personality, television producer, author, women's advancement philanthropist and former prosecutor an ...
as she presides over arbitration-based legal proceedings. During its preproduction stages, Sheindlin promised not to change up her trademarked crusty demeanor and tough style, bringing the same judicial approach that made ''Judge Judy'' a success. Sheindlin was identified in the media as toning down her no-nonsense instruction for briskness, concision and relevancy, instead prying and inquiring for litigants to expand into decorative detail. The spin-off was advertised as a "more hip" rendition of Judge Judy and presents from a courtroom set similar to the former, but notably more modern and upscale. In a move unprecedented for the standard court show, the series is the first to air new episodes from a streaming service. In a move pioneered by the albeit short-lived series '' Judge Karen'', Sheindlin is also absent of the traditionally black judicial robe that she presided in on ''Judge Judy'', replacing this with a
burgundy Burgundy (; french: link=no, Bourgogne ) is a historical territory and former administrative region and province of east-central France. The province was once home to the Dukes of Burgundy from the early 11th until the late 15th century. The ...
colored robe. Leading into the series premiere, ''Judy Justice'' was met with heavily publicized and widespread criticism centrally over the absence of ''Judge Judy'' program
Bailiff Byrd Petri Hawkins-Byrd (born Petri Adonis Byrd; November 29, 1957 in Brooklyn, New York), better known as Bailiff Byrd or simply Byrd, is an American court show bailiff, television personality, social media personality, actor, voice actor, writer, ...
, and shortly thereafter, a lack of differentiation from ''Judge Judy''. The media slammed the program as not having its own identity, rather existing as a pale imitation of Sheindlin's ''Judge Judy''. The series was also heavily critiqued for the move to air through a streaming service–and what was slammed as an unpopular streaming service (IMDb TV) at that–as opposed to first-run syndication like ''Judge Judy''. In October into November 2021, Byrd addressed the sharpest criticisms against the program, which related to his absence: he issued public statements to the media that indicated that he was not at all communicated with about the spin-off series by Sheindlin throughout the entire 25th season of ''Judge Judy.'' In July 2021 by the completion of ''Judge Judy'', Byrd reached out to Sheindlin to inquire if he would have a position in the spin-off program, which she addressed as negative for salary reasons. Byrd expressed to feelings of dismay, as according to him never had the opportunity to negotiate a lower salary. Ultimately, Byrd wished Sheindlin well and expressed gratitude to her for opportunities. Following season 1 of ''Judy Justice'', it was announced that Byrd would be holding the role of bailiff for another court show produced by Sheindlin that is currently in development and to be streamed on Amazon Freevee as well. The court show, entitled ''Tribunal'', will be presided over by now former '' Hot Bench'' judges, Tanya Acker and
Patricia DiMango Patricia Mafalda DiMango (born May 19, 1953) is a retired American justice of the Supreme Court of Kings County, New York and television personality. DiMango recently starred as one of three judges along with Judge Tanya Acker, Judge Michael Corri ...
, along with Sheindlin's son, former
district attorney In the United States, a district attorney (DA), county attorney, state's attorney, prosecuting attorney, commonwealth's attorney, or state attorney is the chief prosecutor and/or chief law enforcement officer representing a U.S. state in a ...
Adam Levy Adam Levy is a jazz guitarist who was a member of Norah Jones's band. Career Levy was born in Encino, California. Two of his uncles and one cousin played guitar, and his mother briefly took lessons. His grandfather, George Wyle, worked for ' ...
. By the conclusion of season 1, it was reported that ''Judy Justice'' had set a record for number of streaming hours viewed on Amazon Freevee, and was thus granted a second season, which began on November 7, 2022. * '' Judge Steve Harvey'' ( ABC,
Walt Disney Television Disney General Entertainment Content, doing business as Walt Disney Television, is an American entertainment company that oversees television content and assets owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company. Forming the company's General Enter ...
, Den of Thieves, 2022–present) an arbitration-based comedy courtroom
limited-run series In television programming, a limited-run series (or simply limited series) is a program with an end date and limit to the number of episodes. For instance, The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences' definition specifies a "program with two or mo ...
presided over by
Steve Harvey Broderick Stephen Harvey Sr. Also aired August 16, 2015. (born January 17, 1957) is an American television host, producer, actor, and comedian. He hosts '' The Steve Harvey Morning Show'', '' Family Feud'', ''Celebrity Family Feud,'' the Miss ...
. Atypical to most courtroom programs, the show airs in
prime time Prime time or the peak time is the block of broadcast programming taking place during the middle of the evening for a television show. It is mostly targeted towards adults (and sometimes families). It is used by the major television networks to ...
as opposed to daytime. Also atypical to most court show programming, Harvey does not have a judgeship or jurisprudence background nor does he hold any legal licenses, boasting in the show's title sequence how he is without need of any of this to resolve disputes. Rather, the court show is billed on Harvey using "good old commonsense" to resolve small-claim disputes, big-claim disputes, and everything in between. In January 2022, Harvey revealed during a guest appearance on ''
Jimmy Kimmel Live! ''Jimmy Kimmel Live!'' is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, broadcast on ABC. The nightly hour-long show debuted on January 26, 2003, at Hollywood Masonic Temple in Hollywood, California, as part of ABC's ...
'' that he has been formally chastised by ABC executives for insulting language towards the show's litigants, referring to one in particular as "stupid" during the course of the proceedings. In sharing this news, Harvey objected to
political correctness ''Political correctness'' (adjectivally: ''politically correct''; commonly abbreviated ''PC'') is a term used to describe language, policies, or measures that are intended to avoid offense or disadvantage to members of particular groups in socie ...
and
cancel culture Cancel culture, or rarely also known as call-out culture, is a phrase contemporary to the late 2010s and early 2020s used to refer to a form of ostracism in which someone is thrust out of social or professional circles—whether it be online, o ...
, complaining that celebrities can't say anything any longer.


List of present-day nontraditional court shows

As with the original court programming era, the modern era has seen a wide variety of unconventional court shows. These are shows that do not take the typical format and procedure of most of the shows within today's judicial genre. For the most part, court shows mimic the average bench trial in small claims court, tackling miscellaneous civil matters. Unconventional court shows, on the other hand, have their own, very distinct twist that separates them dynamically from traditional courtroom programs and each other as well. Among the list of nontraditional court shows that have been produced include: To date, the only court show that is currently on the air since before the 2000s is ''Divorce Court'' (1957), the court show genre's longest running program. * ''
Science Court ''Science Court'' (retitled ''Squigglevision'' in 1998) is an educational entertainment, animation/ non-traditional court show from Tom Snyder Productions, which was aired on ABC's Disney's One Saturday Morning block from 1997 to 2000. The cart ...
'' (ABC, 1997–2000) An animated court series that was renamed "Squigglevision" in 1998. The animation mixed in courtroom drama and used the slogan: ''"Where science is law, and scientific thinking rules."'' In the court where Judge Stone (
Paula Poundstone Paula Poundstone (born December 29, 1959) is an American stand-up comedian, author, actor, interviewer, and commentator. Beginning in the late 1980s, she performed a series of one-hour HBO comedy specials. She provided backstage commentary durin ...
) presides, expert witnesses and courtroom demonstrations show such concepts as condensation and evaporation. Along with court stenographer Fred (
Fred Stoller Fred Stoller (born March 19, 1958) is an American actor, stand-up comedian and author. He is best known for portraying Gerard on '' Everybody Loves Raymond''. He is also the voice of Stanley in the ''Open Season'' series, Fred the Squirrel in ...
), who is hard of hearing (thus the need to repeat concepts) and a science reporter, Jen Betters, who serves as the audience's courtroom commentator, the regulars include: lawyers Doug Savage, who argues for the plaintiff and never wins, and attorney Allison Krempel. Krempel always has her facts straight because she is advised by science teacher Professor Parsons. As for using the courtroom setting, the creators explained that it came from the televised O.J. Simpson trial where children and adults learned more about how the nation's public justice system works than from any civics course in school. * ''Judge and Jury'' (
MSNBC MSNBC (originally the Microsoft National Broadcasting Company) is an American news-based pay television cable channel. It is owned by NBCUniversala subsidiary of Comcast. Headquartered in New York City, it provides news coverage and political ...
, 1998–99) The hourlong daily program featured "legal teams" debating the pros and cons of various civil and criminal cases, as well as broader legal issues. The "court" is run by former L. A. Prosecutor-turned Municipal and Superior Court Judge Burton Katz. No verdict was returned. During his 13 years in the D.A.'s office, he worked on many high-profile criminal cases, including the
Manson Manson is a surname of Scottish origin.''Manson'' in the Dictionary of American Family Names, Oxford University Press, p.508 It is an Anglicised version of the Scandinavian name Magnusson, meaning son of Magnus, and a Sept of Clan Gunn. It is part ...
case. After serving on the bench, he turned to legal commentary for radio and television during the Simpson trial, and hosted. * '' Judge Wapner's Animal Court'' (
Animal Planet Animal Planet (stylized in all lowercase since 2018) is an American multinational pay television channel owned by the Warner Bros. Discovery Networks unit of Warner Bros. Discovery. First established on June 1, 1996, the network is primarily ...
, 1998–2000) A short-lived arbitration-based reality court spin-off that brought forth the return of Joseph Wapner to the judicial genre. By the time of this return, it had been five years since his previous stint on ''The People's Court''. ''Judge Wapner's Animal Court'' presented cases that revolved around animals. The animals in question were present in the courtroom during the proceedings. Cases ranged from personal injury to paternity, from malpractice to
emotional distress In medicine, distress is an aversive state in which a person is unable to completely adapt to stressors and their resulting stress and shows maladaptive behaviors. It can be evident in the presence of various phenomena, such as inappropriate so ...
, and from negligence to rightful custody. * '' The Blame Game'' (
MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
, 1999–2001) A court/game show that reunited ex-boyfriends and jilted girlfriends in a mock courtroom run by Judge Chris Reed. There, with the help of Counselors Kara McNamara and Jason Winer, they unleash insults and fret about embarrassing intimacies, bad habits and incendiary incidents that doomed their coupling. An audience that does not know them decides which person is responsible for the breakup. The winner gets a free trip to Cancun. * ''
Divorce Court ''Divorce Court'' is an American court show that revolves around settling the disputes of couples going through divorces. The show has had four separate runs, all in first-run syndication. Since the debut of the original series in 1957, it is ...
'' (Syndicated,
20th Television 20th Television (formerly 20th Century Fox Television, 20th Century-Fox Television, and TCF Television Productions, Inc.) is an American television production company that is a division of Disney Television Studios, part of The Walt Disney Comp ...
, 1957–62, 1967–69, 1985–92, 1999–present) The show's 4th incarnation highlights former real-life couples who've previously filed for divorce, arguing their cases out before the show's arbiter. The arbiter resolves issues such as unpaid bills, medical claims, division of property, etc. The arbiter's ruling typically takes into consideration whose behavior was reprehensible or at least most reprehensible over the course of the marriage, instigating the divorce to occur. In some cases, however, the arbiter may withhold judgment to give the couple ample time to consider reconciliation. Occasionally, the show revisits an episode where time to explore reconciliation was offered to determine whether the delay remedied or worsened the marriage. While judgements may be small, tempers and resentment between the couples on the show are often ablaze. Former Los Angeles Prosecuting Attorney Mablean Ephriam first presided over this reincarnation of ''Divorce Court'' for 7 years, from the 1999–00 season through the 2005–06 season. Her tenure with the program came to an unexpected end over a failure to come to terms in contract negotiations for what would have been her 8th season. As one of the terms of a renewal contract for her to return for an 8th season, the network forbade Ephriam from changing her hairstyle, reasoning that any alternate hairstyles from her were too time-consuming. Stated Ephriam, "When will FOX and the rest of America accept our cultural differences as
African Americans African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
and embrace us with all of our different hairstyles, hair textures, hair color." In addition, production adamantly refused to update Ephriam's salary in order to match her counterparts in the court show genre. During her 7 years on the program, Ephriam was known for her quirky voice, and reactions of amusement and appall over accounts of outrageous behavior by the show's litigants. Retired
Cleveland Heights Cleveland Heights is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States, and one of Cleveland's historical streetcar suburbs. The city's population was 45,312 at the 2020 census. As of the 2010 census, Cleveland Heights was ranked the 8th largest ...
Municipal Court Judge
Lynn Toler Lynn Candace Toler (born October 25, 1959) is an American lawyer, judge, television arbitrator (judge), and television presenter. Toler is best known for her role as former arbitrator over longest-running courtroom television series, ''Divorce ...
(also of the court show ''
Power of Attorney A power of attorney (POA) or letter of attorney is a written authorization to represent or act on another's behalf in private affairs (which may be financial or regarding health and welfare), business, or some other legal matter. The person auth ...
'') succeeded Ephriam, beginning with the show's 8th season (2006–07) and lasting through its 21st season (2019–20). By the 2013–14 season, Toler outlasted Ephriam on the program for her 8th year presiding over ''Divorce Court''. Toler's 14-year stint on the program is the longest judgeship to date for the series as a whole. In her own exit from the program, Toler cited discontentment and objection over what she perceived as hostile behaviors and poor management decisions coming from production. For example, Toler disfavored the move to set up shop in Atlanta for what would end up being her final season, the show relocating from Los Angeles. Another point of contention, Toler disfavored the show's adjusted courtroom used for her final season, a set design she felt to be a far too nontraditional and not reflecting the average American courtroom. Having a distinctive voice in her own right, Toler was known for her strident timbre while presiding. Level-headed and consultative, Toler imparted counsel, words of wisdom, and an effort to talk sense into the show's outrageous litigants.
Faith Jenkins Faith Elizabeth Lattimore ( Jenkins; born September 21, 1977) is an American attorney, legal commentator and media personality. On March 11, 2014, she joined MSNBC as a legal analyst. Currently, she is presiding judge over the long-running courtr ...
(of the previously cancelled and short-lived court show '' Judge Faith'') succeeded Toler in presiding over the program by the 2020-21 television season. On January 10, 2022, it was announced that former '' The View'' Co-Host, Prosecutor, and District Attorney
Star Jones Starlet Marie Jones (born March 24, 1962), better known as Star Jones, is an American lawyer, journalist, television personality, fashion designer, author, and women's and diversity advocate. She is best known as one of the first co-hosts on the ...
would be replacing Jenkins as arbiter of the series for its milestone 40th season, beginning in fall 2022. It will be Jones's return to the court show genre, having previously presided over the 1994-95 court show '' Jones & Jury''. Albeit short-lived, her stint on ''Jones & Jury'' makes her the first Black person to preside over a court show and the first female to preside over arbitration-based reality courtroom programming in particular. * ''
Arrest & Trial ''Arrest & Trial'' is an American, syndicated nontraditional court show which follows individual criminal cases (commission, police investigation, and actual trial) via a combination of reenactments and real trial footage. Episodes run for 30 ...
'' (
USA Network USA Network (simply USA) is an American basic cable television channel owned by the NBCUniversal Television and Streaming division of Comcast's NBCUniversal through NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment. It was originally launched in 1977 as Madi ...
, 2000–01) a multifaceted court show hosted by
Brian Dennehy Brian Manion Dennehy (; July 9, 1938 – April 15, 2020) was an American actor of stage, television, and film. He won two Tony Awards, an Olivier Award, and a Golden Globe, and received six Primetime Emmy Award nominations. Dennehy had roles i ...
. The show followed famous criminal cases from arrest through trial. Producer
Dick Wolf Richard Anthony Wolf (born December 20, 1946) is an American film and television producer, best known for his ''Law & Order'' franchise. Since 1990, the franchise has included six police/courtroom dramas and four international spinoffs. He is al ...
says that it is unabashedly pro-police and pro-prosecutor. It blends dramatizations with news footage and interviews with the investigators and prosecutors who made the case. * '' Moral Court'' (Syndicated, Stu Billett Production Inc., Warner Bros. Television Distribution, 2000–2001) A short-lived courtroom program in which rulings reflected the principles of right and wrong, with the judge (
Larry Elder Laurence Allen Elder (born April 27, 1952) is an American right-wing political commentator and conservative talk radio host. Elder hosts ''The Larry Elder Show'', based in California. The show began as a local program on Los Angeles radio stat ...
) assessing the case from an ethical standpoint as opposed to a legal standpoint. If the "judge" found one of the parties to be simply wrong, he'd award the other party a $500 cash prize; if he found one of the parties to be guilty of a serious moral wrong, he termed it "offensive" and awarded the other party a $1,000 cash prize; if he found one of the parties to be guilty of an extreme wrong, however, he termed it "outrageous" and awarded the other party the maximum judgment of a $2,000 cash prize (the maximum award limit in most court shows is $5,000). Not only was the format unconventional in this manner (i.e. parties were referred to as the "accuser" and the "accused", rather than the plaintiff and the defendant), but the judge also stood in a booth before the litigants as opposed to sitting on a bench. Examples of cases on the program included: "There is No
Santa Claus Santa Claus, also known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, or simply Santa, is a legendary figure originating in Western Christian culture who is said to bring children gifts during the late evening and overnigh ...
" – a mother wants to tell her child that there is a Santa Claus, but daddy says that's lying; "Naked Neighbor Sunbather" – a man objects to naked sunbathing by the woman next door; etc. * ''The Prosecutors: In Pursuit of Justice'' (
Discovery Channel Discovery Channel (known as The Discovery Channel from 1985 to 1995, and often referred to as simply Discovery) is an American cable channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav. , Discovery Chan ...
, 2000–01) A dramatized court show, featuring a combination of trial recreation and interviews with the principals told from the prosecutors' point of view. The first regular segment told the story of
Kenneth McDuff Kenneth Allen McDuff (March 21, 1946 – November 17, 1998) was an American serial killer. He was convicted in 1966 of murdering 16-year-old Edna Sullivan, her boyfriend, 17-year-old Robert Brand, and Brand's cousin, 15-year-old Mark Dunnam, ...
, a man convicted for murder, sentenced to death, paroled, and then arrested and convicted for several other murders, and finally executed in 1998. The 13-part series was done by the same group, New Dominion Pictures, that did Discovery's highest rated series, The New Detectives and The FBI Files. * ''
Power of Attorney A power of attorney (POA) or letter of attorney is a written authorization to represent or act on another's behalf in private affairs (which may be financial or regarding health and welfare), business, or some other legal matter. The person auth ...
'' (Syndicated, 20th Century Fox, 2000–02) A short-lived court show featuring various high-profile attorneys, arguing cases for litigants in front of
Andrew Napolitano Andrew Peter Napolitano (born June 6, 1950) is an American syndicated columnist whose work appears in numerous publications, including ''The Washington Times'' and ''Reason''. He was an analyst for Fox News, commenting on legal news and trials. ...
and later Lynn Toler (also of ''Divorce Court''). The emphasis in this show is on the defense attorney, not the judge's personality. * '' Celebrity Justice'' (Syndicated, Harvey Levin Productions, 2002–2005) A combined court/entertainment news show that covers the current, breaking news legal issues of celebrities. Along with criminal matters, the focus is also on topics such as real estate lawsuits and deal-making. The series features recurring segments, such as "You Be the Judge," where viewers hear legal arguments in a mock trial, then vote online as an interactive jury panel to decide on the case. The show explores whether or not celebrities have been treated fairly within the justice system. One of the show's executive producers is Harvey Levin (also of '' TMZ'' and reporter on ''The People's Court''). * ''
Crime & Punishment ''Crime & Punishment'' is a 2002 reality television, nontraditional court show spin-off of the ''Law & Order'' franchise. It premiered on NBC on June 16, 2002, and ran through the summers of 2002, 2003, and 2004. The show was produced by Bill Gu ...
'' (NBC, 2002–04) An hour-long, drama-documentary reality court show. This non-scripted series offered viewers a look at real-life prosecutors as they prepare for and try cases. Edited to have the look and feel of a primetime drama series, Crime & Punishment chronicles actual cases brought to trial by the San Diego District Attorney's office, giving viewers an eyewitness look into the criminal justice system. The cases range from the rape to murder. * ''State v.'' (ABC, 2002) A special order from the Arizona Supreme Court gave ''State v.'' total access to a series of homicide cases in
Maricopa County Maricopa County is in the south-central part of the U.S. state of Arizona. As of the 2020 census, the population was 4,420,568, making it the state's most populous county, and the fourth-most populous in the United States. It contains about ...
. For each case,
ABC News ABC News is the news division of the American broadcast network ABC. Its flagship program is the daily evening newscast '' ABC World News Tonight with David Muir''; other programs include morning news-talk show '' Good Morning America'', '' ...
' cameras followed the preparation by both sides, even private conversations between defense lawyers and clients. Since each segment allowed only one hour per case, it included only selected takes from the trials. Cameras were actually allowed inside the jury room to record deliberations in a first time event, although several days is edited down to only a few minutes. Perhaps one of the most telling things about this series was the depiction of how jurors think. * ''We, The Jury'' (Syndicated, Chambers Productions, Sand in My Pants Inc., Telco Productions, 2002–03) Unlike other syndicated courtroom shows which saw the judge handling disputes in the form of a
bench trial A bench trial is a trial by judge, as opposed to a trial by jury. The term applies most appropriately to any administrative hearing in relation to a summary offense to distinguish the type of trial. Many legal systems (Roman, Islamic) use bench ...
, the short-lived ''We the Jury'' lived up to its title by taking its cameras into the jury room. Each episode featured an actual court case reenacted by professional performers for the purposes of drama and economy. The jurors were genuine, their decisions binding—even if they differed from the decisions made in the real case. In this respect, the court show simultaneously shared both reality-based and fictitious aspects. * ''
Eye for an Eye "An eye for an eye" ( hbo, עַיִן תַּחַת עַיִן, ) is a commandment found in the Book of Exodus 21:23–27 expressing the principle of reciprocal justice measure for measure. The principle exists also in Babylonian law. In Roman c ...
'' (Syndicated, Atlas Worldwide Syndications and National Lampoon, Inc., 2003–09) An outrageous and fictitious court show, ''Eye for an Eye'' was a nontraditional spectacle of trial and punishment. The daily, half-hour, syndicated courtroom show broke ground and took small claims court to places unseen since the
Spanish Inquisition The Tribunal of the Holy Office of the Inquisition ( es, Tribunal del Santo Oficio de la Inquisición), commonly known as the Spanish Inquisition ( es, Inquisición española), was established in 1478 by the Catholic Monarchs, King Ferdinand ...
. Unlike any other courtroom television program, "Eye for an Eye" hosted the zany, outlandish, and harshly teasing Judge " Extreme Akim" (who outside of television was personal injury attorney Akim "The Strongarm" Anastopoulo) sentencing his litigants to draconian and unorthodox paybacks. These payback segments featured: the "guilty" party's car being run over by a bulldozer; an employer, who taunted overweight employees, wearing a
fatsuit A fatsuit, also known as a fat suit or a fat-suit, is a bodysuit-like undergarment used to thicken the appearance of an actress or actor of light to medium build into an overweight or obese character, in conjunction with prosthetic makeup. Fatsui ...
; the feeding of worms to two people arguing over ownership of a bird; making a wife abuser act as a punching dummy for a women's self-defense class; etc. The bailiff was played by former boxing champ Sugar Ray Phillips and the second co-host was
Kato Kaelin Brian Gerard Kaelin (born March 9, 1959), known as Kato Kaelin, is an American actor and radio and television personality, who was a witness in the O. J. Simpson murder case. Early life and education Kaelin was born on March 9, 1959, in Milwau ...
. Lasting a total of five seasons, the tumultuous series is an example of fictitious courtroom show's inability to survive for very long in the present day. * ''Style Court'' ( E! network, 2003–2004)
The Style Network Esquire Network was an American pay television network that was a 50/50 joint venture between NBCUniversal and the Hearst Corporation. The network carried programs aimed at a metrosexual audience centering on travel, cooking, sports and fas ...
, sister network to E TV, produces ''Style Court'', on which people haul their friends, neighbors and co-workers into court before style expert Judge Henry Roth. These defendants were tried for alleged crimes of fashion, trend misdemeanors and other style infractions. The judge hears the evidence, consults the jury, and hands down a verdict of guilty (makeover) or not guilty (no makeover). The series features Doug Llewelyn (former host of "The People's Court") as commentator. * ''
The Law Firm ''The Law Firm'' is an American reality competition series which aired on NBC from July 28, 2005, until August 4, 2005. It features up-and-coming lawyer A lawyer is a person who practices law. The role of a lawyer varies greatly across dif ...
'' (NBC, 2005) A reality court show featuring real lawyers, real cases, and real consequences. Trial attorney and legal analyst Roy Black managed 12 actual lawyers, competing against each other while trying real court cases with judges and juries. This process resulted in outcomes that were final, legal and binding. Each week, one legal eagle was eliminated until only one remained. Cases ranged from
First Amendment First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1). First or 1st may also refer to: *World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement Arts and media Music * 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and reco ...
issues to neighbor disputes to wrongful death. Distinguished judges decided some of the cases, while a jury determines the others. In the end, the top attorney won a prize of $250,000. * ''
The Verdict ''The Verdict'' is a 1982 American legal drama film directed by Sidney Lumet and written by David Mamet, adapted from Barry Reed's 1980 novel of the same name. It stars Paul Newman, Charlotte Rampling, Jack Warden, James Mason, Milo O'Shea, an ...
'' (BBC, RDF Media, 2007) twelve celebrities form the jury in a fictional case. * ''
Jury Duty Jury duty or jury service is service as a juror in a legal proceeding. Juror selection process The prosecutor and defense can dismiss potential jurors for various reasons, which can vary from one state to another, and they can have a specifi ...
'' (Syndicated, Radar Entertainment, 2007–09) As with ''We, The Jury'', ''Jury Duty'' is a short-lived court show that used a jury trial format as opposed the typical bench trial format adopted in most court shows. To boot, only celebrities were used as the jurors. Hearing the cases as arbitrator was American criminal defense lawyer Bruce Cutler. ''(See also the television court series
Judge for Yourself A judge is a person who wiktionary:preside, presides over court proceedings, either alone or as a part of a Judicial panel, panel of judges. A judge hears all the witnesses and any other Evidence (law), evidence presented by the barristers or s ...
, listed in above section).'' * ''Speeders Fight Back'' (
TruTV TruTV (stylized as truTV) is an American basic cable channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The channel primarily broadcasts comedy, docusoaps and reality shows. The channel was originally launched in 1991 as Court TV, a network that ...
network, 2008–09) is both dependent on and spun off from the reality legal series '' Speeders'', which was also aired on TruTV. ''Speeders Fight Back'' is a program that saw offending motorists from the ''Speeders'' program challenge the officers that pulled them over in court. Said individuals used visual aids, alibis, emotional and offbeat excuses to get out of their traffic tickets. ''(See also the television court series Traffic Court, listed in above section).'' * '' Street Court'' (Syndicated, Litton Entertainment, 2009–10) A short-lived court show which took litigation outside of the courtroom. Former attorney
Michael Mazzariello Michael Mazzariello (Born May 11, 1951)(also known as Judge Mazz) is an attorney and television personality known for his syndicated courtroom show Street Court where he makes rulings at the scene of the dispute. He also has been featured as a ...
heard and ruled on cases at the scene of the dispute. * '' America's Court with Judge Ross'' (Syndicated,
Entertainment Studios Entertainment Studios, Inc., also known as Allen Media Group, is an American media and entertainment company based in Los Angeles. Owned and founded in 1993 by businessman Byron Allen, the company was initially involved in the production and ...
2010–present) A court show presided over by producer, communications strategist, and former California
Superior Court In common law systems, a superior court is a court of general jurisdiction over civil and criminal legal cases. A superior court is "superior" in relation to a court with limited jurisdiction (see small claims court), which is restricted to civi ...
judge Kevin A. Ross. Ross is described as showing litigants how to responsibly deal with disputes and understand the consequences of their actions. As with the genre's original court shows, cases on ''America's Court'' are performed by actors. At the end of each episode of the program, a standard disclaimer is shown that reads "All characters displayed are fictional and any resemblance to actual persons is coincidental." This is also the case with successor court shows also produced by Entertainment Studios, ''Justice for All'', ''We the People'', ''Supreme Justice with Judge Karen'', ''Justice with Judge Mablean'', and ''The Verdict with Judge Hatchett''. * ''
Last Shot with Judge Gunn ''Last Shot with Judge Gunn'' is an American reality-based nontraditional court show that debuted in syndication on September 26, 2011. The series is presented by Mary Ann Gunn and distributed by Trifecta Entertainment, with Peter Brennan, Matt ...
'' (Syndicated, Trifecta Entertainment & Media, 2011–13) A reality-based drug court show adjudicated by former
Fayetteville, Arkansas Fayetteville () is the second-largest city in Arkansas, the county seat of Washington County, and the biggest city in Northwest Arkansas. The city is on the outskirts of the Boston Mountains, deep within the Ozarks. Known as Washington unt ...
Circuit court Judge Mary Ann Gunn. In 2012, the court show won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Legal/Courtroom Program after only its first season. To date, this is the earliest into production that any court show has received a Daytime Emmy Award. It is also the first nontraditional court program to receive a Daytime Emmy. In 2013 the show received a second Emmy nod, but lost to fellow nominee and audience favorite
Judge Judy ''Judge Judy'' is an American arbitration-based reality court show presided over by former Manhattan Family Court Judge Judith Sheindlin. The show featured Sheindlin as she adjudicated real-life small-claims disputes within a simulated courtr ...
. The series is based on Gunn's work as a former real-life drug court judge and is filmed in her old courtroom, located inside the historic Washington County courthouse. Because of the court show's setting in an actual courtroom, Gunn can be referred to as an actual judge on her program unlike other court show stars in the genre. The series provides drug offenders an alternative to prison and one last shot. The controversial series has come under fire by numerous real-life drug courts and support groups, its many detractors believing its contrary to the drug court model for such a serious system to be influenced by entertainment and TV ratings and insults the integrity of real-life drug courts in the public eye. * ''
We the People The Preamble to the United States Constitution, beginning with the words We the People, is a brief introductory statement of the Constitution's fundamental purposes and guiding principles. Courts have referred to it as reliable evidence o ...
'' (Syndicated, Entertainment Studios, 2011–2013) (originally ''We the People with Gloria Allred'' and in an upcoming series revival slated for 2022 ''We the People with Judge Lauren Lake'') As with its predecessor ''America's Court'' and its successor ''Justice for All'' (both produced by Entertainment Studios as well), ''We the People'' is a staged court show. The court show initially starred American lawyer
Gloria Allred Gloria Rachel Allred ( Bloom; born July 3, 1941) is an American attorney known for taking high-profile and often controversial cases, particularly those involving the protection of women's rights. She has been inducted into the National Women's ...
playing the role of a judge before its cancellation after 2 seasons. The show is set for a 2022 series revival under the judgeship of
Lauren Lake Lauren Laniece Lake (Born July 12, 1969) is an American family lawyer, television judge, and talk show presenter. Lake has performed in guest hosting and news anchoring positions for various talk shows and reality legal programs. In much of h ...
, the former arbitrator of '' Lauren Lake's Paternity Court''. During Allred's judgeship over the series, no real money exchanged hands and non-union actors were hired to recreate real-life court cases. Producers sometimes pulled audience members on the spot to play the role of litigants. Reportedly, producers had to scream out names of the parties when the actor-litigants forgot them, causing Ms. Allred to break down in laughter. Allred was criticized for her acting abilities herself and her treatment of male "litigants" on the program. * '' Justice for All with Judge Cristina Pérez'' (Syndicated, Entertainment Studios, 2012–present) As with Entertainment Studios' two other court programs, ''America's Court'' and ''We the People'', ''Justice for All'' is also a fictionalized court series as stated by the show's standard disclaimer. This is shown at the end in small print. The program brings forth the return of Cristina Pérez to the judicial genre, two years after the cancellation of her previous courtroom series to low ratings. ''Justice for All'' is the first bilingual television series, produced in both English and Spanish. Her promoters have described her as appealing to audiences everywhere. Pérez adjudicates in a much larger, far more striking and imposing courtroom than on her previous series. In its early going, however, the series has suffered similar ratings as ''Cristina's Court.'' * '' Lauren Lake's Paternity Court'' (Syndicated, MGM Domestic Television Distribution and 79th and York Entertainment, 2013–2020), which originated as simply ''Paternity Court'', is an unconventional series and tabloid talk/court show hybrid. The show is presided over by
Lauren Lake Lauren Laniece Lake (Born July 12, 1969) is an American family lawyer, television judge, and talk show presenter. Lake has performed in guest hosting and news anchoring positions for various talk shows and reality legal programs. In much of h ...
. While the show's title is ''Paternity Court'', it also looked into other situations that use DNA confirmation, such as disputes over wills. According to John Bryan, president of MGM Domestic Television Distribution, inspiration for the show came from '' Maury'': a tabloid talk show well known for paternity cases. Added Bryan, "We also looked at what the most popular genre is in daytime and that's court. This show hits a sweet spot in daytime. Court has obviously proved itself and shows about paternity have proved themselves." * ''Supreme Justice with Judge Karen'' (Syndicated, Entertainment Studios, 2013–present) This courtroom series is Entertainment Studios's 4th court show, ''Supreme Justice with Judge Karen.'' The show stars Karen Mills-Francis, who starred as judge in the previously cancelled short-lived predecessors: '' Judge Karen'' (produced by
Sony Pictures Television Sony Pictures Television Inc. (abbreviated as SPT) is an American television production and distribution studio. Based at the Sony Pictures Studios complex in Culver City, it is a division of Sony Entertainment's unit Sony Pictures Entertainme ...
) and ''Judge Karen's Court'' (produced by
Litton Entertainment The Hearst Media Production Group (formerly Litton Syndications and Litton Entertainment) is an American media and production company based in New York City, New York as a division of the Hearst Television subsidiary of Hearst Communications, with ...
), respectively. As with Entertainment Studios's other fictionalized courtroom shows (''America's Court'', ''We the People'', and ''Justice for All'') ''Supreme Justice'' is likewise fictionalized. *''Justice with Judge Mablean'' (Syndicated, Entertainment Studios, 2014–present) Hosted by Mablean Ephriam in her second presidency over a television courtroom (after her tenure on ''Divorce Court''), ''Justice'' is a fictionalized court show in the vein of the syndicator's other offerings. *'' Hot Bench'' (Syndicated, Big Ticket Entertainment, Queen Bee Productions, CBS Television Distribution, 2014–present) In January 2014, it was announced that
Judge Judy ''Judge Judy'' is an American arbitration-based reality court show presided over by former Manhattan Family Court Judge Judith Sheindlin. The show featured Sheindlin as she adjudicated real-life small-claims disputes within a simulated courtr ...
would produce a new court show she created titled '' Hot Bench'', that premiered in fall 2014. It features:
Patricia DiMango Patricia Mafalda DiMango (born May 19, 1953) is a retired American justice of the Supreme Court of Kings County, New York and television personality. DiMango recently starred as one of three judges along with Judge Tanya Acker, Judge Michael Corri ...
, a New York State Supreme Court Justice from Brooklyn, and two LA attorneys; Tanya Acker; and Larry Bakman, presiding over small claims cases pulled from all over the country. The idea for a three judge panel arose from Judy Sheindlin's trip to
Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George's Channel. Ireland is the s ...
. Stated Sheindlin, ''“When my husband Jerry and I were in Ireland recently, we visited the courts and watched a three-judge bench, which I found both fascinating and compelling. I immediately thought what a terrific and unique idea for a television program that brings the court genre to the next level.”'' *'' The Trial: A Murder in the Family'' (Dragonfly, Channel 4) *''
The High Court with Doug Benson ''The High Court with Doug Benson'' was an American comedy and arbitration-based reality court show presided over by comedian Doug Benson. ''The High Court with Doug Benson'' premiered on Comedy Central on February 28, 2017. In each episode Bens ...
'' ( Comedy Central, 2017–present) A comedic show that is presided over by Doug Benson, while he is under the influence of
cannabis ''Cannabis'' () is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae. The number of species within the genus is disputed. Three species may be recognized: '' Cannabis sativa'', '' C. indica'', and '' C. ruderalis''. Alternative ...
. All of the cases featured are real and Benson's rulings are real and legally binding. *''Couple's Court with the Cutlers'' (Syndicated,
Orion Television Orion () may refer to: Common meanings * Orion (constellation), named after the mythical hunter * Orion (mythology), a hunter in Greek mythology * Orion (spacecraft), NASA crew vehicle first launched in 2022 Arts and media Fictional en ...
, 2017–present) This court show, presided over by married law firm partners Keith and Dana Cutler specializes in cases of
adultery Adultery (from Latin ''adulterium'') is extramarital sex that is considered objectionable on social, religious, moral, or legal grounds. Although the sexual activities that constitute adultery vary, as well as the social, religious, and legal ...
. Litigants on ''Couples Court'' present evidence to the Cutlers, usually involving electronic communications and surveillance, to confirm or disprove an affair. *''Caught in Providence'' (Syndicated,
Debmar-Mercury Debmar-Mercury is a television syndication company. A wholly-owned subsidiary of Lionsgate, it was formed from a merger of Debmar Studios and Mercury Entertainment in 2006. History Debmar Studios Debmar-Mercury's history begins on October 31, ...
, 2018–2021; Law & Crime Network/ Facebook Watch, 2020–present) This series, while it made its national debut in 2018, originated in
Providence, Rhode Island Providence is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. One of the oldest cities in New England, it was founded in 1636 by Roger Williams, a Reformed Baptist theologian and religious exile from the Massachusetts ...
as a local show in the 1990s, where it aired on
public-access television Public-access television is traditionally a form of non-commercial mass media where the general public can create content television programming which is narrowcast through cable television specialty channels. Public-access television was creat ...
, then on
WLNE-TV WLNE-TV (channel 6) is a television station licensed to New Bedford, Massachusetts, United States, serving as the ABC affiliate for the Providence, Rhode Island area. The station is owned by Standard Media, and maintains studios in the Orms ...
. The series features real-life minor criminal offenses and traffic violations brought before Judge
Frank Caprio Francesco "Frank" Caprio (born November 24, 1936) is an American jurist and politician who served as the chief municipal judge in Providence, Rhode Island, and chairman of the Rhode Island Board of Governors for Higher Education. His judicial wo ...
, whose brother Joseph Caprio created the series. *''
Personal Injury Court ''Personal Injury Court'' was a short-lived American syndicated nontraditional court show in which personal injury lawyer Gino Brogdon heard and ruled on personal injury cases. The show was produced by 501 East Entertainment and the re-launc ...
'' (Syndicated,
MGM Television MGM Television Worldwide Group and Digital (alternatively Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Television Group and Digital, commonly known as MGM Television and then-known as MGM/UA Television; common metonym: Lion) is an American television production/Bro ...
, 2019–2020) Designed as a companion series to ''Paternity Court'' and ''Couples Court'', ''Personal Injury Court'' featured scripted personal injury law cases presided over by former
Fulton County, Georgia Fulton County is located in the north-central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 1,066,710, making it the state's most-populous county and its only one with over one million inha ...
trial judge M. Gino Brogdon. Prior to television, Brogdon served as an arbitrator of real life personal injury cases since 2002. The program is "inspired" by actual personal injury cases but actors are used to play the litigants. *''Protection Court'' ( Trifecta Entertainment & Media, Scott Sternberg Productions, 2019–2020) This court show takes place in the confines of a legitimate court, taking advantage of the state of
Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and ...
's generous allowances for court proceedings to be televised; it follows proceedings at the Lawson E. Thomas Courthouse in
Dade County, Florida Miami-Dade County is a county located in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Florida. The county had a population of 2,701,767 as of the 2020 census, making it the most populous county in Florida and the seventh-most populous county in ...
under presiding judge Carroll Kelly, edited and formatted in the same style as arbitration-based court shows. ''Protection Court'' focuses on
restraining order A restraining order or protective order, is an order used by a court to protect a person in a situation involving alleged domestic violence, child abuse, assault, harassment, stalking, or sexual assault. Restraining and personal protecti ...
s of protection. *'' Murder, Mystery and My Family'' (Chalkboard TV,
BBC Television BBC Television is a service of the BBC. The corporation has operated a public broadcast television service in the United Kingdom, under the terms of a royal charter, since 1927. It produced television programmes from its own studios from 193 ...
, 2018–present) British non-traditional court show in which historical cases in Britain sentenced to the death penalty (typically murder) are reexamined by senior barristers for the prosecution and defence for a posthumous hearing and potential reprieve by semi-retired senior judge David Radford. * '' Gary Busey: Pet Judge'' (Streaming, Amazon Prime Video, 2020) a nontraditional comedy courtroom miniseries that ran 6 episodes and was presided over by
Gary Busey Gary Busey (; born 1944) is an American actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Buddy Holly in ''The Buddy Holly Story'' (1978), for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor and won the National Society of Film Critics ...
.


Daytime Emmy Awards

The judicial genre became a category in the
Daytime Emmy Awards The Daytime Emmy Awards, or Daytime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the New York–based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (N ...
for the first time in 2008, titled Outstanding Legal/Courtroom Program. Previously, if nominated for an award, court shows were matched up miscellaneously against a series of talk shows. Up until 2012, all of the annually presented awards went to freshman court shows that had only recently emerged into the genre at the time of their rewarding. ''Cristina's Court'' (only lasting three seasons, from 2006 to 2009) was the first court show to win a Daytime Emmy Award as well as the first court show to win more than once and consecutively three times, holding this record for nine years. This albeit short-lived court show won the Outstanding Legal/Courtroom Program Award in 2008 (two seasons into its run), 2009, and 2010 (the series cancelled by this period). '' Judge Pirro'' (2008–2011) won in 2011, upon being cancelled just two seasons into its run. ''
Last Shot with Judge Gunn ''Last Shot with Judge Gunn'' is an American reality-based nontraditional court show that debuted in syndication on September 26, 2011. The series is presented by Mary Ann Gunn and distributed by Trifecta Entertainment, with Peter Brennan, Matt ...
'' (2011–present) won in 2012, only a season into its run. To date, this represents the earliest into production that any court show has ever received a Daytime Emmy. Moreover, ''Last Shot'' is the first nontraditional courtroom series to receive a Daytime Emmy. On June 14, 2013, however, ''Judge Judy'' became the first long-running, highly rated court show to receive an Emmy, which landed on its 15th nomination, the court show nominated numerous times before this category existed and competing with miscellaneous talk shows. ''Judge Judy'' went on to win 2 additional Daytime Emmy Awards, later along with ''The People's Court'', both matching ''Christina's Court''. ''
Judge Mathis ''Judge Mathis'' is an American syndicated arbitration-based reality court show presided over by Judge Greg Mathis, a former judge of Michigan's 36th District Court and Black-interests motivational speaker/activist. The courtroom series premi ...
'' is the first African American presided court show to win the honor, succeeded by '' Lauren Lake's Paternity Court'' (cancelled a year later). In June 2021, ''The People's Court'' secured its 4th win for the category, which now gives it the most wins for the court show genre. By June 2022 when '' Judy Justice'' won for its first season, Judy Sheindlin became the only arbitrator to win this category for more than one television program, both her 2 court shows.


Diversity

Unlike the original era of court shows, the 2nd era consists of a great deal of ethnic and racial diversity. Few pay much attention to the shifting demographics of court show judges. In 2001, reportedly 7 of 10 judges were male; however 6 of these judges were black, comprising 4 black males and 2 black females. Only 4 were white. By 2008, female television judges had outnumbered their male counterparts. Additionally, 4 judges were Latina/o and another four were black. Judge Judy Sheindlin and Judge David Young (an openly gay male) were the only non-Hispanic whites. It has been argued, however, that television judge demographics can distort images of real-life judge demographics. Real-life judge demographics show sharp contrasts to television judge demographics. Women are only 18.6% of
federal judge Federal judges are judges appointed by a federal level of government as opposed to the state/provincial/local level. United States A US federal judge is appointed by the US President and confirmed by the US Senate in accordance with Article 3 ...
s and about 20% of state judges. Only 3% of judges are black in the United States. Overwhelmingly, American judges are white males. A study noted that "television court shows may reduce support for increased racial and gender diversity on the bench by sending a message to the public that United States benches are already diverse." * Although only a short-lived stint, American lawyer, journalist, writer, and television personality
Star Jones Starlet Marie Jones (born March 24, 1962), better known as Star Jones, is an American lawyer, journalist, television personality, fashion designer, author, and women's and diversity advocate. She is best known as one of the first co-hosts on the ...
is the first
Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...
person to serve as a "judge" in a court show (''Jones and Jury'', which aired from 1994 to 1995). Former
Shelby County, Tennessee Shelby County is the westernmost county in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, the population was 929,744. It is the largest of the state's 95 counties, both in terms of population and geographic area. Its county seat is Memp ...
, Criminal Court judge, '' Judge Joe Brown'', is the first Black male to preside over a court show and the first Black person to preside over a long-running courtroom series. Arriving on the scene in September 1998, Brown's courtroom series, ''Judge Joe Brown'', was the second highest rated program in the court show genre for its entire run. Since their arrivals, there have been numerous other Black judges, such as
Greg Mathis Gregory Ellis Mathis (born April 5, 1960), known professionally as Judge Mathis, is a former Michigan 36th District Court judge, television court show arbitrator, author, television producer, and Black interests motivational speaker/activist. ...
of the ''
NAACP Image Award The NAACP Image Awards is an annual awards ceremony presented by the U.S.-based National Association for the Advancement of Colored People ( NAACP) to honor outstanding performances in film, television, theatre, music, and literature. Similar to ...
'' winning court show, ''
Judge Mathis ''Judge Mathis'' is an American syndicated arbitration-based reality court show presided over by Judge Greg Mathis, a former judge of Michigan's 36th District Court and Black-interests motivational speaker/activist. The courtroom series premi ...
''; Mablean Ephriam and later Judge Lynn Toler of ''
Divorce Court ''Divorce Court'' is an American court show that revolves around settling the disputes of couples going through divorces. The show has had four separate runs, all in first-run syndication. Since the debut of the original series in 1957, it is ...
''; Glenda Hatchett of ''
Judge Hatchett ''Judge Hatchett'' is an American arbitration-based reality court show, produced and distributed by Sony Pictures Television. The series premiered on September 4, 2000 and ran for eight seasons until its cancellation on May 23, 2008. It was Sony ...
''; etc. *
Greg Mathis Gregory Ellis Mathis (born April 5, 1960), known professionally as Judge Mathis, is a former Michigan 36th District Court judge, television court show arbitrator, author, television producer, and Black interests motivational speaker/activist. ...
of ''Judge Mathis'' became the longest reigning African American court show arbitrator by 2014–15, reaching its 16th season. Mathis is also the second longest serving court show arbitrator behind Judith Sheindlin of Judge Judy. *
Marilyn Milian Marilyn Milian (born May 1, 1961) is an American television personality, lecturer, and retired Florida Circuit Court judge. Since March 12, 2001, Milian has presided over the American courtroom television series ''The People's Court''. She is th ...
(''The People's Court's'' 4th and first female judge) is the first
Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...
court show arbitrator to arrive on the scene. Since her arrival, there's been several other Hispanic arbitrators, including Alex Ferrer ('' Judge Alex''), Maria Lopez ('' Judge Maria Lopez''), Cristina Pérez (''Cristina's Court'' and ''Justice for All with Judge Christina Pérez ''), etc. Cristina Pérez is the first
Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...
judge to cross over from
Spanish-language Spanish ( or , Castilian) is a Romance language of the Indo-European language family that evolved from colloquial Latin spoken on the Iberian peninsula. Today, it is a global language with more than 500 million native speakers, mainly in the Am ...
to
English-language English is a West Germanic language of the Indo-European language family, with its earliest forms spoken by the inhabitants of early medieval England. It is named after the Angles, one of the ancient Germanic peoples that migrated to the i ...
television. Though her ancestry is Colombian as opposed to
Mexican Mexican may refer to: Mexico and its culture *Being related to, from, or connected to the country of Mexico, in North America ** People *** Mexicans, inhabitants of the country Mexico and their descendants *** Mexica, ancient indigenous people ...
or
Cuban Cuban may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Cuba, a country in the Caribbean * Cubans, people from Cuba, or of Cuban descent ** Cuban exile, a person who left Cuba for political reasons, or a descendant thereof * Cuban citizen, a pers ...
. * David Young, of television's '' Judge David Young'', and
Robert Rinder Robert Michael Rinder (; born 31 May 1978) better known as Judge Rinder, is a British criminal barrister and television personality. In 2014, while still a practising barrister, he began hosting the reality courtroom series ''Judge Rinder''. ...
, of ''
Judge Rinder ''Judge Rinder'' is a British arbitration-based reality court show that has been on air on ITV since 11 August 2014. The show depicts Robert Rinder as an arbitrator overseeing civil cases. Rinder began his career in criminal law in 2003. ...
'', are openly gay television jurists. * Being the 2nd arbitration-based reality court show, second only to Joseph Wapner (first star of reality court shows) on ''The People's Court'', Judge Judy Sheindlin of ''Judge Judy'' is the first female judge of arbitration-based reality court shows and the first Paramount star as a TV judge. *
Judge Romesh ''Judge Romesh'' is a British comedy television show broadcast on Dave. It features Romesh Ranganathan settling disputes in a fictional civil court. The show is unscripted, and the claimant and defendant are generally members of the public, alt ...
was the first Asian to host a court show. *
Chrissy Teigen Christine Diane Teigen (born November 30, 1985) is an American model and television personality. She made her professional modeling debut in the annual ''Sports Illustrated'' Swimsuit Issue in 2010 and later appeared on the 50th anniversary co ...
is set to be the first Asian woman to host a court show. * On most of court strips, the
bailiff A bailiff (from Middle English baillif, Old French ''baillis'', ''bail'' "custody") is a manager, overseer or custodian – a legal officer to whom some degree of authority or jurisdiction is given. Bailiffs are of various kinds and their o ...
s tend to be the opposite gender of the judge. In addition, many of them tend to be of a different race as well.


Criticisms and acclaim

* Supporters of reality court shows have praised court programming as beneficial to the public because they feel it reveals to viewers information as to how the legal system works. * A study found that court shows may have a positive influence in encouraging interest in jury proceedings, but may also have a negative influence by distorting people's perception of courts. * Detractors of reality court shows criticize these programs as being unrepresentative of the real-world job of judging, feeling that most of these court shows consist of judges that are much too uncivil, abusive, condescending and antagonistic. The court shows that ascend in popularity are "most troubling" as they are believed to be most likely to potentially reflect people's opinions of the legal system. Concerns that have been raised are that court shows may: reduce respect for the bench, lead to a general misinterpretation of judicial behavior and temperament, alter people's expectations about the legal system, and participants in real-life cases may adopt inappropriate behaviors based upon the behaviors of those found in court shows. * A study on reality court shows has noted that if judges actually behaved the way most television show judges do, they would face disciplinary consequences for conduct unbecoming of a judge. While each television judge's personality and style varies from those of other television judges, it has been noted that most present-day court programs typically show a very strong judge who questions parties, challenges them, interrupts them and does so rudely. * Court shows are a simple, repeatable format. It has a conflict and resolution in a tight package, and if you have a central host that's compelling and authentic, it all comes together into something that is pretty formulaic and works. * Court shows are regarded as a safe bet for producers as they are arguably the cheapest format on contemporary American television. The shows require a minimal set, minimal paid on-screen talent, and minimal pre- and post- production; an entire 39-week season is typically shot in less than two months production time, and the episodic,
evergreen In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has foliage that remains green and functional through more than one growing season. This also pertains to plants that retain their foliage only in warm climates, and contrasts with deciduous plants, whic ...
nature of court shows allows them to be
rerun A rerun or repeat is a rebroadcast of an episode of a radio or television program. There are two types of reruns – those that occur during a hiatus, and those that occur when a program is syndicated. Variations In the United Kingdom, the word ...
without being noticed. More than cost considerations, however, court shows are valued for their sheer efficiency as compelling television.


Court-related networks

* ''
Court TV Court TV is an American digital broadcast network and former cable television channel. It was originally launched in 1991 with a focus on crime-themed programs such as true crime documentary series, legal analysis talk shows, and live news cov ...
'' (1991–2008, 2019–). Traditionally, the network was dedicated solely to court- and legal-based shows, capturing live footage from actual homicidal trials, criminal justice programming, and reruns of such shows as ''
NYPD Blue ''NYPD Blue'' is an American police procedural television series set in New York City, exploring the struggles of the fictional 15th Precinct detective squad in Manhattan. Each episode typically intertwines several plots involving an ensembl ...
'' and '' Cops''. In 2008, Court TV was rebranded as
truTV TruTV (stylized as truTV) is an American basic cable channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The channel primarily broadcasts comedy, docusoaps and reality shows. The channel was originally launched in 1991 as Court TV, a network that ...
as the network has branched out into more "caught on video" reality programs. Court TV's news division was merged with HLN in 2008, and currently HLN's daytime format is structured with more pundit analysis than Court TV's original format. TruTV ended all courtroom programming on September 27, 2013, with the cancellation of ''In Session''. Court TV relaunched in 2019 as a
digital subchannel In broadcasting, digital subchannels are a method of transmitting more than one independent program stream simultaneously from the same digital radio or television station on the same radio frequency channel. This is done by using data compres ...
network, after
Katz Broadcasting Katz Broadcasting, LLC, doing business as Scripps Networks, is an American specialized digital multicasting network media company and a subsidiary of E. W. Scripps Company. The company owns (as of 2022) nine television networks that each carry ...
purchased the intellectual property from the dissolving
Turner Broadcasting System Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. (alternatively known as Turner Entertainment Networks from 2019 until 2022) was an American television and media conglomerate. Founded by Ted Turner and based in Atlanta, Georgia, it merged with Time Warner (lat ...
that originally owned Court TV. * ''Justice Central.TV'' (2012–present) On December 10, 2012,
Byron Allen Byron Allen Folks (born April 22, 1961) is the founder of the U.S. entertainment company Entertainment Studios which includes The Weather Channel. He is also a television producer, philanthropist, and comedian in his younger years. Notable s ...
's Entertainment Studios launched its eighth first-run syndication network, ''Justice Central.TV'': a 24-hour, HD legal news and court show network that captures court proceedings, news, talk, and entertainment. Its original programming includes Entertainment Studios' staged court shows. * ''Justice Network'' (2015–2020) relied on the CourtTV and TruTV programming back catalogs. It rebranded as
True Crime Network True Crime Network (formerly Justice Network) is an American digital multicast television network that is operated by True Crime Network, LLC, a limited liability company, which is owned by Tegna Inc. The network specializes in true crime, in ...
in 2020 to emphasize its
true crime True crime is a nonfiction literary, podcast, and film genre in which the author examines an actual crime and details the actions of real people associated with and affected by criminal events. The crimes most commonly include murder; about 40 pe ...
programming. * ''Law & Crime Network'', a service established by
Dan Abrams Daniel Abrams (born May 20, 1966) is an American media entrepreneur, television host, legal commentator, and author. He is currently the host of the prime-time show ''Dan Abrams Live'' on NewsNation, ''On Patrol: Live'' on Reelz and ''The Dan Ab ...
, includes legal news discussion and live trial coverage. * ''Judge Nosey'' (2020–present) is an online network devoted to daytime court shows. It is operated by Nosey as a spin-off from its main service, which focuses mostly on tabloid talk shows and reality dating series. * ''
Pluto Pluto (minor-planet designation: 134340 Pluto) is a dwarf planet in the Kuiper belt, a ring of trans-Neptunian object, bodies beyond the orbit of Neptune. It is the ninth-largest and tenth-most-massive known object to directly orbit the S ...
Courtroom'' (2021–present) is a network dedicated to some popular court shows from the
CBS Media Ventures CBS Media Ventures, Inc. (formerly CBS Television Distribution, Inc. and CBS Paramount Domestic Television, Inc.) is an American television distribution company owned by CBS Studios, part of CBS Entertainment Group, a division of Paramount Glob ...
library, such as ''Judge Judy'', ''Swift Justice'', ''Judge Mills Lane'', etc. (Pluto TV and CBS Media Ventures are both
ViacomCBS Paramount Global (doing business as Paramount) is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate owned and operated by National Amusements (79.4%) and headquartered at One Astor Plaza in Midtown Manhattan, New York. It ...
subsidiaries.)


See also

*
Legal drama A legal drama is a genre of film and television that generally focuses on narratives regarding legal practice and the justice system. The American Film Institute (AFI) defines "courtroom drama" as a genre of film in which a system of justice play ...
*
Reality television Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring unfamiliar people rather than professional actors. Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early 1 ...
*
Dramatic programming In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...


References

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External links


TV Judges – Judge Shows on Television
Television genres Show