Question about all of these "People's Court" shows

[Jerk]

My wife, God bless her little heart, watches Judge Judy, The People's Court, Divorce Court, Judge Mathis, Texas Justice, etc.,

Are these "real" courts sanctioned by the states that they are in? Are their rulings just as binding as a real courts at the state and county level? Are these judges, err, really judges?

[85Sooner]

I believe all the folks on these sign an agreement to abide by the decisions and the fines levied are paid by the program itself. Thats why they, the judges, always seem to be searching to see if these are just made up cases for the people to get free trips.

[AllAboutThe'O']

Anyone remember a 1980s TV series called "The Judge?" It was a fictional series about a family court judge (played by a guy that looks like Ed McMahon), but I watched it religiously. I also watched the original "Divorce Court" a lot, and it was another fictional series. On that show, they had a Doug Llewellyn (sp?)-type reporter (who was actually Jim Peck, a game-show host) who would actually be in the courtroom and whisper during the proceedings ("she's suing him for spousal and mental abuse. Let's listen to the testimony from the plaintiff."). I watched that a lot, too.
Heck, I didn't even watch "People's Court." Too real in my opinion.

[soonerbrat]

never heard of that one

[AllAboutThe'O']

never heard of that one
www.imdb.com/title/tt0229138/
I suddenly remembered one episode from the series. It was a takeoff on the "Sanford and Son" bit where Fred would have his "heart attacks" when Lamont threatened to leave home. In the "Judge" episode, it was two white guys, the Lamont-like guy wanted to leave home and get away from his father, who I think was a clockmaker or something. The psuedo-Fred even did the "I'm coming to join you (wife's name)" routine during the testimony.

[12]

I believe everything on TV is real.

[jrsooner]

Are these "real" courts sanctioned by the states that they are in? Are their rulings just as binding as a real courts at the state and county level? Are these judges, err, really judges?

from http://www.answers.com/topic/judge-judy (don't know how accurate they are... but here it is....(bold is my emphasis)


Judge Judy

Judge Judith Sheindlin

Judge Judy is a United States syndicated television show. The show's tagline is, "Real cases. Real people. Judge Judy."

It was first shown in 1996 and remained the first "courtroom" show in the United States since The People's Court ended its first run in 1993 until Judge Joe Brown was released in 1998.

It features former family court judge Judith Sheindlin, Esq. hearing small claims court cases with an award limit of $5,000 USD. She is notorious for berating litigants for the bad choices they make in their lives. Through "cross-examination", she frequently exposes the lies the litigants tell her and makes a point of publicly humiliating them for lying in her "court". When the litigants interrupt her, she has been known to yell "I'm speaking!", something that is uttered in nearly every episode.

Petri Hawkins Byrd, Judge Judy's bailiff, with his absolutely sedate composure, makes the perfect foil for the scalding Judy.

Although Judge Judy operates according to the principles of the American legal system, and takes on real cases, her show isn't a court. Judge Judy acts in a more inquisitorial fashion in a manner similar to U.S. appellate courts and many international courts, as opposed to the non-interventionist manner of judges in U.S. trial courts. There are no lawyers present and participants defend themselves. It is more accurately considered a forum for binding arbitration. The people who appear on her show sign a waiver beforehand, agreeing not to pursue their matter before a real court, and instead abide by her judgment. Additionally, the producers of the show pay any judgments awarded.

Judge Judy has been parodied on Saturday Night Live, with Cheri Oteri in the role of Sheindlin. Amanda Bynes also parodied Judy on The Amanda Show, in a skit called Judge Trudy. On The Simpsons she is parodied as Judge Constance Harm.

Judge Judy, with her show now in syndication, has surpassed Oprah Winfrey and become the highest paid woman in television history.

[jk the sooner fan]

i had a friend in san antonio that was paid to research court cases for the Judge Judy show......she'd go to the courthouse and read thru all the small claims cases and submit the ones that met a certain criteria for consideration to be put on tv.....

[Jerk]

Good info.

Thanks, dudes.