If you have ever watched an episode of Judge Judy, you might have wondered if all the people on the show were just faking it for the program. It can sometimes seem like that since the stories that are heard on these shows are almost always wildly strange and often completely confusing.
But are these people really being handed court decisions that are legally binding? Are these real cases that are being heard on TV? This is a fair question, and we will talk about how these shows work in this article.
Court TV Shows Are Real
Court TV shows are real, but there is a big difference between the cases that are being heard and going to court as we know it. The cases on these shows are actually arbitration cases. These are not actually real trials, but the decisions that are handed down during the show are real and legally binding.
Arbitration judges can be accessed in other venues as well. These cheaper and less intense court proceedings can sometimes make it easier for people to get a legal decision on a matter that is not worthy of heading into court with a full-blown case. There is legal authority in the decision that is handed down, but the case can still be taken before a real judge and be heard again in another court.
The court TV shows that you can watch do actually pay out an award to the “winner” of the case, and the judgments can be enforced by another judge if the case is taken to another higher court. The disputes are often real, but the judgments are more often temporary.
In some cases, the decision is final even though the show is technically an arbitration court. Some judgments are for such small sums of money that they do not warrant being taken to anything as formal as small claims court. They certainly do not usually qualify for a higher court.
Court TV Case Are Arbitration Cases
Now that you know that these cases are actually arbitration cases, it will probably make it more fun to watch the decisions being handed down. You now know that the cases are not usually final, but that does not make things any less enjoyable to watch. The fantastical events that are relayed in these trial situations are often very funny and memorable compared to what the experience of a real court would be like.
Popularizing court decisions and the court process can also be educational for people who have never considered defending their rights in court. While this might not be the venue to take your grievances to, in some cases, it can be a great way to get your case heard and an award handed to you in exchange for sharing your problems with everyone who watches TV.
This article was last updated on August 15, 2023 .
