If you love to watch court TV shows, you probably have wondered if what you are watching is real. It can be easy to discount these shows as twaddle without knowing the facts. There are actually real arbitration cases being heard on many of these shows, and real judges are hearing the cases and passing judgment.
There are other shows that are not really court shows but which are presented as such. These shows might use any public figure are a “judge” just to get ratings for the show, and viewers roped in to see what the case is all about.
Who Are the Real Judges on TV?
Steve Harvey is not a real judge. He stands out among a whole list of TV show judges who are actually real judges. Judge Judy (Judy Sheinlin) and Judge Joe Brown are the two best-known of the TV court judges. However, Marilyn Milian from The People’s Court show was also a Florida circuit judge. All of these other judges could have heard cases elsewhere besides on TV.
There is something decidedly uncomfortable about TV shows hiring laymen and then pretending that they are real judges. ABC had to admit publicly that Steve Harvey is not a real judge, and this diminished interest in the show somewhat. After all, even if you aren’t sure about the judge presiding over the show in most instances, you don’t know for a fact that they have no legal experience.
Finding out that someone is judging cases on TV without even a tiny bit of legal expertise is really frustrating to many viewers. This also lowers the stakes since there is no formal judgment being passed on these shows that do not have real judges sitting in on the cases that are being heard.
While the topics of all TV court cases are zany and totally shocking, there is no reason to sit and watch people airing their dirty laundry for no reason. Consumers have grown weary of shock tactics like these that have been in play since the 90s. One has to think back only a few years to remember shows like the Maury Show to realize that we are all better off with these kinds of shows off the air.
Real judges really should be required to sit in on shows that profess to be passing legal judgment on cases. This keeps things more fun for the viewers, and it adds a sense of realism to the case if the people involved in it believe in it during filming.
Many TV Show Judges Are Actual Judges
Many of the judges that you will see on court TV are actually judges. This kind of show is waning in popularity these days, but there will always be reruns of the classics that you can enjoy. It adds an element of fun to know that the cases that are being heard on these shows are actually real cases. This makes the shocking nature of some of the complaints even more impressive if you think about it.
This article was last updated on August 15, 2023 .
