Miscellaneous

Contemptible?

By Anne Skove, Esq.

Should tv judges be sanctioned?

Once upon a time a woman contacted the Knowledge and Information Service at the National Center for State Courts to complain about Judge Judy. Could we do something about this judge? She was so mean to people!

Our intake coordinator deftly handled the woman's questions and concerns. No, most judges aren't like Judge Judy. Parties voluntarily sign up for her treatment; presumably they know what they're getting into. After almost an hour the woman had vented enough or realized there was nothing we could do. She hung up satisfied (to some extent).

It's an amusing story, but it's important to consider the effects of these shows on the general non-court-related public. Trust and confidence in the legal system is bad enough without "real" judges dissing parties on daytime television.

The shows peak the interest of the public in a way that regular court outreach seldom does. Each judge has a cause and a personality. Judge Hatchett brings an anti-violence message. Judge Mathis has an inspiring "gang-to-gavel" personal story.

But these positive message are eclipsed by phenomena such as Judge David Young's Magic Gavel, and the possibility that neighbors sue one another on the grounds that "your sex sounds kept me up all night long!" One local channel runs nearly 6 straight hours of court-related programs. It's no surprise that they sandwich a half-hour of Boy Mayor Jerry Springer.

Good court procedure does not necessarily equal entertaining television, and therein lies the problem. We have spoken with numerous producers over the years who want to create various court-related "reality" shows. Their interest wanes faster than a couch potato before a Head-On ad when they hear that night courts, say, are usually held weekdays after 5 p.m. and tend to handle traffic tickets. (What, no Harry Anderson magic tricks?)

What would be better? Be available. Be accessible. We know of one Kentucky county where local trials were aired on the public access channel. (For those of you too young to remember, public access was the YouTube of its day, only without the piracy and porn.)

Oh, and if you were wondering, Judge Alex lost his case. The dispute will proceed to arbitration.

Full post as published by court-o-rama.org on February 22, 2008 (boomark / email).