1. The People's Court
The People's Court is an American arbitration-based reality court show currently presided over by retired Florida State Circuit Court Judge Marilyn Milian. Milian, the show's longest-reigning arbiter, handles small claims disputes in a simulated courtroom set.</p><p></p><p>The People's Court is the first court show to use binding arbitration, introducing the format into the genre in 1981. The system has been duplicated by most of the show's successors in the judicial genre. Moreover, The People's Court is the first popular, long-running reality in the judicial genre. It was preceded only by a few short-lived realities in the genre; these short-lived predecessors were only loosely related to judicial proceedings, except for one: Parole took footage from real-life courtrooms holding legal proceedings. Prior to The People's Court, the vast majority of TV courtroom shows used actors, and recreated or fictional cases. Among examples of these types of court shows include Famous Jury Trials and Your Witness.</p><p></p><p>The People's Court has had two contrasting lives. The show's first life was presided over solely by former Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Joseph Wapner. His tenure lasted from the show's debut on September 14, 1981, until May 21, 1993, when the show was cancelled due to low ratings. This left the show with a total of 2,484 ½-hour episodes and 12 seasons. The show was taped in Los Angeles during its first life. After being cancelled, reruns aired until September 9, 1994.
It has an average vote of 6.8 on TMDB.
2. Court Night Live
Court Night Live brings live trials to the people as civil court cases from across the country are litigated from courtrooms in Chicago, Philadelphia, and Tampa.
It has an average vote of 10 on TMDB.
3. Crime & Punishment
Crime & Punishment is a 2002 reality television, nontraditional court show spin-off of the Law & Order franchise. It premiered on NBC on Sunday, June 16, 2002, and ran through the summers of 2002, 2003, and 2004.
4. Caso Cerrado
Caso Cerrado, formerly Sala de Parejas, is a Spanish-language court show broadcast by Telemundo in which Cuban-born lawyer Ana María Polo arbitrates cases for volunteer participants.
It has an average vote of 8.2 on TMDB.
5. Relative Justice
Under the watchful eye of Judge Rhonda Wills, the show pulls back the curtain on family disputes, moving the drama from the dining room to the courtroom.
6. Chaos in Court
CHAOS IN COURT examines clips of dramatic, unexpected, and cathartic courtroom moments. Each episode brings the backstories of the crimes and legal proceedings to the forefront with insightful analysis from a diverse panel of experts including judges, defense attorneys, prosecutors, and criminal psychologists. Featured within each episode are interviews with defendants, family members, and others who witnessed the action to help bring dramatic courtroom moments to life, and the emotional realities of what happens when the ultimate stakes are on trial.
It has an average vote of 5.5 on TMDB.
7. Sex In Court
Sex In Court is a British factual entertainment series which premiered on E4 on 29 March 2007.</p><p></p><p>It takes a look at bedroom politics within modern relationships. The pilot features mother of two Rachel, who brings her husband Guy to court over a clash of lovemaking styles. Each episode sees people put on trial by their partner, or ex-partner. In a formal, court-like atmosphere, each party will be thoroughly cross-examined by a judge. Due to its nature E4 will air this programme after the watershed. The theme of the programme is very similar to Playboy TV's Sex Court.
8. L'arbitre (L'arbitre)
Popular lawyer Anne-France Goldwater takes an honest look at real legal cases that are as unusual as they are hard to settle!
9. Judge Mills Lane
Judge Mills Lane is an American television series and arbitration-based reality court show that ran in first-run syndication from August 17, 1998 to September 7, 2001. Reruns later aired on The National Network. The show was produced by John Tomlin and Bob Young for Hurricane Entertainment Corporation, and distributed by Rysher Entertainment.</p><p></p><p>The show's judge was Mills Lane. Mills Lane was previously a well-known professional boxing referee, as shown in the show's intro; "he's been a boxer, a lawyer, a prosecutor, and a referee." The intro also declared Lane to be "America's Judge." Lane uses his catchphrase "Let's get it on!" at the beginning of each case, and occasionally when someone states something that is either quite obvious or tried to deceive him, he usually states "I may have been born at night, but I wasn't born last night!"
10. Hot Bench
A panel of three judges hear court cases, argue the merits of the case amongst themselves, and render a verdict.
It has an average vote of 4.6 on TMDB.
11. Judy Justice
The Honorable Judy Sheindlin, retired Judge of the Manhattan family Court, brings her signature blend of sharp wit and wisdom, hilarious candor and unwavering honesty that has made her America’s favorite judge for over 25 years, as she presides over real cases, arbitrates binding decisions and delivers what only she can: “Judy Justice.”
It has an average vote of 4.3 on TMDB.
12. The Law Firm
The Law Firm is an hour-long reality television, nontraditional court show series that premiered on NBC on July 28, 2005. In the series, twelve young up-and-coming trial lawyers competed for a grand prize of $250,000.</p><p></p><p>At the end of each show, attorney Roy Black decided which two competitors were the weakest and needed to be dismissed, using the catchphrase "The verdict is in. You're out."</p><p></p><p>The series was cancelled by NBC after two weeks on the air due to weak ratings.
13. Judge Steve Harvey
Steve Harvey employs his own life experiences and some good old common sense as he expands his resume by taking on the roles of judge and jury in the courtroom. Harvey welcomes a variety of conflicts and characters to his courtroom -- from small claims to big disputes and everything in between -- where, playing by his own rules, he helps to settle his guests' cases with his own unique comedic flair.
It has an average vote of 5 on TMDB.
14. De Rechtbank (De Rechtbank)
Belgian reality soap around court cases.
15. Das Strafgericht (Das Strafgericht)
(Das Strafgericht)
It has an average vote of 8.5 on TMDB.
16. Money. Power. Respect.
Reality series following six high-powered female hip hop music industry attorneys who use the tricks of their legal training to get Money, Power and Respect in their personal & professional lives.
17. We the People with Gloria Allred
We the People with Gloria Allred is an American nontraditional/dramatized court show that debuted in first-run syndication on September 12, 2011. The series is presented by famed celebrity lawyer/attorney Gloria Allred, who also serves as co-producer with series creator Byron Allen through his production company Entertainment Studios, LLC. John Cramer does the narration of the judge's final verdict.
It has an average vote of 9 on TMDB.
18. Reasonable Doubt
Two investigators re-examine controversial murder cases to help the desperate families of those convicted decide if it's time to appeal... or accept the guilty verdict once and for all.
It has an average vote of 9.3 on TMDB.
19. Judged
All rise for the Honorable Judge Walsh, court is now in session. Watch Matt Walsh bring his iconic deadpan delivery of common sense solutions to real life litigants with actual petty grievances. Find humor in the judiciary process in this fresh take on the reality courtroom genre.
It has an average vote of 9 on TMDB.
20. Judge Jerry
Jerry Springer is now moving from the stage to behind the bench in this new court show where he will be presiding cases.
It has an average vote of 5.2 on TMDB.
