Judge Mathis
Encyclopedia
Judge Mathis is a syndicated television
legal reality show produced originally by Black Pearl Productions. In 2008, it entered its tenth season produced by AND Syndicated Productions and Telepictures. It is taped at NBC Tower
in Chicago
, but includes cases and litigants from other U.S. jurisdictions. The show is broadcast five days a week in every U.S. state and in Canada
through Omni Television
. The show has been on the air since 1999, and has taped over 2000 episodes. On November 5, 2009, Warner Bros. Television
announced that Judge Mathis has been renewed through the 2011-2012 season. "
judge
of Michigan's 36th District Court, Greg Mathis
, presides over disputes between plaintiff
s and defendant
s. The cases are classified as tort law, civil disputes with a maximum $5,000 claim, a typical amount for small claims court
cases. There are typically four cases presented in each hour-long episode. The show solicits litigants with real cases before the court, and each litigant must enter into a legally binding agreement to be held under the judgment. The producers of the show select cases, and it appears that Mathis does not have prior knowledge of the case besides reading typical material fact
claims filed with a small claims court. Thus, like the typical small claims court, the plaintiff has the burden of proof and must argue his/her case before the Judge and answer any questions directed to him/her. Like most small claims court procedure, the parties before him cannot cross examine each other and must speak only to the bench. Typically, Mathis asks for documents that verify a claim, and upon final judgment he may briefly explain the legal principle guiding his decision, especially if his ruling is based on a particular state's law. The rulings conform to the laws of the state where the case was originally filed.
Before every case each litigant is assigned a case manager who helps make the case more interesting to television audiences. They are also instructed to add extra details to "beef up" their case for added entertainment purposes.
, besides the judge, is a recurring character. The first bailiff on the series, Brendan Anthony Moran, died on December 19, 2002, after he fell to his death from the balcony of his 24th floor Chicago condo. His death was ruled a
suicide
, but his family feels it may have been an accident. Since then, Judge Mathis has had two bailiffs. The current bailiff is Doyle Devereux. Bailiff Doyle often acts as a comic relief for the show, interjecting lighthearted observations about the litigants or their cases. Among the recurring humorous motifs, both Doyle and Mathis frequently insinuate that Doyle enjoys smoking marijuana
and has an eye for pretty women. The bailiff also oversees the parties after the judgment in the studio court room hallway, where litigants respond on camera to Judge Mathis' ruling. In the first season of the show, a female court reporter would apppear at the end of each case to interview the litigants after their judgement. The court reporter was ultimately dropped from season 2 onward.
Judge Mathis tolerates informal digressions and is somewhat laid-back while on the bench (extremely different from a judge on a similar court show, Judge Judy
; in fact, some petitioners blurt out statements in the heat of the moment that contradict their own sworn testimony
or otherwise undermine their cases while Judge Mathis listens with amusement and laughter. Judge Mathis also often entertains longwinded, mean-spirited personal asides by one litigant about the other (even when such testimony bears no relevance to the case), but then allows the defamed party equal time to respond in kind. Often, Judge Mathis will crack jokes about the whole argument and is usually seen making his audience laugh. In the course of adjudicating, litigants often yell at each other, sometimes for extended periods of time; however, Judge Mathis will not tolerate disrespect and will dismiss cases if litigants demean or use profane language directed towards himself or the party before him.
Aspiring singers and rappers who appear on the show may even be granted a moment to showcase their talents from the lectern
. Due to the popularity of the show and its long run on television, parties before the judge often profess personal fondness for Mathis, who tolerates the kind words gracefully, but will not let them affect his decisions. In recent years, the show has begun to conduct paternity
testing in disputes about child custody
, and drug testing in applicable cases. Mathis often offers or compels drug treatment
and family counseling for parties.
In other media, the "Judge Mathis" show also appeared in an episode of The Steve Harvey Show
. Romeo, Bullethead, and Lydia sued Steve and Regina over a damaged computer that Steve confiscated from them during class. Since Judge Mathis had appeared at the school earlier in the week, the kids took their case to the Judge Mathis show (and won).
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
legal reality show produced originally by Black Pearl Productions. In 2008, it entered its tenth season produced by AND Syndicated Productions and Telepictures. It is taped at NBC Tower
NBC Tower
The NBC Tower is an office tower on the Near north side of Chicago, Illinois, United States located at 454 North Columbus Drive in downtown Chicago's Magnificent Mile area. Completed in 1989, the 37-story building reaches a height of 627 feet...
in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, but includes cases and litigants from other U.S. jurisdictions. The show is broadcast five days a week in every U.S. state and in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
through Omni Television
OMNI Television
Omni Television, corporately styled as OMNI Television, is a Canadian television system owned and operated by Rogers Communications. It consists of the company's conventional television stations in Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta which are licensed as multicultural stations...
. The show has been on the air since 1999, and has taped over 2000 episodes. On November 5, 2009, Warner Bros. Television
Warner Bros. Television
Warner Bros. Television is the television production arm of Warner Bros. Entertainment, itself part of Time Warner. Alongside CBS Television Studios, it serves as a television production arm of The CW Television Network , though it also produces shows for other networks, such as Shameless on...
announced that Judge Mathis has been renewed through the 2011-2012 season. "
Show format
In the series, retired District CourtCourts of Michigan
Courts of Michigan include:State courts of Michigan*Michigan Supreme Court**Michigan Court of Appeals***Michigan District Courts***Michigan Circuit Courts ***Michigan Probate CourtsFederal courts located in Michigan...
judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
of Michigan's 36th District Court, Greg Mathis
Greg Mathis
Greg Mathis is a retired Michigan 36th District Court judge and syndicated television show judge. His show Judge Mathis is produced by Telepictures Productions, and distributed by Warner Brothers. It is seen five days a week in most television markets in North America...
, presides over disputes between plaintiff
Plaintiff
A plaintiff , also known as a claimant or complainant, is the term used in some jurisdictions for the party who initiates a lawsuit before a court...
s and defendant
Defendant
A defendant or defender is any party who is required to answer the complaint of a plaintiff or pursuer in a civil lawsuit before a court, or any party who has been formally charged or accused of violating a criminal statute...
s. The cases are classified as tort law, civil disputes with a maximum $5,000 claim, a typical amount for small claims court
Small claims court
Small-claims courts have limited jurisdiction to hear civil cases between private litigants. Courts authorized to try small claims may also have other judicial functions, and the name by which such a court is known varies by jurisdiction; it may be known as a county or magistrate's court...
cases. There are typically four cases presented in each hour-long episode. The show solicits litigants with real cases before the court, and each litigant must enter into a legally binding agreement to be held under the judgment. The producers of the show select cases, and it appears that Mathis does not have prior knowledge of the case besides reading typical material fact
Evidence (law)
The law of evidence encompasses the rules and legal principles that govern the proof of facts in a legal proceeding. These rules determine what evidence can be considered by the trier of fact in reaching its decision and, sometimes, the weight that may be given to that evidence...
claims filed with a small claims court. Thus, like the typical small claims court, the plaintiff has the burden of proof and must argue his/her case before the Judge and answer any questions directed to him/her. Like most small claims court procedure, the parties before him cannot cross examine each other and must speak only to the bench. Typically, Mathis asks for documents that verify a claim, and upon final judgment he may briefly explain the legal principle guiding his decision, especially if his ruling is based on a particular state's law. The rulings conform to the laws of the state where the case was originally filed.
Before every case each litigant is assigned a case manager who helps make the case more interesting to television audiences. They are also instructed to add extra details to "beef up" their case for added entertainment purposes.
Show style
Like many TV judge shows, only the bailiffBailiff
A bailiff is a governor or custodian ; a legal officer to whom some degree of authority, care or jurisdiction is committed...
, besides the judge, is a recurring character. The first bailiff on the series, Brendan Anthony Moran, died on December 19, 2002, after he fell to his death from the balcony of his 24th floor Chicago condo. His death was ruled a
suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
, but his family feels it may have been an accident. Since then, Judge Mathis has had two bailiffs. The current bailiff is Doyle Devereux. Bailiff Doyle often acts as a comic relief for the show, interjecting lighthearted observations about the litigants or their cases. Among the recurring humorous motifs, both Doyle and Mathis frequently insinuate that Doyle enjoys smoking marijuana
Cannabis (drug)
Cannabis, also known as marijuana among many other names, refers to any number of preparations of the Cannabis plant intended for use as a psychoactive drug or for medicinal purposes. The English term marijuana comes from the Mexican Spanish word marihuana...
and has an eye for pretty women. The bailiff also oversees the parties after the judgment in the studio court room hallway, where litigants respond on camera to Judge Mathis' ruling. In the first season of the show, a female court reporter would apppear at the end of each case to interview the litigants after their judgement. The court reporter was ultimately dropped from season 2 onward.
Judge Mathis tolerates informal digressions and is somewhat laid-back while on the bench (extremely different from a judge on a similar court show, Judge Judy
Judge Judy
Judge Judy is an American court show featuring former family court judge Judith Sheindlin arbitrating over small claims cases in small claims court...
; in fact, some petitioners blurt out statements in the heat of the moment that contradict their own sworn testimony
Sworn testimony
Sworn testimony is evidence given by a witness who has made a commitment to tell the truth. If the witness is later found to have lied whilst bound by the commitment, they can often be charged with the crime of perjury. The types of commitment can include oaths, affirmations and promises which are...
or otherwise undermine their cases while Judge Mathis listens with amusement and laughter. Judge Mathis also often entertains longwinded, mean-spirited personal asides by one litigant about the other (even when such testimony bears no relevance to the case), but then allows the defamed party equal time to respond in kind. Often, Judge Mathis will crack jokes about the whole argument and is usually seen making his audience laugh. In the course of adjudicating, litigants often yell at each other, sometimes for extended periods of time; however, Judge Mathis will not tolerate disrespect and will dismiss cases if litigants demean or use profane language directed towards himself or the party before him.
Aspiring singers and rappers who appear on the show may even be granted a moment to showcase their talents from the lectern
Lectern
A lectern is a reading desk with a slanted top, usually placed on a stand or affixed to some other form of support, on which documents or books are placed as support for reading aloud, as in a scripture reading, lecture, or sermon...
. Due to the popularity of the show and its long run on television, parties before the judge often profess personal fondness for Mathis, who tolerates the kind words gracefully, but will not let them affect his decisions. In recent years, the show has begun to conduct paternity
Paternity (law)
In law, paternity is the legal acknowledgment of the parental relationship between a man and a child usually based on several factors.At common law, a child born to the wife during a marriage is the husband's child under the "presumption of legitimacy", and the husband is assigned complete rights,...
testing in disputes about child custody
Child custody
Child custody and guardianship are legal terms which are used to describe the legal and practical relationship between a parent and his or her child, such as the right of the parent to make decisions for the child, and the parent's duty to care for the child.Following ratification of the United...
, and drug testing in applicable cases. Mathis often offers or compels drug treatment
Drug treatment
Drug treatment may refer to:*the treatment of illness with pharmaceutical drugs*Drug rehabilitation, the treatment of substance dependence/drug addiction*Drug Treatment, an album by by the Japanese band Kuroyume...
and family counseling for parties.
In other media, the "Judge Mathis" show also appeared in an episode of The Steve Harvey Show
The Steve Harvey Show
The Steve Harvey Show is an American sitcom that aired for six seasons from August 25, 1996 to February 17, 2002 on The WB Television Network. It was created by Winifred Hervey and directed by Stan Lathan.-Synopsis:...
. Romeo, Bullethead, and Lydia sued Steve and Regina over a damaged computer that Steve confiscated from them during class. Since Judge Mathis had appeared at the school earlier in the week, the kids took their case to the Judge Mathis show (and won).