Richard Grieve Judge Judy (2025)

FAQs

Who pays the lawsuits on Judge Judy? ›

According to many sources, "Judge Judy," like other courtroom shows, operated as a small-claims court, which limits awards to no more than $5,000. The shows' production companies pay the award, but participants get appearance fees as well as travel.

Judge Judy and other reality-court shows generally depict an actual dispute where there was a previously filed lawsuit in a court of law. In return for appearing on the television show each litigant agrees to the arbitrator's decision. The TV show's decision, therefore, is final and not appealable.

#5—On Judge Judy, the losing party doesn't pay.

On Judge Judy, both sides are offered appearance fees, a daily wage and travel expenses for the duration of the taping. Once a decision is made, producers pay it to the victorious party.

She earned a whopping US$47 million per year from the show between 2012 and 2020, per Forbes. Although her long-running series ended in 2021, after 25 years on TV screens, the show returned on Amazon Freevee under a new name, Judy Justice.

Litigants are paid $100 to $500 appearance fee, plus expenses, plus wages per day. It depends on the case, how interesting they think it will be and how long filming will take. The appearance fee is also held to pay any judgement against the person if one is given. Flight, hotel and meals are paid for by the show.

Q: On court shows like “Judge Judy” and “Hot Bench,” when there is a monetary decision, does the show pay it, or does the defendant or plaintiff need to make the payment? A: In the cases you cited (no pun intended), the show pays, with the cap set at $5,000.

Judge Judy has made several notable investments and acquisitions, showcasing her luxury lifestyle. Her real estate portfolio includes properties such as an $11 million penthouse and a nearby mansion in Naples, Florida.

Scripted show with actors pretend to be participating in an actual court case.

Judges Michael Corriero, Rachel Juarez and Yodit Tewolde earned a wide variety of legal bona fides before joining the CBS series that hails from Judge Judy Sheindlin.

In 1990, Judy was struggling with the loss of her father and was not happy with Jerry's lack of support. In Thomas and Donahue's book, Jerry revealed what led to their brief divorce. "She said to me, 'If you can't maneuver this, I'm going to divorce you,' " he recalled.

Who is the highest paid judge in the United States? ›

In 2023, Chief Justice John Roberts' salary was $286,700. The Supreme Court justice's base salary is more than the highest-ranked appointed members of the executive branch, including the vice president, as well as Congressional members.

Legal career

Sheindlin passed the New York state bar examination in 1965 and was hired as a corporate lawyer for a cosmetics firm. Within two years, she became dissatisfied with her job and left to raise her children Jamie and Adam.

The process is speedy: They hear some 10 cases a day, and deliberation can be over in minutes. If plaintiffs prevail, the cases are paid out by the show; all litigants receive a small appearance fee. And as with every good reality show, conflict is resolved within the confines of half an hour.

In a talk-show appearance, Judge Wapner gave a few more specifics as to how compensation was typically calculated. In his words, if the plaintiff won, the show would pay his/her judgment and give the defendant $50 for his/her time, whereas if the defendant won, the parties would "split $500".

The cases are real -- but the proceeding is an arbitration. Though Judge Judith Sheindlin once presided in a New York courtroom, her role on TV is technically that of an arbitrator, The Consumerist website reports.

(Reuters) - One of television's most recognizable jurists has donated $5 million to her law school alma mater, establishing a scholarship program for female students.