It always amazes me how Judge Judy is one of the richest people in television (and I believe the highest paid). It is amazing that after so many years her show has such a huge following.

$45 Million a year.

When I start to think about how much money that REALLY is, I literally get dizzy with anger.

She an asshole. Seriously. How can she talk like she's making small change doing her job, when she's making 45 mil a year? Then she has the nerve to berate people who don't have a job or have recently lost a job and can't make ends meet. It really pisses me off when she says sh* like "go collect cans if you have to pay the bills"....f*ck her. biatch is making 45 million a year pretending she's a judge. She's not a f*cking judge, she's not in the legal system and has no legal authority. She's a mouthy kunt. I wouldn't put up with that kind of harrasement for any amount of money. I'm always surprised how meek some people are when she's barking at them. Why doesn't someone tell her to f*ck off just once. And I'd love to see officer Barney take an ass kicking when he's giving the old tough guy routine.

Hate that phoney show.

She make $45 Million a year for that show? What the farking fark?

indarwinsshadow: biatch is making 45 million a year pretending she's a judge. She's not a f*cking judge, she's not in the legal system and has no legal authority.

She is not a judge but I am pretty sure she has authority. Maybe not criminal authority but certainly contractual authority. My understanding is that she is basically a legally binding arbitrator and when people agree to go on her show (and get paid to be on the show) they sign a contract where they agree that they will be bound by her decision.

mechgreg: indarwinsshadow: biatch is making 45 million a year pretending she's a judge. She's not a f*cking judge, she's not in the legal system and has no legal authority.

She is not a judge but I am pretty sure she has authority. Maybe not criminal authority but certainly contractual authority. My understanding is that she is basically a legally binding arbitrator and when people agree to go on her show (and get paid to be on the show) they sign a contract where they agree that they will be bound by her decision.

How does contract law work in the United States? Is it the same from state to state, or can you ignore the ruling (if you don't like the outcome) and take your case to civil court?

I just sort of assumed that show had been canceled a decade. I had no idea it was not only still airing, but that it is popular enough to give its star $45M a year.

We live on this planet.

indarwinsshadow: mechgreg: indarwinsshadow: biatch is making 45 million a year pretending she's a judge. She's not a f*cking judge, she's not in the legal system and has no legal authority.

She is not a judge but I am pretty sure she has authority. Maybe not criminal authority but certainly contractual authority. My understanding is that she is basically a legally binding arbitrator and when people agree to go on her show (and get paid to be on the show) they sign a contract where they agree that they will be bound by her decision.

How does contract law work in the United States? Is it the same from state to state, or can you ignore the ruling (if you don't like the outcome) and take your case to civil court?


This, the same as the other court shows.  Technically she has no legal authority other than that of an arbitrator, which is why she doesn't hold people in contempt and she can question them.

To put it in perspective, she has about the same amount of authority and the person that hears the unemployment disputes.

  The show also pays any "damages" that are awarded, they also buy puppies and replace bicycles.  Each person is paid $300 for their TV appearance and all of the travel expenses are paid.

indarwinsshadow: mechgreg: indarwinsshadow: biatch is making 45 million a year pretending she's a judge. She's not a f*cking judge, she's not in the legal system and has no legal authority.

How does contract law work in the United States? Is it the same from state to state, or can you ignore the ruling (if you don't like the outcome) and take your case to civil court?

She has to adhere to some of the rules of the state where the claim originated (maximum amount allowed on a judgement), but for the most part because it is binding arbitration, she uses the laws of California and/or New York (where she was an actual appointed judge) and common sense.

The participants sign an agreement to discharge their cases from small claims court and the cannot refile once an arbitration ruling has been made.

whyRpeoplesostupid:
The people she berates are the assholes, they get a free trip to LA (or wherever it's taped) a couple nights in a hotel, free food and the show pays the judgement, they get off scott free. The only thing they MIGHT learn from is her making them look like assholes on TV

I did not know that.  According to Wikipedia:

"The award limit on Judge Judy, as on most "syndi-court" shows (and most small claims courts in the U.S.), is $5,000. The award for each judgment is paid by the producers of the show from a fund reserved for the purpose. ... However, if Sheindlin specifically dismisses the lawsuit 'without prejudice,' that lawsuit may be refiled and retried in another forum. In some instances, Sheindlin has dismissed cases without prejudice deliberately so that complainants pursue defendants in an actual court of law so that the defendants themselves are held financially accountable, this as opposed to the show. In such cases, Sheindlin has expressed particular aversion to the defendants in question. Further, Sheindlin has dismissed cases without prejudice when she has suspected both the plaintiff(s) and defendant(s) of conspiring together just to gain monetary rewards from the show."

Lego_Addict: Wikipedia says she works 52 days a year for the show. I'm going to go throw up.

Think of it this way, she puts out enough product to put the show on every single day and draws 9 million viewers per episode.  If she wasn't making the money, CBS Television would be.

And Jeopardy is the same way.  They shoot five episodes on a Saturday.

GalFriday: indarwinsshadow: mechgreg: indarwinsshadow: biatch is making 45 million a year pretending she's a judge. She's not a f*cking judge, she's not in the legal system and has no legal authority.

How does contract law work in the United States? Is it the same from state to state, or can you ignore the ruling (if you don't like the outcome) and take your case to civil court?

She has to adhere to some of the rules of the state where the claim originated (maximum amount allowed on a judgement), but for the most part because it is binding arbitration, she uses the laws of California and/or New York (where she was an actual appointed judge) and common sense.

The participants sign an agreement to discharge their cases from small claims court and the cannot refile once an arbitration ruling has been made.

I've seen a few episodes where she appears to base her judgement solely on when lunch is coming. If she's in a hurry, she rushes the case based on pre trial evidence and  spends ten minutes carrying on for the cameras. Her histronics aside, wouldn't some of her calls be liable for re-trial when she doesn't listen to all of the evidence?

I think you mean that CBS sentences the public to two more years of Judge Judy.

indarwinsshadow: GalFriday: indarwinsshadow: mechgreg: indarwinsshadow: biatch is making 45 million a year pretending she's a judge. She's not a f*cking judge, she's not in the legal system and has no legal authority.

How does contract law work in the United States? Is it the same from state to state, or can you ignore the ruling (if you don't like the outcome) and take your case to civil court?

She has to adhere to some of the rules of the state where the claim originated (maximum amount allowed on a judgement), but for the most part because it is binding arbitration, she uses the laws of California and/or New York (where she was an actual appointed judge) and common sense.

The participants sign an agreement to discharge their cases from small claims court and the cannot refile once an arbitration ruling has been made.

I've seen a few episodes where she appears to base her judgement solely on when lunch is coming. If she's in a hurry, she rushes the case based on pre trial evidence and  spends ten minutes carrying on for the cameras. Her histronics aside, wouldn't some of her calls be liable for re-trial when she doesn't listen to all of the evidence?

If this show was part of the real world, her judgements would be appealed in most cases.  However, there is usually no appeal in binding arbitration (as in traffic court), and her show doesn't take place in the real world.

Don't forget, Scheindlin was an appointed Family Court judge, not a regular civil court judge. She has no background in these sorts of cases, and only got this job due to a 60 Minutes interview naming her the toughest judge.

swahnhennessy: I just sort of assumed that show had been canceled a decade. I had no idea it was not only still airing, but that it is popular enough to give its star $45M a year.

We live on this planet.

If I had to choose, I'd rather she get that kind of salary than these D-nozzles:

That's one hell of a gig, props to the old lady.

45 million for 52 days work.  Divide 260 work days per year by 52 days which yields 5. Multiply 45 million per year by 5 yields 225 million per year. Multiply by 2 years.

JEEBUS FARKING CHRIST!!1!

$450 MILLION OVER TWO WORK YEARS???

Who is her agent? Do I have to blow him? This is important.

indarwinsshadow:
I've seen a few episodes where she appears to base her judgement solely on when lunch is coming. If she's in a hurry, she rushes the case based on pre trial evidence and  spends ten minutes carrying on for the cameras. Her histronics aside, wouldn't some of her calls be liable for re-trial when she doesn't listen to all of the evidence?

Even if they could find a way to retry the case, why would they?  Because the show pays any "damages" that are awarded, losing costs you nothing.  If you think that you SHOULD have been awarded damages, good luck trying to win your case through the real court system.  It can be a pain in the ass and expensive, with no guarantee that you'll actually win.  You might as well just let it go.

Sheindlin will be getting a raise from her reported $45 million annual salary.

So more than 90 mil.

No she doesn't. She keeps yelling time and again that, "If it doesn't make sense, it's not true!" Since her making $45 million a year for being an asshole doesn't make sense to me, it is not true.

Which is good, because otherwise I was going to be angry.

indarwinsshadow: She's not a f*cking judge, she's not in the legal system and has no legal authority. She's a mouthy kunt. I wouldn't put up with that kind of harrasement for any amount of money. I'm always surprised how meek some people are when she's barking at them. Why doesn't someone tell her to f*ck off just once. And I'd love to see officer Barney take an ass kicking when he's giving the old tough guy routine.

Hate that phoney show.

It's not live TV, dude. Anyone who nutted up wouldn't make the final cut of the TV show.

Bedurndurn: No she doesn't. She keeps yelling time and again that, "If it doesn't make sense, it's not true!" Since her making $45 million a year for being an asshole doesn't make sense to me, it is not true.


Don't piss on our legs and tell us it's raining.

Judge Judy reminds me of a woman who ran charitable family clinic (long story).

She was very much the Judge Judy type--impatient, pull yourself up by the bootstraps, no better cure for mental illness than getting a job.

Until one of her clients committed suicide.

The clinic was shut down and she was out of a job very quickly.

/she meant well but she was out of her league. she rose to the level of incompetence and she only paid the price of unemployment

indarwinsshadow: She an asshole. Seriously. How can she talk like she's making small change doing her job, when she's making 45 mil a year? Then she has the nerve to berate people who don't have a job or have recently lost a job and can't make ends meet. It really pisses me off when she says sh* like "go collect cans if you have to pay the bills"....f*ck her. biatch is making 45 million a year pretending she's a judge. She's not a f*cking judge, she's not in the legal system and has no legal authority. She's a mouthy kunt. I wouldn't put up with that kind of harrasement for any amount of money. I'm always surprised how meek some people are when she's barking at them. Why doesn't someone tell her to f*ck off just once. And I'd love to see officer Barney take an ass kicking when he's giving the old tough guy routine.

Hate that phoney show.

She was a judge for I believe over 30 years.  Go fark yourself saying she isn't a judge.  You can say what you want about court shows, but she is a judge.  If you have seen the show and you don't understand why she is getting mad at people, than I think you aren't intelligent enough to understand her arguments or how she is deconstructing the absolute bullshiat that these people come in with.

ristst: Barry McCackiner: If you have seen the show and you don't understand why she is getting mad at people, than I think you aren't intelligent enough to understand her arguments or how she is deconstructing the absolute bullshiat that these people come in with.

I think it's referred to as "ramping up the tension for the cameras"....the same as on shows such as American Chopper, American Hot Rod, and a host of others.

You can guarantee there's someone behind the cameras with a headset and a clipboard telling her continually to be as nasty as she can be, because y'know.....righteous indignation = ratings = $$$$$

It is a TV show, of course there is going to be some theatrics.  But, again, if you watch the show you know that she doesn't do it just for the fun of it.  When people come in and talk plainly and don't try to lie she doesn't do that.  She only starts yelling at the people who are trying to dance around her questions or who don't have proof of anything they are claiming.  The advertising to the show of course highlights her screaming, because that is what gets people to watch, but it isn't the core of the show.  Ultimately the core of the show is just her sorting through ridiculous issues.

If you watch her show and compare it with the People's Court (which is a tame show compared to some of the filth out there), she hardly lets anyone say anything.  And that is because most of the things the people want to say are not relevant to the decision that Judge Judy is trying to make.  Ultimately she is just trying to figure out who is lying and who isn't.  She will only ask as many questions as she needs in order to tease that out.  If she were going straight for drama, she would just let these idiots say their spiel and then berate them for it.  That isn't what she does.

Barry McCackiner: indarwinsshadow: She an asshole. Seriously. How can she talk like she's making small change doing her job, when she's making 45 mil a year? Then she has the nerve to berate people who don't have a job or have recently lost a job and can't make ends meet. It really pisses me off when she says sh* like "go collect cans if you have to pay the bills"....f*ck her. biatch is making 45 million a year pretending she's a judge. She's not a f*cking judge, she's not in the legal system and has no legal authority. She's a mouthy kunt. I wouldn't put up with that kind of harrasement for any amount of money. I'm always surprised how meek some people are when she's barking at them. Why doesn't someone tell her to f*ck off just once. And I'd love to see officer Barney take an ass kicking when he's giving the old tough guy routine.

Hate that phoney show.

She was a judge for I believe over 30 years.  Go fark yourself saying she isn't a judge.  You can say what you want about court shows, but she is a judge.  If you have seen the show and you don't understand why she is getting mad at people, than I think you aren't intelligent enough to understand her arguments or how she is deconstructing the absolute bullshiat that these people come in with.

indarwinsshadow: mechgreg: indarwinsshadow: biatch is making 45 million a year pretending she's a judge. She's not a f*cking judge, she's not in the legal system and has no legal authority.

She is not a judge but I am pretty sure she has authority. Maybe not criminal authority but certainly contractual authority. My understanding is that she is basically a legally binding arbitrator and when people agree to go on her show (and get paid to be on the show) they sign a contract where they agree that they will be bound by her decision.

How does contract law work in the United States? Is it the same from state to state, or can you ignore the ruling (if you don't like the outcome) and take your case to civil court?

IIRC, The show acts like it's a court room, but it's actually just arbitration. Both parties agree to let her decision be final and unappealable,  (and on TV). This allows a lot of leeway in how cases are argued and handled.

People do it because they get a free trip to LA, money for meals, 15 minutes of fame, and the awarded judgements are paid entirely by the show.

Other interesting facts,

-All the people in the courtroom are extras

-Judge Judy actually lives in NY, and commutes to LA a couple times a month for 2-4 days of shooting, thus she only works around 7-8 days a month (though those days are likely 10+ hours)

-I should be a television judge

And poor Wapner probably got paid scale

Um is not an answer!

Mega Steve: And poor Wapner probably got paid scale

That said, I heard his fans were super devoted.

The only times I remember this show is on is if I'm home on a sick day.  It's unwatchable between the phony attitude she has and the technical college, truck driving school and other commercials targeted to people at home outa work.

Barry McCackiner: ristst: Barry McCackiner: If you have seen the show and you don't understand why she is getting mad at people, than I think you aren't intelligent enough to understand her arguments or how she is deconstructing the absolute bullshiat that these people come in with.

I think it's referred to as "ramping up the tension for the cameras"....the same as on shows such as American Chopper, American Hot Rod, and a host of others.

You can guarantee there's someone behind the cameras with a headset and a clipboard telling her continually to be as nasty as she can be, because y'know.....righteous indignation = ratings = $$$$$

It is a TV show, of course there is going to be some theatrics.  But, again, if you watch the show you know that she doesn't do it just for the fun of it.  When people come in and talk plainly and don't try to lie she doesn't do that.  She only starts yelling at the people who are trying to dance around her questions or who don't have proof of anything they are claiming.  The advertising to the show of course highlights her screaming, because that is what gets people to watch, but it isn't the core of the show.  Ultimately the core of the show is just her sorting through ridiculous issues.

If you watch her show and compare it with the People's Court (which is a tame show compared to some of the filth out there), she hardly lets anyone say anything.  And that is because most of the things the people want to say are not relevant to the decision that Judge Judy is trying to make.  Ultimately she is just trying to figure out who is lying and who isn't.  She will only ask as many questions as she needs in order to tease that out.  If she were going straight for drama, she would just let these idiots say their spiel and then berate them for it.  That isn't what she does.

What she does do is tell people who bring in witnesses, photographic evidence, etc., that that isn't how her court works (and yes, she's done that, so no, she's not a judge because she obviously has forgotten how the judicial system operates).

Face it, she's the modern day Jerry Springer, just w/o the constant swearing and staged fights (though staged cases are just fine....).