How to Get on Judge Judy and Other Court TV Shows

Who doesn’t love Judge Judy? Our clients are always asking us, how do I get on Judge Judy or another court TV show? Well, look no further. In this article we break down how to get on Judge Judy and other court TV shows. 

In this article, we will cover the following court TV shows: 

• Judge Judy, or her new show, Judy Justice

• The Hot Bench

• Ms. Pat Settles it

• Judge Mathis

• The People’s Court

• Chrissy’s Court

If being featured on court TV isn’t for you or if the person you are suing doesn't agree to be on TV, you may want to consider taking them to small claims court (real court) instead. (review our 50-state guide to small claims court). 

Our clients are always very curious about how court TV works. In the following sections, we go backstage to show you how court TV shows like Judge Judy work.

Court TV is actually arbitration

Everyone always seems to wonder, are Judge Judy cases real? Yes, most Court TV shows feature real cases. What is not real is that court TV shows are not “real court” but rather a legal procedure called “arbitration.”’

Arbitration is a procedure that looks like a real court hearing. This hearing is overseen by a neutral third-party (an arbitrator). In court TV shows, the “arbitrator” is the “judge” you see on TV – so Judge Judy and Judge Mathis are actually arbitrators. However, if they were previously real judges, they are still referred to as “judge” as a sign of respect. 

The other party has to agree to be on the show

One key aspect of court TV shows like Judge Judy is that both parties have to agree to appear on the show. If one party doesn’t agree, the case will not be featured on the show. It tends to be very difficult to get the party being sued to agree to appear on court TV because they legally don’t need to accept.

Many court TV shows pay you to be on the show 

When producers find cases that they think will be entertaining to watch and will do well on television, they are eager to have both parties involved. Generally speaking, the show will have a certain budget set aside for each case; this budget changes from show to show but can range between $1,000 and $10,000 per case. 

When the judge hears the case, the judge makes a decision on how much one side should win. On TV, the judge will tell the losing party that they will need to pay a certain amount to the other side, but in reality, many shows’ producers will pay the winning party the amount the losing party owes as an incentive to appear on court TV.

From the perspective of the person being sued, this is great! Yes, while you may be airing your dirty laundry on national television, you don’t have to pay the other party if you lose, and you may also receive an appearance fee. 

There are generally 2 main ways to be selected to participate on Court TV: 

1. If you have an interesting case that makes good television, producers may reach out to you expressing their interest. Producers can find your case because once you file in small claims with the courthouse, the filing information is made public. Producers often scour through these cases to find anything interesting for their show

2. You can go directly to the website of the show you would like to appear on and apply through their website.

What not to do? I recently saw a TikTok of someone saying that he and his friends would file lawsuits in small claims court for fun to get on court TV shows. You should never do this. When you file a case in a real small claims court, you are certifying under oath that what you are claiming in the lawsuit is true, and you can be penalized for lying to the court. 

Court TV shows have been a popular source of entertainment since the 1950s and reached new heights in the mid-1990s. But the show that stands above all others is Emmy-winning Judge Judy. 

Unfortunately, Judge Judy ended after the 2021 season. Fortunately for her loyal fans, she chose not to retire and created a new show with a new network called Judy Justice. The show's basis is the same, and it features her granddaughter, Sarah Rose. 

While Judy Justice producers may still contact you after you file your lawsuit in small claims, they no longer have a public submission page where you can apply directly. 

If you’d like to try connecting, Judy Justice’s Facebook account was active as of August 2025 and could be a way to reach the team.

If you are interested in appearing on the Hot Bench, the application process is simple, and you can get started on it right now. Follow these steps to apply to appear on the Hot Bench:

1. Go to the submission portal on the Hot Bench website linked here.

2. Fill out all the information requested honestly and correctly.

3. Once you have completed the form, click submit and wait for a response!

Thinking about appearing on Ms. Pat Settles It? The process couldn’t be easier. You can start right away, and with just a few steps, you’ll be on your way to submitting your case for consideration. Here’s how to apply:

1. Go to the submission portal on Ms. Pat Settles It's website. 

2. Fill out all the information requested honestly and correctly.

3. Upload a short video pleading your case. 

4. Once you have completed the form, click submit and wait for a response!

Unlike in the past, there is currently no phone number or online submission page available for those interested in appearing on Judge Mathis. The selection process is now handled internally, meaning producers choose the cases they want to feature and may reach out to you directly if they are interested.

For years, The People’s Court has allowed viewers to submit their cases online through an easy application process.

That option no longer exists. The series was cancelled in 2023, and its submission page has since been removed.

Chrissy’s Court is one of the more recent takes on courtroom TV. New cases are selected once each season. At the time this article was originally written, producers were still accepting submissions for upcoming episodes.

Since then, the show has been cancelled and no longer accepts public applications.