Another by-product of my day's confinement due to NORO virus, is being sentenced to watch daytime television.
Remember People's Court? Judge Wapner was very careful to run his televison court according to standard practices. If a litigant said, "Well, your honor, in a real court..." Judge Wapner woult stop him. "This IS a real court. You have assigned your case here. The judgements I make here are binding and legal. I follow California law."
Alas, long ago, Judge Wapner retired. Now the People's Court is run by Judge Marilyn Milan. Judge Marilyn seems to encourge litigants carping at one another. "He called me a whore." "Well she spit on my car." These are two comments you might have heard in People's Court. But not under Judge Wapner. He would be quick to remind litigants that what happened AFTER the tort, did not apply to the judgement. You get no damages because someone called you a nasty word late in the day. But I hear a lot of that in Judge Marilyn's court.
But that is not all. Judge Marilyn is only the fourth in a series of daydtime televsion courts. First there is Divorce Court, with Judge Glenda Hatchett, and a couple more courts with Judges Christina Perez and Judge Maria Lopez. These lady judges seem more intent on scolding litigants than finding truth.
Why spoil a good domestic cat-fight with name calling by insisting on legal protocol? A good show requires that we get to know the lead characters, so Judges interview the litigants, inquiring into maters that have no bearing on the case. "I took my life savings and sent it to the defendant," says the Plaintiff.
"Oh," says Judge Marilyn, "what were you saving for?"
"I was saving to go to medical school."
"Oh, good. My brother went to medical school. and you sent the plaintiff your money? How could you be so STUPID?"
My, how would you like to have your suit decided by someone who thinks you are stupid, even if she is prejudiced for you because her brother went to medical school. She ought to disqualify herself, not congratulate you on your choice of careers. And what bearing does that have on the case anyway, what the embezzled money was supposed to be for?
All the lady judges seem to get personally involved. One says, "You lied to me. I hate that. Judgement is for the defendant." There, a ruling based on which litigant irritates you the least.
Please, Judge Wapner, come out of retirement, so these ladies can go back to law school. (Last time I saw Judge Wapner, he was on Animal Planet, judging animal rights cases. but we need him now on People's Court. And do we really need five or six Courtrooms on television.)
If Judge Wapner had heard the O.J. Simpon case, it would have fit into an one hour time slot, and NOT taken over a year to settle.
5 comments:
Lol, I agree with you. I've watched those Court shows and its crazy how most of the show the peoeple stand there talking about stuff that has nothing to do with the case and they actually spend like 5 minutes, if that much on the actually reason for the case and the judgement is done in less than a minute, lol. Strange....but, yep thats exactly how it goes.
We get Judge Judy in the Uk, cannot remember where she is in the US. She used to be a family court judge and she is very strict and no one gets one over on her. She doesn't want to hear the rubbish only the facts.
Jenny <><
Yeah, I've seen a bunch of those court shows... I liked Wapner, too... but, I like Judge Judy. She has ruled fairly most of the time, I think. Yeah, she can be a bitch, but sometimes it takes a bitch to do that job.
Jackie
This is why I never watch these shows!
Feel better.
Maybe I should watch a few more court tv shows and make a complete report. There is Judge Judy, and Judge Joe somebody, and a few on cable tv. Animal Court is one.
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