Justice Performed: Courtroom TV Shows and the Theaters of Popular Law (Methuen Drama)

Justice performed: Courtroom tv shows and the theaters of popular law' is the first study of the reality TV genre to trace its theatrical legacy, connecting the phenomenon of the daytime TV shows to a long history of theatrical trials staged to educate audiences in pedagogies of citizenship. It examines how judge TV fulfills part of law's performative function: that of providing a participatory spectacle the public can recognize as justice. Since it debuted in 1981 with The People's Court, which made famous its star jurist, Judge Joseph A. Wapner, dozens of judges have made the move to television. Unlike the demographics in actual courts, most TV judges are non-white men and women hailing from diverse cultural and racial backgrounds. These judges charge their decisions with personal preferences and cultural innuendos, painting a very different picture of what justice looks like. Drawing on interviews with judge TV judges, producers and production staff, as well as the author's experience as a studio audience member, the book scrutinizes the performativity of the genre, the needs it meets and the inherent ideological biases about race, gender and civic instruction Contents 6 List of Illustrations 7 Acknowledgments and Attributions 8 Attributions 9 (In order of appearance) 9 Preface: A Long Day in “Court” 12 Introduction: “Judge Judy did not prepare me for this” 16 Reproducing small claims 20 Appearances of justice 23 From the courtroom drama to reality courtroom TV 26 Chapter 1 Becoming the People’s Judges: Staging Reality Courtroom TV Law 34 Becoming Judge Judy 37 The gavel bangers 44 The “Village Chieftain” 51 It’s Joe time 60 The b(l)ack story: The courtroom of second chances 61 “I know you” 67 Justice served spicy 70 There’s only one queen in this courtroom 76 Connecting to the judge 81 Chapter 2 The Law/Theater Continuum: Performing Real Disputes on Courtroom Stages 84 Beneath the small claims: Casting the dramas 87 Locating the dramas: The personal/social conflict 92 The aesthetic drama 95 The audience role 97 Playing the audience 101 The audience vantage point: Seeing the seams 102 Nonacting on reality courtroom TV 111 The editorial wink 120 Home/studio 123 Chapter 3 The Compassionate Courtroom 126 The compassion and mercy that justice brings 129 The reality courtroom morality play 137 Judge Hatchett’s intervention: “I Got My Eye on You” 138 Alonzo Mourning saves a troubled teen 142 Using compassion 145 A bad night at Woodforest: Anatomy of a hate crime 148 Conclusion 155 Chapter 4 Rehearsing Citizenship: Exercises in Tough Justice 158 Bad Boys and Girls: Gender policing in Judge Joe Brown’s courtroom 159 He’s real girled up 165 Bad Girls you love to hate 175 Tactical comedy 180 Summoning “The Judge” 182 Chapter 5 The Judiciary’s “Lonely Splendor”: Courtroom TV and the Battle for Ideological Influence 188 Absences 196 The indispensable role 201 The teaching play 202 Scripting reality 204 The pop culture indicator 208 Appendix 212 Table of cases 221 Notes 222 Preface 222 Introduction 222 Chapter 1 224 Chapter 2 231 Chapter 3 235 Chapter 4 238 Chapter 5 241 Appendix 245 Bibliography 248 Unpublished interviews with author 268 Author Biography 270 Index 272 This Book Is The First Study Of The Reality Tv Genre To Trace Its Theatrical Legacy, Connecting The Phenomenon Of The Daytime Tv Shows To A Long History Of Theatrical Trials Staged To Educate Audiences In Pedagogies Of Citizenship. It Examines How Judge Tv Fulfills Part Of Law's Performative Function: That Of Providing A Participatory Spectacle The Public Can Recognize As Justice. Since It Debuted In 1981 With The People's Court, Which Made Famous Its Star Jurist, Judge Joseph A. Wapner, Dozens Of Judges Have Made The Move To Television. Unlike The Demographics In Actual Courts, Most Tv Judges Are Non-white Men And Women Hailing From Diverse Cultural And Racial Backgrounds. These Judges Charge Their Decisions With Personal Preferences And Cultural Innuendos, Painting A Very Different Picture Of What Justice Looks Like. Drawing On Interviews With Judge Tv Judges, Producers And Production Staff, As Well As The Author's Experience As A Studio Audience Member, The Book Scrutinizes The Performativity Of The Genre, The Needs It Meets And The Inherent Ideological Biases About Race, Gender And Civic Instruction.--publisher's Website. Introduction: Judge Judy Did Not Prepare Me For This -- Becoming The People's Judges: Staging Reality Courtroom Tv Law -- The Law/theater Continuum: Performing Real Disputes On Courtroom Stages -- The Compassionate Courtroom -- Rehearsing Citizenship: Exercises In Tough Justice -- The Judiciary's Lonely Splendor: Courtroom Tv And Battle For Ideological Influence. Sarah Kozinn. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 233-253) And Index. Sarah Kozinn presents a study of the reality TV genre to trace its theatrical legacy, connecting the phenomenon of the daytime TV shows to a long history of theatrical trials staged to educate audiences in pedagogies of citizenship. She examines how judge TV fulfills part of law's performative function: that of providing a participatory spectacle the public can recognize as justice