If you watch television for any length of time during the day, it's likely you've come across one of those reality court shows where so-called judges decide the outcome of legal cases. These shows actually look through pending court cases to find people to appear before the TV judge. If you're approached by a producer of one of these shows, should you agree to have your case handled this way?

How Do Those Court Shows Work?

Whether or not the person making the decisions in the case is actually a judge or has any experience being one is a tossup. For the purposes of the reality court show, however, the star of the program typically is not acting in that capacity. In actuality, the individual is acting as an arbiter, and the "court case" is really just a public form of arbitration. Even the "courtroom" isn't really a courtroom, but a sound stage, and the audience members are paid actors.

Arbitration is a type of alternative dispute resolution that's a cross between mediation and a civil lawsuit. Both litigants tell their version of events to a third party, and the decision the third party makes in the case is legally binding. However, the proceedings are typically less formal than a court case, and the person who does the arbitration doesn't necessarily have to be a judge or even a legal professional.

Should You Litigate Your Case This Way?

While arbitration is a valid alternative to litigating your case in court, there is very little benefit to doing it on a television show. The primary benefit is that the television show will pay the winner's judgment award. This is good for both the plaintiff and the defendant, since the plaintiff doesn't have to worry about collecting the money, and the defendant gets off the hook for paying.

Both parties are also typically paid for their appearance. On one popular courtroom reality drama, the parties are paid $100 plus $35 per day of filming the case. The show also pays the participants' travel expenses.

That's where the advantages end. Most of these court shows only handle small claims and limit the amount of financial recovery to what the person would get if he or she took the case to small claims court in the state the individual resides. For example, in Michigan, the maximum you can recover in small claims court is $5,000. Even if you had $10,000 in compensable damages, the arbiter on the show would only award you $5,000.

Although the evidentiary rules are usually relaxed on these shows, the shows are also often pressed for time. Additionally, the focus of these shows is to entertain viewers, so the arbiter in the case will typically be more concerned about ramping up the drama. This means you may not be able to present your case fully and/or the arbiter may focus on elements that aren't important or relevant.

Lastly, the way the contracts on these shows are worded prevents the parties from appealing the arbiters' decisions. Unless the arbiter makes a decision on something outside the bounds of the contract or made a legal mistake that significantly impacts the outcome of the case, you cannot appeal the final decision. For instance, one popular "court judge" had her decision on child custody, visitation, and child support overturned by a family court judge because it wasn't an issue the arbiter had jurisdiction over.

Although it may be fun to appear on television on one of these courtroom reality dramas, if you're serious about maximizing the amount of compensation you can recover and protecting your rights, it's probably not a good idea to agree to have your personal injury case resolved this way. Instead, contact a personal injury attorney who can help you litigate a case in a real courtroom. For more information, contact a local law firm like the Law Office Of Daniel E Goodman.