# TV court shows **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 23, 2016, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-court-shows/755484 "2016-05-23T20:47:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![stosh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@stosh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stosh)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2016, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-court-shows/755484/1 "2016-05-23T20:47:49Z")
Lets say this is on " the people’s court". Tom loans Dick $5,000.00 and dick does not pay Tom back. Tom takes Dick to court and proves that Dick owes him the money. The TV judge awards Tom the $5,000.00. Does this mean that Dick gets to keep the original $5,000.00 and the TV show gives Tom another $5,000.00. If this is right, how does anyone learn anything? Except that crime does pay. I know that these shows are not meant to be a learning experience but this is joke. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2016, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-court-shows/755484/2 "2016-05-23T21:21:23Z")
Yes, that’s the way it works. Tom is made whole, Dick gets away with it. Of course he would anyway because he doesn’t have any money and Tom had little chance of collecting from a judgement anyway. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2016, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-court-shows/755484/3 "2016-05-23T21:25:44Z")
Both parties are paid, but if you lose, your payment is reduced by the amount of the judgment. The shows are entertainment, not justice. The aren’t trying to teach anything (and few are actually crimes, just civil disagreements) ---
**Author:** ![planetcory](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/planetcory/32/1032_2.png) [@planetcory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/planetcory)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2016, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-court-shows/755484/4 "2016-05-23T21:59:17Z")
> [@stosh](#): > > Lets say this is on " the people’s court". > Tom loans Dick $5,000.00 and dick does not pay Tom back. Tom takes Dick to court and proves that Dick owes him the money. > The TV judge awards Tom the $5,000.00. > Does this mean that Dick gets to keep the original $5,000.00 and the TV show gives Tom another $5,000.00. > If this is right, how does anyone learn anything? Except that crime does pay. > I know that these shows are not meant to be a learning experience but this is joke. Dick doesn’t keep $5000. He doesn’t have $5000 to his name. That’s why they’re in court. At least, this way, Tom gets his money back somehow. ---
**Author:** ![stosh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@stosh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stosh)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2016, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-court-shows/755484/5 "2016-05-23T22:45:29Z")
Dick has the original $5,000.00, that Tom loaned him and he is not paying back. I think it’s great that Tom gets his money back. I just think there should be some repercussions for doing this. If Dick finds another sucker, he will do it all over again. When does it end? ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2016, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-court-shows/755484/6 "2016-05-23T22:59:06Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Both parties are paid, but if you lose, your payment is reduced by the amount of the judgment. > > The shows are entertainment, not justice. The aren’t trying to teach anything (and few are actually crimes, just civil disagreements) This. This is how they get people to be on these shows. Offer them a free trip to LA or NY, and they guarantee payment to the both parties for showing, then who ever wins gets part or whole of the loser’s. Winner is made whole + $5000 + trip. Loser just $5000-judgement + trip. (audience members get $40+ (10 or so yrs ago anyway) for the day (usually about 12 cases for judy or joe brown)). ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2016, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-court-shows/755484/7 "2016-05-23T23:00:04Z")
> [@stosh](#): > > Dick has the original $5,000.00, that Tom loaned him and he is not paying back. I think it’s great that Tom gets his money back. > I just think there should be some repercussions for doing this. If Dick finds another > sucker, he will do it all over again. > When does it end? It’s a binding arbitration, it’s not a criminal court. ---
**Author:** ![Karen\_Lingel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karen_lingel/32/18649_2.png) [@Karen\_Lingel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Karen_Lingel)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2016, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-court-shows/755484/8 "2016-05-23T23:01:48Z")
I thought the way this worked was there was a pool of money, say $8000. From that they pay Tom $5000. The rest of the pool ($3000) is divided amongst the parties, so Tom gets $6500 in total, and Dick gets $1500. If Dick had won, each would get $4000. ---
**Author:** ![RadicalPi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/radicalpi/32/9806_2.png) [@RadicalPi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RadicalPi)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2016, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-court-shows/755484/9 "2016-05-23T23:55:09Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > The shows are entertainment, not justice. The aren’t trying to teach anything (and few are actually crimes, just civil disagreements) I wouldn’t think _any_ of them are crimes. I don’t think you can get out of a criminal trial with an arbitration agreement. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2016, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-court-shows/755484/10 "2016-05-23T23:57:53Z")
> [@Karen\_Lingel](#): > > I thought the way this worked was there was a pool of money, say $8000. From that they pay Tom $5000. The rest of the pool ($3000) is divided amongst the parties, so Tom gets $6500 in total, and Dick gets $1500. > > If Dick had won, each would get $4000. That is the way most shows do it but I’ve never been able to confirm that Judge Judy works that way. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2016, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-court-shows/755484/11 "2016-05-24T16:40:22Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > That is the way most shows do it but I’ve never been able to confirm that Judge Judy works that way. If you lose in Judge Judy’s court, you pay in lasting emotional damage stemming from being insulted and belittled by a mother-surrogate. If you _win_, however… you pay in lasting emotional damage stemming from being insulted and belittled by a mother-surrogate. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2016, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-court-shows/755484/12 "2016-05-24T16:43:53Z")
So either way you rack up psychiatrist fees. Which would probably make you a loser of sorts. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2016, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-court-shows/755484/13 "2016-05-24T16:49:41Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > If you lose in Judge Judy’s court, you pay in lasting emotional damage stemming from being insulted and belittled by a mother-surrogate. > > If you _win_, however… you pay in lasting emotional damage stemming from being insulted and belittled by a mother-surrogate. This is generally true. I haven’t seen anything stating the their actual payout policy, however Judge Judy acts as if she wants one side or the other, or sometimes both, not to profit unjustly, as if they wouldn’t receive anything. She also acts as if she is keeping the money that isn’t paid out. They do give people travel expenses and I’ve seen some indication that’s in the form of a voucher for which they can easily profit no matter what. But the whole point is entertainment, and if you can prove your case you do get money owed to you even if the other party loses nothing, or even gains some. ---
**Author:** ![J-P\_L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/j-p_l/32/3156_2.png) [@J-P\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/J-P_L)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2016, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-court-shows/755484/14 "2016-05-24T19:41:46Z")
Also, since it`s on public TV, Dick ends up looking like a … well, a dick! ---
**Author:** ![Ken001](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/43a26b/32.png) [@Ken001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ken001)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2016, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-court-shows/755484/15 "2016-05-25T09:24:04Z")
> [@stosh](#): > > Lets say this is on " the people’s court". > Tom loans Dick $5,000.00 and dick does not pay… No. The word “loan” used in this context is a noun. An object, a thing with a name. What you mean is “lent” or “advanced” the sum of $5000. It is an important distinction but commonly misunderstood. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2016, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-court-shows/755484/16 "2016-05-25T09:31:48Z")
> [@Ken001](#): > > No. The word “loan” used in this context is a noun. An object, a thing with a name. “Loan” is still a [verb](http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/loan) in American English: > [@](#): > > The verb loan is one of the words English settlers brought to America and continued to use after it had died out in Britain…Although a surprising number of critics still voice objections, loan is entirely standard as a verb. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2016, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-court-shows/755484/17 "2016-05-25T12:10:26Z")
The funny part is on Judge Judy the parties are always saying “I borrowed John $100…” and Judge Judy yells at them and says “You can’t borrow John $100, you loaned him $100. Stay in school.” And she’s right but I never hear people say they ‘borrowed’ someone some money anywhere else. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2016, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-court-shows/755484/18 "2016-05-25T17:22:14Z")
> [@stosh](#): > > If this is right, how does anyone learn anything? Except that crime does pay. > I know that these shows are not meant to be a learning experience but this is joke. Well, he IS labeled deadbeat on national TV. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2016, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-court-shows/755484/19 "2016-05-25T17:42:35Z")
> [@Lord\_Feldon](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > The verb loan is one of the words English settlers brought to America and continued to use after it had died out in Britain… It’s news to me that it ever died out over here. I hear it as both verb and noun frequently ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2016, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-court-shows/755484/20 "2016-05-25T18:52:15Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > The funny part is on Judge Judy the parties are always saying “I borrowed John $100…” and Judge Judy yells at them and says “You can’t borrow John $100, you loaned him $100. Stay in school.” And she’s right but I never hear people say they ‘borrowed’ someone some money anywhere else. I hear it all the time around here. Drives me nuts but I just keep my mouth shut and die a little inside. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-court-shows/755484.md?page=2)