Editing Judge Mathis

{{About|the television series|the eponymous arbiter of this court show|Greg Mathis}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2023}}
{{Infobox television
| image        = Mathislogo.jpg
| genre        = [[Court show#Arbitration-based reality court show|Arbitration-based reality court show]]
| presenter    = [[Judge Greg Mathis]]<br />Brendan Anthony Moran<br />Kevin Lingle<br />Doyle Devereux
| narrated     = William Price
| music        = Roy Shakked<br />Brian Wayy
| country      = United States
| num_seasons  = 24
| num_episodes = 3,000+
| location     = [[WMAQ-TV]] [[NBC Tower]]<br />[[Chicago, Illinois]]
| camera       = [[Multiple-camera setup|Multiple]]
| runtime      = 60 minutes
| company      = {{Plainlist|
* AND Syndicated Productions
* [[Telepictures|Telepictures Productions]]
* [[Warner Bros. Television Studios|Warner Bros. Television Distribution]]
* Black Pearl Entertainment<br />(1999–2003)
}}
| first_aired  = {{Start date|1999|9|13}}
| last_aired   = {{End date|2023|5|25}}
| channel      = [[Broadcast syndication|Syndication]]
}}
[[File:Shannon & Judge Mathis.jpg|thumb|Mathis ''(right)'' and [[Finders Keepers (2015 film)|Shannon Whisnant]]]]
'''''Judge Mathis''''' is an American  [[Court show#Arbitration-based reality court show|arbitration-based reality]] [[court show]] presided over by Judge [[Greg Mathis]], a former judge of [[Michigan]]'s 36th [[Michigan district courts|District Court]] and [[African Americans|Black]]-interests motivational speaker/activist.<ref name="MadameNoire">{{cite news|url=https://madamenoire.com/1314500/i-got-questions-talks-with-judge-mathis/|title=I GOT QUESTIONS: Judge Mathis Talks Cancel Culture, Tough Love, American Gangsters And Trap Queens|access-date=May 11, 2022|work=[[MadameNoire]]|last=Harris|first=Ida|date=May 10, 2022|location=United States}}</ref><ref name="News19">{{cite news|url=https://whnt.com/news/huntsville/tv-judge-greg-mathis-keynotes-black-history-month-ceremony-at-oakwood-university/|title=TV Judge Greg Mathis keynotes Black History Month ceremony at Oakwood University|access-date=January 9, 2022|work=News19|last=Parker|first=Dallas|date=February 28, 2019|location=United States}}</ref>

The series ran for 24 seasons from September 13, 1999, to May 25, 2023. The series ran in [[broadcast syndication#First-run syndication in the U.S.|first-run syndication]] during its active years. The series saw Judge Greg Mathis adjudicating [[small claims]] disputes from his studio courtroom set. The series is [[NAACP Image Award for Outstanding News/Information – Series or Special|NAACP Image Award]] winning, as well as the first court show featuring an [[African Americans|African American]] jurist to win [[Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Legal/Courtroom Program]].

The series was produced by [[Telepictures Productions]] and AND Syndicated Productions, while distributed by [[Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution]].<ref name="About the Show">Judge Mathis website. Online at: [http://judgemathistv.warnerbros.com/html/about.html "About the Show"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070505020110/http://judgemathistv.warnerbros.com/html/about.html |date=5 May 2007 }}. Retrieved 8 May 2007</ref> The courtroom series was filmed in front of a [[studio audience]] at the [[NBC Tower]] in [[Chicago]], but included cases and [[litigants]] from other U.S. jurisdictions.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Swartz |first1=Tracy |title=Judge Mathis recalls highlights from his Chicago-filmed TV show ahead of Season 20 premiere |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/tv/ct-ent-judge-mathis-season-20-0903-story.html |access-date=7 February 2021 |work=chicagotribune.com}}</ref> As ''[[Divorce Court]]'' and ''[[The People's Court]]'' faced numerous judge-role casting changes, Mathis is the second longest reigning judge in television court show history, behind only [[Judy Sheindlin]] (''[[Judge Judy]]'' and ''[[Judy Justice]]'') by 3 years.<ref name="ChicagoTribuneArticle">{{cite news|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/tv/ct-ent-judge-mathis-season-20-0903-story.html|title=Judge Mathis recalls highlights from his Chicago-filmed TV show ahead of Season 20 premiere|access-date=May 11, 2022|work=[[Chicago Tribune]]|last=Swartz|first=Tracy|date=August 30, 2018|location=United States}}</ref>

In February 2023, late into its final season, it was confirmed that the 24th season would be its last.<ref>{{cite web|last=Schneider|first=Michael|title=''Judge Mathis'', ''People's Court'' Canceled By Warner Bros. After More Than Two Decades|url=https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/judge-mathis-the-peoples-court-canceled-warner-bros-1235527589/|website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=February 17, 2023|access-date=February 17, 2023}}</ref> Shortly after, [[Byron Allen]]'s [[Entertainment Studios|Allen Media Group]] had ordered a new series starring Mathis and his son Amir as bailiff. His subsequent court show is entitled ''[[Mathis Court with Judge Mathis]]'', which began in syndication by September 11, 2023, on Justice Central.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Porter |first=Rick |date=February 21, 2023 |title=Judge Greg Mathis Lands New Court Show With Byron Allen |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/judge-greg-mathis-new-tv-court-show-1235330724/ |access-date=February 22, 2023 |website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]}}</ref>

''Judge Mathis'' currently continues to air in reruns. 

== Judge Greg Mathis ==
===Case handling and adjudicating approach===
{{Main|Greg Mathis}}

Mathis typically began proceedings by immediately giving the [[plaintiff]] the floor, having him/her expound on their side of the dispute in its entirety to gain insight into the matters. Mathis subsequently granted the [[defendant]] the same opportunity. Cases on ''Judge Mathis'' tended to go deeper and to more revealing places than those of most other court shows. He called attention to peculiarities or juicy details exposed throughout the proceedings as a means of making the cases more stimulating to viewers. More open and unreserved in his personal beliefs than other judges, Mathis never hesitated to tackle serious, topical [[social issue#United States|societal issues]], [[politics|political]] and [[mental health]] matters, and any other touchy subjects that emerged during the proceedings. Not one to shy away from disclosing his [[liberalism|liberal]] mindset, Mathis tied in his [[social justice]] and rehabilitation perspectives into the cases.<ref name="books.google.com"/>

While hearing the testimonies, Mathis took on a relaxed, attentive, understanding, and open-minded nature. Rarely missing an opportunity to jest or poke fun, however, Mathis was given to wit, joking and humor, also good-natured ridicule and ribbing of the parties, often rousing his audience to uproarious amusement. He sometimes cut the tension–even tension he had fostered–with wisecracks or playfully taunting remarks. Mathis had bantered directly at audience members on occasion, also resulting in audience amusement.<ref name="metnews.com">{{cite web|author=Roger M. Grace |url=http://www.metnews.com/articles/reminiscing100203.htm |title=Seven Courtroom Shows Appear on TV's Fall Docket |publisher=Metnews.com |date=2 October 2003 |access-date=9 September 2013}}</ref> A trademark, Mathis sporadically used a rather high-pitched voice to stultify litigants in a manner that suggests they've acted foolishly or have not recognized the obvious.<ref name="books.google.com"/><ref name="pcasacas.org">http://pcasacas.org/SiPC/29.1/29.1%20Jeremiah.pdf {{dead link|date=September 2013}}</ref>

Combined with his teasing and comedic tendencies on the bench,<ref name="metnews.com"/> Mathis was known for his [[wikt: street-smart|street smart]]; urban expressions; and, once he had closely observed, reasoned back and forth and taken a stance on the litigants and matters brought before him, his stern, shaming and firmly lecturing side as well. Occasionally, Mathis left the courtroom to deliberate and then returned with his verdict.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EZD6eR43pMcC&pg=PA230 |title=The A to Z of African-American Television|date= 4 August 2009|isbn=9780810863484 |access-date=9 September 2013|last1=Fearn-Banks |first1=Kathleen |publisher=Scarecrow Press }}</ref> Upon final judgment, he would briefly explain the legal principle guiding his verdict, especially if his ruling was based on a particular state's law. Reportedly, Mathis's rulings conformed to the laws of the state where the case was originally filed.<ref>Judge Mathis interview. Online at: [http://blogs.ajc.com/radio-tv-talk/2009/12/28/interview-with-judge-mathis/ "Interview with the Judge Mathis"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707101115/http://blogs.ajc.com/radio-tv-talk/2009/12/28/interview-with-judge-mathis/ |date=7 July 2011 }}. Retrieved 5 March 2011</ref> In recent years, the show began to conduct [[Paternity (law)|paternity]] testing in disputes about [[child custody]], and [[drug testing]] if applicable. Mathis often offered or compeled [[drug rehabilitation|drug treatment]] and family counseling for those parties in need.<ref name="MadameNoire"/><ref name="ChicagoTribuneArticle"/>

===Coming-of-age journey fused with court show===
As a [[Juvenile delinquency|child and teenage delinquent]], Mathis found himself embroiled in frequent legal woes. He was a member of a street [[gang]] in Detroit, and he was arrested and sentenced to jail for illegally carrying a firearm when he was 17 years old.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://radaronline.com/exclusives/2014/07/greg-mathis-judge-mathis-gang-gun-arrest-detroit/|title = Gun-Toting Judge Greg Mathis Was Arrested as a Teenager|date = 31 July 2014}}</ref>

Mathis was brought up in one of the worst housing projects in Detroit while raised by a single mother.<ref>[http://showbizspy.com/article/gun-toting-judge-greg-mathis-was-arrested-as-a-teenager-280966 Gun-Toting Judge Greg Mathis Was Arrested As A Teenager – Showbiz Spy<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808042415/http://showbizspy.com/article/gun-toting-judge-greg-mathis-was-arrested-as-a-teenager-280966 |date=8 August 2014 }}</ref><ref name="MadameNoire"/> During his youth, he was involved with gangs (most notably the [[Errol Flynns]] gang), [[dropping out|dropped out]] of school and spent time [[prison|behind bars]]. Growing up as a gang member and [[heroin]] dealer in the [[ghetto#African American ghettos|mean streets]] of Detroit, Michigan, Mathis had done plenty of time in [[Youth detention center|juvenile detention centers]] before age 17. All this changed when a judge gave him an [[ultimatum]]—either get a [[G.E.D.]] or go to jail. At the same time, Mathis found out his mother was dying of [[cancer]]. Rushing to her side, he promised her he'd turn his life around, which he did: he attended college, attended law school, earned a [[Juris Doctor]] degree, and passed the [[bar examination|bar]].<ref name="judgemathistv.warnerbros.com"/><ref name="MadameNoire"/><ref name="Variety"/>

Mathis had frequently used his courtroom series to highlight his troubled-youth-turned-success story as a way of motivating and inspiring his audience (especially the youth audience) that there's no adversity that they can't pick themselves up from. It was from his background that Mathis derived much of his arbitration formula and television show theme. For example, the court show's [[title sequence]] music video throughout the early seasons of the program consisted of a brief dedication to Mathis's life story, Mathis narrating with the lines: "Where I grew up, life was rough; we had to make do. And I was arrested several times as a juvenile delinquent. My mom told me she was about to die. I made my commitment that I would change my life. I bring a sense of tough life and compassion to the courtroom." Mathis later shared that he took the job as television arbitrator on the condition that his life story was shared as part of the opening for each episode.<ref name="Variety"/>

In the same likeness of his experience, Mathis took a distinct admiration for litigants who had seen the error of their troubled ways and had made efforts to improve and better their lives.<ref name="books.google.com">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RXQNIs12SzQC&pg=PA20 |title=Encyclopedia of Television Law Shows: Factual and Fictional Series about ... |date= 21 October 2009|isbn=9780786454525 |access-date=9 September 2013|last1=Erickson |first1=Hal |publisher=McFarland }}</ref> Mathis also made efforts to promote treatment and programs for individuals struggling with drug and alcohol addictions.<ref name="ChicagoTribune"/>

==Veteran court show status and honors==
===Outlasting other court shows and TV judges===
By the 2014–15 television season, ''Judge Mathis'' made it to its 16th season, making Mathis the longest-serving [[African Americans|African American]] and [[Black people|Black]] court show arbitrator, surpassing [[Joe Brown (judge)|Joe Brown]] (''[[Judge Joe Brown]]''), whose program lasted 15 seasons. Moreover, Mathis held the record for second-longest serving court show arbitrator ever, just behind [[Judy Sheindlin|Judge Judy Sheindlin]], the presiding judge of the court show ''[[Judge Judy]]'' and its spin-off series ''[[Judy Justice]]''.<ref name="ChicagoTribuneArticle"/>

''Judge Mathis'' entered its milestone 20th season on Monday, September 3, 2018, and the 24th season of the program was its last. (2022–23).<ref name="ChicagoTribune">{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/tv/ct-ent-judge-mathis-season-20-0903-story.html|title=Judge Mathis recalls highlights from his Chicago-filmed TV show ahead of Season 20 premiere |website=[[Chicago Tribune]] |date=30 August 2018 |access-date=2 September 2018}}</ref> The success of ''Judge Mathis'' was particularly noteworthy in that, generally speaking, [[court show]] programming had a very limited [[shelf life]]. The programs in this genre [[Court show#List of present-day traditional court shows|are lucky to make it past a few seasons]]. ''Judge Mathis'' was the fourth longest-running courtroom series behind ''Judge Judy'', ''[[The People's Court]]'' (2nd longest running), and ''[[Divorce Court]]'' (longest running). Though both ''Divorce Court'' and ''The People's Court'' have experienced a series of cancellations/revival reincarnations and shifting arbitrators, ''Judge Mathis'' had not. Consequently, of the court shows with a single production life, ''Judge Mathis'' was the second longest-running (second only to ''Judge Judy'' by three seasons).

During its final 2 seasons, it reigned as one of the longest running court shows (having premiered in 1999) with only 2 other programs: ''Divorce Court'' (1957) and ''The People's Court'' (1981). Of these three court shows, only ''Judge Mathis'' had not suffered temporary cancellations amid its series run. Also of the three, Mathis was the only arbitrator to have hosted his program for the entirety of its series run.

===Court show success vs. congressional run opportunity===
From 2017 into early 2018 during the program's 19th season, Mathis considered ending his courtroom series as he was heavily encouraged by his hometown community to run for [[Member of Congress|congressman]] of [[Detroit]], [[Michigan]]. Due to the successful direction and longevity of his television series, Mathis eventually opted against the congressional opportunity in favor of carrying on the ''Judge Mathis'' program. Mathis stated he would like to do his court show for as long as he can. In Mathis's words, “It’s really not up to me. It’s up to the viewers. I enjoy what we do, particularly the last several years, when we were able to focus a lot more and put more resources, thanks to Warner Brothers and Telepictures, toward changing lives." Mathis expressed value in his court show's influence on drug and alcohol addicts to enroll in rehabilitation, its offering of paternity test results to litigators and providing counseling to troubled parties.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2018/01/12/greg-mathis-running-congress/109390528/|title=Judge Mathis decides against Congress run|date=January 12, 2018|access-date=July 5, 2021}}</ref><ref name="chicagotribune.com"/>

===20th season anniversary===
Mathis had stated that from the beginning, he only expected his court show to last 3 seasons. ''Judge Mathis'' was one of the longest-running, successful programs in the court show genre. Since the 2018–19 television season, it was one of two courtroom programs to have existed for two decades under one arbitrator. As of fall 2021 with the departure of ''Judge Judy'', ''Judge Mathis'' was the only program currently still in production to have existed for over two decades under one arbitrator.<ref name="chicagotribune.com">{{cite web |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/tv/ct-ent-judge-mathis-season-20-0903-story.html|title=Judge Mathis recalls highlights from his Chicago-filmed TV show ahead of Season 20 premiere|website=[[Chicago Tribune]]|date=30 August 2018|access-date=5 July 2021}}</ref>

===Awards===
Judge Greg Mathis's "inspirational and positive messages to young people" won the court show a [[Entertainment Industries Council|PRISM Commendation]] in May 2002. The court show went on to win an ''[[NAACP Image Award for Outstanding News/Information – Series or Special|NAACP Image Award for Outstanding News/Information – Series]]'' in 2004. In April 2018, the court show won a [[Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Legal/Courtroom Program]], just ahead of making its milestone 20th season.<ref name="judgemathistv.warnerbros.com"/>

When ''Judge Mathis'' was crowned the winner of the Daytime Emmy Award in 2018, it became the first courtroom series with an [[African American]] jurist to win the award. In his acceptance speech for his first-ever Emmy win, he credited his diverse staff of females and minorities:

:''We are very proud and honored to have been awarded this Emmy. And after 20 years, I'm so happy for my staff in particular and the diversity that they represent. The majority of our staff are females and minorities. And in this day of the [[Me Too movement]], I think this shows that if you hire more women and have a more diverse staff, you'll win.''<ref name="globalnews.ca">{{cite web |url=https://globalnews.ca/video/4176631/judge-mathis-credits-diverse-staff-for-emmy-win |title=Judge Mathis Credits Diverse Staff For Emmy Win |publisher=Globalnews.ca |date=30 April 2018 |access-date=21 May 2018 |archive-date=May 21, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180521200733/https://globalnews.ca/video/4176631/judge-mathis-credits-diverse-staff-for-emmy-win |url-status=dead }}</ref>

On May 4, 2022, Mathis was honored with a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]].<ref name="Variety">{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/2022/tv/features/judge-mathis-hollywood-walk-of-fame-1235257327/|title=How Greg Mathis Created His Own Path as a TV Judge|access-date=May 11, 2022|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|last=Friedlander|first=Whitney|date=May 4, 2022|location=United States}}</ref>

==Production and broadcast specifics==
===On-air format, broadcast schedule, execution methods===
Each episode ran for one hour and typically consisted of 4 cases.<ref name="judgemathistv.warnerbros.com">{{cite web|url=http://judgemathistv.warnerbros.com/html/abouttheshow.html |title=Judge Mathis Bio |publisher=Judgemathistv.warnerbros.com |date=11 September 2006 |access-date=9 September 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120227140532/http://judgemathistv.warnerbros.com/html/abouttheshow.html |archive-date=27 February 2012 }}</ref> The show is broadcast five days a week in every U.S. state, as well as Canada through [[Omni Television]].<ref>Judge Mathis website. Online at: [http://judgemathistv.warnerbros.com/about/whenitson.html "When its on"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110429193124/http://judgemathistv.warnerbros.com/about/whenitson.html |date=April 29, 2011 }}. Retrieved 5 March 2011</ref><ref>Omni Television. Ontario [http://www.omnitv.ca/ontario/tv/judgemathis/ "Judge Mathis"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071110044251/http://www.omnitv.ca/ontario/tv/judgemathis/ |date=November 10, 2007 }} Accessed 8 May 2007</ref>

The cases on ''Judge Mathis'' were classified as [[tort law]] civil disputes with a maximum $5,000 claim, a typical amount for [[small claims court]]. The producers of the show selected the cases. To acquire cases, the show solicited real-life [[litigant]]s with pending disputes or individuals with potential disputes.

If litigants agreed to be on the show, they were paid a talent fee ranging from $150 to $300, and they received travel accommodations. Mathis had prior knowledge of the cases. In all cases, litigants gave their prospective case managers all evidence in advance. Any outside legal case pending had to be dismissed by both parties.<ref name="ChicagoTribuneArticle"/>

Typically, Mathis's producers only looked for cases that they deemed juicy and sensational enough for television.

===Location===
Each case's litigators entered the second-floor studio at the [[NBC Tower]] separately and pled their case in front of a studio audience. The show paid for the litigants' travel and hotel fees, provided by a small stipend for those selected to appear before Mathis, standard practice for courtroom television programming.<ref name="chicagotribune.com"/>

Mathis, which filmed from the NBC Tower in [[Chicago|Chicago, Illinois]], reported that production consulted him about shooting the court show from [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, California]]. Production had expressed interest in Mathis being closer to the rest of the celebrity industry. Although he considered this suggestion, Mathis vehemently denied the option. In Mathis's words, "I didn't want to interrupt the success. I felt that it was working well, so why disturb that? Secondly, I just love Chicago a lot more than Los Angeles.”<ref name="chicagotribune.com"/>

===COVID-19 precautionary updates for season 22===
Like most [[Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on television in the United States|television program seasons premiering in the fall of 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic]], ''Judge Mathis'' was forced to enter into a new season (its 22nd) in resourceful fashion. As ''Judge Mathis'' cases were pre-taped well in advance of airing for editing purposes, the program had to shoot cases during the height of the pandemic.

Unlike other courtroom programs, Greg Mathis, Doyle, the litigators and the audience all initially presented in person (as opposed to virtually). That being said, by September 7, 2020, when the series premiered its 22nd season, there were a host of on-set precautionary measures in place: a significantly depopulated courtroom audience; all members of the audience widely distanced from one another; all audience members wearing clear plastic face shields; Bailiff Doyle wearing a disposable surgical face mask; a structure bearing a large window placed between Judge Mathis and his litigators; etc. In this manner, Mathis and his litigators all remained unmasked throughout the court proceedings.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Swartz |first1=Tracy |title=Movies and TV shows can film again in Illinois — with limits — after shutdown for coronavirus |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/tv/ct-ent-tv-film-chicago-coronavirus-phase-four-20200622-gccgqdvkrff23dtlctny3zy4la-story.html |access-date=7 February 2021 |work=chicagotribune.com}}</ref>

These COVID-19 measures were later updated that same season: the litigants, along with their witnesses if necessary, presented testimony from remote locations through [[webcam]]. Video monitors were set up in Mathis's courtroom on the litigant podiums. Mathis himself along with Baliff Doyle presented to the courtroom in person, however.<ref>{{cite news |title=Judge Mathis |url=https://judgemathistv.com/  |access-date=1 August 2021 |work=JudgeMathistv.com}}</ref>

== Bailiffs and supporting roles ==
''Judge Mathis''{{'}}s final bailiff, Doyle Devereux had been with the program for most of its series run, since January 2003, midway into the court show's 4th season.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0222391/|title=Doyle Devereux|website=[[IMDb]]|access-date=July 5, 2021}}</ref> It was revealed in an ''[[Hour Detroit]]'' news publication that Devereux was never a real-life bailiff, however, rather an actor cast by the program to play the role of one. In Doyle's words, "The show is real, the cases are real, you guys are real. If there’s something that could be a little fake about this show, it’s me."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hourdetroit.com/community/still-in-session-2/|title=Still in session|date=17 September 2014 |access-date=5 July 2021}}</ref>

Before Devereux, Kevin Lingle was the court show's bailiff for a short duration during the show's 4th season as well.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YX_daEhlnbsC&dq=what+happened+to+second+bailiff+on+Judge+Mathis&pg=PA547|title=Encyclopedia of television shows, 1925 to 2010|isbn=9780786486410|access-date=July 5, 2021|last1=Terrace|first1=Vincent|date=10 January 2014|publisher=McFarland }}</ref>

The court show's first bailiff, Brendan Anthony Moran, died on December 19, 2002, after he fell to his death from the balcony of his 24th-floor Chicago condo. His death was ruled a suicide, although Mathis and Moran's family thought differently.<ref>{{cite web|author=PERNELL WATSON Daily Press |url=https://www.dailypress.com/2003/07/26/bailiff-on-mathis-killed-in-fall/ |title=Bailiff On 'Mathis' Killed in Fall – Daily Press |publisher=Articles.dailypress.com |date=26 July 2003 |access-date=9 September 2013}}</ref>

In the first season of the ''Judge Mathis'' show, Leslie Merrill, a former news anchor for WPGH Pittsburgh became the show's court reporter. Her role was to interview the litigants after Judge Mathis passed judgment and rendered his verdict on each case.<ref name="old.post-gazette.com 1999">{{cite web | title=Tuned In: Jeannie, Jenny and judges among changes in daytime and late-night TV | website=old.post-gazette.com | date=1999-08-26 | url=http://old.post-gazette.com/tv/19990826owen.asp | access-date=2020-04-29}}</ref> She left the show after season 1. For the remainder of  the series' run, ''Judge Mathis'' did not have a court reporter.

== Crossovers and other media personalities ==

* In a September 2014 ''[[Rickey Smiley]] Morning Show'' interview, Judge Mathis expressed praise towards his courtroom rivals. In the interview, he was asked what three other court show judges he'd most enjoy sharing a meal with. For his first choice, he answered "Are you kidding? It would be Judge Judy at the head of the table. Oh, my goodness, that Judge Judy is something else." His second choice was Judge Marilyn Milian, and his third was Judge Mills Lane.<ref name="Rickysmileymorningshow">{{cite web|url=http://rickeysmileymorningshow.com/1550340/judge-mathis-joe-brown/ |title=Judge Mathis On Why Judge Joe Brown Isn't One Of His Favorite TV Judges [EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW] |date=11 September 2014 |access-date=2 September 2015}}</ref>
* On October 29, 2015, during a 17th season episode of ''Judge Mathis,'' ''People's Court'' arbitrator [[Marilyn Milian|Judge Marilyn Milian]] made a surprise appearance on ''Judge Mathis'', interrupting one of Mathis's courtroom proceedings. In the episode, she entered through the door to the left of the bench that Judge Mathis uses to enter and exit the courtroom and states, "Hey, hey, hey! Excuse me! Let a real judge do this." Following that, she exchanged greetings and hugs with Judge Mathis, who responded, "That's right. She taught me all I know, the best judge on ''The People's Court.'' I'm going to get some consultation from her in the back." In response, Judge Milian stated, "The realest [sic] judge I know."<ref>https://www.facebook.com/judgegregmathis/videos/judge-milian-surprises-judge-mathis/10153690887700960/ {{User-generated source|certain=yes|date=March 2022}}</ref>
* In a January 2018 interview, Mathis suggested that he tried emulating Judge Judy early on and received input that his gender and race made this approach short-lived. In speaking in the early days of his courtroom series, Mathis stated:<blockquote>I tried to be like Judge Judy. And she was mean all the time. And then ultimately [my] producers said, ‘Well, no, an older white woman can talk to white folks like that, but a young black man can't.’  So I learned that lesson early on. [[White people|White folks]] love to see [[black people]] sing and dance. So instead I decided to just be myself.</blockquote>
:Judge Mathis also took care to note of his high opinion of ''Judge Judy''. He stated that he did not deserve Sheindlin's salary, that her salary is owed to her because of her impressive ratings, and that she even "ran Oprah off television" with ratings that surpassed even ''[[The Oprah Winfrey Show]]'' at various points of that show's run, such as Oprah's final season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://theblast.com/judge-mathis-judge-judy-video/ |title=Judge Mathis Tried to Be Mean Like Judge Judy, But Couldn't … Because He's Black |date=17 January 2018 |publisher=Blast |access-date=17 January 2018}}</ref>

==International versions==
{| class="wikitable" 
|-
! Country/language
! Local title
! Host
! Channel
! Date aired/premiered
|-
| {{flag|Egypt}}
| ''judge mathis say n'c productions charisma group Kelmet Hak Kelmet Haq Kelmat Heq Kelmat Hek Kalimat Haq برنامج كلمة حق كلمه حق برنامج كلمه حق كلمة حق كلمة حق''
| Khaled El Sawy
| [[MBC Masr]]
| April 5, 2015
|}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{Official website|http://askjudgemathis.com/|Ask Judge Mathis – Judge Mathis' official website}}
*[http://www.judgemathis.vacau.com Judge Mathis Episode Guide] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717182919/http://www.judgemathis.vacau.com/ |date=July 17, 2011 }}
* {{IMDb title|0346307}}
*[https://subnetworth.com/judge-mathis-net-worth/ Judge Mathis Net Worth]

{{Navboxes
|title = Awards for ''Judge Mathis''
|list =
{{Daytime Emmy Award Outstanding Legal/Courtroom Program}}
{{NAACP Image Award for Outstanding News/Information – Series or Special}}
}}

[[Category:1990s American legal television series]]
[[Category:1999 American television series debuts]]
[[Category:2000s American legal television series]]
[[Category:2010s American legal television series]]
[[Category:2020s American legal television series]]
[[Category:2023 American television series endings]]
[[Category:Arbitration courts and tribunals]]
[[Category:Court shows]]
[[Category:Original programming by local channels in Chicago]]
[[Category:Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Legal/Courtroom Program winners]]
[[Category:First-run syndicated television programs in the United States]]
[[Category:Television series by Telepictures]]
[[Category:Television series by Warner Bros. Television Studios]]