The People's Court

*The People's Court*
The People's Court
Genre	Reality court show
Based on	an idea by John Masterson
Presented by	Doug Llewelyn; Curt Chaplin; Carol Martin; Harvey Levin
Judges	Joseph Wapner; Ed Koch; Jerry Sheindlin; Marilyn Milian
Narrated by	Jack Harrell; Curt Chaplin
Theme music composer	Alan Tew
Opening theme	"The Big One"
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
No. of seasons	38 (12 original, 26 revival)
Production
Executive producers	Ralph Edwards; Stu Billett
Production locations	Los Angeles, California, U.S. (1981–1993); New York City, U.S. (1997–2012); Stamford, Connecticut, U.S. (2012–23);
Camera setup	Multi-camera
Running time	30 minutes (1981–1993); 60 minutes (1997–2023)
Production companies	Ralph Edwards Productions (1981–87); Stu Billett Productions (1981–87); Ralph Edwards-Stu Billett Productions (1987–93; 1997–2023)
Original release
Network	Syndication
Release	September 14, 1981 –; May 28, 1993
Release	September 8, 1997 –; July 21, 2023
Related
	Judge Wapner's Animal Court
	Infobox instructions (only shown in preview)

The People's Court is an American arbitration-based reality court show, featuring an arbitrator handling small claims disputes in a simulated courtroom set. Within the court show genre, it is the first of all arbitration-based reality-style programs, which has overwhelmingly become the convention of the genre. The original series ran from 1981 to 1993, and the revival ran from 1997 to 2023. Both versions have run in first-run syndication. The show ranks as the longest-running traditional court show and second-longest-running court show in general, having a total of 38 overall seasons as of the 2022–23 television year, behind only niche court show Divorce Court by 2 seasons.

The first version of The People's Court was presided over solely by former Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Joseph Wapner. The current incarnation of the show has had different presiding judges: former New York City Mayor Ed Koch (1997–1999), former New York Supreme Court Judge Jerry Sheindlin (1999–2001), and former Florida State Circuit Court Judge Marilyn Milian (2001–2023). Milian is the show's longest-reigning arbiter, having made it to 20 years of presiding over the series by spring 2021.^[1]

The program is the third highest rated of court shows after only Judge Judy reruns (ended the original run in July 2021) and Hot Bench (produced by Judy Sheindlin), respectively.^[2] With Judge Judy's end at 25 seasons in 2021, The People's Court's revival now boasts the genre's longest single production continuance having entered its 26th season in the 2022–23 television year (albeit having gone through 3 arbitrators). In June 2021, The People's Court won its 4th Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Legal/Courtroom Program, which officially gives it the most Daytime Emmy wins in the court show genre. In February 2023, it was confirmed that the 26th season of the revival would be its last.^[3]

The final episode aired on July 21, 2023. The show continues to air reruns during the 2023-24 television season.

^ Cite error: The named reference warnerbros1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ "The People's Court | About". Peoplescourt.warnerbros.com. Archived from the original on September 21, 2013. Retrieved September 1, 2013.
^ Schneider, Michael (February 17, 2023). "Judge Mathis, People's Court Canceled By Warner Bros. After More Than Two Decades". Variety. Retrieved February 17, 2023.

[warnerbros1-1] Cite error: The named reference warnerbros1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[2] "The People's Court | About". Peoplescourt.warnerbros.com. Archived from the original on September 21, 2013. Retrieved September 1, 2013.

[3] Schneider, Michael (February 17, 2023). "Judge Mathis, People's Court Canceled By Warner Bros. After More Than Two Decades". Variety. Retrieved February 17, 2023.

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