BEYOND THE BENCH

Today, many, if not most, people are trying to go it alone in Ohio's Municipal Courts. They are known as "self represented" or "pro se" litigants. One reason for the self-representation trend, in my opinion, is the “Judge Judy” syndrome and the prevalence of TV judges. TV judge shows are touted as “real cases” so litigants believe that their portrayal of courtroom procedures and the law are real.  In fact, the stories may be real but nothing else about these staged TV productions is. TV judges may have started out as real judges but are now actors who, with writers and producers, ignore the proper procedure in favor of sensationalism. Reliance on TV shows as guides to real-life litigation is a blue print for failure.  Disappointed litigants frequently remark that the real courtroom is "nothing like TV ."