The Judge (TV series)
Encyclopedia
The Judge was a syndicated television drama
that ran from 1986 to 1992
. The series chronicled the family court
cases heard by Judge Robert J. Franklin, played by Bob Shield, who died in late 1996.
This was one of many shows that dealt with dramatized court cases, based on real ones. This show was one of several courtroom dramas that were popular at the time such as Divorce Court
with real life Judge William Keene
and Superior Court
with Raymond St. Jacques
. The show was produced and licensed by WBNS
(Columbus
, Ohio
), and was distributed by Genesis Entertainment before it became part of 20th Television
.
and as a young lawyer). After a kiss to his wife and a wave to a neighbor and kids playing nearby, Judge Franklin would head off to work in his car as we heard him say in the voiceover:
The show was set in an unnamed metropolitan area, and dealt primarily with family-related issues. Many of the stories involved children and adolescents in custody, paternity, delinquency and adoption hearings. Much like similar drama-based courtroom shows of the era -- including Divorce Court
and Superior Court
-- the stories involved shock value; what began as mundane often ended up taking a serious or unexpected turn. For example:
Even on the bench, Judge Franklin's demeanor was normally avuncular, but he never hesitated to rebuke anyone who stepped out of line. For example, in one episode where a teenage boy was suing for emancipation
from his overbearing father, an Army
colonel
, the colonel began overstepping his authority, at which point Judge Franklin angrily reprimanded him, saying "Colonel, in this courtroom, I give the orders!!"
In "tempering justice with mercy," Judge Franklin's decisions were always fair-minded, and usually gave the guilty a chance to redeem themselves. In almost every episode, Franklin would end his dissertation by gently pleading with all involved, "Please, try to be good to each other. That's all it takes." Then he would adjourn the session.
Franklin's courtroom assistant was Janet Page, or Miss Page.
After its cancellation in 1989, repeats of The Judge aired on the USA Network
in the early 1990s.
The nationally syndicated version was originally taped in Los Angeles
, and later moved to Toronto. The show was licensed by WBNS-TV
in Columbus.
Drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
that ran from 1986 to 1992
1992 in television
The year 1992 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1992.-Events:-Debuts:-1950s:*Hallmark Hall of Fame .*Guiding Light .*The Today Show ....
. The series chronicled the family court
Family court
A family court is a court convened to decide matters and make orders in relation to family law, such as custody of children. In common-law jurisdictions "family courts" are statutory creations primarily dealing with equitable matters devolved from a court of inherent jurisdiction, such as a...
cases heard by Judge Robert J. Franklin, played by Bob Shield, who died in late 1996.
This was one of many shows that dealt with dramatized court cases, based on real ones. This show was one of several courtroom dramas that were popular at the time such as Divorce Court
Divorce Court
Divorce Court is a judge show about cases which only involve divorcing couples. Out of the shows currently airing in the court-themed genre, Divorce Court is the oldest...
with real life Judge William Keene
William Keene
William Keene was an American television actor who appeared on several popular television shows more than one separate occasion as a different character...
and Superior Court
Superior court
In common law systems, a superior court is a court of general competence which typically has unlimited jurisdiction with regard to civil and criminal legal cases...
with Raymond St. Jacques
Raymond St. Jacques
Raymond St. Jacques was an American actor.-Career:St. Jacques was born James Arthur Johnson in Hartford, Connecticut, the son of Vivienne Johnson, a medical technician...
. The show was produced and licensed by WBNS
WBNS-TV
WBNS-TV, channel 10, is a television station in Columbus, Ohio, USA. The station is an affiliate of the CBS Television Network and is owned by the Dispatch Broadcast Group, a subsidiary of the Columbus Dispatch, along with WBNS radio...
(Columbus
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
), and was distributed by Genesis Entertainment before it became part of 20th Television
20th Television
20th Television is an American television production and syndication company that was formed in 1992 by 20th Century Fox Film Corporation, a division of the Fox Entertainment Group, part of News Corporation....
.
Opening
After a preview of the day's episode, the show would begin at Judge Franklin's home with Franklin preparing for work (Photographs in the background, all actually of Shield himself, showed Franklin's days in the ArmyUnited States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
and as a young lawyer). After a kiss to his wife and a wave to a neighbor and kids playing nearby, Judge Franklin would head off to work in his car as we heard him say in the voiceover:
Typical episodes
Most episodes opened with an announcer saying, "What you are about to see is a dramatization of an actual case in family court. Because of the emotional and sensitive nature of the issues presented here, Judge Franklin's courtroom is closed to the public. The proceedings are about to begin."The show was set in an unnamed metropolitan area, and dealt primarily with family-related issues. Many of the stories involved children and adolescents in custody, paternity, delinquency and adoption hearings. Much like similar drama-based courtroom shows of the era -- including Divorce Court
Divorce Court
Divorce Court is a judge show about cases which only involve divorcing couples. Out of the shows currently airing in the court-themed genre, Divorce Court is the oldest...
and Superior Court
Superior Court (TV series)
Superior Court is a television courtroom drama airing in syndication from 1986 to 1989, and featuring fictionalized re-enactments of actual court cases.Raymond St...
-- the stories involved shock value; what began as mundane often ended up taking a serious or unexpected turn. For example:
- A teenager accused a high school teacher of getting her pregnant. But when Judge Franklin ordered her to take a paternity test to find out who the real father was, she initially refused to comply, but then admitted that it was her ex-boyfriend who was responsible. The charges against the teacher were dropped, and the girl was ordered to pay all the teacher's legal expenses.
- In another case involving a teen-aged girl having difficulties with her mother and stepfather, it was revealed that the girl was pregnant — by her stepfather.
- An estranged father was suing to regain custody of his young daughter from her activist mother. After Judge Franklin talked to the girl in his chambers, it was revealed in court that the girl's mother and a radical group she was involved in were responsible for a deadly bombing at an abortion clinicAbortion clinicAn abortion clinic is a medical facility that primarily performs or specializes in abortions. Such clinics may be public medical centers or private medical practices.-Canada:*There were 197 abortion providers in Canada in 2001....
.
- A young couple with limited resources are fighting the state to keep custody of their 10-year-old son, who has serious behavioral issues; a school incident where the lad was accused of poking a girl's eyes out with a pair of scissors had led to a social worker demanding the custody hearing. It appears the parents are winning the judge over until there is a small wastebasket fire in the judges' chambers, after which it is revealed then that the boy indeed has the problems the parents have been in denial about.
- A cycle of revenge unfolds after a teen-aged girl rapes the boyfriend of another girl whom he had date rapedDate rape"Date rape", often referred to as acquaintance rape, is an assault or attempted assault usually committed by a new acquaintance involving sexual intercourse without mutual consent....
.
- A dishonest lawyer, in the hopes of swaying Judge Franklin to his side in a losing case, offers him a bribeBriberyBribery, a form of corruption, is an act implying money or gift giving that alters the behavior of the recipient. Bribery constitutes a crime and is defined by Black's Law Dictionary as the offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of any item of value to influence the actions of an official or...
in his chambers. Though Franklin neither accepts nor declines in chambers, he later exposes the lawyer's crooked offer on the bench while rendering his decision, and says he will submit a report to the Disciplinary Committee recommending disbarmentDisbarmentDisbarment is the removal of a lawyer from a bar association or the practice of law, thus revoking his or her law license or admission to practice law...
for the lawyer.
- A mental competency hearing is held for a teen-ager accused of brutally killing his parents to inherit a fortune. Though the boy claims mental illness his elderly uncle, another heir to the fortune, insists that the boy is perfectly healthy. A video is played of the boy during an evaluation, but his claim starts to unravel after a mental health expert notes inconsistencies with his behavior.
- A street puppeteer files papers to adopt a young foster girl with emotional challenges. The proceedings are working in favor of the father-to-be until the girl's social worker brings to light a new discovery: the puppeteer had been diagnosed with a form of Asperger's and is unable to mentally or financially support the girl. It is up to the puppeteer to deliver the heartbreaking news to his would-be daughter.
- A teen-aged girl attending a Catholic school with a strict moral code fights her stern principal for reinstatement after she is expelled for posing for a swimsuit calendar. The principal's fire-and-brimstone values come into question when the girl's attorney reveals evidence that the principal may have had more involvement with the calendar -- and similar projects involving underage girls -- than he's willing to admit.
- During an emotional custody hearing, the schizophrenic father smuggles a loaded gun into the courtroom and holds everyone hostage, demanding that the pending divorce proceedings be dismissed immediately, that his ex-wife-to-be come home and everything goes on just like normal. Judge Franklin does everything he can to talk the man into giving up, but eventually the man fires the gun ... shooting his own son. The son is badly wounded, and the show ends soon after Franklin scolds the man, telling him in essence, "Look what you've done now!" (Only then does the man see he is seriously mentally ill and needs help.)
Even on the bench, Judge Franklin's demeanor was normally avuncular, but he never hesitated to rebuke anyone who stepped out of line. For example, in one episode where a teenage boy was suing for emancipation
Emancipation
Emancipation means the act of setting an individual or social group free or making equal to citizens in a political society.Emancipation may also refer to:* Emancipation , a champion Australian thoroughbred racehorse foaled in 1979...
from his overbearing father, an Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
colonel
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
, the colonel began overstepping his authority, at which point Judge Franklin angrily reprimanded him, saying "Colonel, in this courtroom, I give the orders!!"
In "tempering justice with mercy," Judge Franklin's decisions were always fair-minded, and usually gave the guilty a chance to redeem themselves. In almost every episode, Franklin would end his dissertation by gently pleading with all involved, "Please, try to be good to each other. That's all it takes." Then he would adjourn the session.
Other regular characters
One character who appeared frequently on the show, often as a source of comic relief, was Police Sergeant Terrance Fox (played by Brendan Burns). Fox was an honest police officer, but his abrasive personality would often irritate Judge Franklin to no end. In one episode he told the officer that he would try the patience of a saint, adding, "And I am no saint!"Franklin's courtroom assistant was Janet Page, or Miss Page.
Broadcast history
A drama that later became The Judge, called Municipal Court (and later The Judge), ran for 12 years as a local television program in Columbus, Ohio. Shield, playing Judge Franklin, won four regional Emmy Awards for his performance. In 1986, The Judge was picked up for national syndication, where it enjoyed a seven-year run.After its cancellation in 1989, repeats of The Judge aired on the USA Network
USA Network
USA Network is an American cable television channel launched in 1971. Once a minor player in basic cable, the network has steadily gained popularity because of breakout hits like Monk, Psych, Burn Notice, Royal Pains, Covert Affairs, White Collar, Monday Night RAW, Suits, and reruns of the various...
in the early 1990s.
The nationally syndicated version was originally taped in Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, and later moved to Toronto. The show was licensed by WBNS-TV
WBNS-TV
WBNS-TV, channel 10, is a television station in Columbus, Ohio, USA. The station is an affiliate of the CBS Television Network and is owned by the Dispatch Broadcast Group, a subsidiary of the Columbus Dispatch, along with WBNS radio...
in Columbus.
Episode list in alphabetical order
- And the Beat Goes On
- As Good as Gold
- Better Living Through Chemistry
- Blood Is Thicker
- Brothers in Arms
- The Brutal Truth
- Burnin' Down the House
- Cruisin' Down the River: Part 1
- Cruisin' Down the River: Part 2
- Cry Rape
- Date Rape
- Double Play
- Dueling Grandmas
- An Explosive Decision
- Fetal Abuse
- In Violation of Michael
- The Indigent Father
- Just Another Lover's Quarrel
- Just Leave Me Alone
- Live and Let Live
- Loved to Death
- The Master
- Mastermind
- A Matter of Conscience
- Motorcycle Mama
- My Angel Mother
- Nun of Your Business
- Paparazzi Pete
- Pendleton High Bust
- Racing Hearts
- Sexual Healing: Part 1
- Sexual Healing: Part 2
- Six Months to Life
- The Sound of Silence
- Stand by Me
- The Terrorist Tot
- The Trojan Horse
- Victim of War
- Watch Me
- We're Number One
- Wrong Baby