The People’s Court has been cancelled, for the second time. The current incarnation of the daytime courtroom series will end with its current 26th season.
Debuting in first-run syndication in 1981, The People’s Court was the first court show to use binding arbitration. It was presided over by former Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Joseph Wapner. With the help of Rusty Burrell as his bailiff, Wapner’s show ran for 12 seasons and 2,484 half-hour episodes.
The series was revived four years later, in 1997, with former lawyer and Mayor of New York Ed Koch as arbiter. After two years, he was succeeded by former New York State Supreme Court Judge Jerry Sheindlin (husband of Judge Judy).
Sheindlin lasted less than two seasons before being replaced by retired Florida Circuit Court Judge Marilyn Milian in 2001. Milian has been leading the series ever since and is the longest-serving judge in the show’s long history. She was the first Latina judge to host a nationally syndicated television court show.
The news of The People’s Court series cancellation comes as the result of changing and challenging conditions in the daytime syndication market. Last month, it was announced that Dr. Phil is ending after a 21-year run. Many other syndicated informational series ended in 2022, including Dr. Oz, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The Good Dish, Maury, The Real, and The Wendy Williams Show.
The People’s Court is a Ralph Edwards/Stu Billett Production and Warner Bros. Unscripted Television in association with Telepictures. It is distributed by Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution.
Judge Mathis, which is also distributed by Warner Bros., has also been cancelled, after 24 seasons.
What do you think? Have you enjoyed watching The People’s Court series over the years? Will you miss seeing this program on the schedule?