''Judge Rinder'' is a British arbitration-based reality court show that has been on air on ITV since 11 August 2014. The show depicts Robert Rinder as an arbitrator overseeing

civil cases Civil law is a major branch of the law.Glanville Williams. ''Learning the Law''. Eleventh Edition. Stevens. 1982. p. 2. In common law legal systems such as England and Wales and the United States, the term refers to non-criminal law. The law rel ...

. Rinder began his career in criminal law in 2003. He is a barrister and wears his barrister robes while on the show, but does not wear the wig as is customary in the

judiciary The judiciary (also known as the judicial system, judicature, judicial branch, judiciative branch, and court or judiciary system) is the system of courts that adjudicates legal disputes/disagreements and interprets, defends, and applies the law ...

. Rinder is a practising criminal barrister at 2 Hare Court Chambers in London and this is made clear on the show. As with other related court shows that inspired it, such as ''

Judge Judy ''Judge Judy'' is an American arbitration-based reality court show presided over by former Manhattan Family Court Judge Judith Sheindlin. The show featured Sheindlin as she adjudicated real-life small-claims disputes within a simulated courtr ...

'', ''

Judge Mathis ''Judge Mathis'' is an American syndicated arbitration-based reality court show presided over by Judge Greg Mathis, a former judge of Michigan's 36th District Court and Black-interests motivational speaker/activist. The courtroom series premi ...

'' and ''

The People's Court ''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 sty ...

'', any

awards An award, sometimes called a distinction, is something given to a recipient as a token of recognition of excellence in a certain field. When the token is a medal, ribbon or other item designed for wearing, it is known as a decoration. An award ...

handed down by Rinder are paid by the production company rather than the loser.

Show structure

The hearings are conducted in a studio styled as a television-related courtroom with entertainment styling, including a

Union Jack The Union Jack, or Union Flag, is the ''de facto'' national flag of the United Kingdom. Although no law has been passed making the Union Flag the official national flag of the United Kingdom, it has effectively become such through precedent. ...

flag and another flag with the show's logo and a

gavel A gavel is a small ceremonial mallet commonly made of hardwood, typically fashioned with a handle. It can be used to call for attention or to punctuate rulings and proclamations and is a symbol of the authority and right to act officially in the ...

, neither of which are used in UK courts. The robes worn by Rinder are regular barristers' robes without the wig and, in England and Wales, most small claim trials are conducted in district judges' chambers. The show follows the same format as other television court shows, such as ''

'' and ''

''. The claimant and defendant enter the courtroom separately, while the announcer Charles Foster announces their names (unlike ''Judge Judy'', where full names are used. The litigants are only identified by their first names) along with details of the case and they take their places at their respective benches: the claimant on the judge's left, and the defendant on the judge's right. Rinder then asks the claimant and defendant to confirm their names, and the case proceeds. The

bailiff A bailiff (from Middle English baillif, Old French ''baillis'', ''bail'' "custody") is a manager, overseer or custodian – a legal officer to whom some degree of authority or jurisdiction is given. Bailiffs are of various kinds and their o ...

on the show is Michelle Hassan, who passes items of evidence (photographs, receipts, copies of text messages etc.) between the litigants and Judge Rinder during proceedings, which can be displayed on a large video screen in the courtroom (with certain identifying information electronically blurred) when required. Hassan also brings a box of tissues or a glass of water to any litigant who should become distressed during their case, as well as escorting any additional witnesses into the courtroom and who give their evidence, standing in a dock on the same side of the room where she stands and out of the courtroom again afterwards.

References

External links

*{{IMDb title, 3953642 2014 British television series debuts 2010s British reality television series 2010s British legal television series 2020s British reality television series 2020s British legal television series Court shows ITV reality television shows English-language television shows Television series by ITV Studios Television shows set in Manchester