An hour-long reality series where plaintiffs & defendants question each other on a stand as in a real civil trial and are judged by a court of 5 of their peers acting as judges and jury and handing out monetary awards as they see fit based on “Common Sense.”  

SYNOPSIS:

Just about all “Court TV’s” have the same format and styles. In addition, all court TV series have a real judge and bases decisions supposedly on law. Our court will base their verdicts not necessarily on the law, but on the rule of “Common Sense.”

POSSIBILITY: Many watching would like to have some input to the trial at hand. We can make this possible by letting the viewers choose the judges and vote on the outcome of the trial.

THE JUDGES

We want real people with fascinating personalities, lives, businesses, and families. Five people of varying backgrounds and professions who apply to be a judge will be selected to start the show. They will sit as judges in a courtroom setting with robes. The more character and fun personalities they show, the better.

The judges either select one of them to direct proceedings in the courtroom, or they can take turns.

OPTIONS FOR REPLACING JUDGES:

• Judges to be changed each season by producer or by viewer voting, OR,
• Each month or season, viewers vote on each judge as to whether they stay or are replaced. The viewers will then vote on applicants (via facebook or app?) to replace any judges voted out, after they have been interviewed live by the remaining judges to determine how much “Common Sense” they have.

We would like viewers to be part of the show and feel they have a vote/voice in the show.

THE COURT CASE:

• Introduction of judges: (Maximum time: 1 minute)
• Introduction of plaintiff & defendant. (Maximum time: .5 minutes)
• The plaintiff will take the stand and have 3-4 minutes to testify and make their case. The defendant will then have 3-4 minutes to cross-examine. The plaintiff may then question one witness they may have for 2 minutes, and the defendant may then cross-examine for the same amount of time. (Maximum time: 12 minutes)
• The defendant will then take the stand for 3-4 minutes to testify and make their case and the plaintiff will then cross-examine with the same amount of time. The defendant may then examine one witness they may have for 2 minutes, and the plaintiff may then cross-examine for the same amount of time. (Maximum time: 12 minutes)
• The judges will then have approximately 5 minutes (TBD) to ask the plaintiff and/or defendant questions & review documents & evidence.
• Total maximum time: 29 minutes with witnesses, 21 minutes without witnesses.

THE COURT DECISION:

POSSIBILITY: Before we show the judges decisions, we ask the viewers the question in #1 below and then go to a commercial where the viewers can vote via Facebook or an app during the commercial. We give the viewer’s opinion on air before the judges give theirs.

• . (Maximum air time allotted for judge’s decisions & comments: 3 minutes.)
• If the decision is “No”, that is the end, and the case is dismissed. (We then go to distribution of the funds in #5 below)
• (Maximum air time: 3 minutes)

(Do we allow viewers to vote on amount plaintiff gets, maybe in $250-$500 increments?)

MONEY & PAYMENTS:

• There is a set amount of $ allotted for each case. (Example: $5k)
• There will be a maximum dollar amount that is set aside for possible damages for the plaintiff if they win (Example: $3K).
• Any funds not distributed to the plaintiff for damages, or if the plaintiff did not win and there were no funds distributed for damages, shall be distributed between the plaintiff & defendant. The judges may distribute the funds in any manner they deem fit, using the guidelines below.
• While on commercial, the judges retire to another room to determine how much money each of the participants (plaintiff/defendant) gets.
• The judges may take any facts into their decision, even how the participants acted and responded to the questions; how they responded to the judges questions and how respectful they were. (Incentive for good behavior)
• If there is extra air time, we will show judges in the conference room discussing and arguing their case for distribution of funds. (Estimated air time: 3 minutes)
• unanimous opinion of the judges, if they determine the case is a fraud, they may direct funds to a charity.

THE RULES:

• Court rules (TBD) will be given to all participants before court starts. Plaintiffs and Defendants will be responsible for the actions and activities of themselves & their witnesses/guests.
• Participants must be respectful at all times and follow court rules & directions.
• Any violation of the court rules may cause a lower or no compensation of the distributed funds. (Incentive for good behavior)
• Plaintiffs and defendants must sign documents acknowledging that the decisions of the judges are final with no appeal as part of their request to be on the show.
• No lawyers allowed.

Total Estimated Time- 39.5 minutes.

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