Judge Mathis, produced by Black Pearl Productions, is both a reality television show and a true court. As such, any potential litigant must be able to fulfill the legal requirements of the court and the entertainment needs of the show's audience. Knowing whether your dispute is within the bounds of the show can give you an edge over other applicants.
To start, Judge Mathis' court is a small claims court practicing tort law. This means all the cases are civil in nature and cannot involve a claim larger than $5,000. Seeking a larger claim in your application to the Judge Mathis show will automatically disqualify you from entry. Handling tort law simply means that Judge Mathis typically rules on civil injustices not arising out of contractual obligation. Of course, a contract can be involved, landlord disputes come instantly to mind, but anything that is cut-and-dry based upon the wording of a contract would not suit Judge Mathis' court. Finally, tort law can involve intentional maliciousness or accident, meaning that, if the story is good enough, Judge Mathis will address accidental grievances.
The Judge Mathis show can be contacted at 1-888-VERDICT (837-3428). This hot-line will ask a series of questions, so it is important to have the information readily available. In addition to personal information, be sure to have the defendant's information. This will obviously include the defendant's contact information, but also a short summary of their relationship to you. The show's producers are unlikely to pursue cases where it seems that the defendant would be unwilling to appear in the televised courtroom. As such, while it is important to touch upon your grievance with the defendant, it is equally important to convey an ongoing relationship, something that would indicate that this person could be convinced to appear on the show. Be sure to prepare a brief, but compelling, account of your grievance in advance, as you will be prompted to provide a recorded summary. This is the most important part. Be sure the facts of your case fit in with the requirements outlined in Step 1, but provide more than a dry recitation. Practice this part in advance.
If after 2 weeks you have not been contacted, then attempt to file a grievance online. The application website is JudgeMathisTV.WarnerBros.com/beontheshow/. Once again, be certain to keep any claim below $5,000. When asked to provide a brief description of the case, be sure to relay the facts concisely but also tell a story. The show's producers are looking for a strong narrative thread that viewers will be able to follow and maybe even identify with. Use active verbs and leave out passive voice. What is written in this section is both a legal statement and your sales pitch to the show's producers.
If both a telephone and online application have failed, consider filing in a municipal small claims court. After receiving a court date, submit another application through the website (see link in Resources). There are input areas for cases already filed, which will request the court's name, trial number and court date. Presenting this information will send a clear message to the show's producers that you truly intend to seek justice in a small claims court. Transfer to Judge Mathis is possible.
If all else fails, apply, apply again. While it is unlikely to get anyone on the show, since Judge Mathis is careful not to prejudice himself in advance, there are other ways of contacting the judge. He makes a number of public appearances. Arranging a public appearance (occasionally performed for charity) can be done through the Judge Mathis Empowerment Network, a link to which can be found below. While Judge Mathis receives a great volume of letters, a more direct means of reaching him may be in response to his online articles. He writes for "The Pittsburgh Courier Online" and readers are encouraged to make comments.