Since 2014, the judges on Hot Bench have been hearing cases and doling out verdicts. The Emmy-nominated court show was created by Judge Judy Sheindlin and currently features Rachel Juarez, Yodit Tewolde and Daniel Mentzer as a panel of judges for its 12th season.

But are the cases being heard by these judges real? And are they legitimate judges themselves? Scroll down for everything we know.

Is Hot Bench real or scripted?

The show is completely real. The cases heard by the judges on the show are legitimate. Ahead of the show’s 2,000th episode in early 2025, Tewolde confirmed to Us Weekly, “These are real cases filed across the country in real courthouses. It’s so unbelievable these cases that we get that I don’t blame [people] for thinking it’s scripted, but these are real people with these real issues.”

Hot Bench films two to three times per week, with each day of filming consisting of about six or seven cases, according to Juarez.

Those who bring their cases to Hot Bench agree to binding arbitration, which means that they waive their right to bring the case to a real courtroom and instead agree to have the Hot Bench judges make a legally-binding ruling, according to Perron Law Office. All decisions are final with no option to appeal.

Are the Hot Bench judges real judges?

The judges are legitimate legal professionals with backgrounds in law. Juarez attended Stanford Law School, Mentzer graduated from SUNY Buffalo School of Law, and Tewolde has her Juris Doctorate from Southern University Law Center. They all practiced law before taking on their roles on the Hot Bench panel.

On the show, they are technically “arbitrators,” not judges, which means they make legally-binding decisions in the form of binding arbitration. The parties in the courtroom agree to the binding ruling beforehand.

Who pays the settlements on Hot Bench?

Per Perron Law Office, the show covers the cost of settlements, which means the defendants do not need to pay out of pocket if the judges rule against them. Up to a certain limit, the show will pay the judgment amount to the winning party directly.

The participants who bring their cases to the courtroom also receive appearance fees.

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