The Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Legal/Courtroom Program is a category of the Daytime Emmy Awards dedicated to the court show genre. It was first introduced in 2008. Previously, court shows were grouped miscellaneously in the talk show category. In December 2023, The People's Court helmed by Marilyn Milian won its 5th Daytime Emmy Award, which gives it the most wins for the court show genre.
Results details In its first season, Cristina's Court became the first winner in this category in 2008. Cristina's Court went on to win 2 additional times consecutively, giving it the most wins for 9 years up until 2017, the longest length for holding the title of most wins. The court show was short-lived, however, only lasting 3 seasons and winning its final Daytime Emmy after its cancellation. In 2017, the Judge Judy courtroom series matched its number of wins, winning a 3rd time for the category.
When Judge Judy won for the first time in 2013, it was the first long-running, highly rated court show to win an Emmy. Previous to that, only short-lived, newly released court shows won this Emmy category, such as Cristina's Court. In addition, Last Shot with Judge Gunn won the award in 2012, which was only one season into its series run. This show was also cancelled early into its run, after only its 2nd season. Last Shot is the first nontraditional courtroom series to receive the award.
In 2018, Judge Mathis made history as the first court show with an African American jurist to win in this category. By June 2020, The People's Court won 3 times, equaling the number of wins of Cristina's Court and Judge Judy. In June 2021, The People's Court won its 4th Daytime Emmy Award, which officially gave it at that time the most wins for the court show genre.
When Judy Justice, Judy Sheindlin's spin-off court show, won the award in June 2022, she became the only television judge to win this category for more than one program (her two court shows).
Nominee/winner outline 2000s
Year Program NetworkRef 2008 (35th) Cristina's CourtJudge David Young Judge Hatchett Judge Judy The People's Court 2009 (36th) Cristina's CourtFamily Court with Judge Penny Judge Hatchett Judge Judy The People's Court
2010s Year Program NetworkRef 2010 (37th) Cristina's CourtCaso Cerrado Judge Judy Judge Jeanine Pirro The People's Court 2011 (38th) Judge PirroDivorce Court Judge Judy The People's CourtSwift Justice with Nancy Grace 2012 (39th) Last Shot with Judge GunnAmerica's Court with Judge RossJudge Joe BrownWe the People With Gloria Allred 2013 (40th) Judge Judy Last Shot with Judge GunnThe People's Court 2014 (41st) The People's Court Divorce CourtJudge JudyJustice for All with Judge Cristina Perez 2015 (42nd) The People's Court Divorce Court Judge Judy The People's Court 2016 (43rd) Judge JudyDivorce CourtHot BenchPaternity CourtThe People's Court 2017 (44th)Judge JudyLauren Lake's Paternity CourtThe People's CourtHot BenchJudge Mathis 2018 (45th)Judge MathisDivorce CourtCouples Court with the CutlersThe People's CourtJudge JudyJustice with Judge Mablean 2019 (46th)Lauren Lake's Paternity CourtJudge MathisCouples Court with The CutlersThe People's CourtJudge Judy
2020s
Year Program NetworkRef 2020 (47th)The People's CourtJudge JudyJudge MathisLauren Lake's Paternity CourtHot Bench 2021 (48th)The People's CourtJudge JudyLauren Lake's Paternity CourtDivorce CourtCaught in Providence 2022 (49th) Judy JusticeCaught in ProvidenceJudge MathisThe People's Court 2023 (50th)The People's CourtHot BenchJudge Steve HarveyJudy JusticeCaught in Providence 2024 (51st)Judy JusticeHot BenchJustice For The People with Judge MilianThe People's CourtWe The People with Judge Lauren Lake 2025 (52nd)Hot BenchJudy JusticeJustice For The People with Judge MilianAmerica's Court with Judge RossWe The People with Judge Lauren LakeDivorce Court
Multiple wins 5 wins The People's Court
3 wins Cristina's Court Judge Judy
2 wins Judy Justice
References