Divorce Court is an American court show airing since 1999. The story revolves around settling disputes between couples seeking a divorce. It is the longest-running court show surpassing ‘The People’s Court.’ ‘Divorce Court’ originally debuted in 1957 and ran for five seasons till 1962. The first revival had two seasons that aired from 1967 to 1969, while the second revival had nine seasons that aired from 1984 to 1993. The current incorporation of the series started airing on August 30, 1999, and is running to date with its 24th season.
Divorce Court is a non-traditional court crime drama that helps couples settle their disputes. The show doesn’t grant divorce as it is up to the state, but it provides a platform for couples to vent their feelings and argue over property and money. This show taught us that many divorce cases are filed due to property.
Divorce Court Plot Overview
The previous embodiments of Divorce Court were reenactments of real-life divorce cases. In the earlier incarnations, they spiced up real cases to engage the audience. In the newer editions, they became more real and started presenting real-life divorce cases. After the success of ‘The People’s Court’ casting former judges and attorneys, Divorce Court also applied the formula.
They involved former judges and attorneys for small-claim cases in their latest incarnation. From 1957-1993, the stories presented on the show were scripted, spiced-up, and dramatized. Actual cases were picked and rewritten for the audience. There were actors portraying the lawsuit, including the plaintiff and defendant. Every episode followed the same formula:
- First, the attorneys will give their opening statements.
- The litigants will then present their side of the story with supporting witnesses.
- Followed up by closing arguments from both sides.
- The children involved would be separately interviewed by the judge in his chambers.
- The judge will make the final verdict.
The Era of Voltaire Perkins
The First incarnation of Divorce Court aired from 1957 to 1962 and was then revived in 1967 for two seasons. It starred actor Voltaire Perkins as the jurist and Colin Male as the court reporter. The first version of Divorce Court aired locally on independent station KTTV weekly for one hour. After a hiatus of five years, when the show returned in 1967, it aired on KTTV in color daily for half hour. When the second part ended in 1969, some stations started re-running the program.
The Era of William B. Keene
The revival that began in 1984 starred the retired California supreme court judge William B. Keene as the jurist and a former game show host Jim Peck as the court reporter, who was later replaced by Martha Smith in 1989. The series had nine seasons, running until 1992.
The Era of Mablean Ephriam
Mablean Ephriam marked the beginning of the latest and fourth edition of the court show Divorce Court. This incarnation was totally different than the previous one as it included real couples debating before the court. Former Los Angeles prosecuting Attorney Mablean played the role of judge. She was the first Afro-American to star in the show and the first woman as the presiding judge. Ephriam worked in Divorce Court for seven years. She left the show after failing to come to terms with the series’ eighth season.
The Era of Lynn Toler
Toler, a former judge, took over the job of jurist in 2006 after Ephriam. Toler was a judge until 2020, which makes her the longest presiding judge in the show’s history. She reigned the show for 14 seasons with her strident tone, wisdom, and humor. Toler got upset with the management’s decision and the unfriendly work environment. The director wanted to shift the theme of the show from serious to light comedy which disappointed Toler. Apparently, she left the show in its 14th season.
After Toler, Faith Jenkins, a former New York Prosecutor, appeared as the judge from 2020-2022. As of now, Judge Star Jones is appearing as the judge in the series. She is a former New York prosecutor and attorney. She began her term in August 2022 and will pass verdicts on cases ranging from domestic disputes to divorce cases.
Where To Watch Divorce Court?
With the advancement from TV broadcast to streaming, it is becoming easier for binge-watchers to stream their favorite shows or movies. Divorce Court (from 1999) is available to stream on Hulu and Youtube. Episodes older than aired in 1999 are available to stream for free on Tubi or Pluto.
When will Divorce Court S24 E47 be Released?
Episodes of Divorce Court are released daily. Episode 46 was released yesterday, October 5, and the next episode, i.e., Episode 47, will be released on October 6. In the previous episode, ‘Sonya Gonzales vs. Eric Sandoval,’ Sonya claims that her husband is an alcoholic and destroyed his family with his infidelity and therefore demands a divorce. In contrast, her husband wants to keep his family together.
In the next episode, ‘April Whitaker vs. Joshua Goodlow’, April alleges Joshua of male chauvinism, agreeing to which he says that he has no interest in commitment and wants to be in a polygamous relationship.