<P> After one of these three processes, if the producers are interested, their employees will then call both parties and ask them questions relating to their lawsuit, making sure they're suitable for Judge Judy . If the parties agree to be on the show and sign a waiver, agreeing that arbitration in Sheindlin's court is final and cannot be pursued elsewhere (unless Sheindlin dismisses the lawsuit without prejudice), their case will air on Judge Judy . </P> <P> The award limit on Judge Judy, as on most "syndi - court" shows (and most small claims courts in the U.S.), is $5,000 . The award for each judgment is paid by the producers of the show from a fund reserved for the purpose . Sheindlin rules by either A .) issuing a verdict of a specific dollar amount (not always in the full amount of what is requested and rarely if ever in excess of what is requested even if she believes complainants are deserving of more) or B .) by dismissing the lawsuit altogether . When ruled on in these manners, cases cannot be refiled or retried elsewhere . However, if Sheindlin specifically dismisses the lawsuit "without prejudice", that lawsuit may be refiled and retried in another forum . In some instances, Sheindlin has dismissed cases without prejudice deliberately so that complainants pursue defendants in an actual court of law so that the defendants themselves are held financially accountable, this as opposed to the show . In such cases, Sheindlin has expressed particular aversion to the defendants in question . Further, Sheindlin has dismissed cases without prejudice when she has suspected both the plaintiff (s) and defendant (s) of conspiring together just to gain monetary rewards from the program . </P> <P> Both the plaintiff (s) and the defendant (s) also receive an appearance fee . The appearance fee amount has varied as between different litigants of the show: certain litigants have reported receiving a $500 appearance fee while others have reported receiving $100, and others $250 . In addition to the appearance fee amount, litigants are paid $35 a day by the show . The litigants' stay lasts for the number of days that the show does taping for that week, which is two or three days . In addition, the airfare (or other means of travel) and hotel expenses of the litigants and their witnesses are covered by the show, and the experience is generally treated as an all - expense - paid vacation outside of the actual court case . If there is an exchange of property, Sheindlin signs an order, and a sheriff or marshal oversees the exchange . Sheindlin sees only a half - page complaint and a defense response prior to the taping of the cases, sometimes only moments before . Most of the cases, not including any footage deleted to meet the time constraints of the show, usually last anywhere from twelve to forty - five minutes . </P> <P> Judge Judy, like most court programs, is inexpensive to produce and thus creates considerable income . A budget for a week's worth of Judge Judy episodes is half the cost of a single network sitcom episode . </P>

Do you have to pay to be on judge judy