Top 10 Most Unhinged Judge Judy Moments

Top 10 Most Unhinged Moments on Judge Judy

Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Most Unhinged Moments on “Judge Judy.”

For this list, we’ll be looking at the most outlandish courtroom antics that have transpired on this series.

Did we get this one right or are we full of baloney? Render your judgment in the comments below!

#10: Too Bad So Sad

Judge Judy has little patience for this hilariously brief case between two ex-roommates, and things do not end well for the plaintiff. Immediately after her case is dismissed, she starts sobbing as if on cue. If she thinks crying might change the judge’s mind, she must not have watched this show before. Her friend’s reaction as she rushes over to comfort her is just the cherry on top of this ridiculous ending. Considering how harsh the judge can be when she’s annoyed by a case, the plaintiff here is lucky she got off so easily.

#9: Video Replay

Litigants are usually on their best behavior in court. They better be, because Judge Judy tolerates no disrespect. When the defendant in this case brings video of the plaintiff angrily kicking in her door and wrestling the phone out of her hands, the judge can see exactly how the alleged assault occurred. It’s a deeply uncomfortable moment. Even though the offending woman denies what everyone can clearly see, she can barely contain her anger toward the defendant and even the judge. Judge Judy simply isn’t having it. She has the video played again so everyone can see what happens when you don’t control your temper.

#8: Broken Toilet

You have to be fourteen different shades of petty to sue your friend for breaking your toilet, but that’s exactly what this plaintiff did. Lisa Reid claims that her pal must pay for the receptacle because she was the last one who sat on it before it cracked. But that doesn’t sit well with Judge Judy or the audience, who can barely contain their laughter. That this plaintiff thinks she’s in the right for doing her former friend this way and trying to humiliate her on national TV is the height of arrogance. Luckily, Judge Judy knows just how to make a wrongheaded litigant look even more ridiculous.

#7: Dance Break

We’ve seen a lot of interesting behavior in the “Judge Judy” courtroom, but we rarely see an interpretive dance. As Dr. Noel Howell lays out his case for the judge, he’s very serious and respectful of the court proceedings. So when he decides to add an impression of the plaintiff’s drunken antics into his testimony, it definitely surprises everyone. His dancing and shrill vocalizing bring the courtroom to hysterics, and even the witness can barely hold himself together afterward. One thing Judge Judy can always do without is a dramatic reenactment. She’ll just take the facts, please.

#6: For Mature Audiences

When Judge Judy asks the plaintiff in this case about her “adult novelty” business, she and the courtroom audience get an earful. If the cutesy, suggestive names for the products weren’t enough to make us squirm, the fact that one of them was returned without being cleaned is. Judge Judy covers her face in disgust, and we’re right there with her. By the time the plaintiff finishes listing all the missing and damaged items she’s suing for, the judge, the audience, and the viewing public know more than they ever cared to. Whether Judge Judy really didn’t know what “adult novelty” meant or she just knew the plaintiff’s explanation would make great TV, we thank her for asking.

#5: A Cruel Plaintiff

Judge Judy has seen her fair share of delusional litigants, but this plaintiff really takes the cake. Wendy Moore’s 14-year-old son allowed a friend to drive her car, and they got into a wreck. The friend, another teenager, was tragically killed. Moore decided the best course of action was to sue the dead girl’s mother for damages and medical bills. That she would sue the grieving mom at all is bad enough, but the plaintiff seems to have no sympathy or guilt at all for her own role in the tragedy. The judge expresses her distaste for Moore’s unfeeling attitude, and sends her out of court with nothing but a tongue-lashing and a $5,000 judgment against her.

#4: In Hot Water

You know your roommate’s bad when you end up on “Judge Judy” together. This case deals with a woman whose former roommate allegedly poured boiling water on her while she slept. Even though the plaintiff repeatedly denies any illicit substances were involved, her own evidence says otherwise. The woman’s repeated accusations that the responding cop is a “fugazi officer” alone confuses the judge. But the description of her injuries and the revelation of her apparent substance use is striking. Judge Judy seems genuinely concerned for the woman’s well-being, telling her that if she had been sober, the officers may have been able to arrest the defendant.

#3: A Special Stew

This next dispute involves two sisters and one very unlucky deer. When the defendant, Carol Dettenheim, hit a deer with her sister's car, she did the only sensible thing she could do. No she didn’t wait for authorities – instead, she made a meal out of the animal. Her sister, plaintiff Eve Dettenheim, says she declined her portion of the dinner. She explains that she didn’t want any “rigor mortis stew,” to which the defendant takes immediate offense. That both women can keep a straight face during this hilarious exchange is as unsettling as it is hilarious. This is just another day for them, but for us, it’s courtroom comedy gold.

#2: Overreact Much?

In Judge Judy’s courtroom, judgment can be swift and merciless. That’s what plaintiff Caroline Fawcett finds out during this brief case about room and board fees for a horse she had leased to own. Clearly, Caroline doesn’t expect to lose this case, because her reaction when the judge rules against her is the stuff of bad community theater. While she leans over the podium like she’s about to have a massive coronary, the audience members behind her can do nothing but cringe at her histrionics. Some say if you walk the hallowed halls of the “Judge Judy” set, you can still hear her hyperventilating.

#1: Tupperware Lady

All hail Tupperware Lady. She’s a “Judge Judy” legend and for good reason. Plaintiff Karina Roy’s testimony includes a dramatic reenactment of a particularly savage tupperware attack. What makes this one so bizarre is the clear disconnect between her spirited retelling and the actual events she’s describing. It’d be hard for anyone to sell a tupperware attack as a traumatic event, but Roy’s wild gesticulations and aggressive finger-pointing don’t do her any favors. The studio audience behind her can barely keep it together, but the judge is completely unamused. Litigants should always remember that the only finger-pointing and yelling allowed in Judge Judy’s courtroom is her own!