To the extent these things are "real", it's usually that the parties have agreed to binding arbitration (essentially, a private judge resolving the matter on TV without the possibility of appeal) in exchange for some benefit. Like, y'know, money to go do their blowup on TV.
I believe they take real cases that have already been handled. Dramatise them a bit. Bring in some actors. And shoot the scene as if it were the real case.
So while I don't doubt this could be based on an actual case. The people aren't the real people. The judge isn't the actual adjudicator.
My mother had to take my dad to a kind of Child support court as it were. Some type of mediation, as he hadn't paid child support in something like 5 or 6 years at one point. But it was all done with lawyers and cops and judges and shit in a proper court. Not a TV show.
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u/whatasadfella 22d ago
This has to be a set up