Hot Bench

Hot Bench is an American nontraditional panel-based court show that debuted in first-run syndication on September 15, 2014. The series was conceptualized and produced for CBS Media Ventures by Judith Sheindlin of Judge Judy fame, alongside executive producers Randy Douthit, Maureen FitzPatrick, David Theodosopoulos, and co-executive producer James Glover.

Format
The series features a panel of three judges. The panel acts as an arbitral tribunal, and as with most televised court shows, the cases are a form of binding arbitration in which the litigants forgo their actual lawsuit in favor of appearing on the program.

Personnel
Current cast
 * Michael Corriero (seasons 3–present): Judge, co-host
 * Rachel Juarez (seasons 9–present): Judge, co-host
 * Yodit Tewolde (seasons 9–present): Judge, co-host
 * Sonia Montejano (seasons 1–present): Bailiff

Former cast
 * Larry Bakman (seasons 1–2): Judge, co-host
 * Tanya Acker (seasons 1–8): Judge, co-host
 * Patricia DiMango (seasons 1–8): Judge, co-host

Other notable cast
 * Rino Romano: Narrator
 * Christopher Thomas: Narrator

Development
The concept was inspired by Judy's vacation to Ireland, a country which occasionally uses panels of three judges to handle one case: "When my husband Jerry and I were in Ireland recently, we visited the courts and watched a three-judge bench, which I found both fascinating and compelling." She added, "I immediately thought what a terrific and unique idea for a television program that brings the court genre to the next level. We have assembled three individuals with extremely varied backgrounds to serve as the judges. They are smart and talented, with terrific instincts and great chemistry, and are sure to create a 'hot bench'."

On April 26, 2024, Hot Bench has been renewed for its eleventh and twelfth seasons through 2025–26 season.

Casting
The current panel consists of Michael Corriero, Rachel Juarez, and Yodit Tewolde, who preside over small-claims cases and then argue the merits of the case amongst themselves in the chamber room before rendering a verdict (under the format, only a majority—two of the three-panel members—need to agree on the verdict). Before them, the panel consisted of attorneys Tanya Acker and Larry Bakman, along with former Brooklyn New York Supreme Court judge Patricia DiMango.

In October 2016, Bakman announced that he was leaving Hot Bench to focus on his law practice. Bakman's final episodes originally aired on October 28, 2016, and Corriero's first episode was scheduled to originally air on November 1, 2016, with series creator Judge Judy Sheindlin and her husband, former The People's Court judge Jerry Sheindlin, serving as guest judges on the Halloween 2016 original broadcasts.

In the fall of 2022, DiMango and Acker were replaced on the show by Juarez and Tewolde, while Corriero assumed the chief judge position.

The bailiff is Sonia Montejano, who was also the bailiff for Judge Joe Brown from 2006 to its end in 2013.

Release
On December 11, 2014, Hot Bench was renewed for a second season. The show airs in the UK on TruTV, and in Canada on Yes TV and in syndication. The show has produced 1,535 episodes as of September 8, 2022.

Accolades
Hot Bench has been nominated for three Daytime Emmy Awards.