Top 10 Craziest Judge Judy Fights

It’s one thing to fight with another litigant in the courtroom, but plaintiff Kim Knowler has the bad judgment to fight with Judge Judy Scheindlin herself. She nitpicks and challenges every word. After being dressed down for her questionable business practices, Knowler refused to stay quiet when Scheindlin invoked one of her choice phrases, “Don’t speak!” Amazingly, she has to repeat this several times. Even then, the plaintiff can’t help herself. She must not watch this show very often. It takes a lot of courage, if not sheer audacity, to try to cross-examine TV’s toughest arbitrator.

Some landlords overstep their authority. Plaintiff Lisa Palma took things one step further. For reasons that defy, well, reason, she decided to kick her tenant’s door down. She was desperately trying to keep her cool, but she was fighting a losing battle. The defendant’s video of the event clearly shows Palma kicking in her door, becoming aggressive, and charging at her. It would have sounded completely crazy without the evidence to back it up. Luckily, we get to see it all play out on video. Watching the plaintiff seethe and struggle to maintain her cool as the judge rules against her is oh so satisfying.

If there’s one thing Judge Judy won’t tolerate, it’s a litigant who can’t wait their turn. In a particularly unhinged case about roommate troubles, plaintiff Laken Pickrell is suing over being unlawfully forced out of the home. Co-defendant Francesca Ortega doesn’t do much to endear herself. Her dramatic outbursts, telling body language, and announcement that she’s come down with a sudden and mysterious illness soon turn disruptive. Finally, as the judge sends her out, she accuses the judge of “manipulating the situation” by being so unfair as to present them with the facts of the case against them. Unfortunately, the facts are not on their side.

If this early case is any indication, Judge Judy used to have a lot more patience. She let these litigants carry on for much, much longer than she would have toward the end of the show’s run. Defendant Ruby Washington’s interjections go unchallenged by the judge, but soon the plaintiff’s witness gets involved. Soon, the barbs and insults begin to fly. Everything descends into chaos as the judge dismisses the case. The post-verdict interview is more of the same, but with some extra spicy allegations tossed in the mix. Whether or not any of it is true, we’ll never know, unfortunately.

A dispute about an argument between neighbors turns into an argument in the courtroom as well. After telling the defendant to turn down the music he could hear through their shared wall, the plaintiff was shocked to see the defendant returning to his apartment with a knife. The defendant, pulling a bunch of faces throughout the case, readily admits to this. The two begin arguing back and forth about their conflicting versions of the events. Despite this, it’s pretty clear who’s at fault. She admits to having the knife, admits that she hit some of his property, but still insists none of the damage is her fault. Meanwhile, the defendant’s young daughter is present for the whole case.

Who knew that a seemingly simple roommate dispute would turn into one of “Judge Judy’s” most infamous episodes? This one’s a bit of a cheat, because we didn’t get to see the fight itself in the courtroom. However, given the legendary plaintiff’s hard-hitting, emotionally-wrought testimony about this now-infamous Tupperware attack, it more than earns its place on this list. Frankly, plaintiff Karina Roy’s storytelling abilities are unmatched. Her vivid description of her ex-roommate’s wielding of a deadly food container is so visceral, it’s almost like being there. What’s even more shocking is that she actually wins her case, but for a totally separate issue.

Unpaid rent, a burned couch, and a whole lot of unresolved anger make up one of the more contentious and petty arguments before Judge Scheindlin. The two litigants can barely contain their snide smirks as they trade slurs and devastating insults about topics ranging from alcohol to the dangers of fire dancing indoors. If these jabs seem a little too polished to believe, you might be onto something. This is plaintiff Brittany Kittredge’s second time on the show with a supposed ex, and according to her website, they were both fake cases filed for some extra cash.

In another case from the early seasons, things got very heated and very, very weird in the aftermath of this case. Apparently, this trio of litigants got a little too close for comfort. Plaintiff Beverly Zwick says her collectible stamps were stolen, and her married lover, the defendant, owes her. Zwick even alleges the defendant’s wife was fully aware of their affair. The drama spills over into the hallway, where the middle-aged litigants make a series of allegations and insinuations that had us wanting Judge Judy to call the case back in. We need to get to the bottom of this!

A jilted girlfriend is accused of pouring bleach over the plaintiff’s clothes. Her claim is that she was only threatening to pour bleach on the clothes when the plaintiff lunged at her. This caused the bleach to spill on all of his clothes. Being cheated on is heartbreaking, but the defendant refuses to take responsibility for the property damage. She’s not afraid to tell the judge she doesn’t know what she’s talking about. It’s a bold move, but it’s not gonna work out for her. It’s when she starts trying to have a part two of her argument with the plaintiff in the courtroom that the judge gets fed up. Even then, she refuses to back down.

This one is a blast from the past in all sorts of ways. After her public profile skyrocketed in the wake of a scandal involving actor Hugh Grant, Divine Brown appeared as a defendant on “Judge Judy.” Sued by an alleged former manager for unpaid labor, Brown insists she doesn’t even know him. From the start, plaintiff Rick Lomas is unable to restrain himself. After returning to the courtroom, the litigants soon devolve into an argument so loud, not even Judge Judy’s voice can cut through it. After at least two recalls, the unruly case descends into utter chaos the likes of which is rarely seen on any court show, let alone “Judge Judy.”

What’s your most memorable “Judge Judy” fight? Tell us in the comments.