Judge Hatchett Toughs it Out

Judge Glenda Hatchett warns TV viewers that they shouldn't tune in to her new court show expecting to find the frivolous types of cases typical of her competition.

"I just won't do them," says the serious-minded host of Judge Hatchett. "I don't have much tolerance for that, I really don't. Because I had been a judge for such a long time I wanted to be very clear about not doing anything that would trivialize what I had a great deal of respect for."

The former Georgia Juvenile Court judge is instead trying to stand out in the crowded court TV landscape by presiding over serious cases — domestic violence, drug abuse, teen pregnancy — and supplementing the courtroom footage with related field pieces. An upcoming episode on domestic violence, for example, will include footage of an intervention with the troubled woman involved in the case. On another episode, viewers will follow a teen who's ordered by Hatchett to attend a "Scared Straight" program.

"My main thing is not to try to be sensational but to really take a sincere responsible approach to this," says the mother of two teenage boys. "My hope is to first be of service. I think that is what will set us apart."

Hatchett says it remains to be seen whether or not the court TV genre has reached the point of oversaturation. "There are still far fewer court TV shows than there are talk TV shows," she says. "Let's be clear — I'm planning on surviving the shakeout."