ALL RISE!
A&E PREMIERES NEW LIVE EVENT SERIES “COURT NIGHT LIVE”
ON WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10th AT 9PM ET/PT
EMMY®-WINNING JOURNALIST AND ATTORNEY VINNIE POLITAN AND EMMY®-WINNER JUDGE GREG MATHIS TO HOST WITH ANALYSIS FROM RETIRED JUDGE VONDA EVANS
SERIES PRODUCED BY BIG FISH ENTERTAINMENT
VIEW PROMO HERE
New York, NY – August 5, 2022 – A&E brings the unpredictable drama of live trials to television with the premiere of “Court Night LIVE.” The series, produced by Big Fish Entertainment, premieres on Wednesday, August 10th at 9pm ET/PT.
Hosted by Vinnie Politan and Judge Greg Mathis, with analysis from retired Judge Vonda Evans, “Court Night LIVE” will see civil cases from across the country litigated live from pop-up courtrooms in Philadelphia, Tampa, and Chicago in front of a gallery of community members. During each broadcast, viewers will have the chance to have their voices heard voting on the verdicts in select cases in real time via text message. Politan, Mathis, and Evans will provide context and bring their legal perspectives to viewers so that they can better understand how the wheels of justice turn.
As civil court cases became backed up over the last few years, pending cases have jumped over 30% with some people waiting over a year to get to trial. On top of that, many Americans have been stuck at home with their family and neighbors, racking up more and more grievances that make it harder than ever to sort through them. It’s time to take the court to the people and bring closure to those who are eager to get to their cases heard. Judges working from Philadelphia, Tampa, and Chicago will hear the cases and, sometimes, let viewers weigh in on the outcome.
“’Court Night LIVE’ will combine the inherent drama of live civil court proceedings with context and expert legal analysis, elevating the traditional court shows that have been a staple of the television landscape for decades,” said Elaine Frontain Bryant, Executive Vice President and Head of Programming for A&E. “‘Court Night LIVE’ gives viewers a chance to experience public trials live in the virtual courtroom gallery on air.”
Vinnie Politan is an Emmy® Award-winning journalist who has covered the nation’s biggest trials and the justice system for over twenty years. He is the lead anchor for Court TV and has covered many high-profile cases. Politan is a licensed attorney, and previously worked as a prosecutor in New Jersey before moving into private practice focusing on commercial litigation, labor law and intellectual properties.
Judge Greg Mathis is a former judge for the Michigan 36th District Court and the two-time Emmy® Award-winning host of “Judge Mathis.” His inspirational life story of a street youth who rose from jail to Judge has provided hope to millions. Judge Mathis is known for his advocacy campaigns for urban youth and equal justice. He is Chairman for Jesse Jackson’s PUSH Excel and previously served as a national board member of the NAACP and the Morehouse School of Medicine. Judge Mathis opened the Mathis Community Center in his hometown of Detroit and has helped thousands with his non-profit agency Young Adults Asserting Themselves. He and his family star in “Mathis Family Matters.”
Retired Judge Vonda Evans presided over legal cases in Detroit and the County of Wayne, IL as a Wayne County Circuit Court Judge for 22 years. Prior to that, she served as a Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor in the Criminal and Family Divisions. Evans currently heads her own law firm handling business disputes, insurance claims, police misconduct, and medical malpractice cases.
Join the conversation by following @AETV and using #CourtNightLIVE
The series will be available on demand and to stream on the A&E app and AETV.com. For more information on the series, visit the official “Court Night LIVE” site – https://www.aetv.com/shows/
“Court Night LIVE” is produced for A&E by Big Fish Entertainment. Dan Cesareo, Lucilla D’Agostino and John Zito are Executive Producers for Big Fish Entertainment. Elaine Frontain Bryant, Shelly Tatro, and Sean Gottlieb are Executive Producers for A&E. A+E Networks holds worldwide distribution rights for “Court Night LIVE.”
About A&E Network
A&E leads the cultural conversation through high-quality, original programming that captivates viewers and brings them to the heart of the stories that matter. Through its distinctive brand of award-winning non-fiction and documentary programming, A&E always makes entertainment an art. For more press information and photography, please visit us at press.aenetworks.com.
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About Big Fish Entertainment
Big Fish Entertainment, an MGM Company, is a full-service production company that creates multi-platform, visually driven content that compels and entertains audiences with the “unexpected.” Founded in 2006 by President Dan Cesareo, Big Fish has since produced more than 1000 hours of award-winning and top-rated programming in the live, unscripted reality, lifestyle and documentary space. Series and credits include History’s Greatest Heists with Pierce Brosnan (History); Court Night LIVE, Secret s of the Chippendales Murders, America’s Top Dog, Live Rescue and Animals Saved My Life (A&E); Ugliest House in America, Martha Knows Best and A White House Christmas (HGTV); Kitchen Crash, A White House Thanksgiving with First Lady Jill Biden, and the Emmy-nominated Amy Schumer Learns to Cook (Food); Regular Heroes (Amazon); the Black Ink Crew franchise; mental health special In Session Live With Dr. Jess and Girls Cruise (VH1); Hustle & Soul (WE tv); Chris Paul’s Chapter 3 (ESPN); Snap’s Driven and Sw