SEASON TEN 2008-2009 4-1 and 4-2-2009 "MARRIAGE IN CRISIS" PART ONE: Judge Toler sat down with ted Haggard and his wife Gayle. Haggard was once a powerful preacher who spoke out against homosexuality. It turned out, he was having a three-year affair with a man. Haggard was booted out of the church, but is still married to Gayle. Ted told judge Toler that he told Gayle to divorce him, but she decided to stick by him. Gayle says she had no idea that Ted was cheating on her and found out when the scandal broke. PART TWO: Ted said that he receieved therapy after the scandal broke. He claims it cured his homosexual tendancies. Ted also admitted that he still feels that being gay is sinful. Judge Toler welcomed one of the Haggard's daughter's, Christy, via webcam. Christy said the crisis made her understand her father more. She said having a relapse could happen again, but she wouldn't love him any less if it did. LATER ON, Ted said that he fells people have been much nicer to him since the scandal. Gayle said that the crisis was a "wonderful process" for their relationship. 9-8-2008 SEASON PREMIERE -- THE INFAMOUS LIES OF MICHAEL Michael and LaShawn have only been married for 18 months and are already ready to call it quits. LaShawn says Michael is full of lies and brought a chart ("The Infamous Lies of Michael") of some of his biggest lies. He claimed he was a caddy for Tiger Woods, wrestled a deer to the ground and met Malcolm X. He also claimed that President Jimmy Carter took him to dinner and gave him a certificate of honor when he was 19 years old. The best story: he was with Martin Luther King when he wrote his "I Have a Dream" speech. The audience and the judge thought all of this was very funny. It gets better. LaShawn said that Michael also puts on an act in the bedroom. After the make love, he often screams like Tarzan and runs around the room with a bedsheet, pretending he's Superman! Judge Toler thought these two were meant for each other and still thought they loved each other. Instead of granting them a divorce, she sent them to marriage therapy. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SEASON NINE 2007-2008 5-1-2008 "GARY VS. SHANNON: PART ONE" "Diff'rent Strokes" actor Gary Coleman brought his wife, Shannon, to Divorce Court after only seven months of marriage. They didn't want a divorce, but wanted to help their marriage, which was plagued by fighting. Problem one: their age difference. Gary is 40 and Shannon is only 22. Problem two: Gary's short temper. Shannon says Gary gets upset about everything. They even got into a fight before the show. The fights gets so bad that Gary often leaves their house at 3AM and doesn't come back! Judge Toler encouraged Gary to listen to Shannon instead of yelling back at her all the time. 11-5-2007 "DNA DRAMA WEEK: THE MINISTER'S WIFE" DIVORCE COURT became THE MAURY SHOW for a week in sweeps when Judge Toler settled paternity disputes. Things got heated in this episode where Wendy brought her ex, Terry, to find out if he was the father of her six-month-old. Wendy's mother, Edna, also testified saying she told Wendy that Terry was not good because he was 21 years older. Edna also said Terry was abusive. He admitted he was arrested for domestic violence, but the charges were dropped. Judge Toler read the results of the paternity test, whcih determined that Terry is the father. Wendy and her mother danced with excitement upon hearing the news, which only angered Terry. He swore at her, calling her a liar and stormed out of the courtroom. Bailiff Joe walked him backage because he continued to cause a disturbance in the hall. 9-11-2007 "WANNABE RAPPER" Sylvia married David, who's been an aspiring rapper since he heard his first rap song in 1980. David also has 10 kids by four different mothers. Sylvia married David for two-and-a-half years despite his army of kids and his floudering music career. In true Divorce Court fashion, David, who goes by "Devastating Dave," rapped for the court. Judge Toler said she liked his old school rap skills. David said he wanted to divorce Sylvia because she didn't support his carreer and also worried that she was cheating. Sylvia said she was a faithful wife. Sylvia told the judge that she didn't want to end her marriage over such trivial matters. David agreed and the two decided to work it out. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SEASON EIGHT 2006-2007 10-27-2006 "His Work Followed Him Home" Brenda was divorcing her husband, Michael, because he liked playing in his band more than he liked being with her. She says he even brought one of his bandmates along on their honeymoon. Brenda brought along a bag full of bras that Michael brought home one day. She thought he brought her dinner and was shocked to find what was inside. Later, Michael played a mean-spirited song about his wife for the court. As he played, Brenda grabbed one of the bras and threw it at Michael! In the end, Judge Toler told Brenda she shouldn't be mad because he was always up front with her. 10-6-2006 "He Kept a Sex Calendar in Our Dining Room" Tammy was divorcing her husband, Billy, because he was a sex addict. She said he used to hang a sex calendar in their dining room with "yes" or "no" marked on each day to determine whether they had sex. Billy admitted to being a cheap date, saying sex was the perfect holiday or birthday gift. Billy said he wanted it so bad, that he began putting herbal sex pills in her drinks in attempt to spike her interest. He also changed his looks, but nothing worked. Tammy says it all ended after Billy met another woman, who Billy said was just a friend. In the end, Judge Toler ordered Billy to pay spousal support. 9-11-2006 SEASON PREMIERE -- "The Preacher" Season eight of Divorce Court began with a brand new set and a brand new judge, Lynn Toler. The premiere episode focused on Andrea, who thought she was going to have a great marriage when she married a minister. Turns out her preacher husband, Nick, was a cheater. What's worse, he had an affair with a teenager and got her pregnant! Samantha, 18, told Judge Toler that she thought there was nothing wrong with her man. Judge Toler told Samantha to open her eyes because Nick will treat her badly just as he did with Andrea. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
Judge Lynn Toler is the new judge on Divorce Court. Judge Toler has plenty of experience in the courtroom and even presided over the short-lived "Power of Attorney" court show. Of course, before Judge Tolder, Judge Mablean Ephriam presided over Divorce Court for seven years. Ephriam began her career in law as a correctional officer at the Women's Division of the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Years of hard work paid off because Mablean was able to open her own practice in 1982, focusing on family law and personal injury cases. She landed the job as Divorce Court judge in 1999. Twentieth is not saying why they got rid of Mablean. Rumor has it they couldn't agree on money and Mablean's hairstyle. The eighth season of Divorce Court began with a brand new set. Even though Mablean left, bailiff Joe Catalano is still with the show. Divorce Court has been renewed through the 2008-09 season. Judge Toler began her second season with the show on September 10, 2007. Divorce Court is in its ninth season. |
SEASON ONE 1999-2000 8-31-1999 "Sweet Willie Shine" Willie Darden came on wearing chains and a loop earring, looking like a wannabe pimp. He told the judge how he always gets what he wants because he is "Sweet Willie Shine." Willie also accused his wife, Naomi, of cheating on him. Willie said he should get everything in the divorce, including the kids, because he is the most important person. Judge Mablean granted Naomi everything, except a mirror. Judge Mablean gave Willie the mirror so he could take a good look at himself. 9-6-1999 Paternity Results For A Bisexual Father Melissa and Gary were married, but split up for seven months because she could not handle his bisexuality. When they came in front of the judge, Melissa was pregnant and they came to court to find out if Gary was the father of the child. The test proved that Gary was the father, but Melissa did not want to believe it. Gary cried when he found out, showing off his red fingernails. 9-15-1999 My Husband Wants To Be A Woman Joanna Archer was married to Jim (aka Rebecca) for ten years, but did not know that he wanted to be a woman. Jim dressed as a woman for court, which Joanna thought was disgusting. She called him an "it," but Judge Mablean would not have it, saying he was a human being. Joanna told the judge how she started discovering makeup and other female items during the last years of their marriage and how Jim met another crossdresser, Jan, online. Jim alleged that Jan wound up sleeping with Joanna! After they split up, Joanna left her fur coat at Jim's place, but Jim did not want to give it back. Judge Mablean had them both try it on, but allowed Jim to have it. Beanie Baby Collector Sues Ex Faith, who collected Beanie Babies, wanted a divorce from her husband, Joe, but wanted to keep all of the stuffed animals for herself. Faith admitted that she cheated during their marriage and got breast implants to keep Joe happy. Judge Mablean told them to slpit the collection 50/50, but that was not good enough for Faith. Since she didn't keep quiet, the Beanies all went to Joe! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SEASON TWO 2000-2001 Mablean Cries For A Family Destroyed A wife and husband were at odds after two of their children were killed in a house fire. Judge Mablean was so moved by the story, that she cried for them. Sadly, somehow, the husband still had time to cheat on his wife. Change-A-Mate Joyce and Jerry met at a nightclub and made love that very night they met! Joyce realized that she did not like the way he dressed or wore his hair, so she gave him a makeover. Jerry cheated on Joyce, who was 12 years older than him, several times after his makeover. Joyce asked the judge to grant her $300 for the cost of Jerry's new look. Judge Mablean did not grant her the money and told Joyce that she was sad for trying to change Jerry. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SEASON THREE 2001-2002 8-28-2001 Switching Partners Jacqueline and Mitchell were married and had kids together. Jacqueline was good friends with Lisa who was married to David. Jacqueline and Mitchell broke up, so Jacqueline started seeing David and Lisa started going with Mitchell! Yes, they switched lovers. Judge Mablean thought their actions were unhealthy and confusing to their kids. Lisa also had a problem with interupting the judge, so she ws kicked out of the courtroom. 11-6-2001 She Had A Feeling He Was Gay Max was Sharon's third husband and she wanted thier marriage to work. So, when he told her that he was gay, she thought of having a sex change operation to keep their marriage together! Max didn't want her to become a man because he didn't want her anyway. During their marriage, Max took a job as a drag queen to earn money for the family. Judge Mablean looked at the photos of him as a woman and said he made a better-looking woman. 1-28-2002 Four Dead Husband and a Fifth On His Way Out! Raheema, 43, married Sylvester after her four ex-husbands all died! Judge Mablean asked Raheema if she killed off her exes, but she said they all died naturally. What's worse: the two of them had 22 kids combined and Sylvester was on disability! Judge Mablean asked what she wanted with a guy who's on disability and has so many kids. She said it was love at first sight, but it turned bitter when she found out Sylvester had a gambling problem. She was suing him for $2,500 so she could restart her moving business that they once had together. The judge could not grant her the money since he was on disability. The judge also said that she wanted to keep in touch with Raheema because she thought she would marry again in a few years. 3-19-2002 Confronting A Controlling Husband James looked like a young Austin Powers, complete with the nasty teeth. His ex, Megan, said he never allowed her to work. She brought him to court for spousal support because she had their two kids. Just when the judge was about to grant her support, James admitted that he was unemployed. Judge Mablean got upset and said she could not grant her a ruling because he had no job. 5-16-2002 Already Married With Kids Deborah thought Jasper was honest with her when they got married, but later found out that he had one child and was still married to another woman! She accepted the child and stayed with Jasper, until she found out he had yet another kid! Deborah wanted $4,000 from Jasper, which was the money she spent on their wedding. Judge Mablean told her to get rid of Jasper because he was stilled married and called him a bigamist. Judge Mablean granted her the money she wanted and Jasper jumped up and down yelling, "Lord, have mercy!" because he couldn't afford it. The judge said he needed to find a way to get the money. Judge Mablean started theme weeks, featuring the season's best, over the summer. Here's the highlights: 7-25-2002 She Wanted To Marry Elvis Yolanda fell in love with Richard after seeing his Elvis impersonation. Things went sour after only 10 months and Yolanda wanted a divorce. Richard said that she was upset because he couldn't do his act anymore, since he lost both legs to diabetes. Richard said she only wanted him because he was an Elvis impersonator and alleged that her last husband was a Neil Diamond impersonator! After the case ended, Judge Mablean told bailiff Joe that she should have had Richard sing a song for the court. EXTRA INFO: A mannequin dressed in an Elvis costume stood near Richard during the case. 7-26-2002 He Wanted A Dwarf Lisa was born with dwarfism and said that Robert always made fun of her during their marriage. Before marriage, Robert was dating a member of Lisa's family, but he wound up settling with Lisa. Lisa wanted a future with him and fell in love. Robert said he only wanted Lisa because she was a dwarf. He also said that he had a reputation for sleeping around and that Lisa caught him cheating while they were married. Judge Mablean told him that there's more to life than sex. After her ruling, Robert tried to walk toward the judge's chambers, but Judge Mablean told him to go away. 8-16-2002 He Had A Double Life Phyllis waited until she was 48 to marry, but married the scum of the earth. Clifford, 57, cheated on his wife several times before and during their marriage. He even took off for two months to shack up with another woman. Judge Mablean asked him if he thought he had a problem and he said "no." Clifford said Phyllis was a good woman, but he had always been a cheater. Judge Mablean said that if it wasn't against the law, she would have come down from the bench and hit him in the head. 8-22-2002 Judge Mablean Gives An Important Lesson on Self-Esteem Heather was humiliated because she weighed 250 pounds and no longer wanted to be with John because she thought she was too fat for him. John said that he would be with her if she weighed 400 lbs. Judge Mablean told Heather not to be ashamed of her weight, because she also gained weight when she got older. The judge stood up and took off her robe to show Heather how the robe made her look thinner. She said that it's what's in the heart that mattered, as she proudly strutted behind the bench. Judge Mablean said she went to Jamaica and fell in love with it becuase, "In Jamaica, the bigger you are, the better they love you. They love the butter!" She promised to send the couple to Jamaica after they went to therapy to get better. Heather and John both got hugs from the judge at the end of this emotional and uplifting case. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SEASON FOUR 2002-2003 9-19-2002 He Was Obsessed With Her Feet Jamille always hated her feet, but wound up with David, who has a foot fetish. David would put whipped cream and peanut butter all over her feet and lick it off. She said he never wanted to have normal sex because he was so obsessed with her feet. After the marriage, Jamille starting posing for Internet bondage photos, while David worked on a documentary about his favorite body part. 10-25-2002 Wearing Her G-String Around Town Mary said her former man, Eddie Love, was a pervert because he used to wear her G-String underwear around town. Eddie did not deny it and even took some of her red underwear out in court and wore it around his neck! Eddie told the judge that he wore her underpants to show his love for Mary. Judge Mablean made him remove the underwear from his neck anbd called him "sick." Mary also said that he threw out some of her clothes, so Judge Mablean granted her damages. Mary said she wanted to write a book of love to help women. 11-7-2002 My Man Wears Women's Clothes Victoria moved in with Roger and had to sleep in the same bed as him because there was only one bed. It turned out that Roger (aka "Regina") likes to dress like a woman and even wore a dress and full make-up to court! He told the judge he got his 44 C breasts through hormones. Victoria married Roger, despite his use of bras and dresses. Victoria said she was never attracted to him and they never had sex. Victoria even said that she stopped being feminine because Roger was jealous of her! 11-15-2002 A Bizarre Fetish For The Female Form Neil was a freak because he enjoyed taking photos and videos of women's private areas. He brought a picture of a woman's butt covered in chocolate for the judge to see. Neil thought he was normal, but his wife, Doris, thought he was a loon. Doris said he used to videotape women's private parts for inside their house AND she brought the video to prove it! Judge Mablean showed the tape, which featured Neil zooming in on women's butts and boobs. Judge Mablean called Neil a "Peeping Tom" and said his invasions of privacy would eventually lead to touching the women he tapes. 2-13-2003 Willie and Naomi Return Naomi and Willie (aka "Sweet Willie Shine") first appeared on the show during its first season. Naomi said Willie was too much of a player and wanted a divorce. They came back on this episode 3 1/2 years later and Willie was still a player, but realized he had a good woman. After the couple walked out, Willie told Judge Mablean he was thrilled to see her again and said she saved his marriage. Willie even sang a song for Naomi and everyone clapped. The best part came when Willie told Judge Mablean that he would like to "kiss those beautiful, juicy lips" of hers. Judge Mablean looked embarassed, but laughed along with him. After all the craziness, Naomi and Willie faced each other and renewed their vows in front of everyone. Judge Mablean then stepped down from the bench and kissed Willie on the cheek and hugged him. She did the same with Naomi. (See 8-31-1999 for their first appearance.) 4-28-2003 The Chicken Costume Sharnae said her husband, Antwoni, liked to be called "the chicken king" and would try to get her to wear a chicken costume to bed! He brought the outfit to court, which consisted of a chicken hat and a yellow boa. Antwoni told the court that he wanted Sharnae to wear the outfit and cluck around. Antwoni wore it and clucked in the beginning of the case and Sharnae tried it on in the end. Antwoni said she looked like a "chicken queen," but judge Mablean said, "She looks like an idiot. No wonder she wouldn't put it on." 5-2-2003 An Overactive Desire For Sex and Guns Jeanine dramatically told the judge that her husband, Ben, a security guard, was obsessed with guns. She said he took several shots at the ground on New Year's Eve, which she thought sent a bad message to their kids. Jeanine also called their children "Viagra babies," which angered Ben. Ben cussed at Jeanine and Mablean told him to watch his mouth. Jeanine, in a wise tone, warned Ben that he can't talk that in Judge Mablean's court. The judge also told her to keep quiet. In the end, the judge told Jeanine that carrying a gun was part of Ben's job and she shouldn't have expected him to stop carrying one. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SEASON FIVE 2003-2004 9-15-2003 <SEASON PREMIERE> Judge Mablean Shows Off Her Weight Loss Girma and Melody were only in their 20's, but had three children. Melody gained weight as a result of all the kids and Girma thought it was fun to make fun of her size. Melody even said he made fun of her during sex. Judge Mablean told Melody that she recently lost 65 pounds with the help of her trainer. She also showed Melody what happens when the weight comes off. The judge stood up and took off her robe to reveal her slimmer figure. She spun around as the audience applauded her and told Girma that he better watch out for other men when she drops the weight. Judge Mablean told her that her niece laughed as she exercised, but she had the last laugh because she lost the weight. After the case, Judge Mablean introduced Melody to her trainer, Stephen Atkins, and hooked her up with him. 9-24-2003 "My Husband Admits He's A Racist" Amy used to date black men until she met Robert. In court, Robert admitted to hating black people and referred to himself as an "Alabama Redneck." He said he never hires blacks because their skin color disqualifies them. Amy was pregnant and said she hoped the baby was not theirs because she hated his racist views. Judge Mablean agreed with Amy because she did not want to see a child raised around his ignorance. Unfortunately, the test proved that Robert was the father and Amy broke down crying. Robert said he would make sure she got all parental rights because he never wanted to see her again. Judge Mablean made him pay $400/month until his rights were given up and told him to get out of her courtroom. The drama continued in the hall with Robert screaming at Amy. 10-22-2003 A Tragic Accident Brandy was driving her son and others home from a Fourth of July party when her steering wheel locked up. She lost control of her car and hit a tree. The accident left her son on life support and he died 11 days later. Brandy's husband, Sonny, blamed his death on her and wanted a divorce. He cried as he told the judge that his son was his best friend. Sonny said Brandy should have driven more carefully. Judge Mablean ordered them to seek counciling and their arguing continued in the hall. As they bickered, Judge Mablean came out and told them to stop fighting. She had them hug each other and then she embraced them both. 11-3-2003 49 Years Older Than His Wife! Shirley, 20, married 69-year-old Robert when she was 18 and says he's a sex freak. Shirley was raised by her grandmother who was younger than her husband! After two years of marriage, Shirley found a video of Robert in their bed with another woman. Shirley told the judge that the old man cheated on her several times. In court, Robert gave Shirley a bouquet of flowers to offer forgiveness, but Shirley threw them on the floor and told him to "give them to that bitch." At the end of the case, Judge Mablean brought Shirley to her chambers and introduced her to her daughter, Darlene, 22. Judge Mablean wanted her to have a positive influence who was the same age as her. 2-5-2003 1000 Shows Judge Mablean and bailiff Joe celebrated their 1000th show by looking back at the most outrageous and memorable moments ever. They also took a look at some of the more emotional moments, including the tear-filled reunion of a father with the daughter whose mom took her away from him. Bailiff Joe surprised the judge with some clips of her at her best. Judge Mablean was so touched that she cried throughout it. The staff of the show then gathered all around the bench and toasted the show. Judge Mablean also thanked everyone for watching and her mother who was seated proud in the audience. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SEASON SIX 2004-2005 9-13-2004 SEASON PREMIERE War Changed Our Relationship Season six began with the emotional story of Ali and his wife, Kizzy. Ali served in the Army during the Iraq war and said the experience changed his life. Ali told the judge he lost one of his close friends and even had to kill people during battle. Realizing life is short, Ali decided to live it up when he got home. He said he never cheated on his wife, but Kizzy said he was a constant flirt. Ali said he wanted to work on his relationship, but Kizzy wanted out of it. Judge Mablean would not grant the divorce because she thought they could work on things. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SEASON SEVEN 2005-2006 7-18-2006 Old Guy Crossdresser Billie thought she married a tough, masculine man. But after several years, she was shocked to learn that her construction worker husband, Ken, liked to wear women's clothes. Ken, who's much older than Billie, wore a dress, wig and make-up to court and told Judge Mablean that he likes to be called "Carrie Lynn." He's been a crossdresser for 20 years, but quit when he met Billie. Billie says if she knew about this is the beginning, she would have never married him. Halfway through the case, Judge Mablean asked Ken to change to see what he looks like as a man. The judge said the difference was like night and day. 5-23-2006 "The Minister's Wife" This was one of Judge Mablean's last shows. Word is she was fired because of issues with her hair. During this last week of her show, Mablean had a much longer haircut than usual... This episode focused on a minister named Nate,37, who thought his wife Sheena, 22, dressed like a hoochie. Sheena said she was young and looked too good to dress like an old lady. What's worse, the big-boned Sheena posted sexy pictures of herslef online, which she brought for Judge Mablean to see. 2-21-2006 "Crossed the Line?" When Samara met Isaac, he was a strong military man. Before they got married, Isaac dressed as a woman for Halloween twice! With all the warning signs there, Samara STILL married Isaac and got pregnant. Of course, the cross-dressing continued and broke up their marriage. Isaac, now Deandrea, came into court in full make-up and a dress! Deandrea said he had repressed his cross-dressing since a child and even had to hide his tendencies in the Marines. Samara brought a tape of their closet, which was full of women's clothes that belonged to Deandrea! Judge Mablean told Samara that she had every opportunity to get out of the relationship because Deandrea was honest all along. 2-20-2006 "I Already Have A Mother!" Justin says his wife, Amethyst, is nasty, bossy and treats him like a child. As Justin spoke, his mother, Sharon, interupted the case. Judge Mablean told Sharon to only speak when she's spoken to. Once the judge called Sharon to testify, she yelled saying she hates Amethyst. Sharon told the judge that she never approved of the marriage since they met online and did not date long enough. Long story short, Justin's parents constantly interfered with their marriage, which is likely why it ended. Judge Mablean granted the divorce, but the drama spilled out into the hallway. Sharon followed Justin and Amethyst as hey argued in the hall. Sharon yelled at Amethyst, telling he to "put a lid on it." Things got so dramatic that Judge Mablean came out to calm Sharon down. 10-27-2005 She Beat Me With A Wooden Spoon! T.J. said his wife Marilyn treated him like a controlling child. She had to have her coffee just right or she would hit his hands with a wooden spoon just like a school teacher! Marilyn said she only hit him when he lied, but T.J. also said she'd throw shoes at him and hit him with a frying pan. Marilyn said she even made him a chart with chores on it. When he did the work, she'd give him a sticker! What's worse, she got jealous when he worked with other women and even kept him from talking to his own mother. Marilyn was 26 and this was her THIRD marriage! Judge Mablean ordered her to take anger management classes. |
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Former "Divorce Court" judge, Mablean Ephriam |
Current "Divorce Court" judge, Lynn Toler |