Tanya Acker, distinguished attorney, civil litigator and judge on the syndicated television program, Hot Bench recently spoke with Reel Urban News from the set.
“I did not expect when I graduated from law school that I would end up on television as a judge, on a Judge Judy created production arbitrating small claim cases on TV. But I really love it. I’m having a good time.”
Acker presides on Hot Bench with two distinguished legal personalities. Judge Patricia DiMango, who prior to joining Hot Bench was an Administrative Judge of the Supreme Court Criminal Term in Brooklyn, New York and Larry Bakman a Los Angeles based attorney who has tried more than 500 Federal and State Criminal cases.
Because the cases on Hot Bench are real, Acker admits there is a great deal of legal accountability involved. “The responsibility is really twofold. One, we have a responsibility to our litigants. This is television but it’s binding arbitration. All of our case are real. Our cases are drawn from filings around the country. When people agree to come to our court they’re agreeing to binding arbitration. There’s no appeal for our decision.”
When Acker is not presiding on Hot Bench, she takes time to give back. “My view is, I’m a part of this community. I’m a lawyer who has some services to offer and to the extent that I can offer them help, folks out in my community who perhaps might not have the great platform that I do. I enjoy doing that. It’s also important to me to feel like I’m a part of the community.”
We invite you watch our exclusive on-set interview and profile with Hot Bench Judge Tanya Acker.
