Standing apart from others in the courtroom genre, Judge Hatchett is both compassionate and firm, employing creative sentencing practices and a powerful intervention/mentoring program in which litigants “do time” with community leaders and others who have found success in the professional work force, the arts, social activism, public service and athletics.

This season, Judge Hatchett enlists the help of a fusion of celebrities and well-known regional role models, such as the only four-time heavyweight champion of the world, Evander Holyfield; New York Congresswoman and gun control advocate Carolyn McCarthy; talk-show host, broadcaster and author Tavis Smiley; Kyle Maynard, a young man who has overcome a rare disorder called “congenital amputation” to become one of the top high school wrestlers in Georgia; soap opera star and former foster child Victoria Rowell; Willie Gary, one of 11 children growing up on migrant farm communities who eventually became a multi-millionaire attorney representing little-known clients against major corporations; and Atlanta Falcons running back Warrick Dunn. Each intervention is different but the goals are the same, with troubled children having the opportunity, as the Judge puts it, “to see greatness up close” and learn that to succeed in life, one has to be willing to commit to striving for excellence.

Judge Hatchett consistently incorporates the Judge’s revolutionary courtroom style into her popular television program. During her nine years on the bench in Georgia’s juvenile court system, Judge Hatchett pioneered an effective method for communicating with truants through intervention, thus modernizing the state’s juvenile court sentencing procedures. Today, by incorporating this program into her self-titled series, she sentences litigants to positive, life-altering experiences which also impact the lives of her viewers.

“My goal is to communicate to all who come before my bench that life is about choices, and there is always an opportunity to do the right thing,” says Judge Hatchett. “By sentencing someone to an intervention, I give people a first-hand reality check of what life will be like if they don’t change their direction. More often than not, their eyes are opened to the opportunities life has to offer, and they realize it’s never too late to change for the better.”

Last Fall, Judge Hatchett added best-selling author to her resume with the release of her first book, Say What You Mean and Mean What You Say: 7 Simple Strategies To Help Our Children Along the Path to Purpose and Possibility (Harper Collins, 2003). The book incorporated the Judge’s personal experiences from presiding over both the Judge Hatchett courtroom and the Fulton County (Ga.) Juvenile Court, as well as her own trials and errors as a parent to two boys. From this wealth of real-life experience, the Judge created a call-to-action for parents and presented seven key strategies that can help stop a nationwide epidemic of families in crisis. The book stressed the importance of building bridges between parents and children, and presented the tools needed to raise healthy, happy and productive youth, all of which are an extension of what she has been doing in the Judge Hatchett courtroom for the past four seasons.

Judge Glenda Hatchett is also the national spokesperson for CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), a non-profit organization that trains private citizens as volunteers to become advocates to help abused and neglected children navigate the court system. CASA volunteers are appointed by a judge to provide consistent and caring support on behalf of a child going through a tough personal legal process due to his/her parent or guardian’s abuse or neglect.

“Child advocacy has been a way of life for me, on and off the air. My role as a celebrity advocate on behalf of the National CASA Association is an honor and a privilege because it gives me one more way to serve young people who often can’t stand up for themselves,” said Hatchett. “I know how much of an advantage having a court-appointed special advocate is to a child, and getting the word out that the organization needs more volunteers, especially those of color, is one of the most important things I can do with my celebrity status. This is the work that lasts for generations.”

Today, whether she is sentencing a drunk driver to spend a day with the parent of a child that was the victim of a drunk-driving accident or sending a rebellious teen to a funeral home to see that actions have consequences, Judge Hatchett consistently finds ways to communicate effectively with troubled adults and teens. In fact, it is what Judge Hatchett viewers find to be the most compelling part of the series.

“One of many elements that sets us apart from other courtroom series is that we take our program out of the studio to give young litigants a critical dose of in-your-face reality,” explained executive producer Michael Rourke. "Additionally, due to the immense popularity of the celebrity mentor interventions, this season Judge Hatchett viewers will have the opportunity to see athletes such as Evander Holyfield and Warrick Dunn visit the show to help troubled litigants. The combination of the out-of-studio experience and the firm yet compassionate dealings of the Judge make for an unrivaled one-two punch in daytime courtroom programming."

Another standout aspect of Judge Hatchett is its commitment to having former litigants back to the program to see how their lives have changed since they first appeared before the Judge. Often, these litigants have experienced positive, life-altering moments as a result of the show, and have dramatically changed their lives for the better. These individuals are invited back to take part in future interventions, only this time they participate as mentor.

” Bringing back former litigants who, because of the Judge’s sentencing, have turned their lives around truly demonstrates the positive influence Judge Hatchett has on those she encounters in her courtroom,” adds Rourke. “We believe that it’s really encouraging to viewers when they see people overcome devastating circumstances and make a comeback.”

Magazines and television outlets frequently seek Judge Hatchett’s expertise on legal matters, particularly on family issues. Judge Hatchett has appeared as an expert guest on CNN, Fox News Channel and Court TV, among others.

Judge Hatchett has won many accolades for her unique brand of justice, including recently being named “Women of the Year” by the national organization 100 Black Men of America and one of the 10 “Women of Distinction” by the Girl Scouts of America. Additionally, this past year Judge Hatchett won a Prism Award for a powerful episode, “Carrie’s Out of Rehab,” that chronicles the Judge’s commitment to helping put a family back together that has fallen apart due to drug usage.

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