Cristina Perez - Five Minute Recess

"Cristina's Court" Winner of the 2008 Daytime Emmy for legal/courtroom program

When Jack Wagner said "Cristina's Court" was the winner of the 2008 Daytime Emmy for legal/courtroom program, my initial reaction was a bit of disbelief and I truly said to myself: "Huh?"

This win for "Cristina's Court" is evidence of our team's hard work and love of the law and people. The nominees were so diverse, and we were privileged to have been included among this group. "Judge Judy," "The People's Court" (the show that started it all), "Judge Hatchet" (a tribute to her community and the profession) and "Judge David Young," one who makes us think outside the box.

I am so grateful to our fans, staff and producers of "Cristina's Court." I give special thanks to Lisa Lew and the genius—Peter Brennan—my executive producer. That sounds like my speech, but I am truly thankful to those who work on, support and, most importantly, watch the show.

The recent California Supreme Court decision (4-3) to legalize same-sex marriage has and will continue to stir the social, political and religious pots. The conservative Court ruled that people have a fundamental right to marry the person of their choice and that gender restrictions violate the state Constitution’s equal protection guarantee.

This is a historic decision especially in light of the fact that in 2000, 61% of California voters approved a ballot measure that said, “only marriage between a man and a woman is valid and recognized in California.” There is a proposed constitutional amendment that would override the Court’s decision and is expected to appear on the 2008 California general election ballot.

From a purely economic perspective, some scholars believe that gay marriage will boost the economy by as much as $63+ million through revenues from weddings of California resident couples, weddings and tourism of out-of-state couples, as well as revenues from marriage licenses. Those numbers are nothing to sneeze at.

So, was the Court’s decision the right one? Is this a social issue? Economic issue? Moral issue? On this one, you be the judge.

See you in Court!

30+ Million Viewers Tiger Woods wins the 108th U.S. Open

Were you one of the estimated 30+ million people that watched the U.S. Open last weekend (in prime time on the East Coast) and the playoff on Monday? That’s right, I’m talking about golf. (Surprise! A little change of direction this week.)

When I first met my husband he had a girlfriend—golf. It was there before me and will always be there. I guess I’m his mistress, which is fine. At first, I didn’t understand his fascination with a sport that took so long to learn and play. As time went on, I came to gain not only an appreciation for the game but even began playing. I enjoyed it. A few holes, a beer, a few more holes and another beer. I got some sun, hung out driving a cart and in the end generally had a good time. Oddly, I sometimes wish I had more time to play. When it comes to TV and golf, I also at first couldn’t understand watching others play. But then there are the big tournaments—the majors, and I began to watch enjoy them. Those are the only ones I watch. My favorites are the Masters and U.S. Open.

So, last weekend’s biggest golf tournament was one of the most, if not the most, exciting sporting (not just golf) exhibitions of all time. Sure, it’s only golf, but talk about drama.

One could not have written a better script . . .

Judge Cristina

Have we come a long way from “Leave It to Beaver?” Have you noticed that what was once considered inappropriate or obscene is now more tolerable? So, you may ask, what does “obscenity” even mean?

Constitutional Law 101: According to the infamous Miller v. California case, the Supreme Court stated that ‘obscenity’ is that subset of pornography—sexually explicit speech—which is (1) prurient; (2) patently offensive; and (3) lacking in significant scientific, literary, artistic or political value. The definition is determined by local community standards where the claims have been brought and using a “reasonable person” test.

So, what is considered acceptable content to a Los Angeles resident would definitely not fly with a Mississippian. Doesn’t this really mean unequal results? Yes! I’ve noticed that when one tries to apply local standards to national content generally the conservative opinion of the community prevails.

Now, how’s this for judicial entertainment. Listen up!

Dina Lohan and daughter Ali of 'Living Lohan.'

Did anyone catch “Denise Richards: It’s Complicated?” I did and, on the advice of my attorney, I plead the Fifth. As you may know, Denise had to seek judicial intervention in order to allow her kids to appear in her show. Although the children are not the center of attention of the show nor can they be considered child stars, is their inclusion and any attention they receive best for them?

Speaking of child stars … Tatum, what were you thinking? Recently, Tatum O’Neal was arrested for buying crack cocaine. That’s a long way away from “Paper Moon” (where she won an Oscar at 10 years old) and “The Bad News Bears” (a classic) and even “Dancing With the Stars.” While I commend her for being an open book about her addiction, I hope that many other young actors in her position learn from her ill-fated history. Unfortunately, there appears to be a long string of former and current child stars who have run into troubled times in adulthood.