Joe Brown was the second highest paid daytime television personality behind Judge Judy during the time the show was running.
Like the majority of television court shows, Judge Joe Brown is a form of binding arbitration.
[6] As far as ratings in the legal/courtroom genre go, Brown's program ranked in second place during its entire run, typically just above The People's Court and significantly below Judge Judy.
[8] According to Roger M. Grace, editor of the Metropolitan News-Enterprise, for the most part, Brown had a languid and perfunctory nature about him, particularly while gathering all the facts and trying to figure out the case.
In these moments, Brown flinged out his personal values and guidance at men, such as: "Grow up and be a man", "You don't know nothing about manhood", "Quit acting like you haven't got any home training", "Be a civilized human being and stop trying to be cool", "Quit acting like a thug", "Take responsibility", and "Have a sense of class and decency."
On past episodes, many litigants who were perceived as guilty by Brown and treated accordingly had not hesitated to chuck items around the courtroom (such as water), disrespect the judge, or threaten the other party or spectators.
[13] In April 2013, however, following the show's cancellation, Brown disputed these reports claiming that CTD was only paying him $5 million a year.
[14] As reported on February 27, 2013, by Broadcasting & Cable, CBS had told Brown that the salary amount they were paying him–of $20 million (though Brown disputed this, claiming that CBS had never given him a salary of any more than $5 million[14])—would be cut in the wake of his declining ratings, license fees, and advertising revenues.
In the 2013 February sweeps, the show was down 20% to a 2.4 live plus same day rating from a 3.0 the previous year according to Nielsen Media Research.
[15] Station executives told Broadcasting & Cable they were less than happy to be learning about the dissension at the end of February 2013 when their options for replacing the show were limited.
[16] Brown later called out CBS for their treatment of him, claiming they had reneged on contract agreements, cheated him out of money, failed to give him sufficient advertising in favor of concentrating their advertisements in Judge Judy, and engaged in several other unjust, underhanded and unethical business practices.
Worthy to note, Sheindlin of Judge Judy would also later walk out on CBS, citing her own resentment with management moves under the distributor related to salary cuts and the handling of a court series she produces Hot Bench.
After receiving $100 million from CBS for selling back her entire series catalog, Judy Sheindlin was essentially replaced in syndication by her own reruns.