The Verdict Is Yours

[2] The Verdict Is Yours premiered on September 2, 1957, in the CBS Daytime lineup.

The defendants and witnesses on the program were professional actors who ad-libbed their dialogue, although they were given a general outline of what they were supposed to say.

[3] Sportscaster Jim McKay was the original reporter, providing commentary on the trials.

The program aired weekly on CBS’ nighttime schedule in July 1958.

[5] According to Christopher Schemering in The Soap Opera Encyclopedia, "Legal groups across the country applauded the program's realism.