Its dramatic merits notwithstanding, “The People’s Court” is not in fact a court of law and statements a woman made while appearing as a “plaintiff” on the show may not be later used against her in an actual legal proceeding, a New York judge has ruled.

California courts were shut to the public Wednesday as part of a plan to cut back spending in the wake of $414 million in budget cuts for the judicial branch. But at California’s high court and appellate courts, few justices appeared to take the day off. The only difference, said one judge, “is I’m in jeans and a golf shirt, rather than slacks, dress shirt and tie.” So how is this saving money?