Judge Rachel Juarez

Judge Rachel Juarez serves as one of three judges on CBS Media Ventures' Emmy-nominated syndicated court program HOT BENCH, created by Judge Judy Sheindlin. The show returned for its ninth season on September 12, 2022. During the 2020-21 season, HOT BENCH was the #1 original court program in daytime television in household ratings and all major demographics.

A Los Angeles native, Juarez is a graduate of Yale University and Stanford Law School.  Following graduation from Stanford Law School, Juarez joined litigation powerhouse Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP, where she gained considerable experience in all aspects of complex civil litigation with a specific emphasis in trial work. 

In the early years of her career, Juarez participated in several high-profile trials and other matters, representing clients such as Google, Samsung, Mattel, and Trust Company of the West (TCW).  In 2016, Juarez co-founded a family law practice specializing in the representation of high net worth and high-income individuals in complex divorce and other family law matters. After several years of managing her own law firm, Juarez was appointed to serve as a Temporary Judge by the Los Angeles County Superior Court Temporary Judge Program.  

Juarez's unique talent and passion for trial advocacy has led to significant success in the courtroom.  As a business litigator, family law litigator, and volunteer prosecutor, Juarez has successfully first-chaired jury trials, non-jury trials, and arbitrations; her nuanced understanding of both trial strategy and trial procedure have enabled her to seamlessly integrate preparation for a possible trial into all aspects of her cases. Juarez has been named a Super Lawyers "Rising Star" each of the last six years. She is also a graduate of the Los Angeles County Bar Association's "Trial Advocacy Project" (TAP), making her eligible to serve as a volunteer prosecutor for prosecutorial agencies across the City of Los Angeles. Through the TAP program, Juarez spent considerable time working with the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office to prosecute misdemeanor jury trials, gaining further experience in everything from jury selection through verdict.  

Since the beginning of her career, Juarez has devoted a considerable amount of time to educating and training up-and-coming attorneys and to giving back to both the legal and non-legal communities. While at Yale and Stanford, Juarez enjoyed tremendous success in trial advocacy competitions, winning both individual awards and major tournaments at every level of national competition. Armed with that experience, she spent several years as Head Coach (and, later, Attorney Coach) for the undergraduate Stanford University Mock Trial team, which grew to prominence as a top-ten nationally ranked program by the end of her time leading the program. Juarez also mentored, coached, and trained law students in both trial and appellate advocacy, serving as both President and Training Director of the Stanford Law School Mock Trial team and as the Vice President of the Marion Kirkwood Moot Court program. 

Juarez also spent significant time during her law school career working as a student advocate through the Stanford Three Strikes Project (Criminal Defense Clinic) at the Mills Legal Clinic, where she represented clients facing conviction or seeking to appeal convictions under California's Three Strikes law.    

Most recently, Juarez was appointed as a member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association's President's Advisory Committee on Women in the Legal Profession, where she works with other attorneys to support and promote the full participation of women lawyers in the legal profession.

Juarez resides in Los Angeles with her husband Rob, three children and stepdaughter.

HOT BENCH is created by Judge Judy Sheindlin and executive produced by David Theodosopoulos. Belinda Jackson and James Glover are co-executive producers. Michael Corriero, Rachel Juarez and Yodit Tewolde comprise the three-judge panel. HOT BENCH is produced by Big Ticket Pictures and Queen Bee Productions. It is distributed by CBS Media Ventures.

Judge Michael Corriero

Judge Michael Corriero (Ret.) serves as one of three judges on CBS Media Ventures' Emmy-nominated syndicated court program HOT BENCH, created by Judge Judy Sheindlin. The show returned for its ninth season on September 12, 2022. During the 2020-21 season, HOT BENCH was the #1 original court program in daytime television in household ratings and all major demographics.

Prior to joining HOT BENCH, Judge Corriero served as a prosecutor in the office of Manhattan District Attorney Frank Hoganas a criminal defense attorney and a judge for 28 years in the criminal courts of New York State. For 16 years, he presided over Manhattan's Youth Part, a special court he created in the Supreme Court of New York State designed to focus attention and scarce resources on young offenders prosecuted as adults pursuant to New York State's Juvenile Offender Law.

Under Judge Corriero's innovative leadership, the Youth Part became a model for mobilization and coordination of treatment and social services for children prosecuted in adult courts. He retired from the bench in 2008 to become the Executive Director of "Big Brothers Big Sisters" of New York City.

In 2010, he left "Big Brothers Big Sisters" to establish the New York Center for Juvenile Justice. The Center promoted a comprehensive model of justice for minors that treats children as children and responds to their misconduct with strategies designed to improve their chances of becoming constructive members of society. An important element of the Center's advocacy was recognized in the enactment of New York State's 2017 Raise The Age Legislation, which incorporated and institutionalized the Youth Part Model.

In 2012, Judge Corriero founded, along with the New York Foundling, one of New York's oldest and respected social service agencies run by the Sisters of Charity, the Families Rising Project - an alternative-to-incarceration program that works not only with a young offender but with his/her entire family.

Judge Corriero is an alumnus of St. John's University School of Law and St. John's University. He was a member of the Law Review and served as an associate editor. He graduated from St. John's University College with a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in social science.

Judge Corriero is the author of a book titled, Judging Children as Children: A Proposal for a Juvenile Justice System, which is a blueprint for juvenile justice reform. He is regarded nationally and internationally as an expert in juvenile justice and has traveled extensively, lecturing and advising legal institutions in numerous countries, including Israel, South Africa, Sierra Leone, Kazakhstan and Peru.

Judge Corriero is the recipient of numerous honors and awards, including: The New York Foundling's Lifetime Achievement Award (2015); Advocate of the Decade (2014) presented by Families on the Move of New York City, Inc.; The Eleanor Roosevelt Award (2011), presented by Citizens Committee for Children; Asian Pacific American Advocates (OCA – New York) Community Service Award (2011); Excellence in Juvenile Justice, Juvenile Detention Association of New York State (2007); Frank S. Hogan Associates Recognition Award (2007); Excellence in Children's Advocacy, presented by 100 Women Against Child Abuse (2006); The Citizens' Committee for Children's Annual Founders' Award (2004); The Howard A. Levine Award for Outstanding Work in the area of children and the law (New York State Bar Association 1999); The Livingston Hall Juvenile Justice Award (American Bar Association 1997); Outstanding Service on Behalf of Youth Award (ELEM 1996, 2007); The Conrad B. Mattox, Jr. Commonwealth Debate Winner (University of Richmond 1996); The Charles A. Rapallo Award (Colombian Lawyers Association 1994); and he participated as a Polsky Judicial Fellow at the Aspen Institute's Justice and Society Seminar (2003).

Judge Corriero served on the New York State Permanent Commission on Justice for Children at the request of the former Chief Judge of New York State, Judith Kaye. He also served on Mayor Michael Bloomberg's Committee on the Judiciary. He has previously served on the New York State Probation Commission Task Force and former New York Governor David Patterson's Task Force on Transforming Juvenile Justice.

Judge Corriero also served as Chairperson of the Committee on Juvenile Justice of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York. He was Co-Chair of the American Bar Association's Juvenile Justice Committee. He is a member of the New York State Bar Association's Committee on Children and the Law. He served as a trustee of Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City; a member of the Advisory Committee of Citizens' Committee for Children; a member of the Professional Committee of ELEM (Youth at Risk in Israel); and a board member of Transfiguration Grammar School Education Association.

HOT BENCH is created by Judge Judy Sheindlin and executive produced by David Theodosopoulos. Belinda Jackson and James Glover are co-executive producers. Michael Corriero, Rachel Juarez and Yodit Tewolde comprise the three-judge panel. HOT BENCH is produced by Big Ticket Pictures and Queen Bee Productions. It is distributed by CBS Media Ventures.

Judge Yodit Tewolde

Judge Yodit Tewolde serves as one of three judges on CBS Media Ventures' Emmy-nominated syndicated court program HOT BENCH, created by Judge Judy Sheindlin. The show returned for its ninth season on September 12, 2022. During the 2020-21 season, HOT BENCH was the #1 original court program in daytime television in household ratings and all major demographics.

Prior to joining HOT BENCH, Tewolde was the host of "Making the Case," a nightly criminal justice show on BNC, (now The Grio TV). She was also a host-contributor on "America's Most Wanted" and the morning anchor for "Court TV" where she covered major trials across the country. A nationally renowned criminal defense attorney, Tewolde was the founder and managing attorney of her own criminal defense firm.

Tewolde, who was an Associate Municipal Judge for the City of Dallas in September 2018, has been a member of the Texas Bar since 2010. Since then, she has dedicated her entire legal career to the practice of criminal law. After graduating law school, she served as a law clerk in the 19th Judicial District Court. Soon thereafter, Tewolde began working as an Assistant District Attorney with the Dallas County District Attorney's Office, where she learned the intricacies of criminal prosecution while honing her skills as a trial lawyer. Following several years of prosecuting cases in both the adult and juvenile systems, Tewolde transitioned over to criminal defense work. It wasn't long before she was recognized as one of the nation's top lawyers under 40 by the National Bar Association.

With an established career as a trial attorney and staunch advocate for criminal justice reform, Tewolde's legal expertise has been featured on many of the top-rated cable networks. She frequently appears on CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, and HLN to provide legal analysis on high-profile cases and hot-button issues. Tewolde was also an Opinion Contributor for "The Hill."

Tewolde earned her juris doctorate from Southern University Law Center. While in law school, she served as the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Race, Gender and Poverty. She holds a bachelor's degree in English with a minor in Communications from Texas A&M University. While in undergrad, Tewolde pledged and became a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.

HOT BENCH is created by Judge Judy Sheindlin and executive produced by David Theodosopoulos. Belinda Jackson and James Glover are co-executive producers. Michael Corriero, Rachel Juarez and Yodit Tewolde comprise the three-judge panel. HOT BENCH is produced by Big Ticket Pictures and Queen Bee Productions. It is distributed by CBS Media Ventures.