The Judge ran for a dozen years as a local show on WBNS-TV in Columbus, Ohio until it was picked up and syndicated by CBS. It centered on family court situations and involved children and adolescents in custody, paternity, delinquency and adoption hearings. Originally called Custody Court, it was based on real-life cases and in fact, was planned to show actual hearings. It was entirely scripted, even the decision, and usually had added melodramatic details. Judge Robert Franklin was played by actor Bob Shield who passed away in 1997. By pure coincidence..there is a Judge in Toledo,OH by the name of Robert Franklin.