In a story that gets more ridiculous the longer it goes on, the two suburban families embroiled in a dispute over a missing iPod will settle their differences in small claims court and not in front of a judge who takes breaks for commercials. more ›

We’re sort of wondering: Why would you have your deadbeat boyfriend give you sperm for an in vitro pregnancy when you were still together? And why, if you were the deadbeat boyfriend, would you do as your sperm-crazy girlfriend asked and then stay with her until three months after the birth? more ›

If you're involved in a family dispute, and taking your family members to court on TV (and, of course, during your testimony revealing sordid details about their love-lives and drug use) just doesn't quite pack enough spite for you, you may want to try accusing them of being terrorists. Judge Mathis will probably only shake his head and ask you what it has to do with your case when you tell him that when you were a kid your dad and uncle used to bring you along when they did cocaine (and the waitress) at the local saloon. But federal authorities won't just srhug you off when you accuse your relatives of planning a bombing spree. more ›

This Chicagoist does not subscribe to cable television. He likes to think he has much more important things to do than waste time watching cable TV. But really he just spends entirely too much time fiddling with an antenna (a placebo more than anything) so he can see Judge Mathis roll his eyes without static and periodic blares of white noise. Now he will say he doesn't subscribe to cable because having it installed is too risky. more ›