‘Hot Bench’ names replacement for Michael Corriero’s spot on panel

Syndicated court show “Hot Bench” has named its replacement for Judge Michael Corriero.

Trial attorney Judge Daniel Mentzer will join Judge Yodit Tewolde and Judge Rachel Juarez for Season 12 starting in the fall of 2025.

Originally created by Jude Judy Sheindlin, the show features a panel of three judges who preside over civil cases that have been converted to arbitration. 

Corriero, who retired from the show at the end of Season 11, had been the longest-serving member of the panel. 

“We are thrilled to welcome Judge Daniel Mentzer to the bench for Season 12,” said David Theodosopoulos, executive producer of “Hot Bench,” in a statement. “His expertise in criminal justice brings another dynamic perspective to our courtroom, perfectly complementing Judge Tewolde and Judge Juarez. I can’t wait for viewers to experience the fresh energy and compelling arguments he brings to the series they know and love.”

Mentzer brings over three decades of legal experience to the bench. A seasoned trial attorney and legal analyst, he has handled high-profile criminal cases, led 90 trials — including 32 homicide cases—and served as a sought-after expert for Court TV.

This summer, he will appear as a trial attorney in “Judge Judy Presents: Justice on Trial,” a new Amazon series reenacting landmark trials. Prior to joining “Hot Bench,” he was a criminal defense attorney in the Bronx, a special assistant attorney general investigating Medicaid fraud, and a defense lawyer for The Legal Aid Society. A California native, Mentzer holds degrees from UC Santa Barbara, SUNY Buffalo Law and an LL.M. in Taxation from William and Mary.

Mentzer joins Tewolde and Juarez, three-year veterans of Hot Bench. Tewolde is a nationally renowned criminal defense attorney, who was the founder and managing attorney of her own criminal defense firm, and a sought-after legal analyst. Juarez is an experienced litigator who handled complex civil cases for large corporate clients, before co-founding a family law practice specializing in the representation of high net worth and high-income individuals in complex divorce and other family law matters.

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Also joining the show is Gina Findley, a former NYPD Detective in the Chaplains Unit who retired last year after decades of dedicated service. She is replacing Sonia Montejano as balliff.

Taping for Season 12 of the show, which has been moved to Stamford, Connecticut, began in late March 2025.

Tanya Acker and Patricia DiMango, both original “Hot Bench” cast members, previously exited the show at different times, and now appear on “Tribunal Justice,” a similarly-formatted court show produced by Sheindlin for Amazon. 

Sheindlin herself hosts “Judy Justice” for Amazon and was previously the main arbitrator on “Judy Judy” from 1996 to 2021. She exited the series for Amazon’s streamer in 2021, although CBS Media Ventures continues to distribute repackaged repeats in syndication. CBS Media Ventures also handles distribution of “Hot Bemch.”

Those rehashed “Judge Judy” episodes still managed to beat “Hot Bench” in the syndicated courtroom genre as of last season, though “Hot Bench” is the top show in the category when considering ones created from entirely new material.