I started listening to the Judge John Hodgman podcast a decade ago. My late husband - who was a whole human being in his own right - and I were newlyweds then. We would wait eagerly every week for the new episodes to drop so we could listen to it together. Now our ten year old daughter listens to it with me. I am so grateful for the many years of laughs and memories I have shared with the people I love.

I’ve been listening to Judge John Hodgman for years now and it never disappoints. It is a quirky mix of comedy and wisdom that I often find touching. It’s a show about how we are all just doing the best we can while living our weird lives. I even find myself repeating John Hodgman adages to my kids from time to time (we like what we like, for example). John Hodgman gives spot on advice and Jesse Thorn makes the best side kick. I took my kids to see the show live and it was even better. I’m a forever listener. I recommend it to everyone I know. It’s a great balm in times like these. Now if I can just think of a good dispute to get me on the show…

Great podcast. Timeless dry humor from two of our best! Thank you John and Jesse.

I have listened to JJH longer than any other podcast. Other podcasts have come and gone, but I continue to look forward to each JJH episode after all these years. I’m finally taking the time to write a review because, as we’re slowly realizing that we are in the darkest timeline, shows like JJH are more important than ever to distract us from… *gestures wildly at everything* If you’re looking for something light, funny, and often heartwarming, then give JJH a listen. You won’t regret it. My husband and I love to discuss each episode after and debate whether we agree with the ruling or not. We hope to continue this tradition with our future children and make this our designated family podcast. Thank you to everyone involved in JJH for creating such a delightful show week after week, year after year.

Sometimes you have to tell those you care about how much they mean to you. I’m looking at you John, Jesse, Jennifer and the whole J-Squad. This podcast has been an important part of my emotional health since my oldest kid asked “Hey Dad, why aren’t you listening to this show?” The warmth, wisdom, humor, and just plain kindness are the best antidote to anxiety - personal, political, or whatever. Thanks so much for inviting me to join the family!

JJHo has given me many lines to use in the classroom to help guide more children toward prosocial behavior.

I can see John Hodgman spending his high school study halls in the school newspaper office with with the other too smart for their own good social outcasts reading the New York Times and discussing which Ivy or Ivy adjacent college have accepted their applications, and who will grow up to get reverse rainbows in Connections and maintain long streaks of solved crossword puzzles that impress nobody but confer a warm inner glow. This is why I love the show.

Judge John Hodgman podcast is a perfect mix of often outrageous, comedic complaints and beautifully well reasoned decision-making. It’s a delight diving into other peoples’ “little weirdzies!” I’ve been hooked in by a incredibly obscure, cultural reference, gotten laughs from what may start out as a petty disagreement, and get worked out to be a deep deeply emotional personal issue to sort out. Bailiff Jesse Thorn keeps the courtroom in order, ensuring pie holes get shut! Judge John Hodgman does an excellent job dishing out the justice. This podcast is always consistently a favorite of my family (parents and adult child) when we have long car trips! Cases can be a great conversation starter.

The John Hoffman podcast is one of my favorites! Usually it’s funny and interesting and very entertaining. However, the March 12th episode with Scarlett was hard to listen and so cringey! I had to turn it off-something I’ve never done that before. She wasn’t funny or clever at all. Please don’t do that again.

I’ve been listening to John since the days of “Today in the Past”; back when it was hard to find fun podcasts to listen to as I worked. Now with this embarrassment of podcast riches, I still reach for the classics like “Judge John Hodgman”.

I have been listening to Judge John Hodgman for more than 10 years now. I cannot recommend this podcast enough. Hilarious, wise, and educational. Thank you for all your hard work. -Andreas Meyer (Love, Dractually).

This show is perfect for sensitive people. It has kind of a Chicken Soup for Scared Adults vibe which a lot of people need right now. I recommend giving it a listen if you like listening to the always hilarious John Hodgeman listen to people’s disagreements and then thoughtfully correct people’s behavior with a gentle touch. It’s like HR conflict resolution with a funny bone!

This is a great podcast to listen to with the family (or by yourself). Funny, informative and gets you thinking. Highly recommend!

By listening to this podcast, I always learn new things and laugh out loud. What more could one want? Also- a hotdog is not a sandwich.

I’ve been listening to this hilarious and insightful show for years. While it is delightfully funny, it is even more nourishing and formative. It’s lessons and judgements have made me a more empathetic and accepting person. I’m proud to be a listener!

Jesse & John showed true concern about feral cats, and I learned more about the issue in the recent case (February 2025). They're also pretty decent humanitarians; I also learned about alotrolado.org & made a small donation. Thanks for using your shared platform well!

Great podcast, fun to listen to always makes me smile.

Great show with a perfect mix of humor, goofiness, and meaningful resolutions that can make you pause and reevaluate your own conflicts and situations.

My poor kids are burden / gifted with words of wisdom I received from Judge John Hodgman - “Be mindful of the mess you leave for others.” I am happy to leave this Five Star Review “mess” for everyone.

Yes, the court cases appear at first blush to be minor matters, with lots of laughs in the proceedings. But there’s something deeper happening with Judge John Hodgman. He gently nudges his litigants into seeing that these disagreements are in fact about real (even if seemingly minor) issues, and they deserve to be heard. John makes jokes but also gives real advice on how we can be more kind to each other. And that is something we could all use, especially right now.

I'm an OG lover of JJHO, started with the Sunday Times. The opening gavel actually lowers my blood pressure. Listening with my son, laughing at and discussing episodes was the salve that got us through the trauma of his teenage years. Sometimes we even ask each other, "What would John and Jesse say?" Love the whole JJHO and MaximumFun family.

So much fun. This is what I listen to when I need a relief from all the stress in the world. It is light listening, if you want it to be, but often I am moved, too.

If you are looking for a podcast, that will make you laugh, this is the one for you. My wife, who is a whole human being in her own right, and I love to listen when we are in the car together and we’re starting to get our kids into it as well. Highly recommend this podcast for all.!

This review is long overdue as Judge John Hodgman has been an integral part of my well-being practice for years. I listen to a lot of political, news based, and social justice podcasts so you can imagine my daily cup of doom spilleth over. The antidote? Judge John Hodgman! The repartee between the Judge, Bailiff Jesse, guest bailiffs, producers Jennifer and Joel, and litigants has me snorting with laughter frequently. And if you are able, go to a live show! Actually, if you aren’t able, go find a way to correct that and go now! I took my wonderful niece to the recent show in DC and we had a tremendous time seeing possibly haunted art with our own eyes. In these very troubled times where each day feels like a new obstacle to our rights is rolled out, we gotta take our joy where we can. Take it from Judge John Hodgman and you won’t be disappointed.

Answer: yes. This show always makes me feel better, whether it is Jesse's uncontrollable giggling at a derpy dog picture, the Judge's disdain for corny puns, or just the comfort of knowing that I'm not the only one with idiosyncratic schemes.

Longtime listener (10+ yrs). Judge Hodgman's and Bailiff Jesse's charm and wry wisdom are keeping me afloat during the dystopian timeline we're all stuck in!

While I found this a few years late I have gone back and enjoyed every episode, sadly now that I am caught up, I have to wait impatiently for each Wednesday’s new episode. While I may not agree with every judgement, I will say that each and every case has made me consider life’s mundane problems in a different way. i often proselytize by sharing cases with friends and family. Most of the time I do not tell the verdict but use it as a discussion over a drink or during a road trip and encourage them to listen to the show to find out how it was decided. Thank you for providing hours of entertainment but mostly the recipe of orange crush and eggnog 😉

John and Jesse make great repartee and the “conflict” is always treated with minimum solemnity.

I love-love-love this show. It's been with me through the bad times (and the good)! A comfort blanket of a podcast, which is simultaneously thought provoking. Why is one star missing? This could be a personal preference, but I don't think live podcasts basically ever translate outside of the very specific moment in time when flesh-bodies came together to enjoy that very specific moment. I don't know if it's a matter of live energy not translating, or the laugh breaks for something that otherwise wouldn't have even landed as a joke (thus slowing the pace of the not-live listening experience) (actually now that I think of it, that is exactly what it is). Anyways, I don't appreciate putting the live podcasts in the feed, but I'm sure most people do.

I have been listening for several years now and it’s always interesting, funny and educational. When I heard the premise, I was like, yes please! It has not been a disappointment and it’s one of the few podcasts that as soon as I see an episode I hit play. The J Squad rocks!

I’ve been listening to JJHO since a friend introduced me to it in 2017. I’ve probably heard every episode since then! Sweet, funny, comforting, and always so well done. My favorite podcast of all time!

The banter between Judge John and Bailiff Jesse and occasional support characters like producer Jennifer or an engineer du jour create a welcome levity break from the week’s typical stresses. Not to mention the many relatable “cases” and obscure cultural references. The verdict is: Judge John rules! Literally.

A look at the kinds of disputes one can only have with loved ones. I defy anyone to refrain from LOL at the adventures of the Bat Brothers, the dad who went to extreme lengths not to fix his car’s AC in AZ or the terrifying taxidermy gerbil.

It’s difficult to keep a show like this fresh for this long but John and Jesse somehow do. I’m a 68 year old guy, so this podcast probably shouldn’t resonate with me but I’m almost always having a great time. The only exception is when John calls his cat dumb or “dumb dumb cat”. For an otherwise enlightened sensitive person this creates cognitive dissonance each and every time I hear it. I do appreciate that it is a family friendly podcast. Before I retired I would listen to the show in my picture frame shop and never had to worry if one of my many elderly customers walked in. Keep up the good work.

I've listened to this podcast sporadically for a long time. But as soon as it hit YouTube I became a devotee. The frequent spousal eye rolling and liminal walls are truly a spectacle well worth glancing over at while doing other things. But honestly, the best part is seeing people be civil to each other during conflict. It's inspiring that's still possible. Even faced with a sock box, and a nicotine scented Velvet Elvis. So thank you.

I’ve been listening to this podcast with my son since he was 10 years old. He’s now 15 and we still listen on every car ride together. It’s a wonderful way to share some laughs, a lot of laughs actually. And for a comedy podcast, John Hodgman’s verdicts are surprisingly sagacious and always rooted in kindness.

This show never fails to make me smile. John Hodgman is wise without being pretentious and the show is routinely amusing. Jesse Thorn is great as the bailiff - and I always enjoy hearing from the shows occasional guests and cohosts.

The best podcast in the universe

I’ll be perfectly frank, when I first gave this podcast a listen several years ago it just didn’t click with me. I gave it a second chance and now the deep kindness and thoughtfulness of this show shine through and have made me very fond of this podcast. For many reasons right now, it is a great comfort to hear two men demonstrate such care and friendship to each other and to the litigants each episode.

In the spirit of helping in the way you are asked to help, I'm rating this podcast. I just came out of a meditation retreat, and my heart is filled with gratitude for the wisdom that Judge Hodgman has shared over the years. His established law of being mindful of the work you leave for others, of not trying to change people, and so many more precedents are beautiful and helpful lessons in the Dharma. Thank you for your gentle and light-hearted presence.

Look, Merriam Webster says satisficer is a word but they’re wrong about hot dogs, so who knows? If that kind of evidence doesn’t tell you why you need this podcast in your life then I don’t even want to know you. Love this show.

I have been listening to this podcast for years and I love it as much now as ever. The number of times listening to this show has lead me to stifle a laugh, only to result in full-body spasms and tears of joy is innumerable. This tends to happen in crowded, quiet places (e.g. waiting rooms, airplane, watching my kid’s gymnastics class with other parents). One such instance was on a flight from one US coast to another. It was the episode with the girl who collects scary dolls, and Hodgman’s reaction to the photos left me a puddle of a human being in my window seat (I’m certain my middle seat neighbor started scanning the plane for empty seats). I tell everyone I know about this show and some have even started listening.

Satisfiser is not a word!!!

Jimmy V once said that if you laugh, cry and think you’ve had a heck of a day. With Judge John Hodgman I’ve had a heck of a Wednesday for many years now.

John and Jesse find universal truths in the most trivial of disputes. This is the show that makes me laugh and sometimes shed tears. The kindnesses and inclusivity are a welcome balm in a crazy world. Also, there are bat brothers.

I’ve been listening to Judge John Hodgman for many years, it’s always a highlight of my week. John and Jesse combine to create a mix of humor, wisdom, and kindness that’s truly fun and thoughtful every week. If you ever get a chance to see them on tour, do it!

This series and all of the people involved - the Judge, the bailiff, the litigants, the producers, the guest judges, bailiffs, witnesses, producers, sound engineers, and all of the members - are awesome. The Merriam-Webster people though need to stick to being descriptive, not prescriptive. AHDINAS!!!

I started listening to this show during Covid. It has been a pleasure to listen and nod in enjoyment to the banter from John and Jessie with their guests. I never miss an episode and I always share my love of this podcast with friends, coworkers and family. My kids love listening as well.

A fan of Hodgman from his Daily Show and Secret Society days, I have been a listener to JJHo since it started. In those many years, I went from comedy fan to being a weird dad myself. Since fatherhood, the judge’s worldview has become more poignant to me, and my wife (AWHBIHOR) gets tired of my Hodgmanisms. I’ll keep listening as long as John and Jesse keep putting them out there.

Hilarious, heartfelt, human. I’ve been a happy listener for over 12 years and it’s still one of the highlights of my week. Thank you John, Jesse and Jennifer for continuing to make this wonderful program.