Law&Crime Acquiring Court TV in Scripps Deal

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The E.W. Scripps Company has reached an agreement to sell the Court TV network to Law&Crime, the true-crime and legal content studio founded by ABC News Chief Legal Analyst Dan Abrams and now part of media holding company Jellysmack. Scripps relaunched Court TV in 2019 after acquiring the rights from Turner Broadcasting, and the network has carried some of the most closely watched court proceedings in recent years. Law&Crime, which was acquired by Jellysmack in 2023, plans to keep Court TV operating as a distinct brand under its new ownership.

Why it matters

The acquisition of Court TV by Law&Crime, a rapidly expanding crime-focused media company, represents a significant shift in the landscape of televised trial coverage. Court TV has been a major destination for high-profile legal proceedings, and this deal will allow Law&Crime to further expand its reach and influence in the true-crime and legal content space.

The details

Under Scripps' ownership, Court TV carried some of the most closely watched court proceedings of recent years, including the Johnny Depp v. Amber Heard trial, the Alex Murdaugh murder trial, and the prosecution of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. Law&Crime, which has rapidly grown its subscriber base to over 7 million, plans to keep Court TV operating as a distinct brand and make it the hub for all of its trial content and coverage.

• Scripps relaunched Court TV in 2019 after acquiring the rights from Turner Broadcasting.
• Law&Crime was acquired by Jellysmack in 2023.

What they’re saying

What’s next

Law&Crime plans to keep Court TV operating as a distinct brand under its new ownership, making it the hub for all of its trial content and coverage.