Law&Crime acquiring Court TV in deal with Scripps
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NEW YORK — Court TV has new owners.
The E.W. Scripps Company has reached an agreement to sell the 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, rebuilding the brand into a major destination for televised trials. Under Scripps, the network carried some of the most closely watched court proceedings of recent years, including Johnny Depp v. Amber Heard, the Alex Murdaugh murder trial and the prosecution of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin.
Law&Crime was acquired by Jellysmack in 2023 and has rapidly expanded its crime-focused footprint. Its flagship channel now tops 7 million subscribers.
“This move is consistent with the way Scripps has operated for nearly a century and a half,” said Scripps president and CEO Adam Symson. “The Court TV brand we’ve built is a natural complement to Law&Crime’s existing library of crime and trial coverage.”
Law&Crime CEO Dan Abrams, who began his career at Court TV, said his company plans to keep Court TV operating as a distinct brand under its new ownership.
“There is no better partner than Law&Crime to continue the distinctive Court TV brand and network,” Abrams said. “Court TV will become our hub for all trial content and coverage as its own standalone channel and brand.”
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.