Whether its highlighting community or legal issues, public access television serves a higher purpose.And for some local lawyers who host their own TV shows, the purpose is to “educate” their viewers.

“We talk about relevant, community-oriented things,” attorney David Potts says of “Eye on Oakland,” which he co-hosts with State Representative Chuck Moss.

“Eye on Oakland” is broadcast through Bloomfield Community Television (BCTV). Potts is one of many attorneys in the area who seeks to educate TV audiences.

Attorney Tim Burns hosts “Oakland Connections” through Community Media Network (CMN).

“I provide information to local residents on various services and programs from Oakland County government, as well as from local cities and nonprofits,” Burns notes. “We bring in guests to talk about everything from what the circuit court does to dog parks.

“What’s been great about the show is we really live in a visual age right now and it’s a great medium to communicate with people,” Burns adds.

When it comes to legal shows, “Due Process” has long set the standard at the local level. Hosted by noted Birmingham attorney Henry Baskin, the show has been on-air for 27 years, going from public access to a commercial television station to Detroit Public TV Channel 56 WTVS. “Due Process” has been the recipient of a slew of honors, including the State Bar of Michigan’s Wade H. McCree Award for the Advancement of Justice and the Silver Circle of Excellence from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

“The show could continue forever,” says Baskin. “There’s always something new in the law … because the law is always morphing into relief ... people need relief ... and they find out about it through this show.”

Another award-winning staple broadcast on BCTV that illuminates legal issues is “Practical Law” hosted by Henry Gornbein. Produced in conjunction with the Oakland County Bar Association, “Practical Law,” according to Gornbein, is designed to “educate the public about the legal system, to demystify it, to talk about various cases and issues, with my guests being anyone associated with the legal system.”

“The Legal Insider” comes from Grosse Pointe War Memorial TV with attorney co-hosts David Draper and Douglas Dempsey examining current legal issues and serving the Grosse Pointes and Harper Woods.

“I thought it would be a good way to promote my business and get to meet a lot of lawyers, judges and other professionals,” says Draper, who began the show as a new attorney 15 years ago.

“There’s always been a need for the public to understand the court and legal systems for those who haven’t been involved in it. We try to provide that service free of charge via the TV show,” adds Dempsey.

Not only does educating the public benefit the community-at-large, it also can enable the legal community to better assist clients, according to Draper.

“I think the well-educated consumer is better for the lawyer,” Draper notes. “Demystifying the legal process is a positive thing and I think people do that with these shows, their blogs and things like that.”

TV Warren is home to two legally themed shows: “Case Closed” hosted by Charlie Langton and “Point of Law with Cecil St. Pierre Jr.”

“Case Closed” features actual small claims court cases before Macomb County 37th District Judge John Chmura. Langton describes it as a “Judge Judy”-type show where court proceedings are shown and each litigant’s case is brought to the table for discussion along with Chmura’s ruling.

“It’s just a really good show because the cases are real, the people are real, and I just give a little commentary on each side of the case,” Langton explains. “John Chmura is a great judge for that. He does a fabulous job and he explains the law very well.”

On “Point of Law” St. Pierre, and other local legal experts, discuss relevant topics such as foreclosure, bankruptcy, and elder law.

“We try to educate them on how to expect the law to be enforced,” St. Pierre notes. “We try to cover basic matters that we, as attorneys, take for granted but nobody really experiences until they go through a tragic event in their lives. Hopefully, from just watching the show it may spark some memory to know how they’ll have to react.”

Finally, “Legally Speaking” is the award winning and Emmy nominated collaboration between the Macomb County Bar Foundation and Sterling Heights Television.

“The mission of the Foundation is to provide law-related education,” says Rick Troy, executive director of the Macomb County Bar Association. “And ‘Legally Speaking’ does just that.”

Several area legal eagles have hosted the show including James Hogan, Gail Pamukov, Jacob Femminineo, Gretchen Schlaff, Julie Gatti, Donald Denault, Jeff Cojocar, Ed Nahat, Mary Jo Diegal, Macomb County Probate Court Judge Kathryn George, and Langton. A number of other attorneys over the years have taken on the duty as well.

“As a population, we all have rights and responsibilities in a civilized society,” Troy notes. “And as a profession of lawyers, it’s the right thing to do . . . to help people understand a very complicated legal system so people can understand their rights and responsibilities as they go about their daily lives.”

Says Langton of the “Legally Speaking” program: “It’s not just a talk show. What we try to do is go a little more in-depth and tell a little story.”

Beside his duties on “Legally Speaking” and “Case Closed,” Langton lends his legal acumen to Fox 2, co-hosting such shows as “The Verdict” and “Let it Rip.”

Langton, who has served on the board at CMN for more than a decade, also appears on a show called “Meet the Mayor.”

“I’m convinced that the public loves the law. I’m not so convinced the public understands the law,” Langton laments. “I think shows like ‘Legally Speaking’ and a lot of these talk shows explain the law to people.”

By Christine L. Mobley.