SHE'S KICKING ASS AND TAKING NAMES...

What's the basic gameplay?

Deal out three random Evidence Cards to each player. Once everyone has three Evidence Cards, shuffle the cards really well and place them face-down in the center of the play area – this is now the draw deck. Players take turns drawing the top card from the draw deck or using one of any action cards they may find. The ugliest player goes first and the last player standing wins.

DON'T PISS ON HER LEG AND TELL HER IT'S RAINING...

Collecting Evidence Cards are the key to winning the game. Evidence Cards are used to fend off Judge Joody. Evidence in Judge Joody cases can only be used once per game and go into a separate discard pile. Every other card (including Judge Joody Cards) go into another discard pile that you shuffle up and reuse if the draw pile runs out. Get strategic because when there’s less evidence in the courtroom, Judge Joody gets pissed and you die faster.

When a player draws a Judge Joody Card, that player faces trial with the plaintiff’s claim at the top, along with how many Evidence Cards are required to prove their innocence or win the case. The other players collectively determine if your evidence and the way you use it win the case... beg, lie, bluff if you have to; combine your evidence with a convincing story any way you can. If you don't have enough evidence or you can’t convince the other defendants, you can’t convince Judge Joody. When this happens, you’re out of the game and Judge Joody takes your soul.

WITH JOODY-POWERED DEATH CARDS!

There’s two Judge Joody Death Cards in the deck. No amount of evidence can save you; she simply wakes up in a bad mood and bludgeons you to death with her gavel.
—Draw one and you're instantly obliterated (think of these as jokers, you can play with one, both or none).

SUE FRIENDS, BETRAY LOVED ONES & SKIP TOWN.
EVEN HARNESS THE POWER OF A SLIMEBALL-LAWYER.

Got the rules, so how do I use my Action Cards?

Action Card: Hire Some Defense! Deploying a Slimeball Lawyer Card allows you to stop Lawsuit Cards (NOT JUDGE JOODY CARDS) or to privately sneak a peek at the deck.

*Hint: Best to use for stopping lawsuits or carefully use this to find evidence, keep track of what cards players will draw or to find where Judge Joody is lurking.

Action Card: Lawsuit! Lawsuit Cards allow players to skip the draw and attempt to take evidence from any other player. You must first identify the player who you want to sue and ask them if they have any evidence. If they do, place your Lawsuit Card on the table. Each player uses one Evidence Card and their own witty anecdote to corroborate that evidence in order to win by popular vote (The Plaintiff reads the Lawsuit Card and uses a piece of evidence that proves the defendant is guilty. The Defendant, uses one of their Evidence Cards with some verbal context to prove they’re innocent) - this is where the game becomes argumentative and debatable. If you can’t convince the rest of the players your evidence and story trumps the other player’s evidence and story, you lose. The player who wins the lawsuit round keeps their evidence and takes the other players evidence. If it comes down to a tie, i.e. each player uses a much too similar Evidence Card, and there’s no popular consensus, each player must add another Evidence Card to the pot (if you’re out of evidence, you forfeit). The Lawsuit Cards are then added to the reusable discard pile and the winner takes all the evidence.

*Hint: Best to hold your Lawsuit Card until you have damn fitting evidence to prove your case, then stick it to another player who’s weak on cards.

Action Card: Fugitive of the Law! Fugitive of the Law Cards allow you to skip your turn to draw or dodge Lawsuit Cards when you don’t have evidence (the Plantiff cannot pick a new player to sue). Play automatically moves to the next player in rotation. Like you see on court tv, we recommend screwing your friends over.

*Hint: Best to use your Fugitive of the Law Card after using a Slimeball Lawyer Card to see the deck. It’s a good idea to use this when you don’t want to draw a card or to use it when someone is filing a Lawsuit Card against you.

Action Card: Defend Yourself! Reverse Direction allows you to skip the draw and reverse the direction of the gameplay. The next player in the new opposite rotation gets your mess.

*Hint: Best to use your Reverse Direction Card when you're low on evidence or after you’ve peeked at the deck with a Slimeball Lawyer Card... or to simply screw the other defendants.

Remember, you don’t physically need cards to remain in the game, however, your chances of survival are extremely low. The idea is to replenish your evidence by finding Evidence Cards in the draw-pile. Once the draw-pile is depleted, shuffle the discard pile and keep going (do not add the evidence back into the deck). Also, once a player places an Action Card down and takes their hand off it, there’s no going back! No baloney nonsense in Judge Joody’s playpen.