however, Mathis is given to wit and humor, also good-natured ridicule and ribbing of the parties, often rousing his audience to uproarious amusement. He sometimes cuts the tension–even tension he has fostered–with wisecracks or playfully taunting remarks. Mathis has bantered directly at audience members on occasion, also resulting in audience amusement. A trademark, Mathis sporadically uses a rather high-pitched voice to stultify litigants in a manner that suggests they've acted foolishly or have not recognized the obvious. Combined with his teasing and comedic tendencies on the bench, Mathis is known for his street smart; urban expressions; and, once he has closely observed, reasoned back and forth and taken a stance on the litigants and matters brought before him, his stern, shaming and firmly lecturing side as well. Occasionally, Mathis leaves the courtroom to deliberate and then returns with his verdict. Upon final judgment, he may briefly explain the legal principle guiding his verdict, especially if his ruling is based on a particular state's law. Reportedly, Mathis's rulings conform to the laws of the state where the case was originally filed. In recent years, the show has begun to conduct paternity testing in disputes about child custody, and drug testing if applicable. Mathis often offers or compels drug treatment and family counseling for those parties in need. Coming-of-age journey fused with court show As a child and teenage delinquent, Mathis found himself embroiled in frequent legal woes. He was a member of a street gang in Detroit, and he was arrested and sentenced to jail for illegally carrying a firearm when he was 17 years old. Mathis was brought up in one of the worst housing projects in Detroit while raised by a single mother. During his youth, he was involved with gangs (most notably the Errol Flynns gang), dropped out of school and spent time behind bars. Growing up as a gang member and heroin dealer in the mean streets of Detroit, Michigan, Mathis had done plenty of time in juvenile detention centers before age 17. All this changed when a judge gave him an ultimatum—either get a G.E.D. or go to jail. At the same time, Mathis found out his mother was dying of cancer. Rushing to her side, he promised her he'd turn his life around, which he did: he attended college; attended law school, earned a Juris Doctor degree, and passed the bar. Mathis has frequently used