The result was the launch of  The Judge, a model which would see production for three years only. The  name came from a comedy routine, "Here Comes the Judge," used on the "Rowan & Martin's Laugh In" TV show. Advertisements used slogans like "All rise for The Judge" and "The Judge can be bought." If you are in the market for a Judge, one thing to note is that none were built before January 1969 and none  after January 1971.

Originally, The Judge was to be a low cost GTO, stripped down to be competitive with the Plymouth Road Runner. During its development, however, it was decided to go the other way make it the ultimate in street performance and image. The resulting option was    $337.02 more than a standard GTO. 

Later, Pontiac did indeed make a car as intended. Called the GT37, it was an option package for the T37 Tempest coupe and hardtop. Produced in 1970 and 1971, it could be had with a 350 2 barrel, 400 4 barrel, or 455 4 barrel. It featured a 3 speed stick, non chromed rallye wheels, G70 x 14 white letter tires, hood pins, dual exhaust, and some different ID and striping to set it apart. 7221 were ordered in the two year period.

Included in the Judge package was the Ram Air III engine, rated 366 horsepower. Styled wheels, Hurst shifter (with a unique T-shaped handle), wider tires, various decals, and a rear spoiler completed the package. Pontiac claimed that the spoiler had some functional effect at higher speeds, producing a small but measurable down force, but it was of little value at legal speeds except for style. The Judge was initially offered only in Carousel Red, but late in the model year a variety of other colors became available. 

Optional was the Ram Air lV engine below, very conservatively rated 370 @ 5500 with torque of 445 @ 3900. With its radical cam and high torque curve, the engine was all but undriveable in traffic. On the drag strip, however, it would turn low 14s at around 100 mph in street trim. Prep it and get some decent tires, and voila, high 12s at 105 plus. 

The GTO was surpassed in sales both by the Chevrolet Chevelle SS396 and the Road Runner, but 72,287 were sold during the 1969 model year, with 6,833 of them  Judges.

 The 1970 Judge came standard with the Ram Air III, while the Ram Air IV was optional. Though the 455  was available as an option on the standard GTO throughout the entire model year, it was not offered on The Judge until late in the year. The 455, a long stroke engine taken from the full size Pontiac Bonneville, was only moderately stronger than the base 400 and actually less powerful than the Ram Air III. The 455 was rated at 360 hp  @ 4,300 rpm. Its advantage was torque; a tire incinerating  500 ft-lb  @ 2,700 rpm. A functional Ram Air scoop was available, but even so equipped, a stock 455 was less powerful than the Ram Air III. "Orbit Orange" became the new standard color for the '70 Judge, but any GTO color was available. Striping was relocated to the upper wheel well brows.

The new styling did little to help declining sales, caused by sagging buyer interest in  muscle cars due to the punitive surcharges levied by insurance companies.  Sales dropped almost half,  to 40,149, of which 3,797 were  Judges. The GTO remained the third best selling  muscle car, following the  Chevelle SS  and Plymouth Road Runner.

A new and short lived option for 1970 was the Vacuum Operated Exhaust (VOE), which was  actuated by an under dash lever marked "EXHAUST." The VOE was designed to reduce exhaust back pressure to increase horsepower, but it also substantially increased exhaust noise. The VOE option was offered from November 1969 to January 1970. Pontiac management was ordered to cancel the VOE option by GM's upper management following a TV commercial for the GTO that aired during the Super Bowl.  In that commercial, entitled "The Humbler," which was broadcast only that one time, a young man pulled up in a new GTO to a drive in restaurant.  With dramatic music and exhaust noise in the background, he pulled  the "EXHAUST" button to activate the VOE and then left the drive in to do some street racing.  Approximately 230 1970 GTOs were factory built with this rare option. The video of the commercial is on YouTube and can be found with a Google video search. Type in "Humbler."

1971 saw the virtual end for the muscle car era. The Judge returned for a final year, now with the 455 HO as standard equipment. Only 374 were sold before The Judge was discontinued in February 1971. There was really no further use for the GTO, much less The Judge. Aside from its gimmicky appearance, it performed no better than regular GTOs equipped with the same engines.

Production included 17 Judge  convertibles; today these are the rarest of all GTOs. Only 10,532 GTOs were sold in 1971.