The Amazing Life & Career of Judge Judy

So how does one become the most famous judge on TV? Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’ll be looking at the life and career of Judith Sheindlin, who is better known around the world as Judge Judy. Judith Blum was born in Brooklyn, New York on October 21, 1942. Unfortunately, not much is known about her childhood, but by all accounts it seems to have been a steady and happy one. In a 2008 interview with The Guardian, Judy claimed that her mother was “the glue that kept the family together.” But that’s not to say that she disliked her father. In fact, quite the opposite - she called him “the greatest thing since sliced bread!” She majored in government and graduated from Washington’s American University in 1963. Following that she attended American University’s Washington College of Law and was the only female in her class. In 1964, Judy married Ronald Levy, moved to New York and received her Juris Doctor degree from the New York Law School. By 1965 Judy was practicing law as a corporate lawyer in Manhattan at a cosmetics firm. She turned 23 that year. Now that’s what we call a go-getter. Unfortunately, corporate law wasn’t a great fit for Judith Levy, and she soon quit to become a full-time mother to her two children, Jamie and Adam. She remained a full-time mother until 1972, when she took a job in the family court system prosecuting juvenile delinquents, among others. This was a far better fit for her aggressive style and cold personality, and she seemed to relish in the position. She told The Guardian, “Take responsibility for yourself, your actions and the children you bring into the world. No excuses”. But while her professional career was flourishing, her personal life was floundering, and she and Ronald Levy divorced in 1976. Some of the animosity stemmed from Levy’s inability to take Judy seriously. According to her, “[Ronald] is a lovely, lovely man but he always viewed my job as a hobby and there came a time where I resented that”. No matter. She soon met defense attorney Jerry Sheindlin in a bar and the two were married in 1977. They have remained together ever since. Well, aside from one small hiccup, which we’ll get to later. By 1982 Sheindlin’s reputation preceded her, and she was first appointed as judge in the Criminal Court and then to the Family Court bench by New York’s then-Mayor Edward Koch. Her position in family law was a resounding success, and she eventually rose to Supervising Judge of the Manhattan court. Unfortunately, her father passed away soon after this time, and it greatly affected both Judy’s happiness and her relationship with Jerry. The couple divorced in 1990 owing to Judy’s struggles and the fact that she didn’t feel emotionally supported during the rough transition. However, she quickly grew to regret her decision, saying, “I missed Jerry. I like to have someone to fuss over. I like to be mated”. The two remarried just one year later and have been together ever since. With her second husband, she also has three stepchildren, one of whom is a doctor, while the other two are lawyers, as well as thirteen grandchildren. Knowing Judge Judy as we do, she quickly earned herself a fierce reputation in her role as Supervising Judge and she became the subject of a Los Angeles Times article in 1993 titled “Law and Disorder”. It was a piece about people who, according to Sheindlin that “shake the bureaucratic cage.” The writer went to see Sheindlin in action following a recommendation from his wife, a New York Daily News reporter, who would often sit in on Sheindlin’s cases. This popular piece in turn led to a very popular profile on CBS’s “60 Minutes,” which launched Judge Judith Sheindlin into the cultural spotlight. Judy capitalized on her newfound fame and wrote a book titled “Don’t Pee on My Leg and Tell Me It’s Raining,” which was published in 1996. As it turns out, 1996 would be a monumental year for the soon-to-be television star. That year she not only published her first book, retired from the family court after hearing 20,000 cases, but she also was approached with an offer to star in her own courtroom reality show. Of course, Judy gladly accepted, and “Judge Judy” premiered in September of 1996. Judy Sheindlin was 53 years old. By all accounts, “Judge Judy” has been a runaway success. The show was credited for revitalizing the dying courtroom reality show, and Judy helped give rise to the concept of the fierce and caustic TV judge. Sheindlin even had to file a lawsuit of her own during her time on the show - in 2014 - which, believe it or not, was the first time she’d ever done so! The case saw Sheindlin accusing lawyer John Haymond of using her Judge Judy image without consent and was ultimately settled out of court in her favor. Then, in September 2015, Sheindlin was placed in the Guinness World Records for the longest span serving as a television judge or arbitrator. The show itself has won three Emmy awards, the first of which came in 2013 after fifteen nominations. And in 2018, Judy was named the highest-paid television host, taking home $147 million before taxes in the previous year. However, all good things must come to an end, and “Judge Judy” is set to conclude after 25 glorious seasons in 2021. But that doesn’t mean the end of Judge Judy herself. Despite being 77 years old, Judy told Ellen in March 2020 that she’s “not tired” and that a new TV show, titled “Judy Justice,” is currently in the works and set to air sometime after “Judge Judy” ends. While not much is known about the upcoming show, we have reason to believe that it will not be airing through broadcast syndication like “Judge Judy.” Rather, the current aim seems to be on cable or a streaming service. Now, can you imagine “Judge Judy” on Netflix? Sick days just got a whole lot better! Of course, Judy’s creative and social output spans far beyond the borders of the TV screen. For example, she and her stepdaughter Nicole Scheindlin helped develop a mentoring program called Her Honor Mentoring, which “provid[es] young women with an opportunity to explore diverse career paths and gain the confidence necessary to meet the demands of our 21st century workforce”. She has also opened a debate forum at the University of Southern California. She opened the space to encourage debate and the free expression of dissenting ideas, saying, “When one searches for the truth, one should be armed with all available information. A closed mind is a dangerous thing”. The forum is appropriately known as The Sheindlin Forum. Judy has also authored seven books, two of which were published in the 2010s. These were 2013’s “What Would Judy Say? A Grown-Up Guide to Living Together with Benefits” and 2014’s “What Would Judy Say: Be the Hero of Your Own Story”. She has also been awarded many honors and distinctions for her work in the public and legal forums, including a Distinguished Alumni Award from New York Law School, a Woman of the 21st Century Award from The Women’s Guild at Cedars-Sinai Hospital, and honorary doctorates from Elizabethtown College and the State University of New York at Albany. Throughout 2020, she campaigned alongside Presidential hopeful Mike Bloomberg, which included a bus tour of the American South. She has strong beliefs in the power and unity of America, saying, “It’s the most perfect country in the world and those people that are trying to change it and revolutionize it don’t have a chance, because I’ll fight them to the death”. Those are strong words, but then again, Judge Judy is a strong woman. She was the only female in her law class. She was working as a corporate lawyer at 23. She earned a reputation as a cold and antagonistic Judge within the family court system. And she helped lead the most successful reality courtroom show ever made. Her ambition never wavers, and her unquenchable thirst for justice and righteousness never falters. She’s one of the strongest women of our time, and she is a source of guidance and inspiration to many.