Series Description

Judge Judy is a 30 minute reality series that has aired in first-run syndication since September 16, 1996. It highlights real people and real legal cases that had previously been filed in a district court. The litigants agree in writing to binding arbitration where Judge Judy will decide their fates. If your neighbor's dog bit you or your cousin won't repay that loan you made them, Judge Judy will set them straight real fast!

Judge Judy Cast

Judge Judith Sheindlin
Bailiff Petri Hawkins-Byrd

Judge Judy Trivia

There are a few things that the litigants had better do in Judge Judy's courtroom or she will make their life a living hell! If they talk over Judge Judy, if they raise their hand to say something when she's interrogating the other party or if they get caught in a lie they are in for a verbal lashing.

Judge Judy also gets very upset with a litigant who tries to give testimony in a way that will benefit their case. Judge Judy will tell them to just answer her questions with a simple yes or no if possible. If she feels that they are trying to outsmart her she has no problem whatsoever saying, "I'm smarter than you".

If a litigant says something ridiculous, Judge Judy has no problem calling them an idiot.

Judge Judy isn't going anywhere soon! The series as of 2011 is scheduled to run through the 2015-2015 season!

After Judge Judy makes her ruling the plaintiff and the defendent often meet outside the courtroom to comment on how they felt about the ruling. Often, the fight continues as the loser feels that the ruling was incorrect. Many of the losers say that they didn't get a chance to present their case but that's usually because either what they were trying to say had no bearing on the case or Judge Judy already felt she had enough evidence to decide the outcome.

Judge Judy isn't the only Sheindlin to have worn the Judicial robe on television. Her husband, Jerry Sheindlin was the Judge on "The People's Court" from 1999-2001!

Viewers must love Judge Judy's no-nonsense way of handling the people who find their way into her courtroom. Since the series premiered in 1996 it has out-rated all other reality courtroom shows. It has been nominated for a daytime Emmy every single year from 1998-2011! It's always been the Bridesmaid and never the bride though having lost each time to shows that Judge Judy beat soundly in the ratings! And then to make matters worse, the series wasn't even nominated in 2012 despite being the highest-rating show in its category!

Judge Judy's ratings are so good by the way that in the 2011-2012 season the show got an average of eight million viewers making it the highest-rated show of all types on daytime television!

Judith Sheindlin got her due accolades though in 2006 when she was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame! It was the 2,304th star awarded and it's right next to the one for renowned actor Sidney Poitier!