Judith Susan Sheindlin (née Blum; born October 21, 1942), better known as Judge Judy, is an American lawyer, judge, television personality, and author. Since 1996, Sheindlin has presided over her own successful Daytime Emmy Award winning reality courtroom series named after her, Judge Judy.Sheindlin passed the New York bar examination in 1965 and became a prosecutor in the family court system. In 1982 Mayor Ed Koch appointed her as a judge, first in criminal court, then later as Manhattan's supervising family court judge in 1986.It was reported in mid-2012 that Sheindlin was the highest paid television personality, making $123,000 per episode of Judge Judy, or $45 million annually for the 52 days per year that she tapes her show. In October 2013 it was reported that Sheindlin was still the highest paid TV star, earning $47 million per year for Judge Judy, which translates into just over $900,000 per workday.
New York Law School, American University, James Madison High School, Washington College of Law, New York Law School, American University, James Madison High School, Washington College of Law, New York Law School, American University, James Madison High School, Washington College of Law
Nationality
American, American, American
Spouse
Jerry Sheindlin (m. 1991), Jerry Sheindlin (m. 1977–1990), Ronald Levy (m. 1964–1976)
Children
Jamie Hartwright, Adam Levy, Nicole Sheindlin, Jonathan Sheindlin, Gregory Sheindlin
Parents
Murray Blum, Ethel Blum
Siblings
David Blum
Awards
Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Legal/Courtroom Program, Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Legal/Courtroom Program, Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Legal/Courtroom Program
Nominations
Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Class Series, Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Class Program, 151. Sick and Kicked Out?!; Child Attacked by Out of Control Dog?!; Friends Don't Loan to Friends!, 150. Ex-Lover's Expensive Mistake!; Shoot My Dogs if You See Them!, 149. High at Work...
TV Shows
Judge Judy, Hot Bench
Star Sign
Libra
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Trademark
1
Quick-speaking Judge & almost as fast as an auctioneer
[2016, when asked if she would run with Donald Trump as Vice President on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (2015)] It would be nice if he had somebody who had good experience with government to act as a running mate. That would seem logical to me, and quite frankly, I don't. I know the family court, and I know my little television courtroom, and I'm too old, and I don't like to work so hard...and it doesn't pay enough.
2
[on California's approval of Prop 8, which denies gay marriage] We've got a lot of trouble in this country. We've got a lot of trouble in the world. Why the state should be interested in proscribing the word marriage from two people who love each other, who are responsible, tax-paying, productive people, who have created a family ... why the state would have an interest in proscribing that kind of conduct, I don't understand. I understand the anger about poverty. I understand the anger about AIG. I understand the problem about the banks. I understand the problem about Afghanistan and the Taliban and everything else. But I don't understand the preoccupation with gays being permitted to marry.
3
In our country, indigent people are given free legal counsel. That is fine and good, but nowhere in the Constitution does it say that you are entitled to a free ride.
4
Lawyers are always asking me if I will cut some slack for their clients. My standard answer is this is not Let's Make a Deal (1963).
5
My personal belief is that we have to get kids' attention, and fast. A period on a chilly upstate facility can be a great attitude adjuster.
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Fact
1
Announced on Larry King Live (1985) that she has renewed her contract for her show, Judge Judy (1996), through 2009. [October 2005]
2
She and her husband maintain a luxury estate in ultra-rich Greenwich, Connecticut. [May 2007]
3
Living, with Jerry Sheindlin, in Naples, Florida. [November 2010]
4
Stepmother of Gregory Evrett Sheindlin (born in 1965) and stepmother-in-law of Laurie Gail Pila (born in 1977). She took part in their wedding on May 12, 2012 in New York City.
Ranked #13 by Forbes.com's list of The Richest 20 Women In Entertainment.
11
Is the most famous court show judge in television. Where other court shows have ended or failed, Judy's is the only one to last over ten years and still going strong. As a result, her popularity has grown, as well as her large fan base, and Judy has achieved celebrity status. Original The People's Court (1981)'s first judge, Joseph Wapner's was very popular, until Wapner retired, in 1993, lasting at-least eleven years. Wapner then was a temporary animal court Judge, of Animal Court (1998), in 1998.
12
Her $100 million, four-year contract, signed in 2004, makes her one of the highest-paid women in television.(Forbes.com).
13
Before she had her own show, she was the feature subject of an article in the Los Angeles Times that led to a report widely seen on 60 Minutes (1968).
14
Is the best-selling author of 4 books, "Don't Pee on My Leg and Tell Me It's Raining," released in September 1996, "Beauty Fades, Dumb Is Forever," released in January 1999, "Win or Lose By How You Choose," a children's book released in February 2000, and "Keep it Simple, Stupid" released in July 2000.
15
Graduated at American University in Washington, D.C., in 1963.
16
After 25 years of working as a prosecutor dealing with juvenile delinquents, she retired and began her show, Judge Judy (1996), which debuted in 1996, was slow to start, but became a success.
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Graduated from Madison James High School in Brooklyn at age 17 in just 3 1/2 years and was accepted at Washington University.
18
Graduated first in her class from New York Law School.
19
Mother of 5 children: Gregory, Jamie Hartwright, Jonathan, Adam Levy and Nicole. Grandmother of, at-least, 11 grandchildren, so far.
20
She is a former Manhattan County court judge.
21
Father was a dentist. Graduated from New York Law School in 1965. Former cosmetics firm lawyer. She proposed to husband Jerry. She and Jerry performed the marriage ceremonies of all 4 of their married children (one son is still bachelor). She divorced Jerry in 1990, and remarried him a year later, reportedly because she was grieving from her father's death and needed time to herself.
$1.7 Million
