Thirty years ago today, Judith “Judy” Sheindlin debuted her iconic, no-nonsense courtroom arbitration style in the original “Judge Judy” series. The popular daytime television show, hosted by the former Manhattan Family Court judge, ran for 25 successful seasons before ending in 2021. The program featured real-life small-claims disputes adjudicated in a simulated courtroom. Before appearing on the show, all participants signed binding arbitration agreements to abide by Judge Judy’s final decisions.
After “Judge Judy” ended, Sheindlin brought her signature courtroom style to “Judy Justice,” available to stream on Amazon Prime Video. Now, three decades after first taking the television bench, the iconic judge has announced that she will retire from on-camera television this October and pass the gavel to her son.
