It's hard to imagine Judge Judy Sheindlin outside of her beloved TV courtroom. It's understandable when you consider how long Judge Judy has been on the air and that she was the highest paid TV host of 2018. Still, Judge Judy has had a rich life outside of her 20+ years on daytime television. A big part of that rich life is her sweet relationship with husband and fellow judge Jerry Sheindlin.
Judy met Jerry shortly after divorcing her first husband, Ronald Levy. Judy, a prosecutor at the time, spotted Jerry, then a defense attorney, talking to a reporter in a bar. Jerry fondly recalled his first encounter with Judy to the Los Angeles Times. "There was a reporter from the New York Post there at the bar, and I was speaking to him about the case," Jerry said. "Judy came walking in and put her finger in my face and said, 'And who is this?' I said, 'Lady, get your finger out of my face.' We've been together ever since."
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Judge Judy Sheindlin has been a force on daytime television. Her courtroom show, Judge Judy, has been on the air for over 25 years.
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The show draws in over 10 million viewers each day. In 2018, she was named the highest paid daytime TV host by Forbes, earning $147 million.
Fans often think of Judy as the strong, independent type. While that's certainly true, she has a lot of love and support behind her.
Judy has five children. Jamie and Adam are her children from her first marriage to Ronald Levy. Her three stepchildren are Gregory, Jonathan, and Nicole.
She's been married to Jerry Sheindlin, also a judge, for the last 41 years. The two met shortly after her divorce from Ronald Levy.
Judy was a prosecutor when she spotted Jerry in a bar, talking to a New York Post reporter. Jerry was a defense attorney who had just tried a murder case. He jokes that Judy came up to him poking a finger in his face and they've been together since.
Judy and Jerry married in 1977. It was shortly before Judy's career really began to take off.
Throughout the '80s, Judy made a name for herself with her straight-shooter personality as a family court judge. She allowed the media and the public into her courtroom, leading to a profile in the Los Angeles Times and on 60 Minutes.
The couple hit a rough patch in 1990. They divorced after Judy felt Jerry didn't support her following her father's death.
A year later, the couple reconciled. Judy explained to Closer Weekly, "I like to have someone to fuss over. I like to be mated. It’s natural for me. I learned the hard way that sometimes what you think makes you happy won’t."
Judge Judy premiered in 1996. Three years later, Jerry was offered a gig on The People's Court, where he served as an arbitrator for two years.
Today, Judy and Jerry are happier than ever. They live in Florida whenever Judy isn't filming.
Judy asserts that the secret is to have a life separate from her marriage. She explained to Closer Weekly, "You have to have something of your own."
CBS has renewed Judge Judy through 2021, so Judy shows no signs of slowing down. She and Jerry are as happy and playful as ever, living their dream.
