Top 10 Behind the Scenes Facts About Judge Judy

Judge Judy Scheindlin is nothing if not a true New Yorker. Longtime viewers know the show’s iconic main title sequence features the Statue of Liberty among other city landmarks. But “Judge Judy” wasn’t filmed anywhere near New York City. Like so many other shows, it was filmed on a studio backlot in Hollywood. Its home base was the Sunset Bronson Studios (also known as the Old Warner Brothers Studio), which is a century-old lot that’s been in use since the silent era. Scheindlin would just fly out for filming each month, then return to one of her many homes. This made it more of a courtroom set rather than an actual courtroom. When will the lies end, Judy?

When “The People’s Court” was looking to replace its longtime arbitrator, Judge Joseph Wapner, Scheindlin threw her hat in the ring. She called up the studios responsible for the show and told them she was ready to take over. But Judge Judy wasn’t a household name yet. Her generous offer to step in as host was ignored, if not seen as a little deranged. Who knew she would go on to become a dynamo in daytime court shows? Besides, “The People’s Court” wouldn’t have suited her. It’s Judy’s court, thank you very much. Interestingly enough, it was her husband Judge Jerry Scheindlin who would host the revival of that series.

Before every case, Judge Scheindlin had to be briefed on the details, evidence, and documents submitted. So, how did she find the time? Well, not only did she get all the info before the cases, but she got them well in advance of the shooting dates. All the files were shipped to her home for her perusal. However, Scheindlin has been quoted saying she didn’t like to get too bogged down by the details of a case, so she’d read them once, put them away, then show up on the day of taping with fresh eyes and ears.

“Judge Judy” has aired some pretty bizarre cases over the years. Viewers wouldn’t be out of line to think some were exaggerated, if not flat-out made up. While the producers did aim to present real cases with real people, sometimes, a few phonies slipped through the cracks. Producers wouldn’t have much of a show if they had just been writing the cases, so that’s not what happened here. The show actually paid all damages to incentivize litigants to settle their case on the show. So, on one occasion, it was revealed that a pair of litigants had completely fabricated a story about a cat being crushed by a TV. Whether the producers failed to vet them or they let the case go forward because it was just that entertaining is unclear.

Courtrooms are open to the public. However, the set of “Judge Judy” was not run like a standard court. The audience was not made up of average, everyday people off the street. The producers hired them through a special service that acquires extras from pools of aspiring actors. They were paid to watch Scheindlin hear cases and dole out her sassy witticisms. Even a stray celebrity or two has made it into her audience. But if you think being in “Judge Judy’s” gallery isn’t a day’s work, you’d be dead wrong. The audience was just as vulnerable to her temper as the litigants testifying in front of her. You’d just better hope your laugh doesn’t irritate her.

The rapport between the judge and her trusted bailiff, Petri Hawkins-Byrd, is off-the-charts hilarious. Sometimes, their brief interactions are the best part of an episode. So, it’s probably not all that surprising to learn that not only was Judge Judy a real judge, but Officer Byrd was a real bailiff. In fact, he was her bailiff when she worked in the Manhattan family court system. While the two seem like buddies on-screen, and though Byrd clearly respects her, he explained in appearances after the show finished airing that the two were simply good coworkers more than they were friends.

There’s nothing more satisfying than watching a litigant have to pay what they owe. Some were even ordered to pay the small claims court cap of $5,000. However, on “Judge Judy”, they didn’t have to sweat it too much. Like many other court shows, production actually paid the judgment. In fact, both parties came away with some extra money in appearance fees, flights to and from Los Angeles, and a hotel stay. Sounds like going on “Judge Judy” might be a surefire way to win some cash, get a paid vacation, and avoid dishing out money you actually owe. That is, if you don’t mind the public humiliation. In some cases, though, Judge Judy threatened to withhold these perks from particularly uncooperative litigants.

Although she did have a career as a judge, that wasn’t her actual capacity on the show. On the set of “Judge Judy,” she was acting as an arbitrator. Her verdicts were not true legal judgments in the traditional sense. It’s not necessarily her decision itself that’s ultimately being abided, but the contract that binds the appearing litigants to respect that decision. If anything, it’s actually harder to overturn or appeal a case decided by arbitration because it’s a private contract and not a traditional court case. Still, that didn’t stop one judge in a Family Court from overturning one of Sheindlin’s decisions in a custody dispute where she had no jurisdiction.

Yes, there was a call for cases at the end of the show and a submission form on the official website, but “Judge Judy’s” cases were generally found by the show’s elite team of researchers. Scouring the country’s court system for possible cases, they were responsible for compiling the most compelling small claims court cases and sending them on to producers. Very few, even as low as 3%, of these cases were even fit to move forward for consideration. Considering how boring this work must be, it’s no wonder how many of these litigants have a prior relationship. It makes for more natural drama than a relatively uninteresting dispute between two strangers over something minor.

It’s no secret that Judy Scheindlin is filthy rich. But how much does she work to make those literal millions of dollars? Well, during her time on “Judge Judy”, this was apparently five days a month. Outlining her work week in an interview, she said she flew out to LA every other Monday and was usually finished by Wednesday or Thursday. In one shooting day, she’d get through an entire week’s worth of content. Still, with wall-to-wall cases and people who don’t want to pay what they owe, it’s no wonder she was always going on about her lunch time.