Judith Susan Sheindlin (née Blum; born October 21, 1942), professionally known as Judge Judy, is an American prosecution lawyer, former Manhattan family court judge, television personality, television producer, and author. Since September 1996, Sheindlin has presided over her own successful 3-time Daytime Emmy Award–winning arbitration-based court show series, Judge Judy, produced by CBS Television Distribution.
Sheindlin passed the New York state bar examination in 1965 and became a prosecutor in the family court system. In 1982 New York City 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 day, or $45,000,000 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.
The series has earned her the honorific of "Court Show Queen". Sheindlin is the longest serving judge or arbitrator in courtroom-themed programming history, a distinction that earned Sheindlin a place in the Guinness World Records.
She made only appearance as herself on HBO's television series Curb Your Enthusiasm.
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