CBE President and CEO Leslie Moonves spoke highly of the Judge Judy program, “Over the last few decades, there have been very few shows that have achieved the remarkable success that she has.
Not only has Judy sustained that success year after year, how many shows grow in their 15th or 16th year in syndication? She started as a fresh voice and she’s been a remarkable presence in daytime television ever since.”
Shout Out To The Los Angeles Times
What was Judy's reputation before she ended up on television? She was still considered one of the toughest family court judges in the country. Who said so? The Los Angeles Times. It was Josh Getlin, a reporter for the LA Times, who wrote the article that jump-started Judy's rise in the entertainment world.
The article Getlin wrote about Judge Judy Sheindlin was read by producers at 60 minutes. The television news magazine aired a story in 1993 that highlighted the New York judge and her tough talk.
Fake It 'Til You Make It
In April 0f 2013 some litigants who had first appeared on the program in 2010 revealed that the lawsuit they had brought before the court had been falsified. They organized the case so that the award had to go to the plaintiff. The pair were musicians, Kate Levitt and Jonathan Coward. Judge Judy did see in favor of the plaintiff and awarded Levitt $1,250. Along with their $250 appearance fees and their free trip to Hollywood.
The Musicians, friends in real life, split the award equally. It seems the producers knew of the fakery but let it all come to pass despite this knowledge.
Hollywood Stars
Judge Judy was immortalized in Hollywood in 2006, receiving her own star on the Hollywood walk of fame. Her star was the 2304th star to be added to the famed walk.
It was given out to the judge right around the show's 10th anniversary. The show has now been around twice as long as the star.
In Production
Before arriving on set, Judge Sheindlin does not go unprepared! Producers will FedEx the sworn statements and all relevant information on each upcoming case to her home. She familiarizes herself with some details to provide background, but not enough information so that the case doesn’t seem “fresh” when she first questions the litigants during filming.
She doesn't want to seem stale when she begins her questioning during production.