Judge Judy preparing to end decades-long run as TV's toughest judge
Judge Judy Announces End of TV Career, Hands Gavel to Son in New Courtroom Series
By Maine News Now Staff
New York – Judith Sheindlin, the iconic television jurist known to millions as “Judge Judy,” has revealed plans to conclude her long‑running presence on the small screen. At 83 years old, Sheindlin said she will step away from TV once her current Prime Video series, Judy Justice, wraps up in October. The decision marks the end of a 25‑year run that began with the syndicated Judge Judy program and continued with the streaming courtroom show.
The transition will not be a full retirement, however. In a statement released to Fox News Digital, a representative for Sheindlin explained that the judge is “passing the gavel to her son, Adam Levy, in ‘Adam’s Law,’ the courtroom program she created and is an executive producer of.” Adam’s Law is set to debut in national syndication on Monday, September 14, positioning Levy as the next host of a courtroom‑style series.
Levy, who earned his law degree from Hofstra University’s School of Law, has pursued a diverse professional path before entering television. After working as a ski instructor, he practiced law privately and later served as the Putnam County, New York, district attorney. In 2023 he launched his own on‑screen career with the Prime Video show Tribunal Justice. Sheindlin, reflecting on her son’s qualifications, noted, “There aren’t a lot of people who can carry a half‑hour on their own unscripted. He has what it takes.”
Sheindlin’s own career began in the courtroom long before she became a television personality. She graduated from New York Law School in 1965 and entered the prosecution field in 1972, handling juvenile offenses, domestic‑violence cases, and child‑abuse matters. After retiring from family court, she turned her legal expertise into entertainment, launching Judge Judy in 1996. The show quickly became a staple of daytime television, attracting an estimated peak audience of 10 million viewers and cementing her reputation for sharp one‑liners and an uncompromising demeanor.
During a 2021 interview with the Los Angeles Times, Sheindlin spoke about the broader impact of her program. “So many of the emails and letters I get are from women who watched me and had their daughters watch me,” she said. “They told me the show helped them take the next step, whether it was getting a divorce, leaving an abusive person, asking for a raise and never, ever becoming somebody’s prisoner.”
Family has always been a central part of Sheindlin’s life, and her own granddaughter, Sarah Rose, offers a glimpse into the softer side of the public figure. In a recent interview with Fox News Digital, Rose recalled the advice Sheindlin gave her: “You have to define yourself, and you tell other people who you are. Not the other way around.” Rose expanded on the lesson, saying, “She taught me not to let anybody else define you but yourself. You have to have a good feeling about yourself and be confident in yourself. And, really, if you have that as a foundation, the opportunities are endless for where your journey might lead.”
Rose described Sheindlin as “a no‑nonsense grandmother” who is also “the first person I call if I have a problem or a question or something that needs to get solved.” The grandmother’s problem‑solving skills, she added, are especially evident “for the ones that she loves,” underscoring a supportive nature that contrasts with her televised persona.
Sheindlin’s upcoming foray into executive producing underscores her desire to remain active in the legal‑entertainment sphere while shifting focus away from traditional TV hosting. “I have a lot of other things of interest,” she told People magazine. “I don’t want to do hair and makeup anymore, but I still want my message to get out there.”
The announcement marks a pivotal moment for both the Sheindlin family and the reality‑courtroom genre. As Adam’s Law prepares for its national rollout, fans and industry observers alike will be watching to see how Levy measures up to the legacy of his mother’s iconic brand. Meanwhile, Sheindlin’s final episodes of Judy Justice promise to serve as a fitting conclusion to a career that transformed courtroom drama into mainstream entertainment.