Judge Judy has become one of the most notable figures of her time. The no-frills television court judge may have been around the block of few times, but she’s not stopping anytime soon. However, despite the fact that Judge Judy has spent a considerable amount of time in the spotlight and under the scrutiny of the public eye, there are still some things that many people don’t know. With that in mind, here we present our list of 15 things you probably didn’t know about Judge Judy. Check out part one below, and stay tuned for part two, coming soon!
Number Fifteen: Her On-Screen Persona Is Not an Act. Judge Judy was part of New York City’s family court system for just over 20 years, and it was there – not her television show – that she earned her reputation of being gruff and blunt.
Number Fourteen: She Started Wearing a Lace Collar as Soon as She Was Appointed as a Judge. Judy was appointed to the judge’s bench in 1982, and she found that iconic lace collar while she was vacationing with her husband Jerry to celebrate her appointment. She has worn the collar while working ever since.
Number Thirteen: Her Show Is Taped in California. Judy spends 52 days out of the year taping her show, and while taping, she flies to California on a private jet every other Monday. In fact, an entire week’s worth of shows can be filmed in a single day.
Number Twelve: She Is Briefed on the Cases Before She Gets to the Set. Judy is well-prepared for every show before it begins taping. All relevant information is sent to her before she appears to start filming.
Number Eleven: All of the Cases Are Real. Though some cases Judy has handled may seem unbelievable, they are all, in fact, very real. The staff of the show includes at least 60 people whose jobs are to look through cases in small claims court all over the country. Other producers can then contact the litigants for extra interesting cases and see if they would like to appear on the show.
Number Ten: But the Audience Is Not Very Real. If you’ve ever watched a few episodes of Judge Judy, you might notice that some of the audience members repeat themselves. Much of the audience is comprised of paid extras.
Number Nine: She Is a Casual Dresser. Though Judy will often chastise people who show up to court under-dressed, beneath her robe is usually a pretty casual outfit of a regular top and jeans.