The Truth Behind Judge Judy: Real or Not?

Judge Judy: The Reality Behind the Show

Despite being a fun and popular daytime television series that lasted decades, there has always been questions about whether Judge Judy is real. The star of the show was always the judge herself, Justice Judy Sheindlin. The beloved courtroom show came to a close in 2021, but it quickly made a comeback as Prime Video's Justice Judy. Judge Sheindlin handles small claims on the show, as litigants are brought on cases that rarely scratch the $2,000 mark. The judge is world-famous, and she's one of the highest-paid TV hosts ever, as Judge Judy made $147 million in 2017 alone.

Judge Judy with her hand up, glasses on the tip of her nose with the American flag in the background.

As the recognizable TV legend continues to make headlines by entertaining on her show, some aspects of her series have come into question. The show bills itself as a reality show that is a real representation of a courtroom, but some people associated with the show have made statements to the contrary. Not everything is truly as it seems in the courtroom of Judge Judy. Even after the original series has ended and continues to be successful with reruns, the questions about what is real on Judge Judy persist. Between some participants being hired, Bailiff Byrd being an actor, and some cases being fictional, the answer is complicated.

Judge Judy in court with hand raised wearing lace collar and robe

The Role of Judge Judy

While the name of the show suggests that the duties being performed are that of a judge, the actual proceedings aren't things that would happen at a courthouse. Judge Judy is a certified judge, but she performs the role of an arbitrator on the show. An essay from the official website of the American Bar Association outlines this, as the procedures on the show are ones of an arbitrator, an unbiased third party used by two people who have a dispute but do not want to go through a lengthy court case to resolve it. However, her decisions are enforced and Judy has real authority to decide the outcome.

Judge Judy Sheindlin looks serious in the courtroom

Another misleading element of the series is the courtroom setting which adds an authentic feel but is not real. Much like other reality productions, the series was entirely filmed in a studio lot, as listed on TVTix, the official website run by the show's production team. The set crew did a fantastic job at replicating a real courtroom, as the set truly makes the viewer believe the show takes place in a courtroom. With other shows, both fiction and non-fiction, having also designed a fake court set, the Judge Judy set is one of the more convincing fakes shown on television.

A behind-the-scenes look at the courtroom set for Judge Judge

Further expanding on the courtroom setting being fake, the location of it is also misleading. Judy Sheindlin was born and raised in New York City which is also where she got her start as a judge. The opening credits feature stock footage of the city and a state flag sits behind Judy. Despite evidence leading toward the series being in New York, it's actually on the other coast. Also listed on TvTix is the studio address, which is on Sunset Boulevard. Judy lives on the East Coast but flies to California to film. Indeed, her 'New York attitude' is one of the winning aspects of Judy's personality and the show is likely more than willing to embrace that.

Judge Judy gesturing in surprise in court

The Reality Behind the Scenes

It may not come as a surprise that the courtroom gallery is also not a real courtroom audience. Normally, a courtroom is filled with aspiring lawyers and judges, families of those on trial, witnesses, a jury, or people awaiting litigation. In the Judge Judy courtroom though, a different crowd attends. A WDRB article featuring interviews with the cast and crew of the show revealed that the audience is mostly paid extras. The majority of them are aspiring actors, with a very small segment being fans of the show. In one amusing moment in the show's history, comedian Amy Schumer was once in the Judge Judy audience.

Amy Schumer in the audience behind a man in Judge Judy

Trying to understand Judge Judy's realness is complicated, as the disagreements and cases being heard are mostly real. While the majority of the cases are legitimate, some not-so-legitimate ones have gotten through. In an interview with Vice, a litigant named Jonathan who appeared on the show in 2010, made a jaw-dropping revelation. His case, which was described as him getting drunk and belligerent and then smashing a TV and killing a pet cat, was completely fabricated. He and some friends made it up for some money (litigants are paid for their appearance), a free trip to LA, and a lifelong story to tell.

Litigants take the stand in Judge Judy

Most Judge Judy cases end with a decision that has one party getting compensated in cash. The losing side having to pay the winner adds intrigue and seriousness to the show, as the two litigants really have something at stake. While the winner does get paid, where it comes from isn't the obvious answer. According to Distractify, the production crew pays out any monetary rewards that the Judge awards. This is a perk to get people to agree to appear on the show. Since Judge Judy requires minimal expenses outside of Judy's high salary, the minuscule production budget allows for a large budget dedicated to paying these fees for the litigants.

The baliff hands Judge Judy a case file