Judge Judy’s husband is Jerry Sheindlin, a retired New York judge, attorney and former television judge on The People’s Court. Judy and Jerry married in 1977, divorced in 1990 and remarried in 1991. They have a blended family of five children and 13 grandchildren, and they remain married as of September 2026.

Introduction

The answer to the popular search “Judge Judy husband” is Jerry Sheindlin, a lawyer and retired judge who has also had his own career in television.

Jerry is not simply known as the husband of Judith “Judge Judy” Sheindlin. He spent decades working in the New York legal system, including service as a New York Supreme Court judge, before becoming the presiding television judge on The People’s Court from 1999 to 2001.

The couple’s relationship has also had an unusual history. They first married in 1977, divorced in 1990 and remarried the following year. Nearly five decades after their first wedding, they remain married.

Interest in their relationship has increased again in September 2026 because CBS recently celebrated the 30th anniversary of Judge Judy with the primetime special Judge Judy: Unfiltered, Unforgettable. The special aired September 22 and explored Sheindlin’s career and private life.

Who Is Judge Judy’s Husband?

Jerry Sheindlin is Judge Judy’s husband.

He is a former attorney, New York judge and television arbitrator. PEOPLE reports that Jerry was born in New York City in 1933 and served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War before beginning his legal career. He graduated from Brooklyn Law School in 1959.

His legal career included work as a defense attorney before he moved into the judiciary.

According to recent biographical reporting, Jerry worked as a criminal trial judge and later became a New York Supreme Court justice in 1986. He remained in the New York court system until the late 1990s.

That legal background makes the Sheindlin household particularly unusual: both husband and wife built substantial careers in law before becoming familiar television personalities.

Jerry Sheindlin’s Legal Career

Before television made the Sheindlin name widely recognizable, Jerry had already established himself in New York’s legal system.

He spent many years practicing law, including a long period as a criminal defense attorney. He later became a judge and served in several judicial roles.

Recent reporting describes the progression of his career this way:

• He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War.
• He attended Long Island University.
• He graduated from Brooklyn Law School in 1959.
• He worked as a criminal defense attorney.
• He became a U.S. administrative law judge.
• He served as a New York City Criminal Court judge.
• He was elevated to the New York Supreme Court in 1986.
• He later moved into television.

Jerry’s legal career was therefore well established before he appeared on television.

Jerry Sheindlin and The People’s Court

Jerry eventually followed his wife into television.

In 1999, he became the presiding judge on the revived version of ** The People’s Court **, replacing former New York City Mayor Ed Koch. He remained with the program through 2001, when Marilyn Milian took over.

This created an unusual television situation: husband and wife were simultaneously associated with two different courtroom programs.

Judy was already the star of Judge Judy, while Jerry was presiding over The People’s Court.

The programs were television arbitration rather than ordinary government court proceedings. The Television Academy’s description of Judge Judy notes that Sheindlin’s television cases operated as arbitration rather than as a conventional court of law.

Jerry’s television career was shorter than Judy’s, but it gave him an independent identity in the courtroom-TV genre.

When Did Judge Judy and Jerry Sheindlin Get Married?

Judge Judy and Jerry Sheindlin first married in 1977.

The two had met in New York after being introduced in a social setting. PEOPLE reports that their first encounter happened at a bar while both were connected to the legal profession.

Their relationship developed quickly, and they married after dating for approximately a year.

However, their marriage later experienced a major interruption.

Did Judge Judy and Jerry Sheindlin Get Divorced?

Yes. Judge Judy and Jerry Sheindlin divorced in 1990.

The divorce was temporary.

The couple remarried in 1991 and have remained together since then.

Judy has spoken publicly about the difficult period in their relationship.

According to PEOPLE’s account of their relationship, the couple’s marriage experienced serious personal tensions before the 1990 divorce. Jerry later missed Judy after their separation, and the two eventually reunited.

Their story therefore isn’t a simple uninterrupted marriage. It is a relationship that survived a divorce and a subsequent remarriage.

How Long Have Judge Judy and Jerry Sheindlin Been Married?

The couple first married in 1977.

Because they remarried in 1991 after their divorce, the exact calculation depends on whether someone counts the years continuously or separates the two marriages.

By September 2026, they have been together for nearly five decades since their original marriage, with their remarriage in 1991 marking the beginning of their current uninterrupted marriage. Recent coverage describes their relationship as approaching 50 years.

Judge Judy and Jerry Sheindlin Have a Blended Family

The couple have a blended family of five children from their previous marriages.

Judy had two children with her first husband, Ronald Levy:

• Jamie Hartwright
• Adam Levy

Jerry had three children from his earlier marriage to Suzanne Rosenthal:

• Gregory Sheindlin
• Jonathan Sheindlin
• Nicole Sheindlin

When Judy and Jerry married, their families became one blended household. PEOPLE’s recent family coverage confirms that Judy has five children and 13 grandchildren.

Several members of the family have followed their parents into law or related professional fields.

Judy’s son Adam Levy, for example, was a district attorney and is now involved in television through Adam’s Law. Her stepchildren Gregory and Nicole are lawyers, while Jonathan is an ophthalmologist and professor, according to recent PEOPLE reporting.

How Many Grandchildren Does Judge Judy Have?

Judge Judy and Jerry Sheindlin are grandparents to 13 grandchildren, according to recent PEOPLE coverage.

Their large family has remained an important part of Judy’s life as her television career has evolved.

The family also has a connection to her professional television work. Judy’s granddaughter Sarah Rose Levy appeared with her on Judy Justice, while other members of the family have pursued careers in law, medicine and other fields.

Did Jerry Sheindlin Influence Judge Judy’s Television Career?

Judy’s television success was ultimately her own, but Jerry was part of her life during the period when her legal career attracted national attention.

The Television Academy’s archival interview with Judith Sheindlin explains how her reputation as a New York Family Court judge led to a 60 Minutes profile, which helped introduce her to a national audience. That exposure eventually contributed to the creation of Judge Judy.

In a 2026 television special looking back at the beginning of her career, Judy recalled watching the 60 Minutes piece with Jerry in their bedroom because she was unsure how the segment would turn out.

That detail provides a glimpse into the couple’s relationship during one of the most important turning points in Judy’s career.

What Happened With Judge Judy’s Television Career?

Judy Sheindlin became one of the most recognizable television courtroom personalities after Judge Judy premiered in 1996.

The original series ran for 25 seasons before ending in 2021. She subsequently continued with Judy Justice on Prime Video.

In September 2026, CBS marked the 30th anniversary of Judge Judy with Judge Judy: Unfiltered, Unforgettable.

CBS described the 90-minute special as an exploration of Sheindlin’s rise to television fame, using interviews, personal archives and home movies to tell her story.

The special is particularly relevant to searches for Judge Judy husband because it revisits parts of Sheindlin’s personal history, including the people who were around her during the development of her television career.

What Has Judge Judy Said About Her Marriage?

Judy has occasionally discussed the relationship publicly.

In past interviews, she has described physical attraction, mutual independence and personal respect as important aspects of the relationship. She has also spoken candidly about the fact that the couple divorced before finding their way back to each other.

Her comments provide an unusually candid picture of a long marriage that was not always easy.

Rather than presenting their relationship as perfect, Judy has acknowledged that the marriage went through a difficult period and ultimately survived it.

What Officials / Organizations Said

There is no government announcement or official court document concerning a current change in Judge Judy and Jerry Sheindlin’s marital status.

The most recent relevant official source is CBS, which aired Judge Judy: Unfiltered, Unforgettable on September 22, 2026, marking 30 years of Judge Judy. CBS described the special as providing access to Sheindlin’s private archives and personal history.

Recent PEOPLE coverage also continues to identify Jerry Sheindlin as Judy’s husband and describes their marriage history, blended family and grandchildren.

Key Details About Judge Judy’s Husband

Here are the main facts readers searching for Judge Judy husband should know:

• Judge Judy’s real name: Judith Sheindlin.
• Husband: Jerry Sheindlin.
• Profession: Attorney and retired judge.
• Legal background: Former New York Supreme Court judge.
• Television role: Former presiding judge on The People’s Court.
• First marriage to Judy: 1977.
• Divorce: 1990.
• Remarriage: 1991.
• Children in their blended family: Five.
• Grandchildren: 13.
• Current status: Married as of September 2026.

Why This Matters

The interest in Judge Judy husband Jerry Sheindlin is partly driven by the fact that he had a significant career of his own.

He was not simply a spouse who occasionally appeared alongside a famous television personality. He was a practicing attorney, a New York judge and eventually a television judge himself.

That makes the Sheindlins’ story unusual within television history.

Both partners had legal careers, both became television figures and both ultimately became associated with courtroom programming.

Their relationship also demonstrates why a simple search for “Judge Judy husband” can miss important context. Jerry Sheindlin’s professional history is substantial independently of his marriage to Judy.

What Happens Next?

As of September 2026, there is no reported major change in the couple’s marriage.

The immediate television development is Judy Sheindlin’s transition into the next phase of her career.

She has announced that she is stepping away from regular on-camera television work after three decades, although she remains involved with other projects. Judy Justice is scheduled to conclude in October 2026, while her son Adam Levy is continuing the family courtroom-TV connection with Adam’s Law.

For Jerry Sheindlin, there is no comparable new television role currently announced.

The latest public information continues to show the couple together after decades of marriage, divorce and remarriage.

FAQs

Who is Judge Judy’s husband?

Judge Judy’s husband is Jerry Sheindlin, a retired attorney, New York judge and former television judge on The People’s Court.

Is Judge Judy still married to Jerry Sheindlin?

Yes. Judge Judy and Jerry Sheindlin remain married as of September 2026. They first married in 1977, divorced in 1990 and remarried in 1991.

Did Judge Judy and Jerry Sheindlin get divorced?

Yes. They divorced in 1990 but remarried in 1991 and have remained together since then.

Was Jerry Sheindlin a real judge?

Yes. Jerry Sheindlin had a legal and judicial career in New York, including service as a New York Supreme Court judge. He later became a television judge on The People’s Court.

Was Jerry Sheindlin on The People’s Court?

Yes. Jerry became the presiding judge of The People’s Court in 1999 and remained with the program until 2001, when Marilyn Milian succeeded him.

How many children do Judge Judy and Jerry Sheindlin have?

They have a blended family of five children from their previous marriages—two from Judy’s first marriage and three from Jerry’s first marriage.

How many grandchildren does Judge Judy have?

Judge Judy has 13 grandchildren, according to recent PEOPLE reporting.

How long have Judge Judy and Jerry Sheindlin been together?

They first married in 1977. Although they divorced in 1990, they remarried in 1991 and have been together since. In 2026, their relationship spans nearly five decades from their original marriage.