After so many years holding the gavel, Judge Judy Sheindlin still calls herself “a law-and-order gal.” That white lace collar shouldn’t make you think she’d go easy when confronted with judging right from wrong. Part of the fascination of watching Judge Judy in action is her no-nonsense style. In her new programs since Judge Judy she’s shown just why she changed the face of daytime television. Sheindlin’s sense of humor balances her tough stands, as reflected in the titles of two of the seven books she’s written: Don’t Pee on My Leg and Tell Me It’s Raining and Beauty Fades, Dumb Is Forever!
Jeanne Wolf: You’ve received a lot of awards, including six Emmys, and you just received another from the Broadcasters Foundation of America for leaving a lasting imprint on broadcasting.
Judy Sheindlin: In a world that is lately often bleak and devoid of joy, my reflection on awards is it’s nice to have a joyous evening. You really have to be so grateful in a time in our world where things always seem so tragic. Grandma said, “Count your blessings. Stop crying over spilt milk.” I came on television using the tools that I had fine-tuned for 28 years. And happily, people embraced it. But would I ever have thought that 30 years later, I would still be active and still be having a great time and feel terrific about myself and where I am in life, and as if I really didn’t miss anything?
My dream as a kid was to go buy a lottery ticket and think about what I would do if I won a million dollars. How would I spend it? It was the greatest, cheapest fantasy. But I learned that hard work and a lot of determination make your dreams come true, a combination of tenacity and luck. I get hundreds and hundreds of letters from women. Many said they needed an extra little oomph, an extra little shove, that extra little bit of confidence, and that I helped give it to them.
JW: How important were your parents in shaping that outlook on life?
JS: My mother was a nurturer, and my father nurtured me in his own way, especially with his sense of humor, but both had a strength of character. I think that the mistake in this last couple of generations is that parents are more focused on being their kid’s buddy; you don’t set boundaries, and therefore they like you. But that’s not being a parent. Mothers and fathers are supposed to put up guideposts and instill the value of doing the right thing, doing your best. What’s happened in the past 40 years is that a lot of parents have abdicated that role. What I tell my kids is that doing the right thing is never a guarantee of success or a positive outcome, but I can guarantee you if you do the wrong thing, eventually it’s going to bite you in the butt.
I’ve matured. I’m not as black-and-white as I once was. I’ve recognized that there are shades of gray because of people’s limitations. But I still believe right and wrong should be clear. And I believe very much that quote that has stuck with me, “If it doesn’t make sense, it’s not true.”
JW: Many have said that our court system should run as efficiently as your show.
JS: I found when I first started, years ago, some of the laziest, ill-equipped judges in the family court. The one thing a judge is supposed to do is make a judgment, render a verdict. It’s much easier to just kick the can down the road with delay and confusion. I think that people who watch my program say, “Oh my God, that is where we should be.” But it’s utopia because I’m in control. In the real world, you have to deal with all the things that make a society run less efficiently. And that’s sad, but I think America is still very strong.
It’s unfortunate the vitriol that has divided the country. I don’t remember it ever being as personal as it is now. But I’m optimistic that the vast population will prevail, and that those on either end of the crazy spectrum will eventually fall by the wayside.
—Jeanne Wolf is the Post’s West Coast editor
This article is featured in the March/April 2026 issue of The Saturday Evening Post. Subscribe to the magazine for more art, inspiring stories, fiction, humor, and features from our archives.
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