What Is Judge Judy Doing Next? Inside Her On-Screen Retirement After 30 Years on Television

Caroline BlairThu, October 22, 2026 at 10:30 AM UTC

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Judge Judy Sheindlin on the set of her television show on December 2, 1997; Judy Sheindlin attends the Women’s Guild Cedars-Sinai Spring luncheon at The Beverly Hills Hotel on May 1, 2025Credit: Bob Riha, Jr./Getty; Unique Nicole/Gett -

Judith Sheindlin rose to fame with her hit show Judge Judy that ran from 1996 to 2021

The arbitrator went on to star in her series, Judy Justice, for five years before retiring from the screen in 2026

Sheindlin’s son, Adam Levy, is taking over the television reins with his own series, Adam’s Law

Judith Sheindlin, a.k.a. Judge Judy, is officially resting her gavel after 30 years on television.

Sheindlin became a household name shortly after her show Judge Judy debuted in September 1996. The CBS hit series starred Sheindlin as a real-life arbitrator deciding the outcome of various small claims.

The syndicated program went on to air for 25 seasons before coming to an end in 2021. Despite Sheindlin parting ways with her longtime show, she continued ruling over cases on the Amazon Prime Video series Judy Justice beginning in 2021 and ending five years later. Prior to leaving television screens, Sheindlin credited audiences for her success.

“People are frustrated in the same way they were 30 years ago,” she told W Magazine in September 2026. “They like rules, law, order, and personal responsibility. They like their neighbors to be nice and quiet, to keep their cats on their own property. There are reasons for bad behavior, but there are never excuses for bad behavior if it affects someone else.”

However, after three decades on national television, Sheindlin announced she was retiring in September 2026 and her final Judy Justice episode came out on Oct. 22. Although she’s hanging up her robe, her son, Adam Levy, is taking over the family business in a syndicated court show called Adam’s Law, which Sheindlin is producing.

Here’s everything to know about what Judith Sheindlin, a.k.a. Judge Judy, is doing next after leaving television screens.

How long was Judge Judy on television?

Judith Sheindlin and bailiff Petri Hawkins-Byrd on set in February 1997 in Los Angeles, Calif.Credit: Donaldson Collection/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty

Sheindlin got her start at New York Law School before prosecuting family court cases in the state. She later became a criminal court judge before being promoted to a supervising judge in Manhattan’s family court system in 1986.

However, in 1996, she left her position and pivoted to a career as an arbitrator on television. She quickly rose to fame on Judge Judy, which premiered in September of that year. Although she wasn’t acting as an official judge, Sheindlin’s rulings were still binding as both parties agreed to those terms when they signed on to do the show.

Over the course of the next 25 years, the no-nonsense arbitrator handled a myriad of cases — including an eBay photo scam, a dispute regarding polygamy and an angry parent defending their child throwing a chair at a car.

The beloved series aired more than 7,000 episodes before it came to an end in May 2021.

Why did Judge Judy retire from TV screens?

While celebrating the 30th anniversary of Judge Judy in September 2026, Sheindlin also announced she’d be retiring from television screens.

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“I’m retiring from in front of the camera,” she said on Good Morning America at the time.

Sheindlin credited her son, lawyer Adam Levy, for being one of the reasons she was leaving the industry. Levy began serving as the arbitrator on his show Adam’s Law beginning just a few days ahead of her announcement.

“First of all, he was ready,” she said of her son. “He was finally ready ... I’m still going to be creative, still out there. I’m just going to take the message and put it in a little bit of a different form.”

Is anyone taking Judge Judy’s place?

Judy Sheindlin with son Adam LevyCredit: Heidi Gutman/CMV

While no one is stepping in for Sheindlin or taking over her spot on Judy Justice, her legacy will live on through her son, Levy.

Adam’s Law, which was created and produced by Sheindlin, stars Levy as an arbitrator presiding over small-claims and civil legal disputes. Prior to taking the reins of his own show, Levy served two terms as the district attorney of Putnam County in New York and was a criminal defense lawyer.

“There aren’t a lot of people who can carry a half hour on their own unscripted,” Sheindlin previously told PEOPLE of her son. “He has what it takes.”

Meanwhile, Levy said that he was thankful for his “tough cookie” mom and the opportunity to tackle a new challenge.

What is Judge Judy doing next?

Judy Sheindlin in September 2026Credit: Heidi Gutman/CBS

Although Sheindlin has retired from her on-camera duties, she assured fans that she won’t be completely quitting her empire.

“I have a lot of other things of interest,” Sheindlin told PEOPLE. “I don’t want to do hair and makeup anymore, but I still want my message to get out there.”

In addition to helping launch her son’s show, Sheindlin is also developing her own adult animated series, Judyverse. As for her personal life, Sheindlin shared that she enjoys afternoon naps and spending time with her family.

When asked about her legacy, Sheindlin said, “I don’t have to prove anything else. I did it.”

on People

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”