Judge Judy Rules No-Nonsense Court

May 18, 2010— -- When Judge Judy's on the bench, the court comes to order. The no-nonsense television judge, who has ruled with an iron gavel for 15 years, is ratings gold. Out of the nine court shows on television, "Judge Judy" has ranked at No. 1 for 700 consecutive weeks.

"There's a reason that my program has been on for 15 years...that's because people really want their brethren to act socially responsible," said Judy Sheindlin, better known as Judge Judy. "They want the good guy to win, and they are looking for the bad guy to get whoopin', and they very rarely do."

It's also her tough-talking take-downs that have made "Judge Judy" so popular. Yet during a visit at her home Sheindlin displays a softer side, albeit one the viewers rarely see. Why is that?

"Who is interested in that? Who is interested in the warm and fuzzy? There's enough warm and fuzzy on television," she said. "There are 350 channels of warm and fuzzy...of how to be a better you, how to make the most out of a full figure, how to be happy in your own skin."

Is she referring to her main daytime competitor, Oprah?

"I don't think that Oprah's a competitor of mine," Sheindlin said. "Oprah is the queen of daytime. I think that she is a phenomenal business lady. I think that she had a tremendous vision. I think that her talents are boundless. I think she works 24/7. I have tremendous respect for her. All of those things. It's not for me, that's not for me. I like my life of balance."

Competitive or not, Sheindlin's take-no-prisoners style has found its own beefy audience in daytime TV. In fact, for the last seven weeks in a row she has beaten Oprah Winfrey in the ratings.

In truth, Sheindlin -- a 67-year-old grandmother -- thought she'd be retired by now. The television stardom -- and her reportedly $45 million annual income -- was something of a happy accident.

Judith Sheindlin had a 24-year legal career; 14 of those on the bench as a family court judge in New York City, where she earned a reputation for doling out justice along with sharp one-liners. But she also faced criticism for being too tough on minorities who appeared before her -- a charge she adamantly denies.

"I don't care if you're red, white, blue, chartreuse, polka dot or orange, you're supposed to do the right thing. That's it," Sheindlin said.

Sheindlin's Connecticut home. Credit: ABC News/Tommy Krakowiak

Judy met her husband Jerry, a former New York State Supreme Court judge, when he was an attorney in New York. He also had a gig as a TV judge, presiding for two years over "The People's Court," though he admits he did not fare as well as his wife in the ratings.

"That's true, except... in Hartford, Connecticut, I beat her. No one talks about that," he said jokingly.

Supportive of his wife's success, Jerry travels to Hollywood, where "Judy Judy" is taped twice a month.

Behind the scenes at the show, whose slogan is "Real cases. Real people. Judge Judy," it's a mix of the real and the stage-managed. Petri Hawkins-Byrd, who plays Judge Judy's trusty bailiff, is a paid actor, but he got the job because he once was a real bailiff in Sheindlin's courtroom.

While the cases are real, the awards are paid out not from the loser's pocket, but from the production budget. The audience is also paid to attend.

Judge Judy has no patience with litigants she decides are lying to her or trying to shrink from their responsibilities. Is it exploitive?

"I don't feel like it's exploitation," said Randy Douthit, director and one of the show's executive producers. "They [the litigants] come here because they want their case heard by Judy. Everyone that comes in, whether they're a plaintiff or defendant, comes in here because they believe that they're right, believes that they are going to walk out winners."

But Judge Judy often talks to them like they're losers. A show rarely passes without someone being called an idiot, bum, or psychopath by the judge. Sheindlin said she doesn't think about the name-calling, or regret any of her comments from the bench. "I don't think about it," she said.