Judge Judy is known for her no-nonsense attitude and dedication to her work. However, fans might not have known that the TV judge has had her share of heartbreak—and reconciliation—going on behind the scenes.
Judge Judy’s Relationship History
Judge Judy (real name: Judy Sheindlin) married her first husband, Ronald Levy, in 1964. The couple had two children, and she put her legal career on hold to be a stay-at-home mother. However, when it came time to reenter the workforce, Judy said her husband was not supportive, and they ultimately split.
In 1976, she met Jerry Sheindlin. Apparently, sparks didn’t fly right away. Jerry was still married—although separated for years—to his then-wife. Judy was unimpressed with his lack of motivation to make the split official and told him not to call her until he had filed for divorce.
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Jerry, in turn, told her they could just live together, and Judy responded by telling him he could be the one to tell her father about it. “I said, ‘I’m not going to do that,'” Jerry remembered. “So she whipped out a calendar and said, ‘Pick a [wedding] date. Now.'”
The Ultimatum Judy Gave Sheindlin
The couple tied the knot in 1977 and welcomed three children. However, things got rocky in 1990 after the death of Judy’s father, and she ended up giving her husband an ultimatum.
“What she said was, ‘Unless you change, we can’t stay together,’” Sheindlin explained. “I said, ‘Tell me what you want me to do. You can’t just say ‘take care of me’. What does that mean? What you have to do is tell me—use your words and tell me what you want me to do to take care of you.’ She said, ‘Just take care of me.’ And I said, ‘I don’t know how to do that.'”
Their Divorce—And Remarriage
Judy threatened divorce, to which her husband replied, “I dare you.” He received divorce papers the next day. The couple divorced and stayed apart for a year, but Judy admitted she missed her former husband.
The pair got remarried in 1991 and have been together ever since. Jerry and Judy Sheindlin will celebrate 45 years of marriage this year, and they seem to be happier than ever taking care of each other.