You’ve seen her bark "Baloney!" at a liar in a lace shirt. You’ve watched her dismantle a logic-free defense in under thirty seconds. But while we all know the public persona of the sharpest tongue in the legal world, the question of judge judy is married to who actually has a much softer, and frankly more interesting, answer than you might expect.
She isn't married to a pushover. Far from it.
The man who has managed to stay by her side for nearly half a century is Jerry Sheindlin. He’s a former New York Supreme Court justice, an author, and a guy who once had his own stint on The People’s Court. Honestly, their relationship is less of a quiet suburban marriage and more of a long-running, high-stakes legal debate filled with genuine affection and a very brief, very dramatic divorce in the middle.
The Barroom Meet-Cute That Started It All
So, how does a woman like Judy Blum (as she was known then) meet her match? It wasn't through a dating app or a setup. It happened in a bar in 1977.
Jerry had just finished a grueling murder case as a defense lawyer. He was sitting at a bar, chatting with a reporter from the New York Post. In walks Judy—at the time a prosecutor—who apparently didn’t care for the conversation he was having. She walked right up to him, put a finger in his face, and demanded, "And who is this?"
Jerry’s response? "Lady, get your finger out of my face."
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That was it. That was the spark. They were married later that year. For both of them, it was a second marriage. Judy had previously been married to Ronald Levy, with whom she had two children, Jamie and Adam. Jerry brought three children of his own—Gregory, Jonathan, and Nicole—into the mix from his first marriage to Suzanne Rosenthal.
The One Year They Weren't Together
When people ask judge judy is married to who, they usually assume it’s been one long, unbroken stretch of domestic bliss. It hasn't. In 1990, the couple actually got divorced.
It was a rough patch. Judy’s father, Murray Blum, had recently passed away. She has been very open about the fact that she was struggling with the grief and took some of that out on the marriage. She reportedly told Jerry that if he didn't start taking better care of her, she was out. He dared her to divorce him.
She did.
They spent about a year apart, but the separation didn't stick. Jerry later admitted that he missed her almost immediately. He missed the noise, the presence, and the person. Judy felt the same. "I missed him," she told People magazine. "I really found out—and this is not to denigrate your species—actually, most men are alike."
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They remarried in 1991 in a small ceremony in the chambers of a New York Supreme Court justice. Since then, they haven't looked back.
A Quick Look at the Sheindlin Household Dynamics
- Blended Family: They share five children and 13 grandchildren.
- Professional Rivalry: In 1999, Jerry took over as the judge on The People's Court, technically becoming his wife’s competitor in the ratings.
- Physicality: Judy often jokes that Jerry keeps himself in great shape, which is a big part of why she still "looks at him when he walks into a room" even in their 80s and 90s.
What Jerry Sheindlin Does Now
Jerry isn't just "the husband." He has a legacy that stands on its own. Before his TV days, he was a massive deal in the New York legal system. He actually presided over the first case in the United States that admitted DNA as legal evidence. Think about that. Every CSI episode you’ve ever watched owes a tiny bit of its existence to a ruling Jerry made in a real courtroom.
He’s also a Korean War veteran and an author of books like Genetic Fingerprinting: The Law and Science of DNA Evidence. He’s sharp, he’s funny, and he’s reportedly the only person who can consistently win an argument against the most famous judge on the planet.
Why Their Marriage Works (According to Judy)
The secret isn't some complex therapy or a shared hobby like birdwatching. According to the judge herself, it's about two things: humor and "the physique."
She’s mentioned in several interviews, including a notable one with Chris Wallace, that Jerry still has a great sense of humor and takes incredible care of himself. They argue. They fight. They have "terrific" disagreements. But there is a fundamental respect there.
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They also live a life of incredible luxury, which probably helps take the edge off a bad day. As of 2026, the couple owns a massive real estate portfolio, including a $13 million manor in Connecticut and a $9 million "Bird House" in Newport, Rhode Island. When you have multiple mansions to choose from, you can always find a quiet room to cool off in after a spat.
Lessons from the Sheindlin Legacy
If there is one thing to take away from the story of who Judge Judy is married to, it’s that even the toughest people need a partner who can stand their ground. Jerry doesn't shrink when Judy gets into "judge mode." He gives it right back.
If you are looking to build a long-term partnership like theirs, here are a few actionable takeaways:
- Don't be afraid of the "re-do." Their one-year divorce proved that sometimes you need to lose something to realize how much you actually value it.
- Maintain your own identity. Jerry was a respected justice and a TV star in his own right. He wasn't just a "plus-one."
- Keep the humor alive. If you can't laugh at each other after 48 years, you're doing it wrong.
The Sheindlins are a rarity in the celebrity world. They’ve survived fame, career changes, and a literal divorce to come out the other side as one of the most enduring couples in Hollywood.
If you want to keep up with Judy's current work, you can find her on Judy Justice on Amazon Freevee or her newer project, Justice on Trial, on Prime Video. She isn't slowing down, and with Jerry by her side, it doesn't look like she'll have to anytime soon.