Judy Sheindlin is getting a primetime tribute as CBS celebrates the 30th anniversary of “Judge Judy” with a 90-minute special, “Judge Judy: Unfiltered, Unforgettable.” The program will air Sept. 22 from 8 to 9:30 p.m. ET/PT on CBS and stream live on Paramount+ Premium, with an on-demand release for subscribers the following day.
The special will chronicle Sheindlin’s career from her childhood in Brooklyn and years in New York City Family Court to her transformation into one of television’s most recognizable courtroom personalities. It will also explore aspects of her life away from the bench, drawing on personal archives and previously unseen home movies, while family members, friends, former colleagues and former litigants offer their perspectives.
Among the celebrity guests featured are Amy Poehler, RuPaul, Samuel L. Jackson, Sherry Lansing and Steven Spielberg. Sheindlin’s son, Judge Adam Levy, will also appear. Jackson recalls an encounter with Sheindlin in London in which people recognized her more readily than the acclaimed actor, while Spielberg discusses his mother’s longtime admiration for the television judge.
“Judge Judy” debuted in 1996 after Sheindlin had established herself as a New York family court judge. The syndicated series ran for 25 seasons and became one of television’s most successful courtroom programs before concluding its original run in 2021. Sheindlin subsequently moved to Prime Video with “Judy Justice,” while her influence has continued through syndicated programming and other courtroom projects.
The “Judge Judy: Unfiltered, Unforgettable” retrospective arrives as Sheindlin’s television legacy continues with her son’s new courtroom series, “Adam’s Law,” underscoring the enduring influence of the franchise she built over three decades.
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