Judge Judy Retires From Television at 83—and Hands Her Gavel to Son Adam Levy

Judge Judy Sheindlin is finally calling order on her legendary television career-but she is keeping the courtroom business firmly in the family.

The famously sharp-tongued TV judge, 83, announced that she will step away from the screen when Judy Justice concludes its fourth and final season on October 22. The finale will bring down the curtain on nearly three decades of Judge Judy delivering blistering one-liners, exposing dubious excuses and ruling over television's most entertaining disputes.

But Judy is not surrendering her influence just yet. She is handing the gavel to her 58-year-old son, Adam Levy, who will preside over a new syndicated courtroom series titled Adam's Law. Judy will remain behind the scenes as a producer.

Levy is no legal lightweight. The former Putnam County district attorney already appears alongside judges Patricia DiMango and Tanya Acker on Tribunal Justice. His mother now believes he is ready to take center stage-and few endorsements carry more weight than Judge Judy's.

The timing makes the transition especially dramatic. Adam's Law is scheduled to premiere on September 14, meaning Levy's show will begin before his mother delivers her final televised verdict. Viewers will therefore witness a brief passing-of-the-gavel period before Judy officially leaves the bench.

Sheindlin became a household name when Judge Judy premiered in 1996. The phenomenally successful program ran for 25 seasons before ending in 2021, after which she launched Judy Justice. Her original show collected three Daytime Emmy Awards, while its streaming successor earned another.

After millions of viewers, countless courtroom confrontations and some of daytime television's most savage put-downs, Judge Judy appears ready to enjoy life away from the camera. Yet with her son taking over and Judy producing his new series, the Sheindlin-Levy courtroom dynasty is far from adjourned.