Born Judith Sheindlin (October 21, 1942), better known as Judge Judy, an American lawyer, judge, television personality and author. She worked as a prosecutor in the family court system between 1965- 1976 before she was appointed a judge first in criminal court and later, in 1980, as Manhattan's supervising family court judge. She was featured on CBS's 60 Minutes in the 1990s as a result of her reputation as a tough judge. Since retiring in 1996, Sheindlin has gained much fame for presiding over her own syndicated courtroom show, Judge Judy. The show's ratings have consistently ranked highly.