Though people point to “The Real World” as the beginning of reality television as we know it, there has been one form of reality television that has been around longer. Television shows that focused on (supposedly) real people, suing each other over a variety of issues, have been around since before television existed. Court “dramas” that were originally broadcast on the radio, moved to television, and have been popular since the mid-1940s. The court show that laid the groundwork for court programming today, was the semi-popular show, “The People’s Court” which aired from 1981-1993, and then returned in 1997. However, the reigning queen of court shows is the immensely popular series, “Judge Judy”, presided over by retired Manhattan judge, Judith Sheindlin. The show is now in its 17th season, and has been the leader in daytime television ratings for the last seven years. The popularity of the program is due in large part to Judge Sheindlin herself. Her ornery, sharp, no-nonsense style has become the gold standard for all daytime court shows. All of this success has made her quite wealthy. In fact, she now makes $123,000 per episode, and owns multiple properties around the United States. This week, she decided to put one of those properties on the market.
Judge Judy’s house is a 3,000 square foot apartment on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. The unit, located in the very well-appointed Sherry Netherland, has two bedrooms and two and a half bathrooms. Purchased for $6.75 million in 2010, Judge Judy’s house also features an open plan living room/dining room area, a fully-equipped kitchen, and a laundry room. Though the bedrooms are not huge, they feature ample walk-in closets. Judge Judy’s house also comes with hardwood floors, high ceilings, gorgeous views of Central Park and Fifth Avenue, and a whopping $17,411 monthly maintenance fee. She put the house on the market for $9 million. With a maintenance fee that is more than some people make a year, however, the apartment may be a difficult sell.
Read more: Judge Judy’s House: TV’s Most Famous Judge Lists A Very Expensive Two Bedroom