Before "Judge Judy," over which court did Judith Sheindlin preside?

Before becoming television's Judge Judy, Judith Sheindlin presided over New York City Family Court. She was appointed to the Manhattan Family Court bench in 1982 and became known for her brisk courtroom manner and unusually direct treatment of litigants.

Sheindlin's Family Court work involved cases concerning children and families, including custody, support, juvenile matters, and domestic disputes. Her reputation attracted national attention, and a 1993 profile on the news program 60 Minutes helped introduce her judicial style to a much wider audience.

That exposure led to the creation of Judge Judy, which premiered in 1996. The television courtroom was based on her judicial persona, but it was not a government court: litigants agreed to arbitration, and the program operated as a syndicated entertainment show. A frequent mix-up is identifying her earlier role simply as a New York judge; New York City Family Court is the more precise answer.