There are quite a few celebrities who have married the same person twice, and the world's most famous judge is surprisingly one of them! Judy Sheindlin, known to most as Judge Judy, married Jerry Sheindlin in 1977. Their marriage was the second for both of them. Judy first married Ronald Levy in 1964 and they remained married for 12 years, until 1976. She has two children with him, Jamie and Adam Levy.
Judy and Jerry, the judicial powercouple, remained married until 1990. And even though they decided to part ways then, the two ended up together again shortly after. The story of their remarriage is quirky, somewhat funny, and equally moving at the same time.
6 Judy & Jerry Shendlin Met In A Bar
Judy Shendlin divorced her first husband, but just a year later, she was married yet again. Jerry must've made a great first impression on her.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the two had met in a bar: "I just finished trying a murder case as a defense lawyer. She was a prosecutor. There was a reporter from the New York Post there at the bar, and I was speaking to him about the case. Judy came walking in and put her finger in my face and said, ‘And who is this?’ I said, ‘Lady, get your finger out of my face.’ We’ve been together ever since," Jerry said about meeting his wife.
5 Their First Marriage
Well, technically speaking, their first marriage lasted 13 years. In addition to being a mom of two children from her previous marriage, Judy became a step-mother to three kids from Jerry's first marriage: Nicole, Nathan, and Gregory. "I would've married him two days after we met," she said, "but we didn't marry for a year." Their union was private - until tragedy struck Judy's family and the famous judge ended up getting a divorce.
4 Judge Judy's Father Died In 1990
The year 1990 was a difficult one for Judy. Her father, Murray Blum, died aged 70 years old. That loss triggered another, and the very same year, Judy decided she wanted to divorce Jerry.
According to Honey Nine, Jerry failed to take care of her in times of distress, which made Judy angry and frustrated. In the book, What Makes a Marriage Last, Jerry wrote that Judy said: "If you can't maneuver this, I'm going to divorce you." And that's when Jerry made a mistake: he ridiculed the no-nonsense star and dared her to do it. And so, she did - the very next day. The separation lasted for about a year before the two reconciled. They gave their marriage another try, and so they married for the second time.
3 The Happy Couple Remarried In 1991
It wasn't long until both Judy and Jerry realized that they missed each other terribly and that they didn't want to tear apart a family. "I missed Jerry. I like to have someone to fuss over. I like to be mated. It’s natural for me. I learned the hard way that sometimes what you think makes you happy won’t," she told Closer.
And what about Jerry's lack of nurturing attitude? "I just had to come to terms with the fact that men of that generation expect to be taken care of and catered to," Judy explained. He did, however, learn to jot down her birthday on a calendar and get her a gift every year. According to TMZ, she wanted an Ashton Martin in 2019, but the ever-so clever Jerry got her an Ashton Martin robe instead.
2 Judy & Jerry Sheindlin Still Have Chemistry
Judy and Jerry are still going strong today, 30 years after their second marriage ceremony. It seems like Judy is much like her public persona in her relationship as well: she doesn't back down and enjoys conflict. "We argue and we have terrific fights," she told Closer.
She draws inspiration from her parents' marriage, which was filled with love and affection. Her father always encouraged her to strive to be more than a stay-at-home mom and housewife. With those values internalized, it's no wonder Judge Judy knows how to stand up for herself and keep the spark alive.
1 Jerry & Judy Are Endgame
Today, the Sheindlins have 13 grandchildren and have several properties all around the country, including Florida, NYC, LA, and Rhode Island. Judy is worth $420 million and seems to have no cares in the world. She's got a new program, called Judy Justice. Jerry also had a career in the entertainment business: he sat as a judge on The People's Court, one of the most popular reality TV shows about law and justice besides Judge Judy.
And so, the two have much more in common than just their surname. They're both lawyers and both appeared on reality TV shows. They're clearly also a great match, personality-wise. Judy, aged 79, and Jerry, aged 87, are without a doubt endgame.