Judge Judy, 83, Steps Back from On-Camera TV and Reveals the One Person She Trusts to Take Her Place

"I wouldn't have encouraged him to take on this role and responsibility ten years ago or even five years ago because I wasn't ready to give it up. And quite frankly, I think he has the talent to beat me and [laughter] I don't like the idea of that."

"I'm right here, you know," Levy responded as his mother laughed. Sheindlin praised his understanding of the law, his memory, and his ability to study legal issues in depth. She also credited him with having "great TV eyes."

Levy quickly answered, "They're your eyes," to which Sheindlin replied, "What? Well, they're my eyes." More importantly, she believes he has the personality required to connect with the audience that has followed her for three decades.

More seriously, she believes Levy has the personality to connect with viewers who have watched her for decades. "I am handing this baton over to the right person," she said.

Levy, meanwhile, has a straightforward warning for people appearing on "Adam's Law": Tell the truth. "When people make statements that are demonstrably false, that really bothers me," he said.

He explained that a litigant who is being lied about may not always know how to challenge the other person. "I do," Levy said. Having Judge Judy as his mother inevitably raises another question about Levy's new role: How much of the opportunity comes from his famous last name?