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

 

Not Everyone Is Convinced

 

In a Reddit discussion about "Adam's Law", one commenter admitted that watching Levy on "Tribunal Justice" changed an initially skeptical opinion.

"I was skeptical. Observing him on Tribunal Justice showed me he has a keen eye for the truth and a strong desire for justice. He is great. I thought, at first, no way this will succeed. Now I see he is a proper heir to Judge Judy," one fan shared.

Another viewer praised Levy for doing research before cases: "I like how he does some extra research on someone before the case. He goes the extra mile." One person had a very different first impression: "Omg today i learnt Judge Judy has a son and he looks just as scary as her."

Others questioned whether Levy's television manner feels natural. "He just doesn't seem genuine. When he is trying to empathize with someone, it just comes across so fake," one person wrote. Another offered a much shorter criticism: "Nepo old baby."

Others saw Sheindlin's influence as a positive. "I do like him, he's feisty like his mama 😊," one commenter wrote. Another had a more mixed assessment: "I think he tries too hard to be edgy / like his mother. When he's not overreacting I actually like him. Not sure how his own show will be."

One commenter argued that there is room for another Sheindlin courtroom show even if Levy cannot duplicate his mother's appeal.

"I think he'll be great. He has a sense of humour and can dish it out 'almost' as well as his mom," the comment read. "As good as Judge Judy? No, but that woman needs to put her feet up and let someone else do the work now. As loyal as I am to her there's only so many reruns I can watch. Time for new content."

A separate Reddit discussion produced a similarly mixed verdict. "I kind of like Adam. Yes, he tries very hard to follow in his mother's shoes, but he is not as bad as her. At least he is willing to hear people out and give them a chance to tell their side. Yes, he's very tough, but he's fair," one commenter observed.

Another questioned whether Levy would have received the same television opportunity without his famous mother: "I'm gonna say it….. I don't like him. He's too full of himself for a nepobaby. If his mother wasn't JJ, who would give him a show?"

"He always seems like he is trying too hard to be JJ. It never comes off as his own voice," another person wrote. One commenter was more severe: "I can't stand him! He scolds people like they're children. He's rude."

That prompted a defense from another user: "I've never seen him scold someone like a child who wasn't actively or previously behaving like a child." Another commenter summed up the wait-and-see response: "I'm not a fan of Judge Adam but I'll give his show a try."

The family succession even drew a political joke. Responding to news about Levy, an X user wrote, "No thanks, we fought monarchies 250 years ago."

 

Adam Addresses the Nepo Baby Label

 

Levy has addressed that issue directly. In an interview with the New York Post, he argued that his family connection does not erase the experience he accumulated before getting his own show. "Despite the fact that I have a famous mother, I got the chops as well," he said.

Those credentials include graduating from Hofstra Law School, working as a criminal defense attorney and prosecutor, serving as Putnam County district attorney, and spending three seasons as a judge on "Tribunal Justice."

Levy also said "Adam's Law" is not meant to be a copy of his mother's famous courtroom show. He acknowledged that following Sheindlin brings considerable expectations, but said he intends to establish his own identity on the bench.

"I'm here to fill my own shoes and to put my own stamp on it," Levy said. "I'm confident in my own style." One difference is the amount of preparation he says he puts into cases.

Levy described himself as "hyper-focused" on the cases he receives in advance, reviewing material that can include contracts, photographs, emails, texts, background information, and the parties' pleadings.

That preparation can take hours or even days. "We get to the truth. That's what's important," he said. His mother's involvement does not mean they always reach the same conclusions, either. "We don't agree on all the cases," Levy said.

He explained that he sometimes discusses a case with Sheindlin, hears her thoughts, and pushes back when he disagrees. Sheindlin, meanwhile, was the one who decided the moment had arrived for her son to lead a daytime courtroom show.

"She told me, 'Now's the time,'" Levy recalled. He had been considering an extended break after the third season of "Tribunal Justice," even planning more time for skiing. Instead, his mother's call changed those plans.

"I tried to get out, but she pulled me back in," he joked. Levy's connection to the law, however, predates his mother's television fame. He said he knew in fourth grade that he wanted to become a lawyer and prosecutor after watching Sheindlin work as a prosecutor and supervising judge in New York City Family Court.

He even dressed as a lawyer for Halloween as a child — something he said resulted in other children bullying him. "But it was good. It gave me tough skin," Levy said.

Growing up in New York City during the 1970s and '80s also shaped skills he says he later brought into the courtroom. Levy said he learned early how to assess people's behavior and recognize when someone might not be telling the truth.

"I learned very early in life how to go about cross-examining someone who was not telling the truth [to] get to the truth," he said. That experience, along with his legal career, is Levy's answer to the suggestion that his mother's name alone qualifies him for the job.

Whether viewers agree is another matter. And some have already made their opinions about Judge Judy's successor very clear.