Judge Judy’s Fans Have Questions After Bailiff Byrd’s Absence From New Show

With the news reports surfacing regarding Judge Judy’s longtime bailiff Petri Hawkins Byrd not being part of her new IMDb TV court show surfacing, fans of the show are puzzled. The snarky judge’s new show, Judy Justice, begins streaming on Monday, Nov. 1, and features a new bailiff named Kevin Rasco. The trailer for the new show also introduces two newbies: court stenographer Whitney Kumar, and law clerk Sarah Rose.

The reason why Byrd did not make the cut for his former boss’ new show is unknown. The two have worked alongside one another since the start of Judge Judy’s television career. They met while working together in the New York City court system in 1985. He wrote the judge a letter upon learning she was taking her talents to television to congratulate her and joked that he was available for work/ since then, he’s stood by Judge Judy’s side during 12,500 cases.

Judge Judy is typically tough, but has a soft spot for Byrd. she said in a statement per the Chicago Sun-Times, “He is a consummate professional who knows how a courtroom should be run. Byrd has a great voice, is a terrific storyteller, and is generous with his time and talent to many worthy organizations.” But fans are pissed they’ll no longer be seeing the dynamic duo together and are sharing their disappointment on social media. 

Maybe it was an amicable split

“Hopefully he retired and she didn’t give him the boot. Because that would be terrible,” another Facebook user chimed in. 

On to great things

“Throughout his run on the show, he became a millionaire. He is close to retirement, but I am sure he will get some offers to do other things,” wrote another on Facebook. Byrd previously told the Chicago Sun-Times that he’s beyond grateful for 25 years on the show.

A great pair

“I sure hope this is not true. They were friends and worked great together,” another wrote on Facebook. 

No one will compare

“That sucks they’re such a good pair,” one Facebook user commented on PopCulture’s report. The chemistry between Judge Judy and Byrd is undeniable.

Maybe it wasn’t Judge Judy’s decision

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One Twitter user makes a good point that Byrd’s absence could be something Judge Judy did not have any control over. It could have been a decision from the network.

A shocking change

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One Twitter user is stunned by the news of Byrd not being part of Judge Judy’s new show. She says 25 years is a long relationship.