Petri Hawkins Byrd, the longtime bailiff on Judge Judy , was not invited to continue his role on Judge Judy Sheindlin's new show, Judy Justice , which premiered in 2021. Byrd had served as the bailiff on Judge Judy since its start in 1996, becoming an iconic and memorable part of the courtroom dynamic. However, when Sheindlin launched Judy Justice , Byrd was not asked to audition or join the new cast, and he found out about the new show only after Sheindlin announced it publicly. Byrd reached out to Sheindlin in mid-2020 to inquire if he would be part of the new project, and she told him he was not being asked to come along. The official reason given was that his salary was too high, but Byrd was never given the option to accept a lower pay. He expressed confusion and disappointment, noting that if he had done something wrong or brought shame to the show, he might understand, but he had no such issues in his 25 years on the program. Byrd felt sidelined and bitter about not being included, especially since he was never given the chance to audition or discuss terms for the new show. Sheindlin stated that Judy Justice was a "whole new program with a whole new cast and exciting energy," which likely motivated the casting changes
. Despite this, Byrd remains active professionally and personally, having renewed his vows with his wife in 2024 and pursuing other opportunities such as acting and voiceover work. He is also involved in another Sheindlin spin- off, Tribunal Justice
. In summary, Byrd was effectively replaced on Judy Justice due to a decision to refresh the show's cast and purported salary considerations, without being given a chance to negotiate or audition, which left him feeling excluded after a long tenure on Judge Judy
