Longtime Judge Judy bailiff Petri Hawkins Byrd said there is a reason why he will not appear on Judge Judy Shineland’s new show, and it’s a simple one. He was never asked. Adding insult to injury, he found out about the new IMDB show during her March 2020 appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, just like everyone else.
In an exclusive interview with Entertainment Weekly, Byrd said there was no discussion during the 25th and final season about a new role in the upcoming show Judy Justice.
“My assumption is if you were going on to do something else, that you were at least going to ask me if I wanted to have the opportunity to audition for the role,” he said.
After production ended for the final season, Byrd was not focused on work. His wife, Makita Bond-Byrd, who served as a longtime Judge Judy producer, was scheduled for brain surgery after finishing her third round of chemotherapy. But he did reach out to the judge eventually.
“It wasn’t until July that I called the judge and asked, ‘Hey, should I look for something else or am I included in the Judy Justice project?'” he asked.
That’s when Shineland informed him that he would not be included in the new show. He didn’t ask why, but she basically told him they brought on a new bailiff for less money. Byrd was not given the opportunity to take a pay cut to work on Judy Justice. Instead, Shineland’s personal security guard, Kevin Rasco, will serve as the new bailiff.
“Byrd is terrific, and we had a great 25-year run,” Shineland said in a statement through a spokesperson Friday. “This is a whole new program with a whole new cast and an exciting energy.”
But Byrd remains optimistic about his future. “I just know that God has something else for me,” the former bailiff said.
