10 Facts You Might Not Know About Byrd From Judge Judy

Petri Hawkins-Byrd from Judge Judy served as a court bailiff for over 25 years, and has always been passionate about being in front of the cameras.

Judge Judy's court officer Petri Hawkins-Byrd's been s part of the iconic reality show since 1996, making him the longest-serving TV bailiff of all time. The officer, who's a Brooklyn native, started his journey on the show when the series debuted in the mid-90s. At the time, he was 38 years old, and already had experience as a New York State Court Officer. Byrd assisted Judge Judy Sheidlin throughout all the cases on the show. His on-air jobs included providing instructions to the courtroom audience, helping to escort individuals, and supporting Judge Judy as she tried to maintain decorum.

Byrd served for over 25 years as a court bailiff on Judge Judy. Throughout that time, he witnessed some of the most dramatic cases, and helped Judy as much as he could. The 65-year-old man remained a part of the show, even during the COVID-19 era. At the time, the show changed its format to be safer, and Judy did her job via a live internet link. Similarly, Byrd attended the court from the Los Angeles studio, and couldn't do his usual tasks. Despite that, he remained with the show until it ended in 2021. Byrd didn't return to Judy's spin-off, Judy Justice.

10 He's A College Grad

Judge Judy star Byrd has achieved many things in his lifetime thanks to his strong educational background. He graduated from John Jay College of Criminal Justice, and received a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice in 1989. During that time, he did a variety of court officer jobs. From the Manhattan Family Court system to the Brooklyn Family Court system, Byrd's early life was filled with accomplishments. He also served as a Special Deputy U.S. Marshal in the early 90s, before he eventually joined the show in 1996.

9 He Isn't A Part Of Judy Justice

Judge Judy concluded when its final season aired on TV in July 2021. Soon after, Judy returned to screens with her new Amazon show, Judy Justice. Unfortunately, Byrd didn't return to the show as the court bailiff. He was replaced by fellow officer, Kevin Rasco. While fans were initially unhappy to hear the news, they soon learned that there were no issues between the judge and her long-time friend, Byrd. Instead, the iconic officer returns to the screens on Judith's new spin-off show, Tribunal Justice, in 2023.

8 He Met Judge Judy Sheindlin In Brooklyn

Byrd and Judith's friendship goes way back, and predates Judge Judy's debut on TV. The two first interacted when Byrd started working within the Manhattan Family Court system in 1986. Since the young officer worked with various judges then, he befriended many of them, including Judith. Ten years later, Byrd learned about Judy's new show, and congratulated her with a letter. In it, he playfully talked about serving as her court officer again, which led to good luck for him. Judge Judy soon offered him a job, and welcomed him to the show.

7 He's A Sagittarius

Byrd was born in November 1957, and was named Petri Adonis Byrd, and he's a Sagittarius. According to The Horoscope. Sagittarians are often outgoing, likable, and energetic. These characteristics fit Byrd well, as he was charismatic and helpful on Judge Judy. The website also states that Sagittarius natives are flexible, action-oriented, and good at solving problems. These qualities do fit Byrd's personality as a whole, as he was able to please a demanding judge for years. People born under the sign of Sagittarius are compatible with Libras, and Judge Judy, born in October 1942, is a Libra.

While Byrd is most known for being a TV show court bailiff, there's more to learn about him. He's hones his other talents over the years. He's an actor, voice artist, and writer. Byrd's appeared on various shows, and has also been in independent films. Credits include Reesie's Pieces, American Skin, Under The Palm Tree, and more. He's also been seen on talk shows, such as The Doctors. Between 2021 and 2022, Byrd joined the cast of Disney's revival of The Proud Family, and landed a voice acting role.

5 He Used To Be A Student Counselor

Besides his TV gigs, Byrd also had a brief yet notable career as a student counselor. In the early 90s, he moved to Cupertino, California, and got a job at Monta Vista High School. There, he started working as a counselor, and remained in that position until he was hired for the show in 1996. While there isn't a lot of information about Byrd's journey as a student counselor available at this time, he did work at that job for years. Byrd may have done some moonlighting as a pizza delivery man while employed as a counselor.

4 Byrd Is Active On Instagram

While Byrd comes from an era before social media, he's kept himself up to date with modern trends. He's active on Instagram, and uses the platform to share special moments with fans. Byrd has over 32k followers, and nearly 750 posts. He likes to upload news and short clips. The Brooklyn man also enjoys sharing family moments with fans, and seems very happy and active. Byrd enjoys dressing up for events, and looks stylish while performing an array of activities.

3 He Hasn't Tweeted For Years, But Has A Twitter Account

While Byrd is active on Instagram, and has a verified profile, he's surprisingly absent from posting on other social media platforms. The officer has a Twitter profile with over 10,000 followers, which he hasn't used since 2018. Byrd's tweeted over 2000 times since he joined Twitter in 2011. However, he seemingly left it a few years ago, and hasn't returned. Byrd hasn't acknowledged why he has suddenly disappeared from Twitter. Perhaps he prefers Instagram.

2 He's A Philanthropist And Activist

Byrd has worked hard to become successful. As such, he likes to support those who are less fortunate, and enjoys philanthropic activities. The TV show bailiff's a guest speaker who supports charities. He's also a community activist who loves improving the daily lives of young people. Byrd's official Linktree page has a cancer awareness donation link on top, which leads to a charity named Survivors Ball. He's also been involved with other nonprofit organizations, such as, "Teach Them to Fish."

1 He's A Proud Father

Like most cases on Judge Judy, Byrd's personal life has also been drama-filled. He married a woman named Felicia Hawkins in 1980. However, the two has problems, and the split up after ten years together. Byrd and Felicia maintained an on-again-off-again relationship, which led them to have four kids throughout their relationship. However, they were unable to fully solve their problems. Byrd later married a colleague, Makita Bond, in 2019. Makita and the Judge Judy alum have an age gap of a decade. They remain together, and seem to be going strong.

Sources: Judge Judy, The Horoscope, Petri Hawkins-Byrd/Instagram, Petri Hawkins-Byrd/Twitter, Petri Hawkins-Byrd/Linktree, Petri Hawkins-Byrd/Instagram