FOREWORD

Lessons from My Stepmom, Judy Sheindlin

by Nicole Sheindlin
I first met Judy when I was seven years old, at my kitchen table. It was 1975. My dad and mom
had separated the pre- vious year. I came off the school bus one day and saw a shiny blue car in
my driveway. I was anxious to come inside and see who was visiting. My dad was seated at the
kitchen table with a woman I had never seen before. I climbed into his lap, curious to learn about
this new visitor.
Dad said, This is Judy. Shes a lawyer just like me. The difference is, I get the bad guys out of
jail and she loves to put them in.
Judy looked me right in the eye, cocked her head, shrugged her shoulders, and said
proudly,Thats what I do. I dont know if it was the directness of her statement, her absolutely
perfect posture, or the sparkle in her eye, but
I liked her immediately.We became instant friends.
Eight months later, at an intimate ceremony in New York City, my dad and Judy married and we
officially be- came a blended family. We are five children in total, three
boys and two girls. I am the baby of the bunch.