Petri Hawkins-Byrd Net Worth, Salary, Wife, Family, Height, Bio

• Petri Adonis Byrd was born on 29 November 1957 in Jacksonville, North Carolina, USA.
• He is a television personality, best known for serving as the bailiff in the program “Judge Judy”.
• His net worth is estimated to be over $3.5 million, and he earns a salary of $1 million annually.
• He studied at Southwest High School, City University of New York, and John Jay College.
• After graduation, he worked in the Court System, US Marshals Service, and took on various MC jobs.

Known for movies

Judge Judy (1996-2016)
as Himself - Bailiff / Bailiff

The Fast Food King (2017)
as Himself

Judge Judy: Justice Served (2007)
as Himself - Bailiff

Tom Hennessy
as Tom Hennessy

Who is Petri Hawkins-Byrd?

Petri Adonis Byrd was born on 29 November 1957, in Jacksonville, North Carolina, USA, and is a television personality, probably best known for serving as the bailiff in the program “Judge Judy”. He’s been with the show throughout its entire run, making him the longest-serving bailiff in the history of a court show.

The Riches of Petri Hawkins-Byrd

Petri Hawkins-Byrd has a net worth estimated to be over $3.5 million, consistently boosted by his salary, reportedly around $1 million annually thanks largely to his work in “Judge Judge”.

View this post on Instagram

Solution or Problem⁉️ what side are you on❓#OKProgram #Byrdthebailiff #judgejudy #cbs #unity #tinkingtuesday #change #youngblackmen

A post shared by Petri Hawkins Byrd (@byrdthebailiff) on Oct 15, 2019 at 5:56pm PDT

Aside from working on television, he also does a lot of event Master of Ceremonies (MC) duties.

Early Life, Education, and Career Beginnings

Petri is the youngest of five siblings, and while he was born in Jacksonville, his family later moved to Brooklyn, New York City, where he would grow up. He attended Southwest High School, and after matriculating, enrolled at the City University of New York located in The Bronx. He became a part of the Eugenio Maria de Hostos Community College, which is known for their focus towards the Hispanic community.

The college was created to cater to the people of South Bronx, and has consistently grown since its establishment in the 1970s.

After graduation, he stayed in New York City and began working in the Court System as a court officer. In 1986, he was assigned to Manhattan, working in the Family Court division; during this time, he met and befriended Judge Judy Sheindlin, who would later become his career partner in “Judge Judy”. At the time, she was serving as the Supervising Family Court Judge for the area.

Wanting to progress his career further, he enrolled at John Jay College, and took up a degree in criminal justice. The school is also a part of the City University of New York, and was the first college to focus on forensics and criminal justice in the US.

Path to Judge Judy

A year after completing his degree, he moved to California, the San Francisco Bay area in 1990, and found work with the US Marshals Service (USMS), a federal law enforcement agency established by George Washington during his presidency.

As a part of the job, their branch reports directly to the US Attorney General, and most of their operations handle fugitives and the management of criminal assets. He stayed with the Marshals until 1996, when he heard of Judge Judy being offered her television show. He wrote her a congratulatory letter and offered his services as a bailiff; she immediately took up his offer, and the two began working together. “Judge Judy” is a reality court show featuring the titular judge, who started the show following her retirement from the Manhattan family court.

In the series, she presides over a simulated courtroom set, handling disputes which are mostly small claims. It runs as a part of CBS, and has been on the air since 1996 with almost 30 seasons produced. During its run, it’s been noted as the highest-rated courtroom program in the country, winning three Emmy Awards in the process.

Judge Judy Duties

As a part of “Judge Judy”, Petri holds numerous duties as the court’s bailiff – his main role is to introduce cases to the judge, help with case numbers, swearing-in, and calling parties forward.

He also delivers materials, dismisses accused, and escorts them out once everything is over. In some episodes, he’s taken on a bigger role due to potential altercations which he has to control.

He’s also been seen performing drug tests, and collaborating with parole officers of some of the litigants. One of the reasons his fame grew significantly is due to his non-verbal expressions which can be seen throughout each episode.

Filmed special announcements today for @YoungArtistAwds 🏆 Thank you Young Artist Academy for all you do in championing young performers. I’m honored to support 🎥 #YouthOscars pic.twitter.com/2KMn9uw7fW

— Petri Hawkins Byrd (@ByrdtheBailiff) April 17, 2018

Despite having very few lines, this aspect of him has helped gain him a lot of fans. He’s also sometimes consulted on topics Judge Judy is not familiar with, and also corrects her if she makes a mistake.

Personal Life

Byrd married Felicia in 1980 – they have four children together, but separated in 1989, temporarily reconciling. He married Makita Bond in 2019.

During his free time, he takes on jobs such as a motivational speaker, and is often invited to do MC work too. He also supports several charities and is active within his community.

He’s a part of the board of Teen Center USA, a youth program focused on faith. He is also the national chairman of the OK Program, that helps with black adolescents and children. In response to people stating that it would be fun to be a litigant in “Judge Judy”, he responds strongly by stating that people should keep their love of and respect for the judicial system.