Star Jones Taking Over as "Divorce Court" Judge

Star Jones attends the American Ballet Theatre 2018 Spring Gala at the Metropolitan Opera House on Monday, May 21, 2018, in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)

When the hit court series Divorce Court returns for its new season, a familiar face will be at the judge’s bench.

EurWeb reports that attorney/former talk show host Star Jones will be returning to TV as the new judge of the long running court series, with production starting in September. Jones will be the show’s fourth judge on its current run, following Mablene Ephriam (1999-2006), Lynn Toler (2006-2020) and Faith Jenkins (2020-2022).

In a statement, Jones expressed her excitement on merging her experiences in TV and Law, saying, “Since the beginning of my TV career, it’s been my mission to serve as a voice for the voiceless; and after more than 30 consecutive years on television and in people’s homes, that remains true. As a fan of television’s longest-running court show, I was honored to be considered to take over the ‘Divorce Court’ TV bench, following in the footsteps of three incredible women, Judge Mablean Ephriam, Judge Lynn Toler, and Judge Faith Jenkins.”

She concluded, “I will offer the parties before Divorce Court, as well as viewers, a no-nonsense approach to the law and a decision driven by my proven legal expertise, compassion and empathy, personal experiences and hard-earned common sense.”

Jones served in New York City as a Homicide Prosecutor and District Attorney before moving to television in the 1990s, as a legal commentator for Court TV and NBC. She also hosted her own court show in 1994, Jones and Jury, and was one of the original hosts of The View until her departure in 2006.

In his own statement, Stephen Brown, Executive Vice President of Programming and Development for Fox First Run and Fox Television Stations, said, “We’ve been very lucky to have had exceptionally talented judges helm ‘Divorce Court.’ Beginning next season, Star Jones will bring her life experiences, her knowledge as a litigator, and her forceful personality to that storied bench. She aspires to make the show more meaningful, more interactive, and more impactful for the couples and we can’t wait.”