Lawyer, journalist, and television personality Star Jones has been appointed judge of television’s longest-running court show “Divorce Court.” The announcement was made by Stephen Brown, Executive Vice President of Programming and Development for Fox First Run and Fox Television Stations. Effective September 2022, Jones will provide judgement for all the cases brought to mediation on the program, ranging from divorce court proceedings to other domestic disputes.
“We’ve been very lucky to have had exceptionally talented judges helm ‘Divorce Court,'” Brown said in a statement. “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.”
Jones is an attorney, former New York city homicide prosecutor, business executive, best-selling author, National Volunteer for the American Heart Association, and an Emmy award nominated TV host who has worked in media and communications for 30 years. After being elevated to senior assistant district attorney in 1992, she was recruited by Court TV in 1991 as a commentator on the William Kennedy Smith trial, before working as a legal correspondent for NBC’s “Today Show” and NBC’s “Nightly News.” Jones has since appeared on various networks including NBC, MSNBC, CNN, and TruTV, as a network correspondent, host, commentator, or advocate. She was one of the original co-hosts of ABC’s “The View” for nine years.
“Before I was the legal correspondent for NBC News covering high-profile trials and conducting exclusive jailhouse interviews, I spent six years in a Brooklyn courtroom as a NYC homicide prosecutor and assistant district attorney. 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,” said Jones. “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. 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.”
“Divorce Court” is the longest-running court show on television, reinventing itself three times on daytime TV (airing from 1957 to 1969, from 1985 to 1992 and currently, since 1999). From 1999 to 2006, Ephriam served as judge followed by Toler from 2006 to 2020. The current judge, Jenkins, has been on the show for two seasons.
On social media, Jenkins said she’s the host of a new show, “Killer Relationship,” on cable network Oxygen. Jenkins is serving as executive producer of the show under her new production company Faith in Justice Productions.