Judge Judy reveals telltale signs that prove someone is lying after 30 years in the courtroom

Judith Sheindlin has presided over thousands of disputes across three decades on television, and the formidable legal icon has now revealed the three specific physical giveaways she relies on to spot an untruth from the bench.

Marking 30 years since Judge Judy first hit syndicated television, the 83-year-old TV personality admitted that her process begins with a healthy layer of skepticism the moment litigants step up to their podiums.

“I start out with the assumption that what they’re saying is usually not true,” Sheindlin told W Magazine in a wide-ranging interview published this week.

“If you run a red light and you can’t walk a straight line, chances are you’re driving while under the influence of something,” she reasoned. “If somebody tells you, ‘I can’t walk a straight line because I have dyslexia,’ well, that doesn’t make sense to me. I know people who have dyslexia. While they may have difficulty learning, they know how to walk straight lines. Certain things make sense, and certain things do not.”

Beyond relying on basic common sense, Sheindlin explained that her years behind the gavel taught her that deception carries distinct physical reactions—identifying three specific giveaways that expose someone who is fabricating a story.

According to the veteran judge, the first two physical reactions often break down along gender lines.

Sheindlin will be formally retiring this October after 30 years on our screens (Unique Nicole/Getty Images)

When women are being dishonest, Sheindlin noted that they often exhibit a flushing reaction across their upper body, observing that an area of their chest tends to turn visibly red under scrutiny.

For men, Sheindlin pointed to a different autonomic reaction: they frequently break out in "beady sweat along the top of their lip" accompanied by a subtle facial twitch as they attempt to negotiate an untruthful response.

However, the third and most universal giveaway is shared by everyone, regardless of gender.

“They look away,” Sheindlin revealed. “People who are lying usually hope to avoid eye contact.”

Sheindlin’s sharp instincts propelled Judge Judy into a cultural juggernaut following its premiere in September 1996, dominating daytime television ratings for 25 seasons before she transitioned to fronting Judy Justice in 2021.

The beloved TV judge became a staple of 90's and 00s daytime TV rankings (Bob Riha, Jr./Getty Images)

Reflecting on why the courtroom format has retained its massive audience over 30 years, Sheindlin credited the public’s enduring appetite for accountability and straight answers.

“People are frustrated in the same way they were 30 years ago,” she said. “They like rules, law, order, and personal responsibility. They like their neighbors to be nice and quiet, to keep their cats on their own property. There are reasons for bad behavior, but there are never excuses for bad behavior if it affects someone else.”

The revelations arrive as Sheindlin prepares to close her on-camera chapter. The star confirmed earlier this month on Good Morning America that she will retire from appearing in front of the lens once Judy Justice concludes in October, choosing instead to focus on behind-the-scenes production alongside her son, Adam Levy, who fronts Adam’s Law.

“I’m just going to take the message and put it in a little bit of a different form,” she remarked of her next era. “I’m going to become the Benjamin Button of court.”