Reel Urban News Exclusive
Fans of Tribunal Justice, the hit courtroom series featuring real cases and a trio of judges, celebrated the return of bailiff Petri Hawkins Byrd. Affectionately known as “Byrd,” he became a beloved figure during the 25-year run of Judge Judy.
Tribunal Justice, created and executive produced by Judge Judy Sheindlin, premiered in 2023 and is now available for streaming on Prime Video. In an exclusive interview with Reel Urban News, Byrd shared his thoughts on returning to the television justice system—this time as one of two bailiffs.
“It’s a different vibe,” Byrd explained. “With Judge Judy, it was just me and the boss for 25 years. Now, I have three judges and an extra bailiff in the courtroom.”
The judges on Tribunal Justice include former New York Supreme Court Justice Patricia Di Mango, Los Angeles civil litigator Tanya Acker, and former New York District Attorney Adam Levy, who happens to be Judge Sheindlin’s son. The additional bailiff, Cassandra Britt, brings 31 years of law enforcement experience from her time with the Los Angeles Police Department.
Britt, who describes herself as the “newbie” on the Tribunal Justice set, is thrilled to work alongside Byrd, television’s longest-serving court show bailiff.
“I get to learn from Byrd, he gives me a lot of advice,” said Britt. “It’s one thing to know your stuff and it’s another thing to present a certain way on TV. When I first got here, Byrd showed me the ropes and I appreciate him for that.” Both Byrd and Britt bring real-world law enforcement experience to their roles. “I was a law enforcement court officer for about five years,” said Byrd. “However, I worked for Judge Judy for 25 years. That gives me more of an outlook as to what looks good on television—where to stand and what to do.”
In the closing moments of our Tribunal Justice on-set profile with Michael Reel of Reel Urban News, Byrd expressed nothing but admiration for his new colleague and fellow bailiff. “Working with Cassandra and her wealth of knowledge about everything concerning law enforcement continues to amaze me,” Byrd said. “I learn from her every day.”
