The Real Reason Judge Judy's Bailiff Isn't On Her New Show

As Judge Judith Sheindlin of the popular reality courtroom show "Judge Judy" once squawked to a defendant, "I'm the boss, apple sauce." Alas, it appears the show's longtime bailiff, Petri Hawkins Byrd, is learning that lesson the hard way.

Byrd served as the television courtroom judge's beloved bailiff and right hand man for more than 25 years on "Judge Judy," so it made it all the more shocking when he learned that she wasn't bringing him along on her next adventure — her new IMDb show, "Judy Justice." During an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Byrd explained that after filming for "Judge Judy" came to an end in April, he focused all of his efforts on caring for his ailing wife Makita Bond-Byrd, who also served as a producer for "Judge Judy" and was suffering from a brain tumor at the time. "I didn't have time to think about or ask about 'Judy Justice,'" Byrd revealed. "It wasn't until July that I called the judge and asked, 'Hey, should I look for something else or am I included in the "Judy Justice" project?'" Unfortunately, he didn't get the answer he was hoping for.

Perhaps, Byrd was equally astonished to learn the reasoning behind Sheindlin's decision to not bring him along on her next chapter.

According to "Judge Judy" veteran bailiff Petri Hawkins Byrd, the reason he was not brought along on Judith Sheindlin's new reality courtroom show boiled down to one simple thing: money. "I didn't inquire as to why, that's her choice," Byrd said to Entertainment Weekly about Sheindlin's decision to leave him out of her new gig. "But she did inform me that fundamentally, I was priced out as the new bailiff on her new show. My salary would have been too much. I was curious: How would she know? She didn't ask me. She didn't give me an opportunity to have accepted a lower salary," he continued.

Though Byrd maintained that the phone call with his former boss "ended pleasantly enough," perhaps no amount of exchanged pleasantries helped to reconcile the initial shock of it all. "I don't think she understood how confused and dismayed I was after being there for 25 years, from the beginning of her career, and not being at least given the opportunity to say whether or not I wanted to continue that relationship," he shared.

According to a rep for Sheindlin, however, the decision was strictly business. "Byrd is terrific and we had a great 25-year run. This is a whole new program with a whole new cast and an exciting energy," the spokesperson announced in a statement. Per TV Insider, "Judy Justice" is set to premiere on November 1 only on IMDb TV.