Star Jones is making her way back to the courtroom. Jones, 59, will take over as the new host and judge of Divorce Court in September, succeeding Judge Faith Jenkins, who will join TV’s longest-running court show in 2020.
Star Jones, a former New York City homicide prosecutor and the current attorney will preside over all cases brought to Divorce Court for mediation, which will range from divorce proceedings to other domestic disputes.
“Before I became NBC News’ legal correspondent, covering high-profile trials and conducting exclusive jailhouse interviews, I spent six years in a Brooklyn courtroom as an NYC homicide prosecutor and assistant district attorney,” Jones said in a statement. “It has been my mission since the beginning of my television career to serve as a voice for the voiceless; and after more than 30 years on television and in people’s homes, that remains true.”
“As a fan of television’s longest-running court show, I was honoured to be considered for the ‘Divorce Court’ TV bench, following in the footsteps of three incredible women, Judge Mablean Ephriam, Judge Lynn Toler, and Judge Faith Jenkins,” Jones continued.
“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 concluded.
Stephen Brown, Fox First Run and Fox Television Stations’ Executive Vice President of Programming and Development, also expressed his delight at the news.
“We’ve been extremely fortunate to have had exceptionally talented judges preside over ‘Divorce Court.’ Star Jones will join the storied bench next season, bringing her life experiences, knowledge as a litigator, and forceful personality “He stated this in a statement. “She aspires to make the show more meaningful, interactive, and impactful for the couples, and we can’t wait to see what she comes up with.”
Jones brings a wealth of experience in the courtroom and on television to the court show.
She was hired by Court TV in 1991 as a commentator on the William Kennedy Smith trial after being promoted to the senior assistant district attorney in 1992.
Jones later worked as a legal correspondent for NBC’s Today Show and Nightly News, and has appeared as a correspondent, host, commentator, and advocate on a variety of networks, including NBC, MSNBC, CNN, and TruTV.
Jones starred in her own court show, Jones & Jury, in 1994. Despite the fact that the show was cancelled after a year, Jones was the first Black woman and the first female to serve as a TV arbitrator. Three years later, she joined The View as one of the show’s original co-hosts, a position she held until her departure in 2006.
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Star Jones is now the fourth host of the current season of Divorce Court. (According to its website, the show “lived three lives in first-run syndication: from 1957 to 1969, 1985 to 1992, and the current iteration, since 1999.”)
Judge Mablean Ephriam was the first person to host the current run, and he remained on the show from 1999 until 2006, when Lynn Toler took over.
Toler then continued in the role for another 13 years, until March 2020, when Jenkins was announced to take over. According to Deadline, her episodes were taped last year and will continue to air until Jones begins her hosting gig in September.