Judge Judy Says She ‘Scared’ Ex-Neighbor Justin Bieber Who Evaded Her After DUI Charge

Nov 14, 2022 by apost team

Not a lot of people can say they aren’t just a little bit afraid of Judge Judy, and you can count Canadian pop star Justin Bieber as one of them! She revealed the singer used to be her neighbor, although back then, neighborliness wasn’t a big priority for him as he would go out of his way to avoid her.

Judith Sheindlin, known professionally as Judge Judy, is America’s beloved television court judge. Known for her blunt personality and determined attitude, Sheindlin has become a fan favorite in the TV world with her show “Judge Judy,” which aired from September 1996 until late July 2021. She has become extremely successful for her courtroom reign on television and has launched a spin-off series called “Judy Justice” to continue to help people with their legal issues by presiding over a plethora of new cases.

Sheindlin grew up in Brooklyn, a borough in New York City, before going on to study government at American University in Washington, D.C. She earned her Juris Doctor degree at New York Law School in 1965, the same year that she passed her bar examination. While the former prosecutor and Manhattan family court judge is most known for being Judge Judy, she is also a producer behind the scenes and an author. She has also won a handful of awards and accolades and has continued to be recognized as one of the best courtroom judges.

Notorious for her straight-talking ways, Sheindlin inspired a mix of awe and fear, not only in the courtroom but outside it as well. Read on to find out how her thoughts on Bieber and what he used to do to keep out of her way back in his hard-partying younger days.

Back in 2014, it was hard not to see Bieber’s face splashed across supermarket tabloids and top entertainment websites. After breaking into the music industry at the tender age of 16 with his hit single “Baby,” he went on to become one of the most bankable artists of his generation. However, with fame came a penchant for bad behavior, and scandals appeared to follow Bieber wherever he went. From egging a neighbor’s house to allegations of reckless driving and assault, the young star appeared to be sliding down into a lifestyle of hedonism and excess. His run-ins with the law came to a head in January 2014, when he was arrested in Miami Beach, Florida, on suspicion of driving under the influence, driving with an expired license and resisting arrest. 

Bieber’s DUI charge caught the attention of Sheindlin, who didn’t mince words when commenting on the singer’s string of bad behavior.

“Being a celebrity is a gift; you can either treat it reverently, or you can make a fool out of yourself, and he's doing a very good job of making a fool out of himself,” Sheindlin had told CBS Los Angeles in 2014. “And I think it's sad. Nobody's going to remember that he was a marginal singer, but they're going to remember a young kid, who had a chance to have it all, and who is blowing it by acting like a fool.”

Sheindlin’s stern warning likely shook the young star as, despite being neighbors, he began going out of his way to ensure he and the judge never came face to face.

apost.com

Sheindlin said her then-neighbor Bieber made his fear of her clear, as she told Access Hollywood in November 2022 he had been “scared to death of me.” She added, “There was a period of time before he grew up, but he was foolish and doing foolish things, and I must have said something about it.” She recounted how Bieber was so terrified of her that he went to great lengths to avoid her.

“And then, I understood that he was paying the front door people to let them know when I was there, coming and going, so he wouldn’t have to bump into me,” she told the outlet with a hearty laugh.

While 2014 is far and gone, Bieber hasn’t quite left that period of his life behind. The singer, who has settled into marriage with his wife Hailey Bieber, whom he wed in 2018, took to Instagram to express remorse for his misbehavior in the past. 

“7 years ago today I was arrested, not my finest hour. Not proud of where I was at in my life. I was hurting, unhappy, confused, angry, mislead, misunderstood and angry at god…” he wrote in a post accompanied by a picture of him being led into a police station. He explained he was leaning on his faith to turn over a new leaf.

“All this to say God has brought me a long way. From then til now I do realize something.. God was as close to me then as he is right now. My encouragement to you is to let your past be a reminder of how far god has brought you. Don’t allow shame to ruin your ‘today’ let the forgiveness of Jesus take over and watch your life blossom into all that God has designed you to be.”

Do you think Judge Judy’s words about Justin Bieber were too harsh or fair? Would you have reacted as Bieber did if she had said similar things about you? Let us know and be sure to pass this on to friends and family, too.