Introduction

All rise. The Honorable Judge Deborah is now presiding. Those are the words that start my day in court every morning. I never imagined when I passed the bar exam way back when that one day I’d be ruling on cases in front of millions of people on live television. When I started law school, a female judge was unheard of. I would never have dared to express that as an aspiration, which was ironic since my male colleagues came to me to help settle their disputes. I lived at an apartment complex called The Palms, and eventually I set up a little office there for people in the community to come for legal advice. I went on to become the first female judge in the entire country, but I know that I made it that far only through the grace of God.

I think one of the things that distinguishes me from many other judges is that I make it very clear that I get direction and wisdom from the Lord. Everyone from the bailiff to the attorneys to the viewers at home know that the rulings I make are the result of communication with God. Fans have affectionately begun calling me "Queen Bee," a play off the meaning of my name. I like to think it's because with the sting of my rulings comes some sweetness.