Byrd - as he's known to friends and fans alike - graduated from High School in Brooklyn and attended Community College in the Bronx. In 1986, after being transferred from Brooklyn Family Court to Manhattan Family Court, Byrd met his future TV boss, Judge Judith Sheindlin. In 1989, Byrd received his bachelor's degree in criminal justice. "Some folks graduated 'magna cum laude. I graduated 'Thank you, Lordy'".