Petri Hawkins Byrd Biography

Petri Hawkins Byrd is an American Emmy award-winning actor, Comedian, voice actor, writer, and former New York State Court Officer known for his role as bailiff on the court program “Judge Judy.” In the cast, he serves as a legal officer.

Petri Hawkins Byrd Age

Hawkins is 66 years years old as of 2023. He was born (Petri Adonis Byrd) on November 29, 1957, in Brooklyn, New York, United States. Hawkins celebrates his birthday on the 29th of November every year.

Petri Hawkins Byrd Height

Hawkins stands at an approximate height of 6 feet 2 inches.

Petri Hawkins Byrd Family

Hawkins was born and raised in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. He was brought up along with his four siblings and described his mother as a strict disciplinarian who was insistent about her children achieving their education and treating people with respect. His escapes were going to school, movies, television, and reading, anything that would take him out of the world he was in and put him in a world that could be.

Hawkins’ father thought he was so entertaining and amusing as a child that he and his friends frequently called Byrd up from prison so that they could hear him imitate celebrities. Growing up, Hawkins admired and imitated such celebrities as Flip Wilson, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Ed Sullivan, and Bill Cosby.

Petri Hawkins Byrd Wife

Hawkins is married to his better half Makita Bond Byrd. The two tied the knot on May 4, 2019. Byrd and his current wife, Makita Bond, have co-hosted a web series with a title that plays off their last names, “Bonding with Byrd.” They post new episodes on Tuesdays from Byrd’s “Petri Hawkins-Byrd” Facebook page, and their joint “Bonding with Byrd” YouTube channel. Currently lives in Elk Grove, California. Byrd is a proud grandfather of two grandsons Mateo and Levert.

Petri Hawkins Byrd First Wife

Prior to marrying Makita, his second wife, Byrd was married to Felicia Hawkins. They tied the knot in 1980. In 1989, they separated and Felicia moved to the West Coast with the couple’s children. After marriage counseling, Byrd and Hawkins reconciled, though not permanently.

Petri Hawkins Byrd Children

Byrd and Felicia, his first wife are proud parents of their four children who are all adults now.

Petri Hawkins Byrd Education

Hawkins attended Eastern District High School in Brooklyn where he earned his High School Diploma. From there, he had to further his education. He joined Hostos Community College in The Bronx to pursue his career course. Hawkins is also a graduate of Joh Jay College where he received a Criminal Justice degree.

Petri Hawkins Byrd Net Worth

Hawkins has an estimated net worth ranging between $1 Million – $5 Million which he has earned from his successful career as an actor and Comedian.

Petri Hawkins Byrd Career

Hawkins began his career working at the Brooklyn circuit of the New York City Court System as a court officer. In 1986, he was transferred to the Family Court division in Manhattan. Three years later, he advanced his studies and joined the United States Marshals Service in San Fransisco Bay Area. After college graduation, his family shifted to the San Francisco Bay Area in California where he worked for the United States Marshals Service.

Earlier before, his career began as a Special Deputy U.S. Marshal in San Mateo, California. He worked as a student counselor at Monta Vista High School in Cupertino, California from 1992 to 1996. Currently, he works as Judge Judy Sheindlin’s Bailiff (1986) in the New York City Court System. After reading a story about Judge Sheindlin’s new book and upcoming television show in a 1995 Liz Smith column, Byrd decided to send a letter congratulating the judge and jokingly asked if she would be interested in having him serve at her side again. To his surprise, Judge Sheindlin returned Byrd’s letter with a phone call and offered him the job.

Petri Hawkins-Byrd Judge Judy

JUDGE JUDY is a Big Ticket Television production and is distributed by CBS Television Distribution. Big Ticket is a CBS Company. Randy Douthit is the executive producer and director. Amy Freisleben is a co-executive producer. CBS Television Distribution is a unit of CBS Corp. He joined the Judge Judy Show around 1996. A job he got through a congratulatory message he had sent Judy. He met Judy Sheindlin while he was working as a court officer at the Family Court division in Manhattan while Judy was the Supervising Family Court Judge. On the show, he introduces the cases, delivers materials between the judge and the disputants, discharges the parties, and escorts them out when their case is over.

On the scene, he seems to have a minor role but behind the scenes, he sometimes performs drug tests on the disputants or gives them counseling before being referred to a professional counselor. He also corrects Sheindlin when she is wrong and also provides answers to areas the judge is not familiar with.

Petri Hawkins-Byrd House

Hawkins lives in his luxurious house at Laguna West with his wife and children.

Petri Hawkins Byrd Extra Career Activities

Hawkins works part-time as a community activist, event MC, charity supporter, and guest speaker. In addition to that, he is the national chairman of the O.K. Program. It addresses social issues confronting black boys and young men and it is on the board of the faith-based youth program Teen Center USA. He spends a lot of time motivating and building the lives of troubled youth.

Petri Hawkins Byrd Awards

He has won awards throughout his acting career. Hawkins is the winner of the Best Action Sequence Feature for Tom Hennessy. This title was from Action on Film International Film Festival, USA 2013. For three successive years, 2018, 2019, and 2020, in the bargain, the Outstanding Legal/ Courtroom Program nominated him for Judge Judy (1996).

Petri Hawkins Byrd Wife’s Cancer

Makita Bond Byrd was diagnosed with a brain tumor and was prompted to perform surgery in April 2021. Byrd says that his wife Makita made brain surgery look fun despite the pain and fear. The operation was huge and successful since the doctor was able to remove 95% of the wife’s tumor.

Petri Hawkins Byrd Movies and TV Shows

The following are movies in which he has been involved:

• Tom Hennessy
• Soul Lake, Under The Palm Tree
• American Skin, Sheen Talk
• Inspirit
• Reese’s Pieces

His other projects include Curb Your Enthusiasm, A Deeper Love, Playing Mona Lisa, In the Eyes of a killer, and Saviour of None. Judge Judy is the famous ad popular TV Show on which he has been working.