Gregory Ellis Mathis (born April 5, 1960) is a retired Michigan 36th District Court judge turned arbiter of the Daytime Emmy Award–winning, syndicated reality courtroom show, Judge Mathis.
Produced in Chicago, Illinois, his program has been on the air since September 13, 1999 and entered its 20th season beginning on Monday, September 3, 2018.Emanating from the success of his venerable courtroom series, Mathis has also made a name for himself as a prominent leader within the Black American community as a black-culture motivational speaker.
Mathis boasts the longest reign of any African American presiding as a court show judge, beating out Judge Joe Brown whose program lasted 15 seasons.
Mathis is also the second longest serving television arbitrator ever, behind only Judith Sheindlin of Judge Judy by three seasons.
A spiritually inspired play, Been there, Done that, based on his life toured twenty-two cities in the U.S.
in 2002.
In addition, Inner City Miracle, a memoir, was published by Ballantine Books.