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Judge

Sir Lyman Poore Duff, PC, GCMG, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada (1933–1944)
Occupation
Names	Judge, justice, magistrate
Activity sectors	Law Politics
Description
Competencies	Analytical mind, critical thinking, impartiality, commercial sense
Education required	Usually experience as an advocate

A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open court. The judge hears all the witnesses and any other evidence presented by the parties of the case, assesses the credibility and arguments of the parties, and then issues a ruling on the matter at hand based on his or her interpretation of the law and his or her own personal judgment. In some jurisdictions, the judge's powers may be shared with a jury. In inquisitorial systems of criminal investigation, a judge might also be an examining magistrate.

Symbols of office[link]

17th century Spanish judge in full gowns, by Velázquez.

A variety of traditions have become associated with the rank or occupation.

In many parts of the world, judges wear long robes (usually in black or red) and sit on an elevated platform during trials (known as the bench).

In some countries, especially in the Commonwealth of Nations, judges sometimes wear wigs. The long wig often associated with judges is now reserved for ceremonial occasions, although it was part of the standard attire in previous centuries. A short wig resembling but not identical to a barrister's wig would be worn in court. This tradition, however, is being phased out in Britain in non-criminal courts.^[1]

American judges frequently wear black robes. American judges have ceremonial gavels, although American judges have court deputies or bailiffs and "contempt of court" power as their main devices to maintain decorum in the courtroom. However, in some Western states, like California, judges did not always wear robes and instead wore everyday clothing. Today, some members of state supreme courts, such as the Maryland Court of Appeals wear distinct dress.

In Italy both judges and lawyers wear particular black robes.

In the People's Republic of China, judges wore regular street clothes until 1984, when they began to wear military-style uniforms, which were intended to demonstrate authority. These uniforms were replaced in 2000 by black robes similar to those worn in the rest of the world.^{[citation needed]}

In Oman, the judge wears a long stripe (red, green white), while the attorneys wear the black gown.

Titles and forms of address[link]

This unreferenced section requires citations to ensure verifiability.

Asia[link]

Hong Kong[link]

In Hong Kong, judges were addressed, in Cantonese, as Fat Goon Dai Yan (法官大人) before 1997, and as Fat Goon Gok Ha (法官閣下) since 1997. Fat Goon (法官) means "Judge". When trials are conducted in English, another official language of the city-state, magistrates are addressed as 'Sir/Madam', and District Court judges as 'Your Honour'. In the higher courts, namely the Court of First Instance, the Court of Appeal and the Court of Final Appeal, counsel continue to address judges as 'My Lord'/'My Lady' and 'Your Lordship'/'Your Ladyship', following the British tradition.

India[link]

These drawings were taken from life in 1758. 1. Judge of the Hindoo Law, Antoba Crustnagee Pundit. 2. Interpreter, Rhowangee Sewagee. 3. Hindoo Officer, Lellather Chatta Bhutt. 4. Judge of the Mohomedan Law, Cajee Husson. 5. Officer to the Mooremen, Mahmoud Ackram of the Codjee order or priesthood of the cast of Moormens. 6. Haveldar, or summoning Officer, Mahmound Ismael'.

In India, judges of the Supreme Court and the High Courts are addressed as 'Your Lordship'/'My Lord' and 'Your Ladyship'/'My Lady', a tradition directly attributable to England. However a resolution of the Bar Council of India calls upon lawyers not to address the judges as 'lord' or 'lady', questioning the association with nobility within a constitutional democracy. Lawyers however continue to so address judges – partly out of entrenched habit and partly out of fear of falling in disfavour with them. Subordinate court judges (district, magistrate, munsif and sub-judges) are addressed as 'Your Honour'.

Israel[link]

In Israel, judges of all courts are addressed as "Sir/Madam" (אדוני/גבירתי) or "Your Honor" (כבודו/כבודה).

Japan[link]

In Japan, judges are addressed simply as "Saibancho" (Chief judge) or "Saibankan" (Judge)

Malaysia[link]

In Malaysia, judges of the subordinate courts are addressed as "Tuan" or "Puan" (Sir or Madam), or Your Honour, while judges of the superior courts are addressed as "Yang Arif" (lit. "Learned One") or My Lord/Lady and Your Lordship/Ladyship if the proceedings, as they generally are in the superior courts, are in English.

Pakistan[link]

In Pakistan, judges of the Supreme Court and the High Courts are addressed as 'Your Lordship'/'My Lord' and 'Your Ladyship'/'My Lady', a tradition directly attributable to England. There is some resistance to this on religious grounds but more or less continues till this day. In lower courts, judges are addressed as "sir", "madam" or the Urdu equivalent "Janab".

Sri Lanka[link]

In Sri Lanka, judges of all courts are addressed as "Your Honour", however the Chief Justice is addressed as "Your Lordship". Judges of the Supreme Court and the Appeal Court receives the title "The Honourable".^{[citation needed]}

Europe[link]

Bulgaria[link]

In Bulgaria before 1989 during the communist regime judges were addressed as "другарю" ("comrade").^[2] After 1989 - "господин/ госпожо съдия" ("Mr./Mrs. Judge").

France[link]

In France, the presiding judge of a court is addressed as "Mr./Mrs. President" (Monsieur le président/Madame la présidente), whilst associate judges are addressed as "Mr./Mrs. Judge" (Monsieur le juge/Madame le juge).

Germany[link]

In Germany as "Mr./Mrs. Chairman" (Herr Vorsitzender/Frau Vorsitzende).

Ireland[link]

Judges of the Supreme Court or High Court are officially titled "The Honourable Mr/Mrs/Ms/Miss Justice N", referred to for short as "Mr/Mrs/Ms/Miss Justice N" and addressed in Court by their respective titles or styles, as "The Court", or simply "Judge". Some barristers continue occasionally to use the traditional mode of style, "My Lord", but this has been discouraged since 2006. In law reports, the Chief Justice of Ireland has the postnominal "CJ", the President of the High Court the postnominal "P", and all other judges "J", e.g. "Smith J".

Judges of the Circuit Court are titled "His/Her Honour Judge N" and are addressed in Court as "Judge". Before 2006, they were addressed as "My Lord". In law reports, "Judge Smith".

Judges of the District Court are titled "Judge N" and addressed in Court as "Judge". Before 1991 these judges were known as District Justices and addressed as "Your Worship".

Italy[link]

In Italy the presiding judge of a court is addressed as well to as "Mr./Mrs. President of the Court" ("Signor presidente della corte").

Netherlands[link]

In the Netherlands, presiding judges of either sex during trial are addressed edelachtbare ("Your Honor").

Poland[link]

In Poland, presiding judges of either sex during trial are addressed Wysoki Sądzie ("High Judge").

Russia[link]

In Russia as "Your Honor" ("Ваша Честь" trans. "Vasha Chest") - for criminal cases only. For civil and commercial cases the right version is "Respected Court".

Spain[link]

In Spain, magistrates of the Supreme Court, magistrates and judges are addressed to as "Your Lordship" (Su Señoría); however, in formal occasions, magistrates of the Supreme Court are addressed to as "Your Right Honorable Lordship" (Vuestra Señoría Excelentísima or Excelentísimo Señor/Excelentísima Señora); in those solemn occasions, magistrates of lower Courts are addressed as "Your Honorable Lordship" (Vuestra Señoría Ilustrísima or Ilustrísimo Señor/Ilustrísima Señora); simple judges are always called "Your Lordship".

Sweden[link]

In Sweden the presiding judge of a court is normally addressed as (sometimes Mr./Mrs.) Chairman (Herr "Ordförande"/Fru "Ordförande").

United Kingdom[link]

[edit] England and Wales

In the Courts of England and Wales judges of the High Court and Court of Appeal are addressed (when sitting in those courts) as "My Lord" or "My Lady" and referred to as "Your Lordship" or "Your Ladyship".

When a judge of the High Court who is not present is being referred to they are described as "Mr./Mrs. Justice N." In writing, the post-nominal letter "J" is used to denote a Judge (male or female) of the High Court: for example, Smith J.

Judges of the Court of Appeal, also called Lords Justice of Appeal, are referred to as "Lord Justice N" or "Lady Justice N." In writing, Lords Justices of Appeal are afforded the post nominal letters "LJ:" for example, Smith LJ.

Circuit Judges and Recorders are addressed as "Your Honour." Circuit judges are referred to as "His/Her Honour Judge N." In writing, this title may be abbreviated as "HHJ" or "HH Judge," e.g. "HH Judge Smith." district judges and tribunal judges are addressed as "Sir/Madam".

Lay magistrates are sometimes still addressed as "Your Worship" in England, South Africa and Canada, mainly by solicitors, but this practice in other Commonwealth countries is nearly obsolete. Lay magistrates are also addressed as "Sir/Madam."

Masters of the High Court are addressed as "Master".

In the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom, judges are called Justices of the Supreme Court. Those Justices of the Supreme Court who do not hold life peerages are now given the courtesy style "Lord" or "Lady."^[3] Justices of the Supreme Court are addressed as "My Lord/Lady" in court. In the law reports, the Justices of the Supreme Court are usually referred to as "Lord/Lady N", although the Weekly Law Reports appends the post-nominal letters "JSC" (e.g. "Lady Smith JSC"), and the President and Deputy President of the Court are afforded the post-nominal letters PSC and DPSC respectively.

Scotland[link]

In the Courts of Scotland judges in the Court of Session, High Court of Justiciary and Sheriff Courts are all addressed as "My Lord" or "My Lady" and referred to as "Your Lordship" or "Your Ladyship".

Justices of the Peace in Justice of the Peace Courts are addressed and referred to as "Your Honour".

Northern Ireland[link]

The judicial system of Northern Ireland is very similar to that of England and Wales, and superior court judges are addressed the same way as those in England and Wales. However there are a few differences at the lower levels.

In Northern Ireland, the equivalent to a Circuit Judge is a County Court Judge, and they are addressed and titled the same way as a Circuit Judge is in England and Wales. The senior County Court Judges assigned to the County Court Divisions of Belfast and Derry have the titles of Recorder of Belfast and Recorder of Londonderry respectively, but are addressed the same as other County Court Judges. A district judge sitting in the County Court is addressed as "Your Honour".

A District Judge (Magistrates' Court) is addressed as "Your Worship". A Lay Magistrate, in cases where they are present, is also addressed as "Your Worship", and may use the post nominals "LM", e.g. "John Smith LM". ^[4].

North America[link]

Canada[link]

In general, Canadian judges are addressed directly as "Your Honour" or "Justice" and are formally referred to in the third person as "The Honourable Mr. (or Madam) Justice 'Forename Surname'". Less formally, judges of a Superior Court are referred to as "Justice 'Surname'", and it is never appropriate to refer to such a judge as "Judge 'Surname.'" When referred to in a decision of a court, judges' titles are often abbreviated to the suffix "J.", so that Justice Smith will be referred to as Smith J. Judges in some superior courts are addressed as "My Lord" or "My Lady".^[5]

Generally, it is only appropriate to use the term "judge" when speaking of an anonymous or general position, such as "the trial judge," or when referring to a member of an inferior or provincial court such as the Ontario Court of Justice.

Like other members of the Commonwealth, a justice of the peace is addressed as "Your Worship," and a Master of a Superior Court is both addressed and referred to as "Master."

United States[link]

United States Supreme Court Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor

In many states throughout the United States, a judge is addressed as "Your Honor" or "Judge" when presiding over the court. "Judge" may be more commonly used by attorneys and staff, while either may be common with the plaintiff or defendant. Notably, the Superior Court of Los Angeles County, the largest unified trial court in the United States, has a rule that the judge shall be addressed only as "Your Honor", and never as "Judge", "Judge (name)", "ma'am", or "sir".^[6]

The judges of the Supreme Court of the United States, and the judges of the supreme courts of several U.S. states and other countries are called "justices" or "judges of the peace".

The justices of the supreme courts usually hold higher offices than the justice of the peace, a judge who holds police court in some jurisdictions and who typically tries small claims and misdemeanors. However, the state of New York inverts the usual order, with the Supreme Court of the State of New York being the lowest trial court of general jurisdiction, and the Court of Appeals being the highest court. This is a historical artifact from when the superior trial court in common law jurisdictions was called the "supreme court" (which still exists in some jurisdictions, such as Australia).

Consequently, New York trial judges are called "justices", while the judges on the Court of Appeals are "judges". New York judges who deal with guardianships, trusts and estates are uniquely known as "surrogates".

A senior judge, in U.S. practice, is a retired judge who handles selected cases for a governmental entity while in retirement, on a part-time basis.

Subordinate or inferior jurisdiction judges in U.S. legal practice are sometimes called magistrates, although in the federal court of the United States, they are called magistrate judges. Subordinate judges in U.S. legal practice who are appointed on a case-by-case basis, particularly in cases where a great deal of detailed and tedious evidence must be reviewed, are often called "masters" or "special masters" and have authority in a particular case often determined on a case by case basis.

Judges of courts of specialized jurisdiction (such as bankruptcy courts or juvenile courts) were sometimes known officially as "referees," but the use of this title is in decline. Judges sitting in courts of equity in common law systems (such as judges in the equity courts of Delaware) are called "Chancellors".

Individuals with judicial responsibilities who report to an executive branch official, rather than being a part of the judiciary, are often called "administrative law judges" in U.S. practice. They were previously known as hearing examiners. They commonly make initial determinations regarding matters such as workers' compensation, eligibility for government benefits, regulatory matters, and immigration determinations.

Judges who derive their authority from a contractual agreement of the parties to a dispute, rather than a governmental body are called arbitrators. They typically do not receive the honorific forms of address nor do they bear the symbolic trappings of a publicly appointed judge. However, it is now common for many retired judges to serve as arbitrators, and they will often write their names as if they were still judges, with the parenthetical "(Ret.)" for "Retired."

Unlike many civil law countries which have some courts on which panels of judges with nearly equal status composed of both legally trained professional judges and lay judges who lack legal training and are not career judges, the United States legal system (like most Anglo-American legal systems) makes a clear distinction between professional judges and laymen involved in deciding case who are jurors who are part of a jury. Most, but not all U.S. judges have professional credentials as lawyers. Non-lawyer judges in the United States are often elected, and a typically either justices of the peace or part-time judges in rural limited jurisdiction courts. A non-lawyer judge typically has the same rights and responsibilities as a lawyer who is a judge holding the same office, and is addressed in the same manner.

Oceania[link]

Australia[link]

In Australia since 2007 magistrates and judges of all jurisdictions including the High Court of Australia are now referred to as "Your Honour" or "His Honour Mr Justice Forename Surname". Judges of the Supreme Court are called "Justice". Like other common law jurisdictions, when referred to in court judgments as Surname J. Judges in the New South Wales Court of Appeal are referred to as Justices of the Appeal (abbreviated Surname JA).

New Zealand[link]

In New Zealand, judges of the High Court and above are referred to as "His/Her Honour Justice Surname" in speech, and "Surname J" in writing. Judges of the District Court and the other statutory courts are referred to as "His/Her Honour Judge Surname" in speech, and "Surname DCJ" or "Judge Surname" in writing. The "Mr" of the title "Mr Justice" was dropped on the appointment of Cartwright J to the High Court. In Court, all judges are addressed as "Your Honour", or "Sir/Madam".

South America[link]

Brazil[link]

In Brazil, judges are simply called "juiz" or "juíza" (male and female forms of "judge") and traditionally addressed to as "Vossa Excelência" (lit. "Your Excellency", translated as "Your Honor") or "Meritíssimo" (lit. "Honorable", but it is used as a pronoun also translated as "Your Honor"). Judges that are part of a pannel in a State Court, or Federal Court are called "desembargadores". Judges sitting in the higher courts (Supremo Tribunal Federal, Superior Tribunal de Justiça, Tribunal Superior do Trabalho and Tribunal Superior Eleitoral) are called "ministro" or "ministra" (male and female forms of "minister") and also referred to as "Vossa Excelência".

International courts[link]

Judges at the International Court of Justice

At the International Court of Justice, judges may be addressed by the titles they received in their countries of origin.

Judges of the International Criminal Court are referred to as "judge."

Other[link]

Biblical Judges[link]

The Biblical Book of Judges revolves around a succession of leaders who were known as "Judges" (Hebrew shoftim שופטים) but who - aside from their judicial function - were also tribal war leaders, leading in war against threatening enemies. The same word is, however, used in contemporary Israel to denote judges whose function and authority is similar to that in other modern countries.

See also[link]

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Judges

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Judges

• Adjudicator
• Barrister
• Court dress
• Election judge
• Judicial deference
• Judiciary
• Lawyer
• Lay judge
• List of jurists
• Magistrate
• Prosecutor
• Public defender
• Solicitor

References[link]

External links[link]

Look up judge in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• State of California Commission of Judicial Performance

Europe
M.E.D.E.L European association of judges and public prosecutors.

• CEPEJ European commission for the efficiency of justice.
• CCJE European consultative council of judges.
• How sentencing works: You be the Judge
• Directgov Crown Court - what it does (Directgov, England and Wales)

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (February 2011)

Jeanine Ferris Pirro (born June 2, 1951) is a former prosecutor, judge, and elected official from the state of New York, who is currently a legal analyst and television personality. A Republican from Westchester County, Pirro served as a county court judge before serving as the elected District Attorney of Westchester County for 12 years. As a district attorney she gained considerable visibility, especially in cases regarding domestic abuse and crimes against the elderly. She was the first female judge on the Westchester County Court bench.

Pirro was the Republican nominee for New York State Attorney General in 2006, losing to Democrat Andrew Cuomo (a fellow Albany Law alumnus). She also held the nominations of the New York Conservative and Independence Parties. She previously sought the nominations of her party for the offices of New York State Lieutenant Governor and United States Senator and withdrew her name in each case. She was a regular contributor to The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet. She is currently contributing to Today, Fox NY Good Day New York, is a Fox News legal analyst appearing on various shows, and has guest hosted shows such as Larry King Live, The Joy Behar Show and Geraldo at Large. She is a frequent guest on Fox's late-night satire show Red Eye w/ Greg Gutfeld, and also currently hosts a television program entitled Judge Jeanine Pirro. In May 2010, the show received its first Emmy nomination. Pirro is also the host of Fox News Channel's Justice with Judge Jeanine which premiered in January 2011. In 2011, Judge Pirro received the daytime Emmy Award for her TV court show "Judge Pirro."

Biography[link]

Early life[link]

Pirro was born in Elmira, New York, to Nasser "Leo" and Esther Ferris. Her father was a mobile-home salesman; her mother, a department-store model. She is a Catholic of Lebanese descent.^[1]

She graduated from Notre Dame High School in three years rather than the usual four.^[2] She then graduated from the University at Buffalo. She received her J.D. degree at Albany Law School in 1975.

Marriage[link]

Jeanine Ferris married Albert Pirro in 1975. She was reported as being separated from her husband in a December 6, 2009 article in The New York Times.^[3]

Westchester County positions[link]

In 1978, Pirro became an assistant district attorney in Westchester County.

In 1986, GOP gubernatorial candidate Andrew O’Rourke selected Pirro to be his running mate in the campaign. Allegations surfaced about her husband's business dealings and his refusal to release information about his financial life. Pirro pulled out of the race and journalists later revealed her husband’s alleged ties to organized crime.

In 1989, she became a judge on the Westchester County Court, the first female to hold such a position.

In 1993, Pirro was elected district attorney of Westchester County, again the first female to hold that position.^[4] She was re-elected in 1997 and 2001. Prosecuting murder, rape, domestic violence, and other cases, Pirro achieved considerable fame and media visibility, appearing on television programs such as Larry King Live and Nightline. People magazine named her as one of its 50 Most Beautiful People in 1997.^[5]

In 1997 she chaired the New York State Commission on Domestic Violence Fatalities, whose report and recommendations resulted in legislation passing that enhanced protections of, and safeguards for, the victims of domestic abuse.

On May 23, 2005 Pirro announced that she would not seek re-election as Westchester Country District Attorney.^[6]

During her time in Westchester, it has been confirmed that Pirro met with Douglas Durst in regards to the 1982 disappearance of his sister in law, Kathie Durst. It has been speculated that this meeting put a stop to the reinvigorated search for Kathie and investigation into her death, which was largely thought to be at the hands of Robert Durst, Kathie's husband and Douglas' brother. This meeting was said to be mutually beneficial for Pirro's political and media career as well as for the Durst Corporation.

2006 U.S. Senate campaign[link]

On August 10, 2005 in New York City, Pirro announced that she would seek the Republican nomination to challenge first-term incumbent Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, a Democrat, in the 2006 election for U.S. Senator from New York.

Other Republicans who announced campaigns for the nomination were John Spencer, a former mayor of Yonkers, William Brenner, an attorney in Sullivan County, and attorney Edward Cox, the son-in-law of former President Richard Nixon.

During an appearance at the Crime Victims Resource Center, Pirro described herself this way: "I am red on fiscal policy. I am conservative and I support the Bush tax cut." She added, however: "I have broad blue stripes when it comes to social issues... I am a woman who is a moderate in New York." ^[7]

Republican Governor George Pataki's endorsement of Pirro caused Cox to withdraw from the race,^[8] leaving Pirro as the likely nominee. On December 21, 2005, after continuing pressure from party chiefs, a lagging fundraising effort, and polls showing she would be defeated by Clinton (a Quinnipiac University poll found Pirro would lose to Clinton 62 percent to 30 percent), Jeanine Pirro dropped out of the Senate race just two months after she started her campaign. "I have decided that my law enforcement background better qualifies me for a race for New York State attorney general than a race for the United States Senate," she said in a statement.^[9]

Donors to the political campaigns of Jeanine Pirro have included designer Tommy Hilfiger (also a native of Elmira), Donald Trump and numerous contractors and real estate executives who have done business with her husband.^{[citation needed]}

2006 State Attorney General campaign[link]

On May 31, 2006, Pirro, unopposed for the GOP nomination, became the party's official candidate by acclamation at the GOP convention.^[10] However, in the general election, Pirro lost to the Democratic nominee, former Clinton Housing and Urban Development Secretary Andrew Cuomo.^[11]

Judge Jeanine Pirro on The CW[link]

On May 5, 2008, The CW announced that Pirro would host a weekday television show to be named Judge Jeanine Pirro, part of the network's CW Daytime lineup and that features two episodes airing daily. The show is distributed by Warner Bros. Domestic Television and is by default carried by all CW affiliates.^[12]

Judge Jeanine Pirro has been cleared for a second season beginning in fall 2009. Unlike its first season, the second season launching fall 2009 was not exclusive to CW affiliates.^[13]

References[link]

Sources and further reading[link]

• Healy, Patrick D. "Democrats Push Rival to Repay Security Costs." New York Times. August 3, 2005.
• Kovaleski, Serge F. "In Sex Arrests Hailed by Pirro, Little Jail Time." New York Times. October 13, 2006.
• "Pirro Takes Aim at Clinton's Job". Newsday, August 9, 2005.

External links[link]

• The Jeanine Machine A frank biography by S. Richard Blassberg
• New York Elections, informedandenfranchised.com
• Westchester County District Attorney's Office official website As of January 2006^[update], Janet DiFiore holds this office.
• Jeanine Pirro for Attorney General official website
• Jeanine Pirro official website

Simon Cowell
Cowell at the National Television Awards at the Royal Albert Hall, London, October 2006.
Background information
Birth name	Simon Phillip Cowell
Born	(1959-10-07) 7 October 1959 (age 52) Lambeth, London, England
Origin	Elstree, Hertfordshire, England
Occupations	A&R executive, television producer, entrepreneur, television personality
Years active	1979–present
Labels	EMI, E&S Music, Fanfare Records, BMG, S Records, Sony Music Entertainment, Syco
Associated acts	Westlife, Sinitta, Leon Jackson, Jai McDowall, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Curiosity Killed the Cat, Sonia, Five, Robson & Jerome, Ultimate Kaos, WWF Wrestlers, Zig and Zag, Leona Lewis, Alexandra Burke, Joe McElderry, Shayne Ward, Il Divo, Susan Boyle, Paul Potts, JLS, One Direction, Melanie Amaro

Simon Phillip Cowell (born 7 October 1959) is an English A&R executive, television producer, entrepreneur, and television personality. He is known in the United Kingdom and United States for his role as a talent judge on TV shows such as Pop Idol, The X Factor, Britain's Got Talent and American Idol. He is also the owner of the television production and music publishing house Syco.

As a judge, Cowell is known for his blunt and often controversial criticisms, insults and wisecracks about contestants and their abilities. He is also known for combining activities in both the television and music industries, having promoted singles and records for various artists, including television personalities. He was most recently featured on the fifth series of Britain's Got Talent and the first season of The X Factor USA.

In 2010, the British magazine New Statesman listed Cowell at number 41 in a list of "The World's 50 Most Influential Figures 2010".^[1]

Early life[link]

Cowell was born in Lambeth, London^[2] and brought up in Elstree, Hertfordshire.^[3] His mother, Julie Brett (née Josie Dalglish), is a former ballet dancer and socialite, and his father, Eric Selig Phillip Cowell (1918–1999),^[2] was an estate agent developer and music industry executive.^[4] Cowell's father was from a mostly Jewish family, though he did not discuss his background with his children (Cowell's paternal grandmother had immigrated from Poland).^[5] Cowell's mother was from a Christian background, and is of part Scottish descent.^[5][6][7] He has one brother and three half-brothers and a half sister; younger brother Nicholas Cowell, half-brother John Cowell, half-brother Tony Cowell, half-brother Michael Cowell and half sister June Cowell.^[8]

Cowell attended Radlett Preparatory School and the independent Dover College as did his brother, but left after taking GCE O levels. He passed in English Language and Literature and then attended Windsor Technical College where he gained another GCE in Sociology.^[9] At the age of 17, he dated model Paula Hamilton.^[10] Cowell took a few menial jobs—including, according to Tony, working as a runner on Stanley Kubrick's The Shining^[11]—but did not get along well with colleagues and bosses, until his father who was executive at the recording giant EMI Music Publishing, managed to get him a job in the mail room.^[12]

Career[link]

Cowell's father's connections originally got him rehired as the assistant to an A&R man. From there onwards, Simon worked his way up and eventually got promoted to a music publishing^[13] position but left during the early 1980s to form E&S Music with his boss at EMI, Ellis Rich (later Chairman of the Performing Right Society). The company had several hit records at one point with five singles in the UK top 40. The offices were in a converted gentleman's washroom in the NCP car park on Brewer Street in London's Soho district. Cowell left by mutual agreement a few years later. He worked for Iain Burton, manager of choreographer Arlene Phillips, co-founder of dance group Hot Gossip and of nascent independent record label Fanfare Records. Cowell worked with Burton for eight years at Fanfare where he achieved his first real success in the music industry, becoming a partner and building Fanfare into a highly successful 'indie' pop label. Fanfare had numerous top ten hits with various pop artists and particularly Sinitta, selling more than 500,000 copies of her debut single "So Macho", and more than 500,000 copies of her album Rondo Veneziano.^[14] Next in 1984, Cowell and Burton met up with Pete Waterman for the first time.

Mike Stock, Matt Aitken and Pete Waterman formed the songwriting and record producing trio known as Stock Aitken Waterman.^[15] Stock Aitken Waterman helped Fanfare during the second half of the 1980s producing several hit singles for Sinitta and licensing The Hit Factory SAW Compilation Albums to Fanfare. Next in 1989, Fanfare's parent, Public Company, found itself in difficulties, forcing Fanfare into the hands of BMG. An in-debt Cowell was forced to move back in with his parents. Later that year, he became an A&R consultant for BMG. In 1990, he appeared as a contestant on the UK gameshow Sale of the Century.^[16][17]

Subsequently, Cowell signed up a number of acts to S-Records that became successful, including Curiosity Killed the Cat, Sonia, Five, Westlife, Robson & Jerome, and Ultimate Kaos. He also released several novelty recordings featuring the likes of Teletubbies, wrestlers of WWE^[18] Zig and Zag and the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, that were huge successes.^[3] In 2002, Cowell set up another label, Syco Music, which later became part of Columbia Records and Sony BMG Music Entertainment. Artists such as Leona Lewis, Il Divo and contestants from The X Factor and America's Got Talent are released on Syco. Cowell explained, "There has to come a point when I will step down from being on camera and remain behind the scenes because you can't keep doing this forever...I think by [the end of my contract] that the public will be sick to death of me anyway and it will be time to go."^[19]

In 2006, Cowell signed to two more record-breaking deals. In the US, he agreed to remain as a judge on American Idol, earning £20 million (US$33 million) per season for another five years. He also has a deal with FOX which allows his production company to broadcast Got Talent and American Inventor on other networks, but he may not appear on them. In the UK, he signed a "golden handcuffs" deal with ITV, worth approximately £6.5 million a year for three years, which gave ITV rights to his talent show The X Factor, a British singing talent show, and Grease Is the Word, a musical talent show to find the stars of a Grease production in London's West End. In late 2005, he signed a new contract to remain working for Sony BMG.

In 2010, Cowell finalised a deal which secures the long-term business future of Syco with Sony Music Entertainment.^[20] The deal will also see him launching a US version of X Factor on 21 September 2011.^[21]

[edit] Idol franchise and Il Divo

Cowell was given the role of judge on the first series of Pop Idol in the UK by then ITV Controller of Entertainment Claudia Rosencrantz^[22] in 2001, he was then judge on the first season of American Idol in 2002. With his notoriously critical reputation, Cowell is likened to TV personalities such as Judith Sheindlin and Anne Robinson. Though comparable to Robinson, Cowell has expressed his dislike for her and has commented in an interview, "I hate her and I hate her show because it's just an act".^[23] Cowell's prominence grew, fed by his signature phrase, "I don't mean to be rude, but ...", inevitably followed by an unsparingly blunt appraisal of the contestant's talents, personality, or even physical appearance. A lot of these one-liners were the product of coaching that Cowell received from noted publicist Max Clifford.^[24] Cowell also appeared on the one-off World Idol programme in 2003, where it became clear that each country's version of the Idol had attempted to come up with its own "Simon Cowell" type personality. In 2003, Cowell placed No 33 on Channel 4's list of the all-time 100 Worst Britons. Cowell's S Records signed the top two finishers of the first season of Pop Idol, Will Young and Gareth Gates, both of whom went on to have No 1 UK hits. Efforts begun in 2001 materialised in 2004, when Cowell returned to his group manufacturing roots with his latest brainchild, the internationally successful operatic pop group Il Divo,^[25][26] consisting of three opera singers and one pop singer of four different nationalities. Inspired by the success of Il Divo, Simon created a child version, Angelis, beating competition from many similar groups emerging at Christmas 2006.^[27]

On 11 January 2010, Cowell's exit from American Idol was made official. The 2010 season was Cowell's last on the show. It was also announced that FOX had acquired the rights to The X Factor USA, an American version of Cowell's popular British show, The X Factor, which began in September 2011.^[28][29]

[edit] The X Factor

In 2004, with Sharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh, Cowell was a judge on the first series of the British television music competition The X Factor, which he created using his production company, Syco. The X Factor was an instant success with the viewers and began its eighth series in 2011.

Leona Lewis, the winner of the third series of The X Factor, was signed to Cowell's label Syco and has had number one singles and album sales around the world.^[30][31] Cowell returned for a fourth series on 18 August 2007 alongside Osbourne, Walsh and new judge, Dannii Minogue. Walsh had previously been sacked from the judging panel by Cowell for the fourth series, and was subsequently replaced by Brian Friedman, who was a judge on Grease Is the Word. Walsh was later brought back a week into the auditions by Cowell when he and Osbourne realised that they missed Walsh and that without him, there was no chemistry between the judges. Cowell returned for the fifth series in 2008, with Walsh, Minogue and new judge Cheryl Cole, as Osbourne decided to quit before the show began.^[32][33] Cowell returned for series 6 and 7 as well, although series 7 was his to be his last, as he left in 2011 in order to launch The X Factor in America. After placing third in the seventh series of The X Factor in the UK, boyband One Direction signed to Cowell's label in 2011, and the group have gone on to top singles and album charts worldwide.^[34][35]

The X Factor Australia launched in 2005, but was cancelled due to poor ratings. It returned to Australian television for its second season on 30 August 2010, with Kyle Sandilands, Ronan Keating, Guy Sebastian and Natalie Imbruglia as judges.^[36] Season 3 began on 29 August 2010 and ended on 22 November. It featured Ronan Keating, Mel B, Guy Sebastian and Natalie Bassingthwaighte as judges.

Cowell also launched The X Factor USA in September 2011 on American broadcaster Fox. It was originally announced that he would be a judge both on the UK and U.S. editions of the show, which air at similar times of the year,^[20][21] but MTV officially reported on 17 April 2011 that this was not true; Cowell is no longer a judge in the UK version,^[37] but instead will be an enormous presence backstage.^[38] He currently is a judge on The X Factor USA alongside Paula Abdul, L.A. Reid, Nicole Scherzinger and formerly Cheryl Cole.

In October 2010, Cowell signed new three-year deals with ITV for both Britain's Got Talent and The X Factor, renewing both shows until 2013.^[39]

[edit] Got Talent franchise

Following the success of the Idol and X Factor franchises, Cowell, his company Syco, and its business partners developed a talent show format open to performers of any kind, not only singers, but also dancers, instrumentalists, magicians, comedians, novelty acts, and so on. The origins of the Got Talent format can be traced to the British show Opportunity Knocks, which began as a radio programme in the 1940s and later transferred to television, where it was an ITV staple for several decades. Looking further back, Opportunity Knocks had its roots in the variety show traditions of British music hall and American vaudeville.

Cowell is the executive producer of America's Got Talent,^[40] which debuted in June 2006, along with Fremantle producers of the Idol series, but he does not appear on the show due to the terms of his contract with FOX. The show was a huge success for NBC, drawing around 12 million viewers a week, and beating So You Think You Can Dance on FOX (produced by rival and Idol creator Simon Fuller).

Britain's Got Talent^[41] debuted on ITV in June 2007. Cowell appears as a judge alongside Amanda Holden and Piers Morgan. The show was a ratings success and second and third seasons followed in 2008 and 2009. The third series featured a publicity coup when Susan Boyle^[41][42][43] made a global media impact with her regional audition performance comparable to that of any previous talent show series winner.

[edit] American Inventor

On 16 March 2006, Simon Cowell's next competition show, American Inventor,^[44][45] debuted on ABC. Fledgling entrepreneurs from across the United States competed to see who could come up with the best new product concept. The 2006 winner, Janusz Liberkowski,^[46][47] received $1 million and the opportunity to develop his idea into a business. The show returned one more time in 2007 for a second season.

[edit] Celebrity Duets

In 2006, Cowell executive-produced Celebrity Duets,^[48] which was described as "an Idol show for Hollywood superstars." The show was hosted by Wayne Brady, and its judges were Marie Osmond, Little Richard^[49] and David Foster.

[edit] Grease Is the Word

Cowell was also the executive producer of Grease Is the Word for ITV. This show set out to find performers to play Danny and Sandy in the 2007 West End revival of Grease. It was hosted by Zoe Ball and judged by Britons David Ian and Sinitta and Americans David Gest and Brian Friedman. The musical theatre casting concept had already been introduced by the BBC with the ratings hit How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?, but Cowell's show was not the hoped for success. He himself said, "It has been slaughtered by the critics – and rightly so. It is far too similar to our other formats."^[50]

[edit] Rock Rivals

Cowell collaborated with UK production company Shed Media to produce 2008 ITV drama series Rock Rivals, which is based on an X Factor type show.^[51]

[edit] Red or Black?

In 2011, Cowell also created his first game show, titled Red or Black? and hosted by Ant & Dec, for ITV.^[52] Series 1 was broadcast over seven nights in one week (excluding Tuesday), from 3 September to 10 September. The show has been recomissioned by ITV for a second series in 2012, which will be aired weekly.^[53]

Other activities[link]

Cowell has been involved in charity work for many years.^[54] He supports children from The Association Of Children's Hospices and invites them backstage to the screenings of The X Factor.^[55] When he can, he stops by some of the hospices to visit the children.^[55] He also supports animal rights and has appeared in a video for PETA in which he reminds drivers of the cruelty to animals that can occur when their pets are locked in cars in the summer.^[56][57] In view of his charitable works, particularly the production of the charity single Everybody Hurts in aid of victims of the 2010 Haiti earthquake, as well as his services to the music industry, there was considerable media speculation as to whether Cowell would receive a knighthood in the Queen's 2010 Birthday Honours, a proposal allegedly put forward by former Prime Minister, Gordon Brown.^[58] Cowell stated that he believed his chances of receiving the honour were "zero" following what he described as being a "royal row";^[59] ultimately Cowell did not receive an honour in the list.

In December 2003, Cowell published his autobiography titled I Don't Mean to be Rude, but.... In it, he told the whole story of his childhood, his years working in music and experiences on Pop Idol, Pop Stars Rivals, and American Idol, and finally, his tips for being successful as a pop star.

Cowell has appeared as a guest voice in an episode of The Simpsons ("Smart and Smarter"), in which he gets beaten up by Homer Simpson (while criticising Homer's punches).^[60][61] His voice was also heard on an episode of Family Guy ("Lois Kills Stewie"), in which he told Stewie that his singing was so awful that he should be dead.^[62][63][64] He made an MTV Movie Award-winning cameo appearance as himself in Scary Movie 3, where he sits in judgment during a battle rap (and subsequently gets killed by gunfire for criticising the rappers). He also appears in the DVD version of Shrek 2 as a judge in Far Far Away Idol, and also provided the voice.^[65]

He appeared on an episode of Who Wants to be a Millionaire? (the original British version) and Saturday Night Live in 2004. Cowell has also guest-starred (filling in for Regis Philbin) in the popular talk show Live with Regis and Kelly during American Idol's finalist week in early 2006. Cowell was once the fastest "Star in a Reasonably Priced Car" on BBC's motoring show Top Gear, driving a Suzuki Liana around the show's test track in a time of 1:47.1. When Top Gear retired the Liana along with its rankings after the eighth series, Cowell was the eighth fastest overall and the third fastest non-professional driver. On 11 November 2007 Cowell yet again appeared on Top Gear, achieving a time of 1:45.9 thus putting him ahead of Gordon Ramsay and back at the top of the table.^[66] Cowell introduced entertainer Dick Clark at the 2006 Primetime Emmy Awards. He was seen on Comic Relief Does The Apprentice where he donated £25,000 for a fun fair ticket. Cowell has also appeared on the MTV shows Cribs and Punk'd. On Punk'd, Ryan Seacrest and Randy Jackson set him up to believe his $400,000 Rolls Royce was stolen and had caused an accident by using a nearly identical car.^[67]

Cowell was chosen as the first subject of the re-launched This Is Your Life in an episode broadcast on 2 June 2007. He was presented with the Red Book by Sir Trevor McDonald while presenting American Idol.^[68]

On 1 July 2007 Cowell appeared alongside Randy Jackson and Ryan Seacrest as a speaker at the Concert For Diana, held at Wembley Stadium.^[69]

Cowell was a partner in the Royal Ascot Racing Club, a thoroughbred horse racing syndicate which owned the 2005 Epsom Derby winner, Motivator.^[70]

In May 2010, he portrayed himself again, in another episode of The Simpsons, "Judge Me Tender".^[71]

In December 2010, he was added as a new entry to the latest edition of Who's Who.^[72]

Personal life[link]

Cowell became engaged to make up artist Mezhgan Hussainy in February 2010, however the couple separated in 2012.^[73] They met on the set of American Idol.^[74] Cowell is the godfather of pop singer Sinitta's adopted children.^[75]

Upon his appearance on Top Gear, it was revealed that Cowell pays more than £21.7m per year in income tax, suggesting that his taxable income is over £54.25m per year with income tax at the time approximately 40%.^[76][77] (NB: UK Income Tax 40% for earnings over £34,600). Cowell was estimated to have a fortune of £200 million in the Sunday Times Rich List of 2011, making him the sixth richest person in the British music industry.^[78] Cowell splits his time between homes in London and Los Angeles.^[79] He owns a £9million home in Holland Park, West London,^[79] and has a £13.7million ($22 m), 11,550 sq ft (1,073 m²) home in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles.^[80]

In April 2012 he said that he had an affair with fellow The X Factor judge Dannii Minogue during her time on the show.^[73]

Political views[link]

Cowell is a supporter of the Conservative Party. In 2010, Cowell endorsed David Cameron to be Prime Minister and claimed that he has the 'substance and the stomach to navigate us through difficult times'.^[81] In the aftermath of the election, it was reported that he had fallen out with fellow X Factor judge Cheryl Cole (who had declared her support for Labour and Gordon Brown) in a telephone conversation about politics.^[82]

References[link]