About
Judge Faith’s legal career spanned over a decade in New York -- from working as a wall street litigator, to New York family court to the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office where she prosecuted cases. She then became a legal commentator on cable news before taking the bench on her own court show- Judge Faith. She is now at the helm of the longest running court show on TV – Divorce Court – where she helps couples resolve their personal & legal disputes with her tough love approach.
Judge Faith continues to provide legal and social commentary on television. Prior to signing as a legal analyst exclusively with MSNBC, she has appeared regularly on CNN, Fox News, and HLN to analyze the nation’s most high profile cases and legal issues.
During the George Zimmerman trial in Florida, Faith analyzed the trial daily on all three major news networks. She appeared nightly – from jury selection to verdict — on MSNBC’s PoliticsNation to discuss witness testimony and opine on the trial’s overall progress each day.
Judge Faith started her legal career in the New York office of Sidley Austin — one the nation’s most prestigious law firms — where she represented high-profile clients in a diverse array of complex, commercial matters. Her practice included defending class action securities fraud lawsuits, white-collar/regulatory investigations, breach of contract disputes, and other types of high-stakes litigation. After five years as a wall street litigator, Faith joined the Manhattan District Attorney’s office as a criminal prosecutor. As a prosecutor, Faith handled hundreds of Manhattan cases and was the lead attorney in numerous jury trials.
Miss Louisiana
As Miss Louisiana 2000 Faith Jenkins became a distinguished young leader in America. After placing 1st runner up at Miss America 2001, Faith gained a national presence and began traveling extensively addressing important issues facing her community and our nation. She has addressed notable academic institutions, business executives, state agencies, political groups, and student organizations. Faith has served as a positive role model for thousands of young people by telling her personal story of perseverance and determination. During her year of service she spoke to students in some of the most economically depressed areas of the nation, motivating them to overcome life’s obstacles and pursue their dreams. In an effort to reach out to teens most in need of an encouraging word, Faith took her message one step further: juvenile prisons and boot camps where hundreds of young people were confined.
Miss America
Faith not only placed first runner up to Miss America 2001 – she also made history. She remains the only contestant in the pageant’s history to be awarded all three of the following awards: swimsuit, talent (after singing Nancy Wilson's classic "If I Could"), and the coveted “Quality of Life” national community service award for her volunteer work in literacy and education.
Faith remains active in the Miss America Organization and judges state preliminaries every year. To date, her judging experience includes Miss Texas, Miss Mississippi, Miss Washington, Miss Virginia, Miss Maryland, Miss Kentucky, Miss Louisiana, Miss Pennsylvania, Miss New York, and Miss Kansas, among others. Faith has also judged the national Miss America Teen competition in Orlando, Florida.
Background and Education
Originally from Louisiana, Judge Faith graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science from Louisiana Tech University (where she was also the first African-American woman to win the title of Miss Louisiana Tech University) and a J.D. from Southern University law school in Baton Rouge, LA where she ranked #1 in her law class.
Youtube: Judge Faith Jenkins