Lynn Toler facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lynn Toler
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Toler in November 2006
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| Born |
Lynn Candace Toler
October 25, 1959 Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
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| Education | Harvard University (AB) University of Pennsylvania (JD) |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 2001–present |
| Political party | Republican (until 2016) Independent (2016–present) |
| Spouse(s) |
Eric Mumford
(m. 1989; died 2022) |
| Children | 6 |
Lynn Candace Toler (born October 25, 1959) is an American lawyer, judge, and television personality. She is best known for being the judge on the TV show Divorce Court. She was on the show for 14 seasons, from 2006 to 2020. This makes her the longest-serving judge on that series.
Toler also co-hosted Marriage Boot Camp with Dr. Ish Major. She helped couples as a marriage mentor on the show. She hosted three seasons of Marriage Boot Camp, starting in 2020 and ending in 2022.
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Early Life and Education
Lynn Toler was born in Columbus, Ohio. She went to Columbus School for Girls. After that, she studied English and American Literature at Harvard College. She graduated in 1981.
Later, she earned a law degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1984.
Her Career as a Judge
In 1993, when she was 34, Toler became a judge. She had worked as a lawyer dealing with civil cases. She won her first election by only six votes. She was a Republican in an area that mostly voted for the Democratic Party.
From 1994 to 2000, she was the only judge for the Cleveland Heights Municipal Court. She handled smaller legal issues, traffic tickets, and minor civil lawsuits. Toler was known for giving unique punishments, like asking people to write essays. She also started programs to help and guide people. She was part of several important groups, including those helping with diabetes and mental health. In 2002, she received an award for her humanitarian work.
Between 2001 and 2006, Toler also taught at Ursuline College. She taught classes about civil rights and women's rights.
On Television: From Courtroom to Reality Shows
Her Time on Divorce Court
In 2001, Toler became a judge on a TV show called Power of Attorney. This show was canceled after two seasons.
Toler found much more success on Divorce Court. This is one of the longest-running court shows on television. She started on September 11, 2006, for the show's 24th season. She took over from Judge Mablean Ephriam. Toler became the longest-serving judge on Divorce Court, staying for 14 seasons.
As the judge on Divorce Court, Toler often gave advice and tried to help the couples on the show. She was known for her strong way of speaking to make her points clear.
In 2007, while still on Divorce Court, she also hosted Decision House. This was a show about couples therapy. From 2008 to 2009, Toler was a regular guest on a news show called News and Notes on National Public Radio.
Toler left Divorce Court in March 2020 after 14 years. In an interview in October 2021, she explained why she left. She was not happy with how the show was changing. Production wanted the show to be more funny and less serious. She also mentioned that the show moved from Los Angeles to Atlanta. The new courtroom set was uncomfortable for her. She also had disagreements with the show's team. Even so, she was grateful for the chance to be on the show. After she left, other judges took over.
After Divorce Court
Since February 2020, Toler has hosted the We TV show, Marriage Boot Camp: Reality Stars.
In May 2023, a streaming service called Allblk announced a new show with Toler. She would write and help produce a drama called Judge Me Not. This show is based on her life. It is about a Black female judge who joins a court in Atlanta after winning an election by six votes.
Author and Speaker
Toler has written several books. Her first book is My Mother's Rules: A Practical Guide to Becoming an Emotional Genius. In this book, she shares lessons her mother taught her. These lessons helped her deal with difficult situations and her own feelings. She explains how these rules helped her when dealing with emotional people in court. She also shows how to use these rules in everyday life.
In 2009, her second book, Put it In Writing, was published. She wrote this book with Deborah Hutchison. It includes agreements for common but sometimes awkward situations between family and friends. For example, it has agreements for lending money or when adult children move back home.
Judge Toler also wrote Making Marriage Work and Dear Sonali, Letters to the Daughter I Never had.
Personal Life
Toler lives in Mesa, Arizona. She married Eric Mumford on April 6, 1989. Toler has two sons and four stepsons. On January 4, 2023, Judge Toler shared on social media that Eric Mumford had passed away on December 23, 2022.
Since 2017, Toler has identified as a political Independent. Even though she was once a Republican judge in Ohio, she has given money to candidates from the Democratic Party. This includes Jaime Harrison, Amy McGrath, and President Joe Biden.
See also
- Black conservatism in the United States
