Greg Mathis. Steve Granitz/FilmMagic
Judge Greg Mathis has been having “the worst days” of his life since his wife, Linda Reese, filed for divorce last month.
The Judge Mathis star, however, is adamant that neglect is his only crime in their marriage — and he didn’t cheat. “Neglect can create suspicion. If you’re gone as much as I am, you have every right to suspect,” Mathis, 64, told TMZ on Friday, August 30. “She would have a right to suspect infidelity.”
He insisted that he wasn’t unfaithful, despite rumors to the contrary. “That’s not the purpose [of the divorce],” Mathis explained. “That’s not the reason for this.”
Us Weekly confirmed on August 22 that Reese, 61, filed for divorce from Mathis after 39 years of marriage. The pair, who wed in June 1985, share four adult children: Jade, 39, Camara, 36, Greg Jr., 35, and Amir, 34.
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Mathis explained on Friday that his career as a TV judge, which includes traveling and being away from his wife, was a main contributor to Reese’s decision to file for divorce. He confessed that his spouse has “been third” on his priority list for years — behind his show and “serving the community” with his work.
“Maybe I’ll be an example for other men. [A] cautionary tale,” Mathis told the outlet, warning, “Don’t neglect your wife. … Never be too busy or never have too much fun beyond your wife.”
Denise Truscello/Getty Images for The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
He explained that once the show began taping in L.A. he was “committed to staying home more” but it didn’t last. “[I was working toward] making my wife a priority, but as you see, I haven’t,” Mathis said, pointing out that he was at the airport to catch another flight. “I’m still here on the road. In terms of going out into another city.”
He noted that the reason his and Reese’s date of separation was listed as July 17 on legal docs is because he was “gone for three weeks.”
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Mathis gained fame on his original series, Judge Mathis, which ran for 24 seasons from 1999 to 2023 before being canceled. His newest syndicated courtroom show, Mathis Court With Judge Mathis, premiered in September 2023.
While he admitted he is “not holding up very well” amid the divorce, Mathis said he hasn’t given up on a reconciliation.
“We’re still in the same place and we’re maintaining a friendship,” Mathis said of his current relationship with Reese. “I’m trying to get my wife back. I have to show her that though. Hopefully, she doesn’t complete the process.”
