India, Sept. 12 -- Judge Judy was known to millions of people for her razor-sharp one-liners. However, one of Judy Sheindlin's most timeless lessons is surprisingly kind. The sentiment comes from the ancient Greek philosophers Epictetus and Zeno of Citium, although Judge Judy popularized it on television.

Across more than 30 years on Judge Judy and Judy Justice, Sheindlin built her reputation by doing something many litigants failed to do: listening before judging.

Now, at 83, as Judy Sheindlin prepares to retire from television and hand over the courtroom to her son Adam Levy's new series, Adam's Law, the quote is especially fitting for her son and the next generation alike.

As per the Stoic philosophy, the physical design of two ears...