Byrd is a native of Brooklyn, New York. He attended John Jay College of Criminal Justice and received his Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice in 1989. While attending college, Byrd worked as a court officer in the Brooklyn Family Court system. In 1986, he was transferred to the Manhattan Family Court system where he worked on a rotating basis with all the judges, including Judge Judy. "I was never bored in her courtroom," muses Byrd. "Her to-the-point style didn't always sit well with the litigants, there were times she was definitely glad to have me around." In 1990 Byrd relocated to San Mateo, California and became a Special Deputy U.S. Marshall.

In 1993, Byrd accepted an offer to work as a student counselor at Monte Vista High School in San Mateo. In 1996, after reading a story in Liz Smith's column about Judge Judy, her new book, and her upcoming television project, Byrd decided to send a letter to the Judge asking if she would be interested in having him serve at her side again. Judge Judy returned his letter with a phone call, accepting his offer. Now Byrd, who still lives in San Mateo with his wife and four children, flies to Los Angeles every other week to serve in the role that launched his career over a decade ago.