Born Judith Clare Boutin on October 13, 1936 to Herbert Boutin and Janice M. Starr in Portland, Oregon. She graduated from St. Mary's Academy in Portland.

Meredith was performing in stock until she was spotted at the Pasadena Playhouse by George Burns, who cast her in several small roles on The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show beginning in 1955.

Through mid-1957, she appeared in small roles on a number of TV shows (including Burns and Allen) billed under her real name of Judi Boutin. Eventually, she assumed the name Judi Meredith, and was cast by Burns in the supporting role of Bonnie Sue McAfee on the Burns and Allen show, becoming a recurring performer on the show in 1957-58. In 1958-59, she appeared in a recurring role as herself (in the role of the girlfriend of Ronnie Burns) on the follow-up series The George Burns Show. 1958 also saw Meredith's film debut, Wild Heritage.

In the 1959-1960 television season, Meredith played Monique Deveraux, a young French woman, in the CBS western series Hotel de Paree. Throughout the 1960s and through early 1970s, Meredith worked steadily, mostly as a guest performer in several American TV series, including Bonanza, 87th Precinct, Wagon Train, Gunsmoke, Laramie, Have Gun – Will Travel, Death Valley Days, Mannix, and Hawaii Five-O. Her last screen credit was a guest appearance on a 1973 episode of Toma, following which she retired from acting and left the public eye.

In 1962, Meredith married Director Gary Nelson with whom she had two sons.