Judge Joseph Wapner of ‘The People’s Court’ Dies at 97

Judge Joseph Wapner, known for his stint on the long-running court TV show ‘The People’s Court,’ has passed away. He was 97 years old.

Judge Joseph Wapner spent 12 years presiding over small claims cases for a television audience on The People’s Court. The show had brought back the TV court genre that had once been popular in the 1950s. Millions of Americans welcomed the retired Los Angeles judge, with his grandfatherly appearance, into their living rooms every weekday. After he left The People’s Court, he followed it up with a similar show, Judge Wapner’s Animal Court.

Joseph Wapner was the California-born son of immigrants — his mother as Russian and his father was from Romania. Wapner graduated from the University of Southern California and then served in World War II before returning home and attending USC Law School. During his time in the United States Army, Wapner earned a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star for his service.

Before he became a TV judge, Judge Wapner spent 18 years with Los Angeles County Superior Court. Two years after he retired, he got the job as the presiding judge for The People’s Court. For twelve years, he settled small claim cases filed by Southern California residents against ex-spouses, neighbors, roommates, and strangers. According to the show’s intro, the plaintiffs and defendants agreed to drop their claims and appear on the show and enter into a binding arbitration.

In 1993, the show’s producers announced that Wapner would not be returning and The People’s Court went on hiatus for four years. In later interviews, Wapner spoke about how hurt he was by the decision. It was clear that he loved his job and loved being a part of the show. For fans of The People’s Court, the feeling was mutual.

"“When ‘The People’s Court’ came along, I had an opportunity to really teach people about law. It was very important to me.” – Judge Joseph Wapner"

After his run on The People’s Court ended, Judge Wapner wrote two books and made a few guest appearances. Two of his most memorable appearances were on The People’s Court, when he returned as a guest judge in place of the show’s regular judge, Judge Marilyn Milian and on The Tonight Show where he presided over a dispute between Johnny Carson and David Letterman about a busted headlight. Wapner ordered Carson to pay Letterman $24.95.

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According to Judge Joseph Wapner’s son, David Wapner, the famous judge died peacefully at home and in his sleep. He had spent time in hospice care after being hospitalized for breathing problems.