Joseph Wapner
Encyclopedia
Joseph Albert Wapner is a former American
judge
and TV personality of the real-life courtroom-style show The People's Court
, which ran in syndication from 1981 to 1993 for 2,484 episodes.
On The People's Court, Wapner conducted a binding arbitration
which was set up to resemble a small claims court
by pitting parties, without lawyers, against each other. The legacy of the show's high popularity has led to myriad other similar syndicated shows such as Judge Judy
and Judge Joe Brown among others. People's Court returned to the air in 1997 and still runs today.
Five years after The People's Court ended its original run, Wapner starred on cable channel Animal Planet
's Judge Wapner's Animal Court
, presiding over real cases involving or about animals. This lasted from 1998 to 2000. He also made an appearance in the pilot episode of Sliders
, playing himself (as "Commissar
Wapner") in a Parallel Earth
in which the Soviet Union
conquered the United States
; Officer Rusty Burrell and Doug Llewelyn also appeared in the episode. Wapner returned to the People's Court bench for one case in November 2009 to mark his 90th birthday.
Judge Wapner attended Hollywood High School
and dated actress Lana Turner
once while in high school. Wapner is a graduate of the University of Southern California
(1941) and the USC Law School
(1948), serving in World War II
in between. Wapner was awarded the Purple Heart
and the Bronze Star while serving in the South Pacific in Cebu
. He was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army
as a lieutenant.
Appointed by Governor
Pat Brown
to the Los Angeles Municipal Court in 1959, Wapner served 2 years before being elevated to the Los Angeles County Superior Court
, where he served for 18 years before retiring. While serving on the Superior Court bench, Wapner also served as Presiding Judge where he instituted many reforms.
Wapner has been active in Jewish causes, including sitting on the board of a Jewish school.
Wapner has also authored two books, "A View from the Bench" and "Judge Wapner's Guide to Small Claims Court."
On August 9, 2008, Wapner appeared as Judge in a Major League Baseball on Fox Pregame People's Court parody segment called "The Players Court".
On November 12, 2009, Wapner received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame; and on November 13, 2009, in honor of his 90th birthday on November 15, he acted as a guest judge presiding over a case on the current People's Court program.
Wapner lives in Los Angeles, California with his wife, Mickey. He enjoys playing doubles tennis and bridge.
Judge Wapner also served as the national spokesperson for Singer Asset Finance Company, L.L.C., a specialty finance company that purchases future guaranteed payments streams, including lottery, structured settlements and annuities, during 1999-2000, appearing in national television commercials and print ads.
Judge Wapner is also featured on the Judge Wapner Root Beer drink, featuring the slogan "I sentence you to drink my root beer."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
and TV personality of the real-life courtroom-style show The People's Court
The People's Court
The People's Court is a US television court show in which small claims court cases are heard, though what is shown is actually a binding arbitration....
, which ran in syndication from 1981 to 1993 for 2,484 episodes.
On The People's Court, Wapner conducted a binding arbitration
Arbitration
Arbitration, a form of alternative dispute resolution , is a legal technique for the resolution of disputes outside the courts, where the parties to a dispute refer it to one or more persons , by whose decision they agree to be bound...
which was set up to resemble a small claims court
Small claims court
Small-claims courts have limited jurisdiction to hear civil cases between private litigants. Courts authorized to try small claims may also have other judicial functions, and the name by which such a court is known varies by jurisdiction; it may be known as a county or magistrate's court...
by pitting parties, without lawyers, against each other. The legacy of the show's high popularity has led to myriad other similar syndicated shows such as Judge Judy
Judge Judy
Judge Judy is an American court show featuring former family court judge Judith Sheindlin arbitrating over small claims cases in small claims court...
and Judge Joe Brown among others. People's Court returned to the air in 1997 and still runs today.
Five years after The People's Court ended its original run, Wapner starred on cable channel Animal Planet
Animal Planet
Animal Planet is an American cable tv specialty channel that launched on October 1, 1996. It is distributed by Discovery Communications. A high-definition simulcast of the channel launched on September 1, 2007.-History:...
's Judge Wapner's Animal Court
Judge Wapner's Animal Court
Judge Wapner's Animal Court was an American television program in which Judge Joseph Wapner and his bailiff Rusty Burrell preside over real cases involving or about animals. It was shown on the channel Animal Planet between 1998 and 2000....
, presiding over real cases involving or about animals. This lasted from 1998 to 2000. He also made an appearance in the pilot episode of Sliders
Sliders
Sliders is an American science fiction television series. It was broadcast for five seasons, beginning in 1995 and ending in 2000. The series follows a group of travelers as they use a wormhole to "slide" between different parallel universes. The show was created by Robert K. Weiss and Tracy Tormé...
, playing himself (as "Commissar
Political commissar
The political commissar is the supervisory political officer responsible for the political education and organisation, and loyalty to the government of the military...
Wapner") in a Parallel Earth
Multiverse
The multiverse is the hypothetical set of multiple possible universes that together comprise all of reality.Multiverse may also refer to:-In fiction:* Multiverse , the fictional multiverse used by DC Comics...
in which the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
conquered the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
; Officer Rusty Burrell and Doug Llewelyn also appeared in the episode. Wapner returned to the People's Court bench for one case in November 2009 to mark his 90th birthday.
Judge Wapner attended Hollywood High School
Hollywood High School
Hollywood High School is a Los Angeles Unified School District high school located at the intersection of North Highland Avenue and West Sunset Boulevard in the Hollywood district of Los Angeles, California.-History:...
and dated actress Lana Turner
Lana Turner
Lana Turner was an American actress.Discovered and signed to a film contract by MGM at the age of sixteen, Turner first attracted attention in They Won't Forget . She played featured roles, often as the ingenue, in such films as Love Finds Andy Hardy...
once while in high school. Wapner is a graduate of the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
(1941) and the USC Law School
University of Southern California Law School
The University of Southern California Law School , located in Los Angeles, California, is a law school within the University of Southern California...
(1948), serving in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in between. Wapner was awarded the Purple Heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
and the Bronze Star while serving in the South Pacific in Cebu
Cebu
Cebu is a province in the Philippines, consisting of Cebu Island and 167 surrounding islands. It is located to the east of Negros, to the west of Leyte and Bohol islands...
. He was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
as a lieutenant.
Appointed by Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
Pat Brown
Pat Brown
Edmund Gerald "Pat" Brown, Sr. was the 32nd Governor of California, serving from 1959 to 1967, and the father of current Governor of California Jerry Brown.-Background:...
to the Los Angeles Municipal Court in 1959, Wapner served 2 years before being elevated to the Los Angeles County Superior Court
Superior court
In common law systems, a superior court is a court of general competence which typically has unlimited jurisdiction with regard to civil and criminal legal cases...
, where he served for 18 years before retiring. While serving on the Superior Court bench, Wapner also served as Presiding Judge where he instituted many reforms.
Wapner has been active in Jewish causes, including sitting on the board of a Jewish school.
Wapner has also authored two books, "A View from the Bench" and "Judge Wapner's Guide to Small Claims Court."
On August 9, 2008, Wapner appeared as Judge in a Major League Baseball on Fox Pregame People's Court parody segment called "The Players Court".
On November 12, 2009, Wapner received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame; and on November 13, 2009, in honor of his 90th birthday on November 15, he acted as a guest judge presiding over a case on the current People's Court program.
Wapner lives in Los Angeles, California with his wife, Mickey. He enjoys playing doubles tennis and bridge.
Judge Wapner also served as the national spokesperson for Singer Asset Finance Company, L.L.C., a specialty finance company that purchases future guaranteed payments streams, including lottery, structured settlements and annuities, during 1999-2000, appearing in national television commercials and print ads.
Judge Wapner is also featured on the Judge Wapner Root Beer drink, featuring the slogan "I sentence you to drink my root beer."