Joseph Wapner, judge who presided over The People's Court, dies at 97

Former LA court judge presided over real cases on TV from 1981 to 1993



A family member said on Sunday Joseph Wapner, who presided over The People’s Court with steady force during the heyday of the reality courtroom show, has died. He was 97.

David Wapner said his father died on Sunday at home in his sleep. His father was hospitalized a week ago with breathing problems, he said, and had been under home hospice care.

The People’s Court was one of the ancestors of the syndicated reality shows of today. Wapner decided real small-claims cases on the show from 1981 to 1993. He auditioned soon after retiring from Los Angeles courts, where he had been a judge for more than 20 years.

His affable, no-nonsense approach attracted many fans, putting the show in the top five in syndication at its peak.

Before auditioning for the show, Wapner had spent more than 20 years on the bench in Los Angeles, first in municipal court and then in superior court. At one time he was presiding judge of the Los Angeles superior court, the largest court in the US. He retired as judge in November 1979, one day after his 60th birthday.

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