RIP Judge Wapner

[sprite75]

The People's Court judge has gone on to the big courtroom in the sky

Judge Joseph Wapner, of the popular reality television program "The People's Court," died at age 97 on Sunday at his home in Los Angeles, California, according to his son, Los Angeles County Judge Fred Wapner. He died of natural causes.
The famed judge taped more than 2,000 episodes of "The People's Court" during his 12-year tenure on the program, inspiring decades of similar courtroom shows, including "Judge Judy" and "Judge Joe Brown."

Prior to stardom, Wapner graduated with both his undergraduate degree in 1941 and his law degree in 1948 from the University of Southern California, and served in the US Army as a lieutenant. He was awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star for his service in World War II.

"He is a man of the greatest honor and integrity that anybody has ever met, and he certainly passed that down to both of us," said David Miron-Wapner, another of the late judge's two son

[kakihara]

I was actually shocked that he was still alive (until he died, of course). I thought that he had died long ago! I remember being forced to watch peoples court by my grandmother when I was a kid. It was torture. I can still remember the music when the plaintiffs and defendents were coming out, "duh-duh, dunh". 93 is nothing to be sad about though, very few of us will make it that far. rip.