Free Republic

Joseph A. Wapner, a California judge who became a widely recognized symbol of tough but fair-minded American jurisprudence during the 12 years he sat on the bench of the syndicated television show “The People’s Court,” died on Sunday at his home in Los Angeles. He was 97. His death was confirmed to The Associated Press by his son David. Judge Wapner had served for 20 years on the California Municipal and Superior Courts before becoming the occasionally irascible, highly watchable star of “The People’s Court,” a daytime series on which real-life plaintiffs and defendants from California small claims courts would...

Wapner debuted on the television series in 1981 and remained on the "The People's Court" for 12 years. He was technically America's first reality television star. Wapner was described as energetic and opinionated. He reviewed thousands of court cases during his career. Before his stint as a TV star, he served as a judge on the LA County Superior Court for 20 years.

SACRAMENTO (AP) - Opponents of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's attempt to change the way legislative districts are drawn are using retired Judge Joseph Wapner, former star of the television program "The People's Court," in commercials attacking the ballot initiative and its corporate supporters. The three television ads, which began running Monday in most of the state, accuse oil and insurance companies, developers and Wal-Mart heirs of contributing heavily to Yes on 77 committees to elect lawmakers who will support their agendas. The ads also contend that Proposition 77 would give too much political power to retired judges. Wapner served 20 years...

Ex-TV Bailiff Rusty Burrell Dies Fri Apr 19, 9:38 PM ET LOS ANGELES (AP) - Rusty Burrell, a retired sheriff's deputy who later served as bailiff on the reality television show "The People's Court," died Monday at his home in Rosemead. He was 76. Burrell, who spent 25 of his 31 years in law enforcement in the court system, was suffering from lung cancer, the Los Angeles Times reported Friday. The white-haired lawman was a real-life bailiff during a number of high profile trials, including cult-killer Charles Manson and Patty Hearst, the newspaper heiress kidnapped by radicals who was later...