LOS ANGELES (AP) - Joseph Wapner, who presided over "The People's Court" on TV, has died.
His death was confirmed Sunday afternoon. He was 97.
Wapner was the original judge on the long-running syndicated show, from its inception in 1981 until he stepped down in 1993.
He later hosted two seasons of "Animal Court" in the late 1990s.
Prior to his TV gig, Wapner was a real Los Angeles court judge for 20 years.
