Joseph A. Wapner (1919–2017)

Following his retirement as a judge in California, Joseph Wapner gained national fame in the US through the real - life courtroom television show "The People's Court" (1981-1993). "Judge Wapner" conducted binding arbitration through the procedures of a small claims court, presiding over the televised courtroom in a fair and open but no-nonsense manner. Viewers found the court cases entertaining, and gained insight into how such cases are presented, handled, and decided.

During his pre- television career, Joseph Wapner served as a professional judge for 20 years, mainly on the Los Angeles Country Superior Court. This book is a memoir in which Wapner reflects on some of his most memorable court cases, as well as on his life and career.

A View from the Bench is a light and entertaining work. Some of the court cases that Wapner recounts are funny, while others are sad or poignant. On multiple occasions, Wapner reconvened the court procedings at the site of an alleged crime. For example, in the case of two plaintiffs on trial for taking drugs in his apartment, their accuser was a police officer who claimed to have witnessed them "through the keyhole" of their apartment door (on which grounds the officer broke in to arrest them). At the plaintiffs' plea, Wapner reconvened the court at the apartment, and easily determined that the officer could not have witnessed what he claimed (the case was thereby dismissed as being based on illegal entry and dishonest tesimony). In another case, a man was on trial for using a toy pistol to rob a bakery to obtain food for his family. Wapner sentenced the man to only 4 months -- for which he was strongly criticized -- but his judgement was vindicated when the man turned his life around. In some cases, Wapner worked outside of the courtroom to help individuals gain employment after their release from prison.

Through this memoir, we learn about Joseph Wapner's background (he attended Hollywood High School and once dated actress Lana Turner, until she dropped him!); his service in the south Pacific during World War II; and his career as a judge. Interestingly, his opposition to proposals by (California) Governor's Jerry Brown probably cost him the position of appellate judge. Wapner comes across as a highly principled, decent, and humane individual. He decries the increasingly litigious nature of US society, and the loss of connections that have left individuals isolated from friends, family, and social networks. Readers who recall "The People's Court" with fondness will enjoy this memoir, as will anyone who enjoys the drama of the courtroom, from a spectator's perspective.… (meer)