Wapner was the first judge to preside over the court show "The People's Court." His tenure on the program lasted from 1981 to 1993, making for a grand total of 2,340 half-hour episodes. On the series, he conducted a binding arbitration that was set up to resemble a small claims court by pitting parties, without lawyers, against each other. The legacy of the show's high popularity has led to myriad other similar syndicated courtroom shows, such as "Judge Judy" and "Hot Bench", among others.