Judge Wapner: Case Not Closed

By Caitlin O'toole

07/07/1998 at 12:00 AM EDT

Judge Joseph Wapner, star of the original real-life TV courtroom drama "The People's Court," is back in court to celebrate his old show's 3,000th episode, according to the Associated Press. Wapner, 81, revisited the set of the show to preside over a suit against a sports dealer seeking a refund for a jersey supposedly worn by former Boston Bruins goalie Andy Moog on the grounds that it was a fake. The verdict? You'll have to wait until Nov. 16, when the show airs. Wapner was TV's only judge when he started "The People's Court" in 1981. The trend quickly caught on, paving the way for 10 court shows currently on the air, including Judge Joe Brown, "Judge Judy" Sheindlin and her husband Jerry, who now presides over "The People's Court." Wapner says he's seen snippets of Judge Judy's show, but wouldn't know one TV judge from another because never watches the shows. "I never watched myself," he said. "Why should I watch them?"