Joseph Wapner

People think I'm kind and considerate and that I listen and evaluate and give each party a chance to talk. The public's perception of judges seems to be improving because of what I'm doing, and that makes me happy.

People say, 'I'm only suing for the principle of the thing,' and I reply that I can't give you principle - only money.

I'm not an actor; I'm a judge.

Sometimes I don't even deliberate. I just decide from the bench, it's so obvious. The beautiful part is that I have carte blanche.

I was the only Jew who'd ever been elected, and I don't know when there'll be another.

I realized that a great deal of life is exactly and precisely about being able to feel pain: my own and other people's.

A judge is not a god or a king. He has the last word most of the time, but sometimes, one makes mistakes.

I'm trying to demystify the whole process. Make it simple, make it palatable. I want people to have respect for the law, and I want to educate people on the basics of the law.