THE SOPRANOS - SOPRANOS CREATOR TESTIFIES IN COURT

LATEST: THE SOPRANOS creator DAVID CHASE testified in court on Tuesday (18Dec07) against a former judge who claims he gave him ideas for the hit mob show. Robert Bauer alleges he introduced Chase to mafia experts and showed him popular mob locations in 1995, while the show's pilot was in development. The ex-New Jersey municipal court judge claims he refused payment, instead asking Chase to reward him if the show came into fruition. But Chase counters that Bauer was a wannabe screenwriter, and he was doing him a favour. He told the court on Tuesday he has had a keen interest on the mob since childhood. He also insisted he was himself "keenly aware of a 'mob presence' in New Jersey" because he grew up there. The court in Trenton, New Jersey, must decide if Bauer's services should be compensated, and if so, by how much. The case continues.