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Did you file a restraining order
against him?
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I did.
3
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He came to my house unannounced
and told me that I was fired.
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He called and made threats,
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basically talking about, "I'm-a come
to your house" and everything.
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No, no.
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Play with me,
and I'll show up at your house.
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Yeah, that's a threat.
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This is Judy Justice.
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{\an8}Jeremy DeTorres
is suing his former employer, Chad Young,
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{\an8}for unpaid wages
and filing a false restraining order.
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Court come to order.
All rise!
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Have a seat, please.
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Case 2140.
DeTorres vs. Young.
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- Thank you.
- You're welcome.
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Mr. DeTorres,
according to your complaint,
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you did some work for the defendant
as a plumber.
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Didn't work out
and he terminated you,
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and he owes you some wages.
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Yes, ma'am.
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The defendant says that while
your work in the beginning was OK,
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you were never an employee of his,
you were an independent contractor.
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That's the way he sets it up,
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and he's going to explain that to me.
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That he paid you your wages,
even though the last job that you did
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cost him an awful lot to repair.
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He was not happy with the quality
of work that you did,
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and his counterclaim is for vandalism,
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something that happened with his truck.
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Work hours lost due to your incompetence,
that I'm not gonna hear, sir.
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You know, you make a choice
with an employee,
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and, if it turns out to be something
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that is less than satisfactory,
then you let them go.
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But the one who, I assume,
suffered from what you called
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lack of quality work that he performed,
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was the person that you were working for.
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Was that a private residence,
that he was doing work in?
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Yes. Yeah,
a bunch of private residences.
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Yeah,
that's the person who suffered.
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- Yes.
- Yeah, sure.
41
00:02:00,533 --> 00:02:02,967
OK, so we're gonna make this
as easy as possible.
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From what days to what days did you work?
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{\an8}I worked for Chad from, um,
June 13th to August 3rd.
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And how much were you
supposed to be paid?
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Uh, for those three days, $840.
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- And that's for three days' work.
- Yes, ma'am.
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- Did you say June 13th?
- Yes, ma'am.
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- To August 3rd?
- Correct.
49
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Well, that's more than three days.
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No, no, his wage, he owes me
from August 1st to August 3rd,
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is what he did not pay me for.
52
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OK. And where did you work
during those days?
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Uh, multiple residence.
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OK. Do you have any sort
of a call log from him?
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I do. It's right here.
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OK. Do you dispute that he worked
from August 1st, 2nd, and 3rd?
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- Yes.
- You dispute that he...
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There was one day he actually did one
of my jobs for a couple hours that day.
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- Doesn't matter. He has a log.
- Half a day for one day.
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Did you pay him for that half day?
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I did not because the job was
done incorrectly multiple times.
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But he did that job.
OK, now, do you have a log?
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- Uh, as in...?
- Some sort of a work log.
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You have a business, you have people
who are general contractors.
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You get a call, you don't have a payroll
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because you pay
these people independently.
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- Do you pay them in cash or check?
- Both. I make a withdrawal...
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Well, how did you pay him?
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Sometimes it was through a cashier's
check and sometimes it was cash.
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OK. But never through a company check,
where you deducted Social Security...
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{\an8}No, 'cause I 1099 all my employees,
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{\an8}so they're all self-employed, so they
have to do all that on their own.
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I do understand.
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I mean, you're not the inventor
of this whole system...
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- Yeah, yeah.
- ...sir, of paying in cash.
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OK. Are you one of those
independent contractors?
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- Yes, ma'am.
- Stand up.
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How long have you been
an independent contractor?
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I've been contracting
with Chad since July 5th.
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{\an8}- Of what year?
- Uh, this year, 2022.
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{\an8}- Oh, so short term.
- Yes, ma'am.
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- Does he pay you in check or cash?
- Uh...
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- No, look at me.
- Check at first...
84
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...and then, uh, later on
it became through Venmo,
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and then it was--
it's gone back to check now.
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00:04:06,400 --> 00:04:08,834
- What kind of check?
- Uh, cashier's check.
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Just straight cashier's check,
with nothing taken out.
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No, ma'am.
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No, I go-- I go to my bank
to get all that.
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What?
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00:04:15,233 --> 00:04:17,000
I go to my bank
to get the cashier's checks,
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and sometimes I Venmo him
the payment too.
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I understand what this... sir.
You're not the first person who I know
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- who pays their people in cash...
- Yeah.
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...and says that you're
independent contractors.
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You're independent contractors.
I don't wanna know about it.
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What name do you use
for the cashier's checks?
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My personal name.
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Is this the first time
you've worked for him?
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- Yes.
- OK.
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Let me see what you have
for August 1st, 2nd, and 3rd.
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- Where did you work?
- Um...
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- Come on.
- There were multiple residence, ma'am.
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Well, you have to tell me
so that he can answer.
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He says that you worked half a day
that he didn't pay you for.
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- Yes, ma'am.
- So let's say that's a full day.
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So that's $200.
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OK. He would e-mail it on his work phone
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and I'd follow the addresses there.
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- I would write down my short notes.
- You would have it on your phone.
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Just a second. Then you would have--
then you would have it on your phone.
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It was his company phone.
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He took it back when he came
to my house unannounced
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and told me that I was fired,
redeemed his truck.
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I got my tools out of his vehicle...
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OK. Just a second.
Do you have your phone?
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I do. Not the-- not the--
I have my personal one that...
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What about the phone
that you took from him?
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No, that one's actually broke.
It's been broke for the past week.
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OK. Let me see the notes
that you have that you took.
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Yes, ma'am.
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Fascinating.
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It's my shorthand, ma'am.
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- How do I know what dates these are for?
- It was all on his phone, ma'am.
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Well, that's not him
to have to prove, sir.
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I wasn't able to prove anything
when he took his phone back.
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I just had my--
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that's the notes when I was employed
for him as I wrote down.
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- It's not helpful to me.
- Yes, ma'am.
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So far the only thing
that he's acknowledged
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is that he owes you a day's wages.
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- Yes, ma'am.
- Which is $210.
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The other part of your complaint
is a false restraining order against you.
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Yes, ma'am.
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Did you file
a restraining order against him?
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I did.
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Do you have a copy of what you wrote
in your restraining order?
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- I do.
- I'd like to see it.
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{\an8}So, what got me that restraining order is
he called and made threats.
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{\an8}- Was this after you fired him?
- It was.
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- So after you fired him he called you...
- Made threats.
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Well, what did he say
when he called you?
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Just basically talking about,
"I'm-a come to your house" and everything.
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- He wanted money?
- I guess, yeah.
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- He said, "You didn't pay me"?
- Yeah.
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OK. You say you got a text message
and voicemail from Jeremy,
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"threatening to come
to my place of residence."
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- Yes.
- Can I hear it?
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Yeah. You want me to play it?
Or do you want to look at it?
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- I wanna look at it.
- OK.
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00:06:43,500 --> 00:06:46,333
So, Mr. DeTorres, did you,
after he fired you
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and came to your residence,
to your house,
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{\an8}did you call him threatening
to come to his house?
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{\an8}- I did.
- You did?
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{\an8}With the police, it says it
on these text messages, ma'am.
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{\an8}OK. I'm gonna take his phone
and those text messages.
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It's-- there's more texts.
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That's just the one where he said
he'd show me-- send me my money.
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00:07:07,200 --> 00:07:09,734
That's the voicemail,
if you want me to play it for you.
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Sometimes the transcription doesn't work.
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00:07:12,300 --> 00:07:14,500
- Yeah.
- You want me to play it?
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Just...
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Hey, bro.
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Uh, I definitely worked
more than nine hours
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for the last week
that I worked for you.
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00:07:28,100 --> 00:07:30,900
Um... I'll be contacting my lawyer
____ ____.
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00:07:30,900 --> 00:07:33,800
Play with me and I'll show up
at your house ____ ____.
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00:07:35,667 --> 00:07:37,800
- Yeah, that's a threat.
- With the police.
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00:07:37,800 --> 00:07:39,900
- Just a sec. That's a threat.
- Yes, ma'am.
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00:07:39,900 --> 00:07:42,033
- OK. That's a threat.
- I've had more incidents...
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00:07:42,033 --> 00:07:44,033
I had more incidents before that, as well.
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00:07:44,033 --> 00:07:48,233
May I say something, ma'am? He accused
me of going into his gated community,
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00:07:48,233 --> 00:07:50,934
slashing tires on his work vehicle.
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I stated that I was gonna come
to his house after, if you read my text,
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I said to him "Hey, bro, I think
I misunderstood your text message.
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Uh, if I did, my bad. If not, I'll show up
at your house with the police."
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00:08:04,500 --> 00:08:07,567
I never went to his house, I waited
to see if he'd be the big man
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00:08:07,567 --> 00:08:10,166
and just send me my money
like he said he would.
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00:08:10,166 --> 00:08:12,333
- I listened to the message, sir.
- Yes, ma'am.
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00:08:12,333 --> 00:08:14,066
The message sounded threatening.
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00:08:14,066 --> 00:08:15,633
Did you read the rest of them?
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00:08:15,633 --> 00:08:17,967
I don't care.
That message sounded threatening.
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00:08:20,433 --> 00:08:24,400
{\an8}Where does it say here
that his tires were slashed?
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00:08:24,400 --> 00:08:27,734
{\an8}I... in my mind,
somebody writing that against me,
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00:08:27,734 --> 00:08:30,000
{\an8}"Flatten tires."
What else would it be?
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00:08:30,000 --> 00:08:32,233
{\an8}But you have to understand that
that's not what this says.
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00:08:32,233 --> 00:08:33,834
And later today...
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00:08:33,834 --> 00:08:35,567
{\an8}I was financially struggling...
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00:08:35,567 --> 00:08:37,800
{\an8}Well, you weren't living together
at the time.
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00:08:37,800 --> 00:08:40,100
{\an8}No, she would periodically come over...
191
00:08:40,100 --> 00:08:42,266
{\an8}Yeah, but you
weren't living together at the time.
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00:08:42,266 --> 00:08:45,734
{\an8}So how would she find out
that you were in financial trouble?
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00:08:57,133 --> 00:09:01,667
{\an8}Jeremy DeTorres claims
his former employer, Chad Young,
194
00:09:01,667 --> 00:09:05,567
{\an8}owes for unpaid wages
and filing a false restraining order.
195
00:09:05,567 --> 00:09:08,300
OK. That message alone,
if he felt threatened,
196
00:09:08,300 --> 00:09:09,600
'cause you were gonna come to his house,
197
00:09:09,600 --> 00:09:12,100
and you not only said you were gonna
come to his house
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00:09:12,100 --> 00:09:15,333
but you used an expletive
before you did that...
199
00:09:15,333 --> 00:09:17,967
- And he did.
- ...which sounded threatening.
200
00:09:17,967 --> 00:09:21,333
This may be more benign,
but that... that phone message
201
00:09:21,333 --> 00:09:25,233
was sufficient to him to file
for a protective order against you.
202
00:09:25,233 --> 00:09:28,834
OK. Why didn't he show up
at the protective custody order?
203
00:09:28,834 --> 00:09:31,033
I don't answer your questions.
You don't necessarily...
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00:09:31,033 --> 00:09:32,433
Absolutely, ma'am.
205
00:09:32,433 --> 00:09:36,133
Some people don't pursue it
because once it's done, it's done.
206
00:09:36,133 --> 00:09:38,100
- It wasn't done.
- And, well, once it's done...
207
00:09:38,100 --> 00:09:40,166
This is the dismissal right here.
208
00:09:41,133 --> 00:09:43,233
- Dismissal for the injunction.
- I know, he didn't show up.
209
00:09:43,233 --> 00:09:45,400
- I understand he didn't show up, sir.
- Yes, ma'am.
210
00:09:45,400 --> 00:09:47,467
But I'm saying to you,
I listened to your text message,
211
00:09:47,467 --> 00:09:49,467
and he had an absolute right to seek.
212
00:09:49,467 --> 00:09:51,800
Can you see where he threatened me as well
213
00:09:51,800 --> 00:09:54,667
with all these back-and-forth texts
and calling each other?
214
00:09:54,667 --> 00:09:55,834
'Cause it's in the text messages.
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00:09:55,834 --> 00:10:00,000
You're suing him for money owed for wages
216
00:10:00,000 --> 00:10:02,533
and filing a false restraining order.
217
00:10:02,533 --> 00:10:03,600
OK.
218
00:10:03,600 --> 00:10:06,100
You've proven that you worked
an additional day
219
00:10:06,100 --> 00:10:09,533
for which he didn't pay you,
which is $210.
220
00:10:09,533 --> 00:10:11,033
{\an8}He has a counterclaim.
221
00:10:11,033 --> 00:10:15,300
{\an8}He says that you vandalized
the tires on his car.
222
00:10:15,300 --> 00:10:17,867
The rest of it...
I'm not dealing with, sir.
223
00:10:17,867 --> 00:10:20,100
You picked this employee.
224
00:10:20,100 --> 00:10:22,467
You don't then sue the employee
225
00:10:22,467 --> 00:10:24,066
if you don't like the job that they do.
226
00:10:24,533 --> 00:10:27,300
You fire 'em, and you get
somebody else to do the job.
227
00:10:27,300 --> 00:10:29,967
But you can't sue him because...
228
00:10:29,967 --> 00:10:34,367
Did... did the person
who you did the job for sue you?
229
00:10:34,367 --> 00:10:37,667
No, because I've got a very good
reputation with my customers.
230
00:10:37,667 --> 00:10:39,600
- Because you fixed it.
- Mm-hmm.
231
00:10:39,600 --> 00:10:41,567
'Cause it wasn't done right.
232
00:10:41,567 --> 00:10:42,767
- Yeah.
- OK.
233
00:10:42,767 --> 00:10:45,834
Even up to that last day
I said he worked for me,
234
00:10:45,834 --> 00:10:48,066
that job I had to go
back to two weeks ago.
235
00:10:48,066 --> 00:10:49,633
They couldn't close on the house
because of it.
236
00:10:49,633 --> 00:10:53,100
And next time you won't hire him.
Maybe other people won't either.
237
00:10:53,100 --> 00:10:55,266
But I want you to tell me about the tires.
238
00:10:55,266 --> 00:10:57,200
I want you to tell me,
what proof do you have
239
00:10:57,200 --> 00:10:59,166
that he had anything
to do with your tires?
240
00:10:59,166 --> 00:11:01,200
When were the tires slashed/flattened?
241
00:11:01,200 --> 00:11:05,033
So the police report was, uh,
done Friday when he made the threats.
242
00:11:05,033 --> 00:11:06,600
Friday... what's the date?
243
00:11:06,600 --> 00:11:08,800
Um, I got the date right here.
I think it was...
244
00:11:08,800 --> 00:11:11,967
- August 5th.
- Yes. August 5th is when he did it.
245
00:11:11,967 --> 00:11:13,567
August 5th is when...
246
00:11:13,567 --> 00:11:15,700
{\an8}The police report
was made for the threats.
247
00:11:15,700 --> 00:11:17,200
{\an8}For the threat, for the voicemail?
248
00:11:17,200 --> 00:11:18,266
{\an8}- Yes.
- OK.
249
00:11:18,266 --> 00:11:21,533
So, um, it was end of the day Friday,
so court's closed for the weekend.
250
00:11:21,533 --> 00:11:22,834
- August 5th?
- Yep.
251
00:11:22,834 --> 00:11:27,567
And then, Monday the 8th,
I went outside to go to work.
252
00:11:27,567 --> 00:11:30,700
My tires were, um,
slashed end to end.
253
00:11:30,700 --> 00:11:33,200
At that point,
I realized it was just over and done,
254
00:11:33,200 --> 00:11:36,033
and I needed to go down
and get a restraining order, so he...
255
00:11:36,033 --> 00:11:38,400
people can't come onto my,
you know, my property...
256
00:11:38,400 --> 00:11:41,867
Because you believed
it was the plaintiff who was responsible.
257
00:11:41,867 --> 00:11:43,633
You believed.
You didn't have proof at the time.
258
00:11:43,633 --> 00:11:46,900
Yes. And even in my injunction,
259
00:11:46,900 --> 00:11:50,300
I knew all I needed was this police report
to get the injunction,
260
00:11:50,300 --> 00:11:53,000
- so I just put in my police report...
- You're not talking about an injunction.
261
00:11:53,000 --> 00:11:54,867
You're talking about a restraining order.
262
00:11:54,867 --> 00:11:55,934
Yeah, the restraining order.
263
00:11:55,934 --> 00:11:59,367
Shh!
264
00:11:59,367 --> 00:12:00,500
Yes, ma'am.
265
00:12:00,500 --> 00:12:04,000
So, in my restraining order,
I put just my tires were flat.
266
00:12:04,000 --> 00:12:06,533
I did not put my tires
were slashed at any point,
267
00:12:06,533 --> 00:12:11,200
because I knew that the police report
was enough to get the restraining order.
268
00:12:11,200 --> 00:12:13,633
{\an8}- OK, your tires were flattened.
- So I didn't go in detail about my tires.
269
00:12:13,633 --> 00:12:17,467
{\an8}OK. So, in the police report
you have that your tires were flattened.
270
00:12:17,467 --> 00:12:19,734
No, that wasn't on the police report.
That didn't happen yet.
271
00:12:19,734 --> 00:12:22,066
- The tire incident did not happen yet.
- OK.
272
00:12:22,066 --> 00:12:23,300
That happened Friday.
273
00:12:23,300 --> 00:12:25,934
Monday morning I went, um,
out to my vehicle to go to work.
274
00:12:25,934 --> 00:12:28,133
That's when I found them
flat and slashed.
275
00:12:28,133 --> 00:12:29,900
Did you file another police report?
276
00:12:29,900 --> 00:12:32,667
That's when I went and filed
the restraining order, that day.
277
00:12:32,667 --> 00:12:34,867
- And I have a copy of that restrain...
- And in the application...
278
00:12:34,867 --> 00:12:36,100
...for a restraining order, you said...
279
00:12:36,100 --> 00:12:39,300
- That my tires were flat and that was it.
- Yes. OK.
280
00:12:39,300 --> 00:12:42,667
- I didn't mention that they were slashed.
- Correct.
281
00:12:42,667 --> 00:12:45,333
So, I don't know how he would
know that my tires were slashed
282
00:12:45,333 --> 00:12:47,033
if I didn't mention it
on my restraining order.
283
00:12:47,033 --> 00:12:50,734
I don't know. That's an interesting
question. Mr. DeTorres?
284
00:12:50,734 --> 00:12:52,300
- Mr. DeTorres, stop...
- Yes, ma'am.
285
00:12:52,300 --> 00:12:54,367
Stop your paper fluttering.
286
00:12:54,367 --> 00:12:56,100
- OK.
- What made you think...
287
00:12:56,100 --> 00:13:00,066
that the defendant's tires were slashed,
288
00:13:00,066 --> 00:13:02,266
rather than just the air let out of them?
289
00:13:02,266 --> 00:13:04,433
- 'Cause I read this police report...
- Show me.
290
00:13:04,433 --> 00:13:06,300
...and it has a mark right here saying...
291
00:13:06,300 --> 00:13:09,400
- Or the file that he did.
- Show me. Show me.
292
00:13:09,400 --> 00:13:11,367
- And make a circle.
- Right here.
293
00:13:11,367 --> 00:13:15,166
Damaged property is what I read.
294
00:13:15,166 --> 00:13:18,700
He checked that I damaged his property
'cause this is written against me.
295
00:13:18,700 --> 00:13:22,533
Shh. Mr. DeTorres,
you understand my question, sir?
296
00:13:22,533 --> 00:13:24,767
Yes, ma'am. I'm sorry, I'm nervous,
and the flight, I had no sleep.
297
00:13:24,767 --> 00:13:27,133
This has nothing to do with nerves,
Mr. DeTorres.
298
00:13:27,133 --> 00:13:29,734
You're right.
Well, I had no sleep last night.
299
00:13:29,734 --> 00:13:31,834
That has nothing to do with sleep.
300
00:13:31,834 --> 00:13:33,166
As far as not being...
301
00:13:33,166 --> 00:13:34,700
- Just a second.
- Yes, ma'am.
302
00:13:34,700 --> 00:13:37,900
What I'm asking you, Mr. DeTorres, is,
303
00:13:37,900 --> 00:13:42,066
where does it say here
that his tires were slashed?
304
00:13:42,066 --> 00:13:45,600
I... in my mind, somebody
writing that against me,
305
00:13:45,600 --> 00:13:47,967
"flattened tires,"
what else would it be?
306
00:13:47,967 --> 00:13:49,934
- He lives in a gated community.
- Well, that could be...
307
00:13:49,934 --> 00:13:52,734
Where's the surveillance showing me
that I... the...
308
00:13:52,734 --> 00:13:56,934
My leg injury, the way I walk
is very distinctive, OK?
309
00:13:56,934 --> 00:14:00,367
If he's got proof that I slashed
or flattened his tires...
310
00:14:00,367 --> 00:14:01,433
I said slashed.
311
00:14:01,433 --> 00:14:03,967
It's the same thing as flattened
in my mind.
312
00:14:03,967 --> 00:14:05,166
That's the way I think.
313
00:14:05,166 --> 00:14:07,967
The way I read that, that's just how
it came out of my mouth.
314
00:14:07,967 --> 00:14:11,633
But you have to-- you have to understand
that that's not what this says.
315
00:14:11,633 --> 00:14:13,367
OK. It says that I damaged his property.
316
00:14:13,367 --> 00:14:16,100
He said damaged his property
and you said slashed tires.
317
00:14:16,100 --> 00:14:17,166
OK.
318
00:14:17,166 --> 00:14:18,333
- OK?
- Yes, ma'am.
319
00:14:18,333 --> 00:14:20,500
- How much were the tires?
- $450.
320
00:14:20,500 --> 00:14:22,033
Let me see the receipt.
321
00:14:22,033 --> 00:14:24,100
I do not have a receipt
'cause I paid cash for my tires.
322
00:14:24,100 --> 00:14:26,300
That's too bad.
You better stop paying cash, sir.
323
00:14:26,300 --> 00:14:28,233
- You can pay cash for tires.
- Yeah.
324
00:14:28,233 --> 00:14:32,700
But when you buy tires with cash
and you want to sue for them,
325
00:14:32,700 --> 00:14:34,200
- you get a receipt...
- Yeah.
326
00:14:34,200 --> 00:14:36,600
...from the people. And if you
know you're coming to court...
327
00:14:36,600 --> 00:14:38,934
We're not talking about things
that happened two years ago.
328
00:14:38,934 --> 00:14:40,867
- Yeah.
- You were coming to court today!
329
00:14:40,867 --> 00:14:43,100
I went back to the tire shop,
and he was like,
330
00:14:43,100 --> 00:14:45,500
just, you know, "We always do cash
for all your vehicles."
331
00:14:45,500 --> 00:14:48,433
Well, what. Cash for all your vehicles.
That means you get a receipt.
332
00:14:48,433 --> 00:14:52,033
All right, your counterclaim's dismissed,
because you have no proof of anything.
333
00:14:52,033 --> 00:14:55,867
On the complaint, sir, I'm awarding you
$210, which is one day's pay.
334
00:14:55,867 --> 00:14:57,900
Thank you very much. This case is over.
335
00:14:57,900 --> 00:14:59,633
This court is adjourned.
336
00:15:02,767 --> 00:15:06,800
{\an8}The work just wasn't up to the quality
that he promised he was going to offer.
337
00:15:06,800 --> 00:15:07,800
{\an8}It is what it is.
338
00:15:07,800 --> 00:15:09,700
{\an8}That's just his nature.
That's always been his nature.
339
00:15:09,700 --> 00:15:11,633
{\an8}The judgment is what the judgment is.
340
00:15:11,633 --> 00:15:14,533
{\an8}She felt like I was
only awarded a day's pay,
341
00:15:14,533 --> 00:15:15,767
{\an8}and that's what she gave me.
342
00:15:15,767 --> 00:15:17,567
{\an8}Keep doing what I do.
That's all I can do every day.
343
00:15:18,767 --> 00:15:22,300
Well, Sarah Rose,
that is the perfect example of
344
00:15:22,300 --> 00:15:24,900
you're supposed to have a proof
when you come to court.
345
00:15:24,900 --> 00:15:27,400
Yep. Standard of proof
exists for a reason.
346
00:15:27,400 --> 00:15:31,633
You know, I know that when I go
someplace, and sometimes I pay cash.
347
00:15:31,633 --> 00:15:34,033
So even if you pay cash for something,
or Venmo...
348
00:15:34,033 --> 00:15:35,800
There's some record.
Venmo keeps a record.
349
00:15:35,800 --> 00:15:38,367
...you're supposed to get a receipt
350
00:15:38,367 --> 00:15:41,633
in the event that you want to use
whatever you bought
351
00:15:41,633 --> 00:15:44,467
and use that fact
that you purchased something
352
00:15:44,467 --> 00:15:45,800
in the subsequent lawsuit.
353
00:15:45,800 --> 00:15:47,767
- Yeah.
- It's the same thing as sending a gift.
354
00:15:47,767 --> 00:15:49,500
If you send somebody a gift,
355
00:15:49,500 --> 00:15:52,500
you keep the receipt
until you know that they got the gift.
356
00:15:52,500 --> 00:15:53,633
Yeah.
357
00:15:53,633 --> 00:15:56,400
- Then you take it and you throw it away.
- It's just good bookkeeping.
358
00:15:56,400 --> 00:15:58,400
- It's good record keeping.
- And he's a business guy.
359
00:15:58,400 --> 00:16:01,133
- Yeah, supposedly.
- Didn't-- didn't make sense to me.
360
00:16:01,133 --> 00:16:04,033
But clearly the plaintiff was
somebody who has a little trouble.
361
00:16:04,033 --> 00:16:05,100
Yeah.
362
00:16:05,667 --> 00:16:09,800
Case 2137. Weiss vs. Lipe.
All parties, please step forward.
363
00:16:09,800 --> 00:16:14,367
{\an8}Katelyn Weiss
is suing her ex-boyfriend, Cody Lipe,
364
00:16:14,367 --> 00:16:16,000
{\an8}for unpaid loans.
365
00:16:16,500 --> 00:16:20,834
Ms. Weiss, the defendant was
a boyfriend of yours for a period of time.
366
00:16:20,834 --> 00:16:21,900
Correct.
367
00:16:21,900 --> 00:16:25,667
And you allege a couple of loans,
one from a year and a half ago.
368
00:16:25,667 --> 00:16:27,567
The balance of a $200 loan.
369
00:16:27,567 --> 00:16:29,567
- He paid you back a hundred dollars.
- Yes.
370
00:16:29,567 --> 00:16:33,166
Quite frankly, I'm not interested
in what happened a year and a half ago.
371
00:16:34,800 --> 00:16:36,834
{\an8}What you say is,
"I need time to catch up."
372
00:16:36,834 --> 00:16:38,734
{\an8}It was a verbal conversation.
373
00:16:38,734 --> 00:16:42,734
{\an8}Well, what's in writing it's you saying
to her, "I can make payments to you."
374
00:16:42,734 --> 00:16:44,667
But the thing that
you don't have in writing
375
00:16:44,667 --> 00:16:46,233
{\an8}is where she forgave the loan.
376
00:16:46,233 --> 00:16:47,300
{\an8}Is that right?
377
00:16:58,834 --> 00:17:03,200
{\an8}Katelyn Weiss
claims her ex-boyfriend, Cody Lipe,
378
00:17:03,200 --> 00:17:07,500
{\an8}is refusing to pay back loans
she gave him during their relationship.
379
00:17:07,500 --> 00:17:12,800
OK. In March of this year,
you allege that you gave him money.
380
00:17:12,800 --> 00:17:14,867
He was still your boyfriend
in March of this year. Is that right?
381
00:17:14,867 --> 00:17:15,934
- Yes.
- Is that correct?
382
00:17:15,934 --> 00:17:17,000
That is correct.
383
00:17:17,000 --> 00:17:19,467
And in March of this year,
he had gotten a car.
384
00:17:19,467 --> 00:17:22,233
- What kind of car did you get?
- It was a Buick Regal.
385
00:17:22,700 --> 00:17:26,700
- What year?
- A... 2004, I believe.
386
00:17:26,700 --> 00:17:29,567
- Where did you get it from?
- I got it from a private seller.
387
00:17:29,567 --> 00:17:32,333
- How much did you pay for it?
- $850.
388
00:17:32,333 --> 00:17:34,066
- Needed fixing?
- Yes.
389
00:17:34,066 --> 00:17:37,900
- And you didn't have money for parts.
- I did for the first round of parts.
390
00:17:37,900 --> 00:17:41,300
- But you didn't for the second?
- After the first ones failed, I did not.
391
00:17:41,300 --> 00:17:44,734
- And how much did you need for parts?
- That, I don't remember.
392
00:17:44,734 --> 00:17:47,533
- Who bought them?
- Uh... Ms. Weiss did.
393
00:17:47,533 --> 00:17:50,934
{\an8}- Did she buy them on a credit card?
- I believe so, yes.
394
00:17:50,934 --> 00:17:53,500
{\an8}And you have no idea
what she paid for those parts?
395
00:17:53,500 --> 00:17:54,867
{\an8}I don't remember.
396
00:17:54,867 --> 00:17:58,100
{\an8}But that would be in March of 2022.
397
00:17:58,200 --> 00:17:59,500
{\an8}It would've been in April.
398
00:17:59,500 --> 00:18:01,900
{\an8}Did you pay
for the parts by credit card?
399
00:18:01,900 --> 00:18:03,767
{\an8}Yes. I paid between
Cash App transactions
400
00:18:03,767 --> 00:18:06,467
{\an8}that were transferred to Mr. Lipe through
Cash App, which I have present here.
401
00:18:06,467 --> 00:18:08,300
I'd like to see proof of them.
402
00:18:08,300 --> 00:18:11,600
- What are they total?
- They total up to $920.
403
00:18:11,600 --> 00:18:13,500
Does that sound about right, Mr. Lipe?
404
00:18:14,100 --> 00:18:16,233
- That's about right.
- OK.
405
00:18:16,867 --> 00:18:19,800
And tell me about the discussion
that you had with her
406
00:18:19,800 --> 00:18:21,734
when she paid for these parts.
407
00:18:21,734 --> 00:18:26,667
Um, there was a discussion of how--
how I was going to pay her back.
408
00:18:26,667 --> 00:18:30,133
- And what did you tell her?
- I-I did agree, at that time.
409
00:18:30,133 --> 00:18:31,600
- And then what happened?
- Um...
410
00:18:31,600 --> 00:18:35,033
{\an8}there were then later discussions,
as we were still in a relationship
411
00:18:35,033 --> 00:18:39,200
{\an8}and I was in financial troubles, that,
um, she told me not to worry about it.
412
00:18:39,200 --> 00:18:45,100
This $920 was a loan in April of 2022.
That's what you say.
413
00:18:45,100 --> 00:18:47,233
- It was in April, not March.
- Correct.
414
00:18:47,233 --> 00:18:50,533
And then you say at some point
she forgave that loan.
415
00:18:50,533 --> 00:18:52,633
- Right.
- Tell me when that happened.
416
00:18:52,633 --> 00:18:56,100
{\an8}Um, shortly after the car
got back together,
417
00:18:56,100 --> 00:19:01,300
{\an8}um, which would have been in May.
Um, I was financially struggling...
418
00:19:01,300 --> 00:19:03,934
Well, did you-- you weren't
living together at the time?
419
00:19:03,934 --> 00:19:06,100
No. She would periodically come over...
420
00:19:06,100 --> 00:19:08,600
Yeah, but you weren't
living together at the time,
421
00:19:08,600 --> 00:19:12,300
so how would she find out
that you were in financial trouble?
422
00:19:12,300 --> 00:19:15,266
Uh, I mean, we were
at that state in our relationship
423
00:19:15,266 --> 00:19:18,567
where she knew basically
my financials all the time.
424
00:19:18,567 --> 00:19:20,500
When did the two of you break up?
425
00:19:20,500 --> 00:19:21,700
I believe that was in June.
426
00:19:21,700 --> 00:19:25,166
So, shortly after you say
she forgave the loan.
427
00:19:25,166 --> 00:19:26,233
That is correct.
428
00:19:26,233 --> 00:19:29,133
{\an8}Did you ever forgive this $920 loan?
429
00:19:29,133 --> 00:19:30,200
{\an8}No, I did not.
430
00:19:30,200 --> 00:19:33,100
{\an8}Brendon Black was there the day
that I had confronted Cody at a car meet
431
00:19:33,100 --> 00:19:37,133
{\an8}and had offered him
a short little payment of $790,
432
00:19:37,133 --> 00:19:39,100
{\an8}where Cody said
he would do it in payments.
433
00:19:39,100 --> 00:19:40,567
- That...
- Just a minute.
434
00:19:40,567 --> 00:19:42,767
- You broke up in June.
- Correct.
435
00:19:42,767 --> 00:19:44,433
He says that you had a conversation
436
00:19:44,433 --> 00:19:48,133
before that, sometime in May,
437
00:19:48,133 --> 00:19:50,967
where you knew
he was in financial difficulty.
438
00:19:50,967 --> 00:19:52,834
Did you ever have
that conversation with him?
439
00:19:52,834 --> 00:19:55,567
No, that is incorrect. I do have
statements here to prove it as well.
440
00:19:55,567 --> 00:19:56,934
I'd like to see them.
441
00:20:05,633 --> 00:20:09,266
So, then you said he owed you $970.
442
00:20:09,266 --> 00:20:10,500
He had been giving you some money?
443
00:20:10,500 --> 00:20:11,734
Yes. He had been giving me
a little bit of money.
444
00:20:11,734 --> 00:20:15,367
It says, "So that puts you at 670, OK?"
445
00:20:15,367 --> 00:20:16,633
That's what you wrote.
446
00:20:16,633 --> 00:20:19,667
Correct. He had been
giving me money, periodically,
447
00:20:19,667 --> 00:20:21,333
throughout the beginning,
of the car parts...
448
00:20:21,333 --> 00:20:26,033
OK. But it says,
"So that puts you at 670, OK?"
449
00:20:26,033 --> 00:20:28,934
Yes, there's more transactions
on the Cash Apps as well.
450
00:20:28,934 --> 00:20:31,500
- Oh, after that.
- Yes, correct. Sorry.
451
00:20:31,500 --> 00:20:35,200
No, sir, what you say is,
"I need time to catch up."
452
00:20:35,200 --> 00:20:37,667
There's no forgiving here,
unless you have some...
453
00:20:37,667 --> 00:20:40,100
It was-- it was a verbal conver--
conversation...
454
00:20:40,100 --> 00:20:42,667
- Well, what's in writing...
- ...while she was at my place.
455
00:20:42,667 --> 00:20:44,433
- Right.
- What's in writing...
456
00:20:44,433 --> 00:20:47,333
is you saying to her,
"I need some time to catch up.
457
00:20:47,333 --> 00:20:50,133
I can make payments to you."
All of that is in writing.
458
00:20:50,133 --> 00:20:51,734
But the thing that
you don't have in writing
459
00:20:51,734 --> 00:20:54,467
is where she forgave the loan.
Is that right?
460
00:20:55,367 --> 00:20:56,367
Yeah.
461
00:20:56,367 --> 00:21:00,200
$920. Judgment for the plaintiff.
We're done here. Thank you.
462
00:21:00,200 --> 00:21:01,500
This court is adjourned.
463
00:21:04,166 --> 00:21:06,166
{\an8}- It is what it is.
- I think it was fair.
464
00:21:06,166 --> 00:21:09,633
{\an8}Mr. Lipe did owe me money and...
he got what he deserved.
465
00:21:09,633 --> 00:21:11,033
{\an8}Yes, she lent me the money,
466
00:21:11,033 --> 00:21:13,433
{\an8}but, at the same time, she was
helping me out in a relationship,
467
00:21:13,433 --> 00:21:15,000
{\an8}and she knew I was struggling.
468
00:21:15,000 --> 00:21:17,200
{\an8}He said he was gonna pay me back and
never followed through even after that.
469
00:21:17,200 --> 00:21:20,700
{\an8}There were discussions about
her telling me not to worry about it.
470
00:21:20,700 --> 00:21:22,967
{\an8}- Not to trust so much.
- I'm never gonna do it again.
471
00:21:22,967 --> 00:21:25,700
{\an8}Oh, that's gonna be, um, a contract.
472
00:21:26,967 --> 00:21:28,100
She was very prepared.
473
00:21:28,100 --> 00:21:31,200
Oh, she was. To the point...
knew exactly what she needed...
474
00:21:31,200 --> 00:21:33,400
- And she had all of her evidence.
- Yeah.
475
00:21:33,400 --> 00:21:35,200
- All...
- Just the way we like it.
476
00:21:35,200 --> 00:21:38,900
All lined up. It's unfortunate
when a loan becomes a gift,
477
00:21:38,900 --> 00:21:42,333
and a gift then becomes a loan
when the romance is over.
478
00:21:42,433 --> 00:21:44,166
These writings are always so helpful,
479
00:21:44,166 --> 00:21:47,734
and these text messages
really are making my life much easier.
480
00:21:47,734 --> 00:21:51,066
And one thing that I mention a lot is,
with Cash App or Venmo,
481
00:21:51,066 --> 00:21:54,133
always state if you're paying someone
money, don't just send the money.
482
00:21:54,133 --> 00:21:57,667
Put in the subject line-- they have
a subject line on those for a reason,
483
00:21:57,667 --> 00:21:59,900
"For this car part,"
484
00:21:59,900 --> 00:22:03,467
"for this tow,"
"for this X-Y-Z the other."
485
00:22:03,467 --> 00:22:06,300
So I always, when using Venmo
or Cash App
486
00:22:06,300 --> 00:22:09,000
or something like that,
an online transfer system,
487
00:22:09,000 --> 00:22:11,934
I'll send the money and then,
in the transaction,
488
00:22:11,934 --> 00:22:13,567
you can-- you can put
whatever you want
489
00:22:13,567 --> 00:22:15,266
in the memo line of-- of Venmo.
490
00:22:15,266 --> 00:22:18,767
So, housekeeping for me,
I'll-- I'll pay through that.
491
00:22:18,867 --> 00:22:20,033
Or other-- other things.
492
00:22:20,033 --> 00:22:23,166
I just, I list "housekeeping for,"
and I put the date and the hours.
493
00:22:23,166 --> 00:22:26,367
So, I at least have a record
of who I'm paying electronically.
494
00:22:26,367 --> 00:22:27,633
If you buy food or if you...
495
00:22:27,633 --> 00:22:30,667
Or if I give someone money for dinner,
for half my meal,
496
00:22:30,767 --> 00:22:33,367
I say, "For my dinner on X-Y-Z date."
497
00:22:33,367 --> 00:22:35,400
- Then you can get a printout.
- It keeps the books nice. Exactly.
498
00:22:35,400 --> 00:22:36,867
- Like a bank account.
- Yep.
499
00:22:36,867 --> 00:22:39,266
- Interesting. I didn't know that.
- It just keeps it organized.
500
00:22:39,266 --> 00:22:41,367
So, I love it when litigants
come in ready to go.
501
00:22:41,367 --> 00:22:45,133
Smart. Well, that's good advice for people
who use Venmo, to use the subject line.
502
00:22:45,133 --> 00:22:47,100
- Exactly. It makes our job easier.
- Good.
503
00:22:48,600 --> 00:22:52,734
{\an8}Are you a victim of a scam?
Go to JudyJustice.tv.