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You met online?
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Yes.
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And that's when you asked her for money?
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I didn't borrow it.
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Show me!
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Uh, because she offered to help me
so I kind of got comfortable to ask.
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"Got comfortable to ask"?
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I don't give a rat's behind.
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[narrator]
This is Judy Justice.
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{\an8}♪
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{\an8}[narrator] Joy Peterson is suing
her ex-boyfriend James Stewart
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{\an8}for travel costs and a loan.
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[bailiff]
Court come to order. All rise.
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Have a seat please.
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{\an8}Hello, Judge.
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{\an8}Case 2102.
Peterson versus Stewart.
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{\an8}- Thank you.
- You're welcome.
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[Judy] Mrs. Peterson,
you and Mr. Stewart met online?
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Yes.
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You met Mr. Stewart and according
to your complaint, a romance developed
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and there are two things
that you believe now
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that the romance is over that he owes you.
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One of them is a loan
that you made to him for a $1,000.
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{\an8}Now Mr. Stewart does not deny
that you gave him a $1,000. Correct?
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{\an8}No, ma'am.
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Your defense is that it was a gift.
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- Correct.
- [Judy] And not made as a loan.
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OK.
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On what date did you
and Ms. Peterson start to date?
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Uh... we never dated.
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We actually wasn't--
through no dating site.
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Just uh, somehow coincidence
we came through.
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Did you see her?
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I met her once in person.
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[Judy] When?
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When she paid for a hotel for my birthday.
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Give me the date.
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[James] January 30th.
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- [Judy] Of this year?
- Yes, ma'am.
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So you met for the first
time in January of 2022.
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Tell me about the $1,000.
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If you're playing with your papers
you're not gonna hear where we're going.
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{\an8}- OK.
- The $1,000 at that time I was--
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{\an8}I was--
been struggling with heart disease,
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{\an8}which I--I just got out the hospital
for having a heart surgery last Friday.
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So financially my dealership
was a little bit under the burden,
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so I asked her if she would help me.
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And when did you ask her?
Was that in January?
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No ma'am, that--that's
a couple months later.
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[Judy] All right,
so that would be in March?
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- Yeah.
- And the only time
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that you ever met her was in January?
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I met her once. Other than that,
when she gave me the money.
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Other than that it was just normally
her texting me, "How you doing?
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Do you want to meet up?"
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- [Judy] OK.
- Et cetera.
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- [Judy] So you met personally twice?
- [James] Correct.
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And after January, you didn't see
each other personally just by messages.
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And that's when you asked her for money
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and you were gonna tell me why in March
you asked her for money.
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I understand that you just recently
came out of the hospital,
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and while I'm happy to see
you looking well and healthy
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it's really irrelevant to this case.
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- Yes, ma'am.
- [Judy] OK.
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So why did you ask her for a $1,000?
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Because she offered to help me.
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No, no, no. Nobody offers to help you
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unless they know that you need help.
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Well, it's in writing.
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[Judy] No.
Nobody offers to help you unless...
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Yes, ma'am.
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...you let them know that you need help.
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{\an8}I was kind of life-coaching her.
We both was going back and forth.
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We had an open line of communication
so I kind of got comfortable to ask.
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- So I see what you're saying.
-"Got comfortable to ask"?
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She already gave me money
before that $1,000.
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That's why I was comfortable.
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Just a second.
I'm talking about the loan.
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Mm-hmm.
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[Judy] I want you to tell me,
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since you acknowledged
that she gave you the money.
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Tell me why you needed it.
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Well, I needed it because
I paid for the trip,
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which was $2,180 which she gave me $2,000.
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Plus $160 more for luggage.
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Came to just shy of $2,400.
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I don't understand
what you're talking about.
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Well, she's already came to me
and gave me money
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for us to take this little trip together.
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What does that have to do
with this $1,000?
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That's not what I'm talking about.
Are you--
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Because she was supposed to come
and reimburse some of the money.
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'cause I paid already into the trip.
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So I was asking her for money.
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Am I crazy?
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Did he start to talk about
his business needing money?
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He has a used car business.
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- Yes.
- [Judy] Really?
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Before you come on a program like this
you should really watch
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so that you would know that
one of my favorite sayings is,
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"If you tell the truth
you don't have to have a good memory
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- especially if you're smart."
- Mm-hmm.
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Now, if you're not so smart,
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[chuckles] within three minutes
you tell two different stories.
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That, Mr. Stewart, is a phrase
that you should learn to live by.
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If you tell the truth
you don't need a good memory.
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That's not correct, Your Honor.
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Well, that's only because
you wouldn't know the truth
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because you have had been
introduced to the truth.
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He says, "The $1,000 at that time,
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I was struggling with heart disease
which I just got out of the hospital
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for having a heart surgery last Friday.
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So actually my dealership
is a little bit under the burden.
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- So I asked her if she would help me."
- [Judy] That's right.
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So you remember saying that?
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- [James] Yes, ma'am.
- OK.
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so that's different from,
"She was paying me back."
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You just have to acknowledge
that's different.
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Yes, ma'am.
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OK. And let me tell you
what you swore to in your answer.
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{\an8}"She offered to help me catch up
on my child support."
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On a phone conversation. Yes.
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I just asked you one simple question, sir.
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You acknowledge she gave you a $1,000.
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What was it for?
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So now I have three reasons.
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One, your car dealership
was a little bit of a burden.
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{\an8}Two, she was returning your money to you,
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and three, you were catching up
on your child support.
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Those are the three things
that I have in front of me.
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Yes, ma'am.
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Is it door number one,
door number two or door number three?
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Whichever one you would like, ma'am.
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So, so far it's a $1,000
for the Plaintiff.
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Now whether it was for school
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or whether it was
for your children's support
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she's not responsible
for your children's support.
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You are responsible
for your children's support.
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- Have you ever met his children?
- No.
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[Judy]
She doesn't even know your children?
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- No.
- Do you have a child support order?
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No. She asked me to marry her.
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Just a sec-- I asked you a question.
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- You're not her.
- [James] Yes, ma'am.
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Do you have children? The answer is...?
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- Yes. I have children.
- [Judy] Yes.
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- Yes, ma'am.
- [Judy] Yes.
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♪
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This is not a dance.
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- No. I'm just saying--
- This is not a dance.
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Yes, ma'am.
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[Judy] You lead. I lead.
You lead. I always lead.
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- Yes, ma'am.
- [narrator] Later...
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[Judy] You had some
trouble with your finances
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and you had serious debt.
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What kind of work do you do?
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I am a credit collections agent.
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Not a good thing when you're
a credit collections agent.
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[laughs]
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{\an8}♪
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{\an8}[narrator] Joy Peterson claims
her ex-boyfriend James Stewart
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owes for travel costs and loan.
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Now the children do not live with you.
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They're above age. Yes, ma'am.
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When you swore in your answer
that you had gotten behind
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in your child support order,
what child support order was that?
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{\an8}It's the last child 'cause I got behind
'cause I was out of work.
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So they're above age
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{\an8}but I owe a little arrears.
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{\an8}OK. So that's the child support
that you were behind.
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{\an8}Had you been noticed to come
to court on those arrears?
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I've never been in a contempt.
No, ma'am.
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I've always kept
a good standings with 'em.
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- [Judy] OK, but you're behind now?
- Yes, ma'am.
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[Judy]
You were behind then in March?
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- Yes, ma'am.
- OK.
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And you knew you were behind because...?
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I was on bedrest for five months
due to a knee surgery
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- and some heart issues.
- [Judy] OK.
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Did you request that
your child support order
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that was on arrears only be stayed
while you weren't working?
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I got a new case worker wasn't willing
to work with me at that time so...
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[Judy]
OK, so there was difficult--
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Your caseworker was involved
in this child support order?
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- [James] Yes.
- Uh... that sounds better.
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And the child support order
was in favor of the State?
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I don't owe the State no money.
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I paid all fees off with them.
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I just owed the back child support
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To the mother of the children?
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- Yes.
- [Judy] OK. $1,000.
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{\an8}Now I'm gonna come to you.
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{\an8}According to you, you gave the defendant
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$2,000 to buy travel tickets for you?
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Yes, Your Honor.
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When?
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[Joy]
I gave him money in March.
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At the same time that
you gave him the $1,000?
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No, ma'am.
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That--that was in April.
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Show me proof of that.
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And I wanna see $2,000
taken off from someplace
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for him to pay for these tickets.
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And they were tickets for you to go
from where you live, which is where?
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Springfield, Ohio.
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To Miami?
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[Joy] Yes, ma'am.
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[Judy]
The $2,000 was in March.
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What were you gonna do in March?
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In March, I gave him the $2,000
of purchased tickets.
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'Cause I asked him, "Can you get
discounts for us to go to Miami?"
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'Cause I was gonna have surgery.
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So he told me, "Yes, sure."
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So I gave him the $2,000 for that.
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That's not true.
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Then he said,
"Well, that's gonna be more than that."
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I said,
"Well, that's all I have for the tickets
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for me and my daughters.
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He said he wanted to go.
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So he was planning on going.
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[Judy] Mr. Stewart?
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Yes, ma'am.
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[Judy] On what date did she give you
the $2,000 to buy the tickets?
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It was early March.
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- She contin--
- Yeah, March-- looks like March 25th.
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- She gave you $2,000?
- [James] Yes.
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[Judy] And when were
you supposed to go to Miami?
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We--we were supposed to go
July 4th and she gave--
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OK. Just a sec.
You're supposed to go in July.
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{\an8}So you're talking about four months later?
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{\an8}Yeah, she canceled a trip.
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[Judy] Oh... OK.
When did she cancel the trip?
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Uh, she canceled a trip
about a month later.
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So she canceled trip in April?
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Yeah. And it was a third party.
So it's non-refundable.
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I don't know that at all.
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- [James] Yes, ma'am.
- Now just a second.
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So you're gonna have to show me.
239
00:09:21,266 --> 00:09:22,600
I didn't borrow it.
240
00:09:22,600 --> 00:09:26,100
You borrowed the $1,000.
I didn't say you borrowed this $2,000.
241
00:09:26,100 --> 00:09:28,600
She gave you money for a specific purpose.
242
00:09:28,600 --> 00:09:30,166
- Right? She went--
- Don't speak.
243
00:09:30,266 --> 00:09:32,567
She gave you money for a specific purpose
244
00:09:32,567 --> 00:09:35,000
to purchase airline tickets.
245
00:09:35,100 --> 00:09:35,967
For us.
246
00:09:36,066 --> 00:09:39,266
Which you--
I don't give a rat's behind for who.
247
00:09:39,266 --> 00:09:41,734
She gave you money to purchase...
248
00:09:41,734 --> 00:09:43,433
- As I did
- ...airline tickets.
249
00:09:43,433 --> 00:09:45,467
- As I did.
- This is not a dance.
250
00:09:45,567 --> 00:09:47,734
- No I'm just saying--
- This is not you lead. I lead you.
251
00:09:47,734 --> 00:09:49,166
You lea-- I always lead.
252
00:09:49,266 --> 00:09:50,667
Yes, ma'am. Absolutely.
253
00:09:50,767 --> 00:09:52,266
- [Judy] I always lead.
- [James] Yes, ma'am.
254
00:09:52,266 --> 00:09:56,333
She gave you $2,000 to buy tickets
255
00:09:56,433 --> 00:09:58,066
that you acknowledge.
256
00:09:58,066 --> 00:10:00,066
The trip was canceled
257
00:10:00,066 --> 00:10:02,300
three months before the trip.
258
00:10:02,400 --> 00:10:05,767
Now you say they were
non-refundable tickets.
259
00:10:05,767 --> 00:10:06,734
Yes, ma'am.
260
00:10:06,734 --> 00:10:07,800
Show me!
261
00:10:09,500 --> 00:10:11,667
- [James mumbles]
- [Judy] I just wanna see
262
00:10:11,767 --> 00:10:15,133
where you tried to get either
a refund or a credit.
263
00:10:15,233 --> 00:10:16,667
- Three months-- Ah!
- There's proof that I--
264
00:10:16,767 --> 00:10:18,600
Don't... speak!
265
00:10:18,600 --> 00:10:20,500
- You...
- Mm-hmm.
266
00:10:20,600 --> 00:10:22,100
...have to show me.
267
00:10:22,100 --> 00:10:26,133
Because you just said the tickets
were non-refundable tickets
268
00:10:26,233 --> 00:10:30,066
and "I couldn't either get money back
for them when she canceled it
269
00:10:30,066 --> 00:10:31,433
or a credit."
270
00:10:31,433 --> 00:10:34,934
And I said in all that paperwork,
show me.
271
00:10:34,934 --> 00:10:36,934
It's just public knowledge
on their website.
272
00:10:36,934 --> 00:10:38,400
I apologize. I do not have it.
273
00:10:38,400 --> 00:10:40,266
[Judy] It's not public knowledge
on any website.
274
00:10:40,266 --> 00:10:42,734
Judgment for the Plaintiff
in the amount of $3,000.
275
00:10:42,734 --> 00:10:45,333
$1,000 loan. $2,000 for the tickets.
276
00:10:45,433 --> 00:10:46,967
We are finished here.
Thank you very much.
277
00:10:47,066 --> 00:10:48,000
- Well, Your Honor--
- [Judy] Out!
278
00:10:48,100 --> 00:10:49,166
- [bailiff] This court is adjourned.
- Out!
279
00:10:49,734 --> 00:10:51,266
{\an8}She wanted to go on a vacation.
280
00:10:51,266 --> 00:10:52,433
{\an8}Taking advantage of me.
281
00:10:52,433 --> 00:10:54,100
{\an8}She was being a little aggressive.
282
00:10:54,100 --> 00:10:55,600
{\an8}Don't even look that way. [laughs]
283
00:10:55,600 --> 00:10:57,967
{\an8}Now. Hopefully we could
just move on with our lives.
284
00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:03,233
I think we should print that on cards
to hand out to people as they leave here.
285
00:11:03,333 --> 00:11:06,200
"If you tell the truth,
you don't have to have a good memory."
286
00:11:06,300 --> 00:11:07,667
[laughs] Yeah. That was pretty funny.
287
00:11:07,667 --> 00:11:11,133
That defendant in the first 15 seconds
told three different stories
288
00:11:11,133 --> 00:11:13,000
about the same $1,000.
289
00:11:13,000 --> 00:11:15,834
Reminded me of a toddler
when you ask if they had cookies
290
00:11:15,834 --> 00:11:17,633
and it's all over their mouth
and they say,
291
00:11:17,633 --> 00:11:19,867
"No I didn't have chocolate,
I didn't have candy."
292
00:11:19,967 --> 00:11:22,333
[laughs] 15 seconds.
Three different stories.
293
00:11:22,333 --> 00:11:24,800
- So if you tell the truth--
- You don't need a good memory.
294
00:11:24,800 --> 00:11:25,734
[Sarah] Not at all.
295
00:11:25,834 --> 00:11:28,066
Case 2158, Smith versus Crossley.
296
00:11:28,166 --> 00:11:29,533
All parties, please step forward.
297
00:11:29,633 --> 00:11:34,800
{\an8}[narrator] Justin Smith is suing
his ex-girlfriend Jessica Crossley
298
00:11:34,800 --> 00:11:36,500
for an unpaid loan.
299
00:11:36,500 --> 00:11:38,400
[Judy] Ms. Crossley,
I'm gonna start with you.
300
00:11:38,500 --> 00:11:42,467
You and Mr. Smith were in a romantic
relationship for a period of time?
301
00:11:42,467 --> 00:11:43,834
- Yes.
- [Judy] From when to when?
302
00:11:43,834 --> 00:11:46,166
I wanna say it was about
a year before my son was born.
303
00:11:46,166 --> 00:11:49,467
My son was born February 11th, 2019
304
00:11:49,467 --> 00:11:51,834
and our relationship ended about...
305
00:11:51,834 --> 00:11:54,300
four or five months after he was born.
306
00:11:54,300 --> 00:11:56,800
And after you separated,
according to what I read,
307
00:11:56,800 --> 00:11:58,133
you sort of remained friends?
308
00:11:58,133 --> 00:11:59,467
- Yes.
- [Judy] Great.
309
00:11:59,467 --> 00:12:01,467
You had some trouble with your finances
310
00:12:01,567 --> 00:12:04,567
and you had serious debt.
311
00:12:04,567 --> 00:12:05,900
What kind of work do you do?
312
00:12:05,900 --> 00:12:07,867
I am a credit collections agent.
313
00:12:07,867 --> 00:12:10,433
Not a good thing when you're
a credit collections agent.
314
00:12:10,533 --> 00:12:12,734
And this was after you
had already been separated
315
00:12:12,734 --> 00:12:15,734
for a long period of time
and at some point
316
00:12:15,734 --> 00:12:16,967
what I'm piecing together is,
317
00:12:17,066 --> 00:12:20,800
{\an8}you discussed your financial
circumstances with Mr. Smith.
318
00:12:20,900 --> 00:12:21,800
{\an8}Yes.
319
00:12:21,900 --> 00:12:25,767
And one of your options was
to seek protection in bankruptcy.
320
00:12:25,867 --> 00:12:26,734
Correct.
321
00:12:26,734 --> 00:12:29,467
And Mr. Smith thought that
that was a bad idea?
322
00:12:29,567 --> 00:12:30,433
Yes.
323
00:12:30,533 --> 00:12:34,934
So he suggested that you take out a loan,
consolidate all this debt,
324
00:12:35,033 --> 00:12:39,300
which was on, I assume, on credit cards
with very high interest.
325
00:12:39,400 --> 00:12:42,934
{\an8}And since he had credit,
he would take out the loan
326
00:12:43,033 --> 00:12:45,200
{\an8}and you would pay that loan off
327
00:12:45,200 --> 00:12:48,867
which was manageable every month.
328
00:12:48,867 --> 00:12:50,867
Is that generally what this is about?
329
00:12:50,867 --> 00:12:51,800
- Yes.
- [Judy] Yes.
330
00:12:51,900 --> 00:12:53,033
♪
331
00:12:54,467 --> 00:12:58,300
{\an8}His behavior had started
getting irrational, scary.
332
00:12:58,400 --> 00:13:00,266
{\an8}Started calling me a lot,
333
00:13:00,266 --> 00:13:02,500
{\an8}asking my whereabouts, texting me,
334
00:13:02,600 --> 00:13:05,533
{\an8}driving by my house
on several occasions I saw.
335
00:13:05,633 --> 00:13:08,200
{\an8}I'm still not understanding
why you stopped paying on the loan.
336
00:13:08,300 --> 00:13:09,867
{\an8}♪
337
00:13:13,867 --> 00:13:17,934
♪
338
00:13:20,033 --> 00:13:24,467
{\an8}[narrator] Justin Smith claims
his ex-girlfriend Jessica Crossley
339
00:13:24,467 --> 00:13:27,000
owes for an unpaid loan.
340
00:13:27,100 --> 00:13:30,133
Mr. Smith did take out that loan.
341
00:13:30,133 --> 00:13:31,500
{\an8}Month and year?
342
00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:34,633
{\an8}March of 2022, this year.
343
00:13:34,633 --> 00:13:39,333
[Judy] What were the payments
each month starting in March or April?
344
00:13:39,433 --> 00:13:40,633
Principle and interest.
345
00:13:40,633 --> 00:13:42,767
He had told me that there was $500.
346
00:13:42,767 --> 00:13:44,467
[Judy]
Told you they were $500.
347
00:13:44,467 --> 00:13:45,934
He took out that loan.
348
00:13:45,934 --> 00:13:50,533
And am I correct, Ms. Crossley,
that you paid off your credit card debt?
349
00:13:50,633 --> 00:13:51,633
Yes.
350
00:13:51,633 --> 00:13:54,533
And you paid off your debt
with the loan that he took out?
351
00:13:54,633 --> 00:13:55,500
{\an8}Yes.
352
00:13:55,600 --> 00:13:58,700
{\an8}[Judy] And you did in fact
create a situation
353
00:13:58,800 --> 00:14:00,900
where the money because you were employed,
354
00:14:01,000 --> 00:14:03,567
would come out directly
from your bank account
355
00:14:03,667 --> 00:14:06,567
to go to pay off the loan
to his bank account?
356
00:14:06,667 --> 00:14:07,533
Yes.
357
00:14:07,533 --> 00:14:08,900
[Judy]
And you did that in what month?
358
00:14:09,000 --> 00:14:11,934
That was started,
I believe, at the end of April
359
00:14:12,033 --> 00:14:13,367
or beginning of May.
360
00:14:13,367 --> 00:14:15,433
And how many such payments did you make?
361
00:14:15,533 --> 00:14:19,166
Biweekly payments,
I believe I made about six.
362
00:14:19,166 --> 00:14:22,567
Thereby acknowledging
that this was a loan.
363
00:14:22,667 --> 00:14:25,867
At some point you stopped
making the payments.
364
00:14:25,867 --> 00:14:28,700
What month did you stop
making the payments?
365
00:14:28,700 --> 00:14:30,233
In July of this year.
366
00:14:30,333 --> 00:14:31,433
- [Judy] Why?
- [Jessica] So...
367
00:14:31,533 --> 00:14:33,700
I had started seeing
my current boyfriend.
368
00:14:33,700 --> 00:14:37,533
This is not a social show,
just tell me why.
369
00:14:37,533 --> 00:14:40,066
So I had to take a day off of work
370
00:14:40,166 --> 00:14:42,200
to file for an Order of Protection.
371
00:14:42,200 --> 00:14:44,567
Why did you have to take
a day off from work
372
00:14:44,667 --> 00:14:45,700
to file for an Order of Protection?
373
00:14:45,700 --> 00:14:49,033
Because I was, uh, advised to
by a police officer I spoke to.
374
00:14:49,033 --> 00:14:50,934
- OK. And I assume against him?
- [Jessica] Yes.
375
00:14:51,033 --> 00:14:52,767
[Judy]
OK. Give me the incident.
376
00:14:52,867 --> 00:14:56,200
OK. So in July when I started
seeing my current boyfriend,
377
00:14:56,200 --> 00:14:58,734
Justin had expressed that he wanted us
378
00:14:58,834 --> 00:15:00,600
to get back together
379
00:15:00,600 --> 00:15:04,767
and I had told him no
that was not going to happen.
380
00:15:04,767 --> 00:15:07,166
And then his behavior had started getting
381
00:15:07,266 --> 00:15:09,066
irrational, scary.
382
00:15:09,066 --> 00:15:12,166
started calling me a lot,
asking my whereabouts,
383
00:15:12,266 --> 00:15:15,900
texting me, driving by my house
on several occasions I saw.
384
00:15:15,900 --> 00:15:18,967
And then there was an incident
on July 19th
385
00:15:19,066 --> 00:15:23,100
where I had allowed his mother
to take my son to a play,
386
00:15:23,100 --> 00:15:25,767
um, and she was supposed to
drop him off back to me.
387
00:15:25,767 --> 00:15:28,900
And instead of dropping him back off to me
388
00:15:28,900 --> 00:15:31,567
{\an8}she had dropped him off
with his father at his work.
389
00:15:31,567 --> 00:15:35,667
And then I got a call from Justin
yelling saying, "Where are you?
390
00:15:35,767 --> 00:15:37,066
What are you doing right now?"
391
00:15:37,066 --> 00:15:38,967
And I'm like,
"Well, I'm on my way back home.
392
00:15:39,066 --> 00:15:40,233
Your mom's supposed to drop off Braden."
393
00:15:40,233 --> 00:15:42,333
He's like, "I have Braden,
I'll meet you at your house."
394
00:15:42,433 --> 00:15:43,600
So I said OK.
395
00:15:43,600 --> 00:15:48,133
{\an8}We got to outside my house
and then he pulled up next to me
396
00:15:48,233 --> 00:15:49,734
{\an8}and then started screaming
out of the car like,
397
00:15:49,734 --> 00:15:51,100
"Where were you?
What were you doing?"
398
00:15:51,100 --> 00:15:54,233
I was like, "I was spending time
with Anthony, my boyfriend."
399
00:15:54,233 --> 00:15:55,333
And he's like,
400
00:15:55,433 --> 00:15:59,066
"I'm taking Braden,
I'm not gonna give him back to you.
401
00:15:59,066 --> 00:16:01,233
And my son's crying in the backseat.
402
00:16:01,333 --> 00:16:04,000
And I said, "No, you came back to me.
It is my day to have him."
403
00:16:04,000 --> 00:16:05,667
And he drove away.
404
00:16:05,667 --> 00:16:09,166
He later called me and said
I can meet them at Dairy Queen.
405
00:16:09,166 --> 00:16:10,800
So I met them there.
406
00:16:10,800 --> 00:16:12,800
I got out of the car,
I went up to my son
407
00:16:12,800 --> 00:16:16,066
and as I was getting him in the car,
Justin had walked up to my car
408
00:16:16,166 --> 00:16:18,500
and started yelling and swearing at me.
409
00:16:18,500 --> 00:16:22,467
{\an8}And as me and my son started driving off
he threw a milkshake at my car
410
00:16:22,467 --> 00:16:25,033
{\an8}which scared me and my son very much.
411
00:16:25,133 --> 00:16:26,000
[Judy] OK, good.
412
00:16:26,000 --> 00:16:28,367
And you filed for an
Order of Protection you had a trial
413
00:16:28,467 --> 00:16:29,867
- on the Order of Protection?
- Yes.
414
00:16:29,967 --> 00:16:32,066
[Judy] And the judge dismissed
your Order of Protection?
415
00:16:32,166 --> 00:16:33,667
- Yes.
- [Judy] After the trial?
416
00:16:33,667 --> 00:16:34,700
- Yes, ma'am.
- OK.
417
00:16:34,800 --> 00:16:37,133
I'm still not understanding
why you stopped paying on the loan.
418
00:16:37,133 --> 00:16:39,700
So when I had lost my job...
419
00:16:39,800 --> 00:16:41,133
You lost your job when?
420
00:16:41,133 --> 00:16:43,700
The next day.
The incident happened on the 19th
421
00:16:43,800 --> 00:16:46,667
I had to take the 20th off
to file for the Order of Protection.
422
00:16:46,667 --> 00:16:48,567
The 21st, I was let go.
423
00:16:48,667 --> 00:16:50,567
Oh, that had nothing to do
with you being let go.
424
00:16:50,667 --> 00:16:53,533
Nothing. I just wanna know why
you stopped paying on the loan.
425
00:16:53,633 --> 00:16:55,633
You stopped paying on the loan
because you lost your job.
426
00:16:55,633 --> 00:16:56,734
Are you working now?
427
00:16:56,834 --> 00:16:58,467
Yes. I just started working.
428
00:16:58,467 --> 00:17:00,633
[Judy]
Well, did you start paying him back?
429
00:17:00,734 --> 00:17:02,100
- Uh, no.
- Why?
430
00:17:02,200 --> 00:17:04,900
{\an8}So also in July when all these
incidents happened
431
00:17:04,900 --> 00:17:07,934
{\an8}Justin had stopped paying for daycare,
432
00:17:08,033 --> 00:17:10,767
which was our agreed-upon
child support payment.
433
00:17:10,867 --> 00:17:12,467
We don't have a court order
for child support
434
00:17:12,567 --> 00:17:15,433
but he had been paying all of daycare.
435
00:17:15,533 --> 00:17:17,300
I cover all of his other financial--
436
00:17:17,400 --> 00:17:20,367
So that was an agreement that you had
that he would pay for daycare?
437
00:17:20,367 --> 00:17:21,367
[Jessica] Yes.
438
00:17:21,367 --> 00:17:23,600
[Judy] OK.
And he stopped paying in July?
439
00:17:23,700 --> 00:17:26,100
Yes. He's started only paying
half of daycare.
440
00:17:26,200 --> 00:17:28,533
OK. So well, let's go back.
He started paying for half?
441
00:17:28,533 --> 00:17:29,533
[Jessica] Yes.
442
00:17:29,533 --> 00:17:31,300
How much was he supposed
to pay per month?
443
00:17:31,400 --> 00:17:35,233
$560 would-- was the full amount
of daycare each month.
444
00:17:35,233 --> 00:17:38,800
OK. And he had been paying that in July
he cut it down to...?
445
00:17:38,900 --> 00:17:42,400
To $270, I believe.
446
00:17:42,400 --> 00:17:43,700
- Eighty.
- Eighty.
447
00:17:43,700 --> 00:17:47,633
OK. So he wasn't completely not paying
he was paying part of it.
448
00:17:47,734 --> 00:17:50,533
- [Jessica] Correct.
- Tell me why you cut the payments in half.
449
00:17:50,533 --> 00:17:51,967
Of course, you have
a counterclaim for that.
450
00:17:52,066 --> 00:17:55,633
Yeah. So, um, in July
we started a custody case
451
00:17:55,734 --> 00:17:57,767
for full custody of our son.
452
00:17:57,867 --> 00:18:00,433
You're talking in July.
Who started the custody case?
453
00:18:00,433 --> 00:18:01,467
I did, Your Honor.
454
00:18:01,467 --> 00:18:02,834
[Judy]
OK. Did you retain a lawyer?
455
00:18:02,934 --> 00:18:04,834
- [Justin] I did.
- [Judy] Is that case still ongoing?
456
00:18:04,934 --> 00:18:06,033
- It is.
- [Judy] Well then,
457
00:18:06,133 --> 00:18:08,333
I'm not entertaining anything
about the daycare
458
00:18:08,433 --> 00:18:10,333
because you have that case in family court
459
00:18:10,433 --> 00:18:15,100
the court there will make a determination
as far as future child support
460
00:18:15,100 --> 00:18:17,367
and whether or not this daycare
should have been paid.
461
00:18:17,467 --> 00:18:19,834
So you have no reason
for not paying the loan?
462
00:18:19,934 --> 00:18:22,300
I was planning on filing bankruptcy.
463
00:18:22,300 --> 00:18:24,533
[Judy] OK, but you didn't--
you didn't file for bankruptcy.
464
00:18:24,633 --> 00:18:26,834
You did the smart thing.
How much is left on the loan?
465
00:18:26,934 --> 00:18:30,500
It's in excess of $12 or $11,000.
466
00:18:30,600 --> 00:18:32,633
What interest rate is on
that loan by the way?
467
00:18:32,633 --> 00:18:35,834
Uh, 36% I believe.
468
00:18:35,934 --> 00:18:39,934
Current balance as of
November, 30th, $12,631.
469
00:18:39,934 --> 00:18:43,834
[Judy] How is the 30% loan
better than her credit cards?
470
00:18:43,934 --> 00:18:46,934
She had some loans in excess of 800%.
471
00:18:46,934 --> 00:18:47,934
[Judy] From whom?
472
00:18:47,934 --> 00:18:49,533
Or over 500%.
473
00:18:49,633 --> 00:18:51,033
Uh, these were online lenders.
474
00:18:52,100 --> 00:18:53,667
Oh, wow. OK.
475
00:18:53,767 --> 00:18:56,934
You have a counterclaim,
harassment, daycare costs is out.
476
00:18:56,934 --> 00:19:00,834
Lost wages 'cause you say you had to take
a day off to file a protective order
477
00:19:00,834 --> 00:19:02,100
and you were fired.
478
00:19:02,200 --> 00:19:03,667
Nonsense. Harassment.
479
00:19:03,667 --> 00:19:04,900
Let's hear it.
480
00:19:05,000 --> 00:19:07,100
And don't go back to anything
that you told the judge
481
00:19:07,200 --> 00:19:11,000
during the hearing that you had
where he dismissed your application
482
00:19:11,000 --> 00:19:12,333
for an Order of Protection.
483
00:19:12,333 --> 00:19:14,433
OK, well, that Order of Protection--
484
00:19:14,533 --> 00:19:15,667
- [Judy] OK.
- [Justin] That--that was--
485
00:19:15,667 --> 00:19:16,734
[Judy] Just shh!
486
00:19:16,834 --> 00:19:19,433
Well, if that's the testimony,
it's already been adjudicated.
487
00:19:19,533 --> 00:19:21,734
A judge using the same measure of proof
488
00:19:21,834 --> 00:19:23,867
that I would use dismissed your case.
489
00:19:23,867 --> 00:19:25,834
So I'm not re-litigating that case.
490
00:19:25,834 --> 00:19:28,266
Judgment for the Plaintiff
in the amount of $10,000.
491
00:19:28,367 --> 00:19:29,734
- Thank you.
- Thank you, Your Honor.
492
00:19:29,834 --> 00:19:30,700
[bailiff]
This court is adjourned.
493
00:19:30,700 --> 00:19:33,600
{\an8}Well, I believe he was angry that
I started a relationship with somebody.
494
00:19:33,700 --> 00:19:36,100
{\an8}I think the restraining order
was part of her defense
495
00:19:36,200 --> 00:19:37,934
{\an8}as to why she didn't want
to pay me back anymore.
496
00:19:38,033 --> 00:19:41,600
{\an8}I was ready to file bankruptcy
and he had offered to take it out for me.
497
00:19:41,700 --> 00:19:43,900
{\an8}You know, at the end of the day, um,
498
00:19:44,000 --> 00:19:47,500
{\an8}the--the loan is still agreed upon
and still needs to be repaid.
499
00:19:48,567 --> 00:19:50,734
I think that that's a good lesson
500
00:19:50,834 --> 00:19:53,667
that you can't use the court systems
and restraining orders
501
00:19:53,667 --> 00:19:56,900
to get out of a loan
that you have really no excuse
502
00:19:57,000 --> 00:19:58,934
for not paying except for
you lost your job.
503
00:19:59,033 --> 00:20:00,900
And I just think it's tricky.
504
00:20:01,000 --> 00:20:02,667
I think that a lot of
defendants come in here
505
00:20:02,667 --> 00:20:04,433
and think that they can just say,
506
00:20:04,533 --> 00:20:06,834
"I didn't have the money
and so I don't have to pay it."
507
00:20:06,834 --> 00:20:08,066
But that's not the case.
508
00:20:08,166 --> 00:20:12,834
It was most interesting to me
is these 800% or 500%
509
00:20:12,834 --> 00:20:15,700
or a 100% interest bearing loans.
510
00:20:15,700 --> 00:20:17,767
- [Sarah] I know, it's something.
- Where did that come from?
511
00:20:17,867 --> 00:20:20,266
It's something I've seen recently
in the past couple years.
512
00:20:20,367 --> 00:20:23,600
It seems like every online
shopping venue now
513
00:20:23,700 --> 00:20:26,900
has some form of loan payment
or loan offering
514
00:20:27,000 --> 00:20:29,367
or "Sign up for our loan program."
515
00:20:29,367 --> 00:20:31,000
And I'd never seen that before.
516
00:20:31,000 --> 00:20:33,166
And if you don't read the fine print,
you could get stuck
517
00:20:33,166 --> 00:20:37,166
in just like the defendant here,
with a lot of those high interest loans.
518
00:20:37,166 --> 00:20:38,100
[Judy] Yeah.
519
00:20:39,266 --> 00:20:40,734
[narrator] Want justice?
520
00:20:40,834 --> 00:20:42,667
{\an8}Go to JudyJustice.tv