1 00:00:00,300 --> 00:00:02,967 {\an8}- You have a daycare center. - Correct. 2 00:00:02,967 --> 00:00:07,266 You found that the baby was bitten by her little one? 3 00:00:07,266 --> 00:00:08,333 Yes, ma'am. 4 00:00:08,333 --> 00:00:11,333 I think they're supposed to be separated, correct? 5 00:00:11,333 --> 00:00:13,633 She left out of the room is what she told me, judge. 6 00:00:13,633 --> 00:00:15,000 There's only one me. 7 00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:18,000 It's a big responsibility to take care of little children. 8 00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:20,467 This is Judy Justice. 9 00:00:38,133 --> 00:00:42,200 Shanece Grimm is suing her client, Dallas Lee, 10 00:00:42,200 --> 00:00:46,233 {\an8}for child services, late fees, and property damage. 11 00:00:46,233 --> 00:00:48,400 Court come to order. All rise. 12 00:00:49,600 --> 00:00:50,633 Have a seat, please. 13 00:00:51,800 --> 00:00:55,300 Hello, judge. Case 2175, Grimm versus Lee. 14 00:00:55,300 --> 00:00:56,867 Thank you very much. You're welcome. 15 00:00:56,867 --> 00:00:59,467 - Ms. Grimm, in what state do you live? - Missouri. 16 00:00:59,467 --> 00:01:01,734 In what county? - Jackson. 17 00:01:01,734 --> 00:01:05,033 - You have a daycare center. - An in-home childcare, yes. 18 00:01:05,033 --> 00:01:08,467 For how long? - I started September of 2022. 19 00:01:08,467 --> 00:01:11,533 What is your house like? - I have a single family home 20 00:01:11,533 --> 00:01:16,367 with a finished basement and then, like, an attic type... 21 00:01:16,367 --> 00:01:17,433 it's two bedrooms. 22 00:01:17,433 --> 00:01:20,233 House has two bedrooms? - No, up in the attic has two bedrooms 23 00:01:20,233 --> 00:01:24,166 {\an8}It's technically a three bedroom house but it has made six rooms. 24 00:01:24,166 --> 00:01:26,000 And how many children do you have? 25 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:27,400 I currently have seven. 26 00:01:27,400 --> 00:01:28,467 How old are they? 27 00:01:28,467 --> 00:01:32,967 Fourteen, thirteen, eleven, eight, five, and three, 28 00:01:32,967 --> 00:01:34,200 and eighteen months. 29 00:01:34,767 --> 00:01:36,400 Three and eighteen months? 30 00:01:36,400 --> 00:01:38,200 I'm sorry, she's four now, she just turned four. 31 00:01:38,200 --> 00:01:39,633 So the older ones go to school. 32 00:01:39,633 --> 00:01:41,467 Does the five year old go to school? Yes. 33 00:01:41,467 --> 00:01:42,700 And the eight year old goes to school. 34 00:01:42,700 --> 00:01:45,400 - Correct. - So you have two little ones at home. 35 00:01:45,400 --> 00:01:48,433 My four year old goes to early childhood half the day. 36 00:01:48,433 --> 00:01:51,066 So you have one child at home during the day? 37 00:01:51,066 --> 00:01:52,133 Correct. 38 00:01:52,133 --> 00:01:53,266 - And one half a day? - Yes. 39 00:01:53,266 --> 00:01:55,734 And you have three children? - Yes, ma'am. 40 00:01:55,734 --> 00:01:56,800 How old are they? 41 00:01:56,800 --> 00:02:00,367 {\an8}I now have a three year old, a one year old, and a five month old. 42 00:02:00,367 --> 00:02:03,400 And those were the children you enrolled in her daycare center? 43 00:02:03,400 --> 00:02:05,033 Yes, ma'am. Ms. Grimm, 44 00:02:05,033 --> 00:02:08,700 what kind of licensing do you have, an application that you have to make 45 00:02:08,700 --> 00:02:12,233 in order to run an in-home daycare center in Missouri? 46 00:02:12,233 --> 00:02:15,300 So in the state of Missouri, as long as you have under six children, 47 00:02:15,300 --> 00:02:16,934 you do not have to have a license. 48 00:02:16,934 --> 00:02:18,967 As long as you have six children 49 00:02:18,967 --> 00:02:21,934 - in total in the house? Or 6 children... - That I'm watching. 50 00:02:21,934 --> 00:02:23,233 That you're watching. - Correct. 51 00:02:23,233 --> 00:02:26,700 Cause my school children are not considered watching, 52 00:02:26,700 --> 00:02:27,867 like, under the law. 53 00:02:27,867 --> 00:02:30,400 Well, you certainly have to watch your eighteen month old. 54 00:02:30,400 --> 00:02:33,700 Yes, he's the only one, that's why I've always kept five children or less. 55 00:02:33,700 --> 00:02:37,100 It is you claim that Ms. Lee entered her children into your program, 56 00:02:37,100 --> 00:02:41,767 she paid you for a certain period of time, she owes you for two weeks. 57 00:02:41,767 --> 00:02:43,834 - Correct. - And were those two weeks 58 00:02:43,834 --> 00:02:47,000 two weeks that her children were actually in care? 59 00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:49,133 Correct. Which two weeks were those? 60 00:02:49,133 --> 00:02:51,600 They are the last two weeks of October. 61 00:02:51,600 --> 00:02:53,266 Of 2022? - Correct. 62 00:02:53,266 --> 00:02:55,834 And the children were in your program? 63 00:02:55,834 --> 00:02:57,300 Correct. Ms. Lee, 64 00:02:57,300 --> 00:03:01,467 were the children in Ms. Grimm's program 65 00:03:01,467 --> 00:03:03,100 the last two weeks in October? 66 00:03:03,100 --> 00:03:05,266 Yes, ma'am, they were. Did you pay her 67 00:03:05,266 --> 00:03:06,700 for the last two weeks in October? 68 00:03:06,700 --> 00:03:07,800 No, ma'am, I did not. 69 00:03:07,800 --> 00:03:09,500 How much were you supposed to pay her? 70 00:03:09,500 --> 00:03:12,066 For the last two weeks was supposed to be $600, 71 00:03:12,066 --> 00:03:14,467 because our agreement was 600 every two weeks. 72 00:03:14,467 --> 00:03:16,533 Okay, so it was supposed to be $600. 73 00:03:16,533 --> 00:03:18,533 Yes, ma'am. So now the ball is in your court. 74 00:03:18,533 --> 00:03:22,367 So far, Ms. Grimm, we're not talking about a late fee, 75 00:03:22,367 --> 00:03:24,300 we're just talking about these two weeks. 76 00:03:24,300 --> 00:03:27,300 - Correct. - First, tell me your reason 77 00:03:27,300 --> 00:03:28,900 for removing the children. 78 00:03:28,900 --> 00:03:31,667 {\an8}I removed my children out of her care because my children, 79 00:03:31,667 --> 00:03:35,033 {\an8}every time that I picked them up, it was either they were harmed, 80 00:03:35,033 --> 00:03:38,633 {\an8}or injured, or my son, my three year old, would tell me 81 00:03:38,633 --> 00:03:42,367 something had happened while I was gone at work in her care. 82 00:03:42,367 --> 00:03:44,800 My son had told me on numerous accounts 83 00:03:44,800 --> 00:03:46,867 that she hit him herself, 84 00:03:46,867 --> 00:03:48,433 and that he also told me that 85 00:03:48,433 --> 00:03:51,200 her 15-year-old son-- or 14, I'm sorry-- 86 00:03:51,200 --> 00:03:52,734 had also spanked him. 87 00:03:52,734 --> 00:03:55,467 And when I did ask him, well, I asked her, actually, 88 00:03:55,467 --> 00:03:56,600 I said "who is Trey?" 89 00:03:56,600 --> 00:03:59,000 {\an8}Because he said, "Mommy, Trey hit me." 90 00:03:59,000 --> 00:04:00,433 {\an8}We were getting in the car, 91 00:04:00,433 --> 00:04:03,033 they normally do help me get in the car with my three children, 92 00:04:03,033 --> 00:04:05,033 seeing I have one who's barely walking... 93 00:04:05,033 --> 00:04:07,100 You're getting, you're going all over the place. 94 00:04:07,100 --> 00:04:09,834 Yes, ma'am. So they normally help me get in the car with my children 95 00:04:09,834 --> 00:04:12,500 so they were outside with us, and my son said 96 00:04:12,500 --> 00:04:14,333 "Mommy, Trey hit me like this." 97 00:04:14,333 --> 00:04:17,433 I didn't know any Trey, so I asked her, "Who is Trey?" 98 00:04:17,433 --> 00:04:20,033 And she said, "That's my son," and he said, "That's me," 99 00:04:20,033 --> 00:04:22,166 he was standing right there next to her, he said, "I'm Trey." 100 00:04:22,166 --> 00:04:24,100 And I said, "Bryson said that you hit him," 101 00:04:24,200 --> 00:04:26,133 and he said "Yes, I hit Bryson." 102 00:04:26,133 --> 00:04:28,934 {\an8}He said, "I popped him because Bryson wasn't doing right, 103 00:04:28,934 --> 00:04:30,667 {\an8}Bryson didn't wanna go to timeout." 104 00:04:30,667 --> 00:04:35,834 {\an8}On what day was that? That was on October 25th. 105 00:04:35,834 --> 00:04:38,467 And what was the last day that your children attended? 106 00:04:38,467 --> 00:04:41,834 - October 27th. - Okay, so despite the fact 107 00:04:41,834 --> 00:04:44,000 - that Trey... You're Trey? - Yes, ma'am. 108 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:47,900 Slapped the three year old, said that he slapped the three year old... 109 00:04:47,900 --> 00:04:50,066 Mm-hmm. - You let him stay there 110 00:04:50,066 --> 00:04:51,667 for an extra two days? 111 00:04:51,667 --> 00:04:53,233 Yes, ma'am. Just, it's that... Yes. 112 00:04:53,233 --> 00:04:55,867 Now, where were you working that you had your children in daycare? 113 00:04:55,867 --> 00:04:58,734 I was working as a CNA. What is that? 114 00:04:58,734 --> 00:05:00,433 A certified nurses assistant. 115 00:05:00,433 --> 00:05:02,700 - Where? - It's a, um, rehab... 116 00:05:02,700 --> 00:05:03,900 - Nursing home? - Yes, ma'am. 117 00:05:03,900 --> 00:05:07,867 When did you start working there? - I started working there in September. 118 00:05:07,867 --> 00:05:10,200 September of 2022? - Yes, ma'am. 119 00:05:10,200 --> 00:05:12,200 Beginning of September? Yes, ma'am. 120 00:05:12,200 --> 00:05:13,967 And when did you stop working there? 121 00:05:13,967 --> 00:05:17,367 I stopped working there October 27th. 122 00:05:17,367 --> 00:05:18,433 That was my last day. 123 00:05:18,433 --> 00:05:22,066 If I were to call, would they tell me that they terminated you or you quit? 124 00:05:22,066 --> 00:05:24,867 I quit. Did you quit on the 27th? 125 00:05:24,867 --> 00:05:25,934 Yes, ma'am. 126 00:05:25,934 --> 00:05:27,533 And what about now, are you working? 127 00:05:27,533 --> 00:05:29,233 - I am. - Who're you working for? 128 00:05:29,233 --> 00:05:30,867 I work through a temp agency, 129 00:05:30,867 --> 00:05:34,867 working per diem at different locations as a CNA. 130 00:05:34,867 --> 00:05:37,133 And who takes care of your children? 131 00:05:37,133 --> 00:05:40,200 My stepmom. My children, I... Just a second. 132 00:05:40,200 --> 00:05:41,867 And when did you start that job? 133 00:05:41,867 --> 00:05:44,734 I started that job about four weeks ago. 134 00:05:44,734 --> 00:05:46,967 So in December. Yes, ma'am. 135 00:05:46,967 --> 00:05:48,200 Late November or so. 136 00:05:51,200 --> 00:05:54,467 {\an8}You left the children there until the end of October. 137 00:05:54,467 --> 00:05:57,433 {\an8}It couldn't have been so disturbing for you, madam, 138 00:05:57,433 --> 00:06:00,633 {\an8}to leave the children there until the end of October, another six weeks, 139 00:06:00,633 --> 00:06:03,867 {\an8}if you felt as if they weren't getting adequate care. 140 00:06:03,867 --> 00:06:05,633 {\an8}And if you did, that would be on you! 141 00:06:17,567 --> 00:06:21,433 Shanece Grimm claims her client, Dallas Lee, 142 00:06:21,433 --> 00:06:24,266 {\an8}refused to pay for childcare services. 143 00:06:24,266 --> 00:06:27,033 Dallas is counter-suing for lost wages 144 00:06:27,033 --> 00:06:29,100 and emotional distress. 145 00:06:29,100 --> 00:06:31,800 So a relative has been taking care of your children. 146 00:06:31,800 --> 00:06:33,934 Yes, ma'am. Not all three of them. 147 00:06:34,734 --> 00:06:38,266 I had to send my two sons, because I had to rearrange 148 00:06:38,266 --> 00:06:42,800 my daycare situation, I had to send them back to Texas to be with their dad. 149 00:06:42,800 --> 00:06:44,600 So two of them went back to their father. 150 00:06:44,600 --> 00:06:46,533 Yes, ma'am. And who do you live with here? 151 00:06:46,533 --> 00:06:48,433 {\an8}I live with my dad. What does he do? 152 00:06:48,433 --> 00:06:50,767 My dad is a nuclear medicine technologist. 153 00:06:50,767 --> 00:06:54,266 {\an8}So your step mom takes care of one of the children... 154 00:06:54,266 --> 00:06:55,934 My five-month-old daughter. Yes, ma'am. 155 00:06:55,934 --> 00:06:57,533 Who's in the house. - Mm-hmm. 156 00:06:57,533 --> 00:07:00,633 Now you're gonna tell me why you didn't pay her for the last two weeks. 157 00:07:00,633 --> 00:07:04,367 So, my children began in her care September 12th. 158 00:07:04,367 --> 00:07:07,867 {\an8}September 13th she sent me a text message while I was at work, 159 00:07:07,867 --> 00:07:10,967 {\an8}and she said, "I want to let you know little mama was bit today 160 00:07:10,967 --> 00:07:13,033 by my one year old on her cheek." 161 00:07:13,033 --> 00:07:15,667 She sent me a picture, I have this. 162 00:07:15,667 --> 00:07:18,333 Not interested. It's not that I'm disinterested, 163 00:07:18,333 --> 00:07:21,000 it's that, don't show me anything from September, madam, 164 00:07:21,000 --> 00:07:23,300 you kept your children with her into October, 165 00:07:23,300 --> 00:07:24,867 and through the end of October. 166 00:07:24,867 --> 00:07:27,266 And if anything was so concerning to you 167 00:07:27,266 --> 00:07:30,467 that you thought your children would be at risk, I'm certain that you 168 00:07:30,467 --> 00:07:32,500 would've discussed it with your father, and your father would've said to you... 169 00:07:32,500 --> 00:07:34,100 May I? Don't speak. 170 00:07:34,100 --> 00:07:35,633 Okay. And your father would've said 171 00:07:35,633 --> 00:07:38,467 to you, if you have a problem with the children, 172 00:07:38,567 --> 00:07:40,734 don't let them stay there. What you did... 173 00:07:40,734 --> 00:07:44,133 Okay, I can see that you're dying to tell me something, what? 174 00:07:44,133 --> 00:07:45,200 Yes, ma'am. 175 00:07:46,834 --> 00:07:50,367 {\an8}My daughter had no other choice but to keep her children in care, 176 00:07:50,367 --> 00:07:52,000 {\an8}because I work a full time job. 177 00:07:52,000 --> 00:07:53,600 Let me explain something to you, sir. 178 00:07:53,600 --> 00:07:55,633 Your daughter was living with you? 179 00:07:55,633 --> 00:07:56,867 Yes, ma'am. Right. 180 00:07:56,867 --> 00:07:58,834 There is always an alternative, sir. 181 00:07:58,834 --> 00:08:00,934 I have young grandchildren, and I would say 182 00:08:00,934 --> 00:08:04,300 if I was legitimate, legitimately 183 00:08:04,300 --> 00:08:07,834 concerned for their health and safety, I don't care what it is, 184 00:08:08,467 --> 00:08:11,800 stay home and take care of your children, you'll have a roof over your head 185 00:08:11,800 --> 00:08:13,033 until you find appropriate daycare. 186 00:08:13,033 --> 00:08:16,467 And if didn't do that, then you're not much of a grandfather. 187 00:08:16,467 --> 00:08:18,433 Well... You can't use 188 00:08:18,433 --> 00:08:20,767 something that happened in September 189 00:08:20,767 --> 00:08:25,166 or early October to say, "Well, that's why I didn't pay the last two weeks." 190 00:08:25,166 --> 00:08:26,967 - May I speak? - You can't make, 191 00:08:26,967 --> 00:08:29,300 you can't make excuses, sir, I'm telling you. I'm a grandmother, 192 00:08:29,300 --> 00:08:32,333 and I've had little children, I don't care what you had to do, 193 00:08:32,333 --> 00:08:35,367 quit my job, whatever that job is, 194 00:08:35,367 --> 00:08:38,800 and say, well I'll stay home and take care of the children until you find, 195 00:08:38,800 --> 00:08:41,266 or you stay home and take care of the children, 196 00:08:41,266 --> 00:08:45,600 I'll provide you with whatever basics you need until you get the right daycare. 197 00:08:45,600 --> 00:08:48,667 And if you didn't do that, don't tell me that your daughter didn't have a choice. 198 00:08:48,667 --> 00:08:51,266 - There is always a choice... - She did not have a choice. 199 00:08:51,266 --> 00:08:52,433 ...where your babies are concerned. 200 00:08:52,433 --> 00:08:54,033 In our estimation, at that time, 201 00:08:54,033 --> 00:08:56,333 we were giving her some hard life lessons, 202 00:08:56,333 --> 00:08:58,133 cause she does now have three children, 203 00:08:58,133 --> 00:09:00,166 and there are gonna be some difficulties 204 00:09:00,166 --> 00:09:03,133 in this living situation, and there are gonna be some things. 205 00:09:03,133 --> 00:09:05,734 So what we were doing, we were giving her some tough love, and saying 206 00:09:05,734 --> 00:09:08,433 "Hey, you cannot give up just because the chips are down 207 00:09:08,433 --> 00:09:11,333 or because things happened, you gotta try to figure things out." 208 00:09:11,333 --> 00:09:13,033 Well that would be on you, that's not on her. 209 00:09:13,033 --> 00:09:15,233 This is not her daughter, it's your daughter. 210 00:09:15,233 --> 00:09:17,166 Absolutely. And your grandchildren, sir. 211 00:09:17,166 --> 00:09:19,000 Absolutely. And if you wanna teach her 212 00:09:19,000 --> 00:09:22,834 some real hard lessons, and say, "You've gotta stay with the daycare 213 00:09:22,834 --> 00:09:24,633 even though you're dissatisfied..." 214 00:09:24,633 --> 00:09:26,934 We said, "Give her a chance," cause it was the first day. 215 00:09:26,934 --> 00:09:29,667 It was the first incident, the first day, we said "Give her a chance." 216 00:09:29,667 --> 00:09:31,100 Things happen sometimes. 217 00:09:31,100 --> 00:09:34,967 What I don't want to hear is from you, who seemed like a very intelligent man... 218 00:09:34,967 --> 00:09:36,367 Yes, ma'am. ... a working man, 219 00:09:36,367 --> 00:09:37,967 is my daughter had no choice. 220 00:09:37,967 --> 00:09:41,533 Your daughter has a choice. Her choice is to say to you, 221 00:09:41,533 --> 00:09:44,533 "Dad, please, I have to find the right daycare, 222 00:09:44,533 --> 00:09:48,200 I have to stop working at this job. I may need a month." 223 00:09:48,200 --> 00:09:51,800 You may not have liked her previous irresponsible behavior... 224 00:09:51,800 --> 00:09:54,000 - Right? - Correct. 225 00:09:54,000 --> 00:09:57,567 But the deed is done. She's got three young children. 226 00:09:57,567 --> 00:09:59,066 Beautiful children. Right? 227 00:09:59,066 --> 00:10:01,533 So what you do is, when you have three young beautiful children 228 00:10:01,533 --> 00:10:03,600 you protect them. Absolutely. 229 00:10:03,600 --> 00:10:05,633 And if you're not smart enough to protect them yourself 230 00:10:05,633 --> 00:10:09,000 you gotta rely on your father who's smart enough to do that. 231 00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:13,233 What I'm saying to you is, your daughter used this lady's services 232 00:10:13,233 --> 00:10:15,100 and she has to pay for it. 233 00:10:15,100 --> 00:10:17,700 She may not send her children back, 234 00:10:17,700 --> 00:10:20,900 but your statement that you were so anxious to make to me, 235 00:10:20,900 --> 00:10:25,066 which is, "My daughter had no choice..." She did have a choice, sir. 236 00:10:25,633 --> 00:10:28,633 She did have a choice. Before I would let my children 237 00:10:28,633 --> 00:10:30,967 stay in a place where I actually believed, 238 00:10:31,934 --> 00:10:34,200 believed that they were being abused, 239 00:10:34,200 --> 00:10:36,166 cause that's what she's suggesting-- 240 00:10:36,166 --> 00:10:40,033 I mean, she's not suggesting that this young man, who I'm not condoning 241 00:10:40,033 --> 00:10:43,133 {\an8}hitting a three year old, gave him a slap on the rear end, 242 00:10:43,133 --> 00:10:46,400 {\an8}I'm not condoning that, but there were no injuries to him, 243 00:10:46,400 --> 00:10:48,100 I don't know whether you've done it, 244 00:10:48,100 --> 00:10:49,967 I don't know whether she's done it to her child 245 00:10:49,967 --> 00:10:53,100 you certainly don't want a daycare provider's child 246 00:10:53,100 --> 00:10:55,033 to discipline a three year old... Absolutely. 247 00:10:55,033 --> 00:10:57,433 That's not what it's about. - But after the first incident 248 00:10:57,433 --> 00:11:00,633 what we were trying to teach her is that you don't just throw in the towel, 249 00:11:00,633 --> 00:11:03,433 because Ms. Grimm was just starting her service up, and... 250 00:11:03,433 --> 00:11:06,767 - September 5th. - ...So we understand that 251 00:11:06,767 --> 00:11:08,500 there are gonna be some hiccups 252 00:11:08,500 --> 00:11:11,400 and some things that she has to fix 253 00:11:11,400 --> 00:11:13,967 - as she comes across them. - Mm-hmm. 254 00:11:13,967 --> 00:11:16,200 So, she's a young lady, my daughter's a young lady, 255 00:11:16,200 --> 00:11:19,633 so as an older man, I'm trying to support two individuals 256 00:11:19,633 --> 00:11:21,200 to build their lives up. 257 00:11:21,200 --> 00:11:24,233 And so I told my daughter, "I don't like that she was bitten, 258 00:11:24,233 --> 00:11:27,967 but at least she came forward very quickly and told you, 259 00:11:27,967 --> 00:11:31,066 so leave them there for now, and if anything else transpires, 260 00:11:31,066 --> 00:11:33,033 then we can start to look at things then." 261 00:11:33,033 --> 00:11:35,734 - Yes, ma'am. - Who do you work for, sir? 262 00:11:35,734 --> 00:11:38,834 I work for the Veteran's Administration. And how long have you worked 263 00:11:38,834 --> 00:11:40,367 for the Veteran's Administration? 264 00:11:40,367 --> 00:11:42,033 Twenty-one years. 265 00:11:42,033 --> 00:11:43,333 Do you get paid every two weeks? 266 00:11:43,333 --> 00:11:45,533 Yes, ma'am. Let's say your boss 267 00:11:45,533 --> 00:11:47,533 at the VA all of a sudden decided 268 00:11:47,533 --> 00:11:49,100 they didn't like the work you were doing. 269 00:11:49,100 --> 00:11:51,266 And you left and they owed you two weeks pay, 270 00:11:51,266 --> 00:11:52,867 cause you had actually worked for the two weeks. 271 00:11:52,867 --> 00:11:54,700 Absolutely. And you sued them 272 00:11:54,700 --> 00:11:56,066 for those two weeks. 273 00:11:56,066 --> 00:11:57,633 Mm-hmm. You worked there. 274 00:11:57,633 --> 00:12:01,800 Say, "well, we didn't like the quality oh his work for those two weeks." 275 00:12:01,800 --> 00:12:03,734 Well, then you fire him, 276 00:12:03,734 --> 00:12:06,233 but you pay him. It's like going to a restaurant. 277 00:12:06,233 --> 00:12:09,800 My favorite analogy is, you go into your favorite restaurant 278 00:12:09,800 --> 00:12:11,667 where you get a steak. Mm-hmm. 279 00:12:12,200 --> 00:12:14,867 And you order a steak medium, Pittsburgh medium. 280 00:12:14,867 --> 00:12:18,400 Steak comes, you cut into it, you take a bite. 281 00:12:18,400 --> 00:12:21,133 "Oh my god," you say, "I don't like the way this tastes." 282 00:12:21,133 --> 00:12:23,934 You take the plate, you spit out the bite if you're smart, 283 00:12:23,934 --> 00:12:26,333 call the waiter over and say, "This is a bad steak." 284 00:12:26,333 --> 00:12:27,667 - Right? - Absolutely. 285 00:12:27,667 --> 00:12:30,734 And the waiter takes it off the bill or you order something else. 286 00:12:30,734 --> 00:12:34,433 Now, you cut into that same steak, you taste, you say, "This tastes terrible, 287 00:12:34,967 --> 00:12:36,734 maybe the next bite will taste better." 288 00:12:36,734 --> 00:12:38,734 Before you know it, you've finished the whole steak. 289 00:12:38,734 --> 00:12:40,834 Waiter comes over to take your clean plate, 290 00:12:40,834 --> 00:12:43,567 you say, "The steak was awful, I didn't like it. It was bad." 291 00:12:43,567 --> 00:12:44,800 Well, what'd you eat it for? 292 00:12:44,800 --> 00:12:46,600 But if you ate the steak, you gotta pay for it. 293 00:12:46,600 --> 00:12:48,633 If you take a bite and say it's no good, 294 00:12:49,200 --> 00:12:51,533 I'm in your corner, send it back. 295 00:12:51,533 --> 00:12:56,567 But your daughter ate the steak. She used her services for two weeks. 296 00:12:57,200 --> 00:12:59,133 And didn't pay her. Well, we can't say 297 00:12:59,133 --> 00:13:00,400 that she used her services. 298 00:13:00,400 --> 00:13:02,967 Because there are other pieces of evidence that we have. 299 00:13:02,967 --> 00:13:07,433 She didn't... You mean, you're talking about that sometimes she left the children 300 00:13:07,433 --> 00:13:09,000 with her husband? Yeah. 301 00:13:09,000 --> 00:13:12,433 Yeah, baloney. Your daughter had the benefit 302 00:13:12,433 --> 00:13:15,166 of daycare so that she could work. 303 00:13:18,233 --> 00:13:21,734 {\an8}If you're not satisfied with a service you stop using the service. 304 00:13:21,734 --> 00:13:26,367 {\an8}If you continue to use the service despite the fact that you're not satisfied with it 305 00:13:26,367 --> 00:13:28,800 {\an8}you gotta pay for it. That's America. 306 00:13:28,800 --> 00:13:31,233 {\an8}You got paid, your father got paid, 307 00:13:31,233 --> 00:13:32,667 {\an8}she gets paid. 308 00:13:44,834 --> 00:13:48,834 Shanece Grimm has accused her client, Dallas Lee, 309 00:13:48,834 --> 00:13:51,900 {\an8}of refusing to pay for childcare services. 310 00:13:52,400 --> 00:13:56,767 Dallas claims Shanece wrongfully disciplined and neglected her children. 311 00:13:56,767 --> 00:14:01,800 Your daughter had the benefit of daycare so that she could work. 312 00:14:01,800 --> 00:14:04,000 Absolutely. And she had the benefit 313 00:14:04,000 --> 00:14:06,467 of daycare from this lady 314 00:14:06,467 --> 00:14:08,734 that enabled your daughter to make money... 315 00:14:08,734 --> 00:14:11,367 But if we're talking breach of contract, the contract was breached 316 00:14:11,367 --> 00:14:13,667 when the husband watched the child, and... 317 00:14:13,667 --> 00:14:16,700 Now you're not teaching your daughter responsibility. 318 00:14:16,700 --> 00:14:18,433 Now you're making excuses. 319 00:14:19,000 --> 00:14:21,033 Now you're not teaching your daughter responsibility. 320 00:14:21,033 --> 00:14:22,867 Your daughter worked to make money. 321 00:14:22,867 --> 00:14:26,367 You worked those last two weeks, didn't stay home with your grandchildren. 322 00:14:26,367 --> 00:14:28,333 - You made money. - Absolutely. 323 00:14:28,333 --> 00:14:30,100 The only one that didn't make money, 324 00:14:30,100 --> 00:14:32,900 and had her three children for those two weeks, was the plaintiff. 325 00:14:32,900 --> 00:14:36,200 She ate the steak, she used the service. 326 00:14:36,200 --> 00:14:39,667 She didn't have anybody else. It's not as if, well, I had to hire somebody else 327 00:14:39,667 --> 00:14:42,900 to take care of the kids the last two weeks even though it was in my deal, 328 00:14:42,900 --> 00:14:44,266 so that's why I'm not paying. 329 00:14:44,266 --> 00:14:47,567 She worked, you worked, she worked! 330 00:14:47,567 --> 00:14:51,567 And if her husband, if she ran out to the store and left her husband, 331 00:14:51,567 --> 00:14:55,900 unless you're telling me that that was such a breach of the agreement 332 00:14:55,900 --> 00:14:59,367 that your daughter took the children out of her program. 333 00:14:59,367 --> 00:15:02,467 Did she? No. She did not. 334 00:15:02,467 --> 00:15:05,133 She didn't say, "I'm not allowing your husband 335 00:15:05,133 --> 00:15:08,233 to take care of my children, even if it's just for an hour. 336 00:15:08,233 --> 00:15:10,834 I'm taking my children out of the program. 337 00:15:10,834 --> 00:15:13,467 Dad, can you help me out for the next couple of weeks 338 00:15:13,467 --> 00:15:15,033 until I find something else?" 339 00:15:15,033 --> 00:15:18,600 But you can't eat the steak, which she did. Now you can sit down. 340 00:15:18,600 --> 00:15:20,900 - Can I say one more thing? - Not if you wanna continue 341 00:15:20,900 --> 00:15:22,900 to look foolish. Now you're not teaching her responsibility. 342 00:15:22,900 --> 00:15:24,233 - Well... - Now you're not 343 00:15:24,233 --> 00:15:25,300 teaching her responsibility. 344 00:15:25,300 --> 00:15:26,967 I don't wanna have to teach you responsibility. 345 00:15:26,967 --> 00:15:30,433 Well, you don't have to. I'm a veteran, I know what responsibility is. 346 00:15:30,433 --> 00:15:35,000 {\an8}But when you are promoting your program as one thing 347 00:15:35,000 --> 00:15:37,700 but your service is another, I cannot say that... 348 00:15:37,700 --> 00:15:40,233 If Bobby Flay is cooking the steak... 349 00:15:40,233 --> 00:15:41,967 It doesn't matter who's cooking the steak. 350 00:15:41,967 --> 00:15:43,700 It was whether you ate the steak. 351 00:15:43,700 --> 00:15:46,233 - It's whether you ate the steak. - I get what you're saying, judge, 352 00:15:46,233 --> 00:15:48,333 but if it's promoted as Bobby Flay cooking it, 353 00:15:48,333 --> 00:15:50,100 and Bob Herbert cooked it, 354 00:15:50,100 --> 00:15:52,667 and I don't like the taste, then those are two separate things. 355 00:15:52,667 --> 00:15:54,266 Just a second. Oh, no, no, no sir. 356 00:15:54,266 --> 00:15:58,500 If you're promoting Bobby Flay as cooking the steak, or the hamburger, 357 00:15:58,500 --> 00:16:03,934 and you find out Bobby Flay's younger brother was cooking the steak, 358 00:16:03,934 --> 00:16:06,066 - or was cooking the burger... - Mm-hmm. 359 00:16:06,066 --> 00:16:09,266 And, either way, if the burger's no good you're not gonna eat it. 360 00:16:09,266 --> 00:16:11,767 But you can't eat it and say, "Well, I really thought I was getting 361 00:16:11,767 --> 00:16:14,400 a Bobby Flay hamburger, and I didn't get a Bobby Flay hamburger 362 00:16:14,400 --> 00:16:16,000 so I'm not gonna pay for it. 363 00:16:16,000 --> 00:16:18,767 Even though I ate it. Now you can sit down. 364 00:16:19,266 --> 00:16:22,200 How much is two weeks worth of care, $600? 365 00:16:22,200 --> 00:16:24,533 Yes, ma'am. Judgement for the plaintiff $600. 366 00:16:24,533 --> 00:16:25,600 You have a counter claim. 367 00:16:25,600 --> 00:16:28,266 Counter claim is ridiculous. "Money owed for lost wages, 368 00:16:28,266 --> 00:16:30,433 emotional distress on behalf of the children." 369 00:16:30,433 --> 00:16:33,500 You shouldn't have emotional distress on behalf of the children, madam, 370 00:16:33,500 --> 00:16:35,400 {\an8}you're their mother. The first time 371 00:16:35,400 --> 00:16:39,066 {\an8}you had an inkling that you felt that your children, your young children, 372 00:16:39,066 --> 00:16:41,467 were being neglected in the plaintiff's care, 373 00:16:41,467 --> 00:16:44,400 what you should've done was remove them. 374 00:16:45,533 --> 00:16:46,533 Remove them. 375 00:16:47,166 --> 00:16:51,834 First time you felt as if three year old shouldn't have been subject of a slap 376 00:16:51,834 --> 00:16:54,967 by this young man? Great, remove them. 377 00:16:54,967 --> 00:16:59,900 You found that the baby, the little one, was bitten by her little one? 378 00:16:59,900 --> 00:17:02,133 You say, "That's not watching them carefully enough," 379 00:17:02,133 --> 00:17:05,133 cause they, I think, are supposed to be separated, correct? 380 00:17:05,133 --> 00:17:08,066 - Yes. - No, we're all in one room, 381 00:17:08,066 --> 00:17:09,867 so they weren't happen to be separated, 382 00:17:09,867 --> 00:17:13,066 {\an8}'cause with me only having less than four children 383 00:17:13,066 --> 00:17:16,000 {\an8}there was no way of separating, cause there was only one me. 384 00:17:16,000 --> 00:17:18,767 It's a big responsibility to take care of little children. 385 00:17:18,767 --> 00:17:20,333 Correct. My daughter shouldn't have been 386 00:17:20,333 --> 00:17:23,600 in his reach. She did tell me... I absolutely agree with you. 387 00:17:23,600 --> 00:17:25,834 She left out of the room is what she told me, judge. 388 00:17:25,834 --> 00:17:28,767 So that's actually not true. She told me that she left out of the room 389 00:17:28,767 --> 00:17:30,166 and went to the kitchen. 390 00:17:30,166 --> 00:17:32,934 What day. Give me the date that that happened. 391 00:17:32,934 --> 00:17:34,166 September 13th. 392 00:17:34,800 --> 00:17:37,934 You left the children there until the end of October. 393 00:17:37,934 --> 00:17:41,000 It couldn't have been so disturbing for you, madam, 394 00:17:41,000 --> 00:17:44,734 to leave the children there until the end of October, another six weeks, 395 00:17:44,734 --> 00:17:47,767 if you felt as if they weren't getting adequate care. 396 00:17:47,767 --> 00:17:49,767 And if you did, that would be on you! 397 00:17:49,767 --> 00:17:53,567 And maybe a little bit on your father, because if you told him about it, 398 00:17:53,567 --> 00:17:57,400 said, "Oh my god, that's terrible, take my child out right away, 399 00:17:57,400 --> 00:17:59,400 all three of 'em," but you didn't. 400 00:17:59,400 --> 00:18:04,467 You left them in there September 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th, 401 00:18:04,467 --> 00:18:08,233 all the way up to the end of September and the end of October. 402 00:18:08,233 --> 00:18:09,300 That's on you. 403 00:18:09,300 --> 00:18:11,900 Actually, she did not have them in the end of September 404 00:18:11,900 --> 00:18:13,266 'cause she was suspended from her job. 405 00:18:13,867 --> 00:18:16,600 So they were gone for two weeks in September. 406 00:18:16,600 --> 00:18:18,300 Were you suspended from your job? 407 00:18:18,300 --> 00:18:21,233 I was. I had... Just, just... That's my question. 408 00:18:21,233 --> 00:18:22,667 You were suspended from your job. 409 00:18:22,667 --> 00:18:25,600 When you were suspended from your job, did you take the children out of daycare? 410 00:18:25,600 --> 00:18:27,834 Yes, ma'am. Okay, and that's reasonable. 411 00:18:27,834 --> 00:18:30,200 She didn't give you a problem with that, I assume. 412 00:18:30,200 --> 00:18:31,266 No. 413 00:18:31,266 --> 00:18:32,433 And you didn't pay for those two weeks. 414 00:18:32,433 --> 00:18:33,500 I did not. 415 00:18:33,633 --> 00:18:35,800 Great, well these two weeks you're gonna pay for, because... 416 00:18:35,800 --> 00:18:37,767 I don't believe I owe her anything. 417 00:18:37,767 --> 00:18:39,800 I don't care what you believe. If you're not listening 418 00:18:39,800 --> 00:18:43,967 to what I'm saying to you and you're fixed in your opinion 419 00:18:43,967 --> 00:18:46,200 that means you haven't learned anything. 420 00:18:46,200 --> 00:18:48,800 Your father tried to teach you a little bit of tough love. 421 00:18:48,800 --> 00:18:52,033 What I'm telling you is, if you work you get paid. 422 00:18:52,033 --> 00:18:55,734 If you're not satisfied with the service, you stop using the service. 423 00:18:55,734 --> 00:18:58,700 If you continue to use the service despite the fact 424 00:18:58,700 --> 00:19:00,300 that you're not satisfied with it 425 00:19:00,300 --> 00:19:02,467 you gotta pay for it. That's America. 426 00:19:02,467 --> 00:19:06,333 You got paid, your father got paid, she gets paid. 427 00:19:06,333 --> 00:19:09,000 She didn't get paid for the two weeks you took your kids out, 428 00:19:09,000 --> 00:19:10,934 didn't say to you, "Well, you have to pay me anyway, 429 00:19:10,934 --> 00:19:12,333 I have to keep this open for you." 430 00:19:12,333 --> 00:19:14,066 That was very fair. 431 00:19:14,066 --> 00:19:18,066 Took the kids out, didn't pay. You left your kids in, you pay. 432 00:19:18,066 --> 00:19:19,934 Six hundred dollars, your counter claim is dismissed. 433 00:19:19,934 --> 00:19:21,000 We're finished. 434 00:19:21,000 --> 00:19:22,066 This court is adjourned. 435 00:19:24,767 --> 00:19:26,967 {\an8}I am a little upset she didn't see things my way. 436 00:19:26,967 --> 00:19:30,066 {\an8}The judge was kind of in my favor for the majority of it. 437 00:19:30,066 --> 00:19:33,667 {\an8}You know, her leaving my children in the care of her 15-year-old son 438 00:19:33,667 --> 00:19:34,934 {\an8}and also her husband. 439 00:19:34,934 --> 00:19:37,867 {\an8}Then why did she continue bringing her children to me for another month? 440 00:19:37,867 --> 00:19:40,834 {\an8}Also my son letting me know that, you know, she hit him. 441 00:19:40,834 --> 00:19:44,333 {\an8}I have never touched her children, I could take a lie detector test to prove it. 442 00:19:44,333 --> 00:19:47,900 {\an8}It was pretty difficult for me, because I didn't have any other choices, 443 00:19:47,900 --> 00:19:50,367 {\an8}I didn't have anyone else who could help me with keeping 444 00:19:50,367 --> 00:19:52,166 {\an8}all three of my children while I worked. 445 00:19:52,166 --> 00:19:53,767 {\an8}She actually never gave me excuses, 446 00:19:53,767 --> 00:19:55,867 {\an8}she actually just told me she was gonna pay me. 447 00:19:55,867 --> 00:19:56,934 {\an8}Life is not easy. 448 00:19:56,934 --> 00:19:58,300 {\an8}If you work, you should get paid. 449 00:19:58,300 --> 00:20:00,033 {\an8}But you get back up and you keep moving. 450 00:20:01,900 --> 00:20:05,500 My generation, I'm not sure about yours, I haven't had much experience in yours, 451 00:20:05,500 --> 00:20:09,433 but in mine, I think we confuse having to make a hard choice 452 00:20:09,433 --> 00:20:11,066 with being out of options. 453 00:20:11,066 --> 00:20:12,834 Here, I felt for the defendant 454 00:20:12,834 --> 00:20:14,834 She had to make a hard choice. 455 00:20:14,834 --> 00:20:18,900 But even when her father came up and felt the need to burst out and say, 456 00:20:18,900 --> 00:20:21,133 "My daughter had no options, she had no choice." 457 00:20:21,133 --> 00:20:23,200 Well, she did have a choice. It was a hard choice, 458 00:20:23,200 --> 00:20:25,700 you had to send your two older sons to live with their father, 459 00:20:25,700 --> 00:20:30,767 and find a sort of mediocre at best childcare situation, 460 00:20:30,767 --> 00:20:32,967 but you made the choice to have those three children, 461 00:20:32,967 --> 00:20:35,233 and when you have children you make a commitment 462 00:20:35,233 --> 00:20:37,166 to make the hard choices to benefit them. 463 00:20:37,166 --> 00:20:38,900 - In their best interest. - In their best interest. 464 00:20:38,900 --> 00:20:41,533 And if you're not prepared to do that, then you shouldn't become a parent. 465 00:20:41,533 --> 00:20:44,400 In any event, I tried to make my steak analogy, it didn't... 466 00:20:44,400 --> 00:20:46,133 I thought it was great. I had a great time. 467 00:20:46,133 --> 00:20:48,133 - Great, I'm glad you did. - I thought it was a good lesson. 468 00:20:48,133 --> 00:20:49,200 Thank you. 469 00:20:50,967 --> 00:20:54,400 Want justice? Go to JudyJustice.tv