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You decided to rent a house together?
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- Yes.
- And things weren't working out?
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She's telling me
that I stole some of her stuff.
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Did you file a restraining order?
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She showed up at my children's
school while I was dropping them off.
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Did you go to her kids' school?
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I dro-- Yeah.
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I'm losing my patience slowly.
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[narrator]
This is Judy Justice.
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{\an8}[narrator] Ellen Henderson
is suing her ex-roommate
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{\an8}Tara Williams for breaking a lease
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{\an8}and filing a false restraining order.
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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. Case number 2023,
Henderson versus Williams.
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- Thank you.
- [bailiff] You're welcome.
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Ms. Henderson, you and your kids
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and Ms. Williams and her
kids decided to rent a house together?
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- Yes.
- And when was that initially?
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We moved in January 21 of 2021.
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[Judy]
How large a house was it?
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- Five bedroom.
- [Judy] And who moved in with you?
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Me, my two children,
Tara, her three children and--
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- [Judy] The third roommate?
- [Ellen] Yes.
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What was your share of the rent?
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- The share of the rent--
- [Judy] Yours.
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$1,495.
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[Judy] And yours?
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We paid-- me and her split it
and then took cash from--
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[Judy] The third roommate.
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Yes. So $1,495, too.
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[Judy]
And you lived there for a year.
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What I gather is sort of
towards the end of the year,
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things were getting a little
testy between the two of you,
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{\an8}either because
of you or because of the kids,
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{\an8}you had children
and things weren't working out,
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{\an8}so that both of you were
not really happy with each other.
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- Would that be a fair statement?
- Yes.
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It started earlier in 2021.
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[Judy] I'm sure.
But at the time that the lease was up,
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you both weren't
really happy with each other.
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And according to your complaint,
she left, you were stuck paying the rent,
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and she had signed a renewal of the lease,
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and you want her
to pay her portion of the rent
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until you found a new roommate,
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which you actually found a
new roommate several months later.
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{\an8}The defendant says she told
you that she was contemplating
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{\an8}living with you for another year.
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That her speculation
that you went into her room
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and took a signed copy of the lease
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and gave it to the
rental agent or whoever it was.
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It would have been in the kitchen in
my area where my papers were.
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[Judy] Whatever. And it was never
her intention to sign a second lease.
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- Your lease was up in January of 2022.
- Yes.
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[Judy] The defendant
was away for a period of time.
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When was the defendant away,
just prior to January of 2022?
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- She went to Hawaii for a week.
- [Judy] When?
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I think she left on January 8th,
give or take a day. I don't remember.
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And did you return the signed
copies of the lease to the landlord?
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- No, they were turned in in December.
- [Judy] By both of you.
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[Ellen] For the lease renewal,
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all three of us resigned in December.
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And I have a copy of that.
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What I'm asking you is
where they turned in?
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Because that's very easy to verify.
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Were they all turned in
before she went to Hawaii?
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- Yes.
- [Judy] Okay. I'll see what you have.
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Well, Ms. Williams, if it's your statement
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that she took
your signed copy of the lease
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and turned it in without your permission
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at some point when you were
in Hawaii, that's what you're alleging,
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this doesn't bear that out. Ms. Williams.
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I'm going to tell you,
it doesn't lend itself
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to the truth of that statement,
because this indicates
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that the two of you
and the third roommate
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signed this on December the 19th.
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Then you turned it in,
then it was turned in.
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That was before you went to Hawaii.
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The landlord signed it on December 20th,
which means that if the landlord
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signed it on December 20th,
he signed it before you went to Hawaii,
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which means you couldn't
have stolen your copy of the lease.
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- Right.
- [Judy] Do you understand?
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Yeah. No, I'm not stating
I was in Hawaii when she turned it in.
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I left for Hawaii
January 8th through the 18th.
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- [Judy] I understand that.
- Okay. I was unaware.
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[Judy] Shh!
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"When our lease was up for renewal.
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We weren't getting along,
and I was on the fence about
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spending another year with Ellen.
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In December,
we received a copy of the lease renewal.
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I felt pressured into signing it, but
then we told Ellen we needed more time."
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Just you.
"I had to leave town."
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Well, I don't know,
you don't have any witness here.
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Because you say,
"I had to leave town, so I decided
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to hold on to the lease until I returned."
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Where did you go?
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I went to Hawaii.
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Well, that was in January.
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- [Tara] Yes.
- Well, but the landlord got a copy
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of the signed agreement December 20th.
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{\an8}I didn't know it was turned in.
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- {\an8}-
- I didn't receive an email, so--
- [Judy] Well, I don't know whether
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{\an8}- it was turned in or not.
- So I emailed Redcon,
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and I have messages
stating it was received from Ellen.
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[Judy]
Okay, I'll see what you have.
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No, this doesn't say that at all.
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The lease renewal was
signed by all three tenants. Correct.
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Lease was signed by all three tenants,
and it was received before
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you went to Hawaii
on the 20th of December.
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Okay, easy.
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You moved out in February?
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January 31st of '22.
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When was the first lease up?
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The 22nd of January '22.
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So you stayed on after the lease was up?
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- [Tara] Yes.
- Why?
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{\an8}I wasn't completely moved out yet.
I was in Hawaii.
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{\an8}I had reached out to Rincon about
paying extra to pay the extra few days.
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Okay. And when
did you get a new roommate?
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Did you keep blowing her off or
did you answer her?
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- No, I did--
- [Judy] Just a second.
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- I did not.
- Did you blow her off or did you answer?
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So the answer is you blew her off.
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- You blew her off.
- Yes.
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About the rent,
which she was stuck with.
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- Right.
- Right. Okay, good.
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{\an8}[narrator] Ellen Henderson claims
her ex roommate, Tara Williams,
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{\an8}broke their lease and filed a
false restraining order against her.
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Tara is countersuing
for a security deposit,
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utilities, and damaged property.
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Okay. When did you get a new roommate?
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She moved in...
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April 18th.
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- [Judy] Did she pay January's rent?
- Yeah.
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So you're talking
about February and March?
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February, March,
and then pro-rated April.
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February and March.
$1,495. $2,990.
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Okay. The next part of your case involves
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filing for a false restraining order.
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Did you file a restraining order,
Ms. Williams,
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- against Ms. Henderson?
- Yes.
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[Judy]
I'd like to see what it says.
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No, don't give me that whole thing.
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Your application for a restraining order.
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I'd like to see what your application--
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don't hand him that whole thing.
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I said I'd like to see what your
application for restraining order said.
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Okay, so what you say
is she sent you three letters.
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You're asking because she sent
you three letters, they were annoy--
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I want to know what she
was asking for in those letters.
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Was she asking for rent money?
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- {\an8}-
- Was she asking for rent?
- Yes.
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- {\an8}-
- Okay, so she was asking for her money.
- Yes.
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- For your rent money for the months
- Yes.
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[Judy]
that she didn't have a roommate.
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Well, that's not harassment, madam.
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- There's more, but, you know--
- [Judy] What?!
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Th-there's more.
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She's telling me that
I stole some of her stuff.
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And stuff-- [stammers]
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In--in the first letter it says,
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"If you don't pay this
in five days, we'll take anything--"
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She's allowed to say that. Okay.
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- [Tara] Yeah, it's totally fine--
- So she wrote to you.
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But she sent it two more times,
emailed it, and then showed up
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at my children's school
while I was dropping them off.
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Did you keep blowing
her off or did you answer her?
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- No, I did not--
- [Judy] No, no. Just a second.
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- I did not.
- Did you blow her off or did you answer?
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So the answer is you blew her off.
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Yes. I was fine with going to court.
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- You blew her off.
- Yes.
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About the rent, which she was stuck with.
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- Right.
- [Judy] Okay, good.
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$2,990 is what she owes you for rent.
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Now, part of your counterclaim,
forget money for damages,
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you get security deposit.
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How much was her security deposit?
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We paid equally between me and her.
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No, how much did she pay?
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- It was half of--
- How much was your security de--?
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$1,747.50.
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{\an8}- [Judy] 1-7-4-7. Is that right?
- Yes.
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{\an8}- [Judy] Is that right?
- Yes.
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Okay. And where is her security deposit?
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In our lease, it states that
if you break the lease,
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the deposit stays with the house.
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And I have an email from
the property management stating
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{\an8}that same thing that she signed
at lease saying that if she leaves early,
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{\an8}the money stays with the
house until everyone moves out.
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So the security deposit,
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if you and your new roommate
keep the house safe,
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- you're going to get back.
- Mm-hmm.
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- [Judy] Is that right?
- Mm-hmm.
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And you don't allege any damage,
is that correct?
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I had to clean up the
carpets in her room upstairs and--
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Okay. Do you have an invoice for that?
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00:09:18,867 --> 00:09:20,233
No, I did it myself.
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Okay. 2-9-9-0... less 1-7-4-7?
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$1,243.
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So far she owes you $1,243.
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That's less the security deposit,
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which you and your hopefully
neat roommate will get back.
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- May I say something
- [Judy] What?
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about the payments for rent?
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So it was me and
her doing equal rent at $1,795.25.
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So that's what I paid--
me and her paid that in January,
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and I paid that-- I paid
the entire amount in February, March.
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I understand
she was no longer paying rent.
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{\an8}You're getting the rent,
but I'm deducting from that--
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{\an8}My portion is $1,795.
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{\an8}And that's what I'm asking her for,
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{\an8}because that's what her portion was
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- when she moved out as well.
- [Judy] Okay. Just a second.
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Am I correct that she,
at the time you moved in,
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individually paid as a security deposit
$1,747.
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Is that correct?
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00:10:11,967 --> 00:10:14,133
Yeah, but I'm
talking about the rent payments.
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It's not $1,495, it's $1,795.
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Was your rent each month
$1,495 or $1,795?
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$1,495.
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[Judy] Can I see it?
Anybody have any proof of that?
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I printed out the log,
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but she paid us $300 each in cash.
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So there no-- She is on the lease,
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but it does not show she was paying cash.
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- You mean the third roommate?
- Yes.
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- [Judy] The third roommate.
- Right.
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- So your amount was $1,495.
- Correct.
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- I got it.
- Until the end of December.
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[Judy] Okay, I'm finished.
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00:10:46,033 --> 00:10:49,433
Now, the next part of
your counterclaim is the utilities.
233
00:10:49,500 --> 00:10:51,800
Security deposit, you get back.
234
00:10:51,867 --> 00:10:54,100
What utilities do you think she owes?
235
00:10:54,166 --> 00:10:59,433
She did not pay me November, December,
January or February closing for utilities.
236
00:10:59,500 --> 00:11:01,166
- Did you pay them?
- [Tara] I paid them.
237
00:11:01,233 --> 00:11:03,333
I'd like to see it.
What do you pay them?
238
00:11:03,400 --> 00:11:05,200
No, don't give me a whole bunch of papers.
239
00:11:05,266 --> 00:11:08,033
I don't want to see a whole
bunch of papers that I have to go through.
240
00:11:08,100 --> 00:11:10,000
I want to see what utilities there were.
241
00:11:10,066 --> 00:11:11,166
- When you sent her--
- [Tara] Just, like, the bank--
242
00:11:11,233 --> 00:11:15,500
When you sent her a
statement of what the utilities were.
243
00:11:15,567 --> 00:11:16,433
Yes.
244
00:11:16,500 --> 00:11:20,533
I assume it worked that she
paid you a portion of the utilities.
245
00:11:20,600 --> 00:11:21,500
Yes, it was--
246
00:11:21,567 --> 00:11:23,700
What portion of the utilities did you pay?
247
00:11:23,767 --> 00:11:25,767
We split it equally the
whole time we were there.
248
00:11:25,834 --> 00:11:30,333
Okay, so whatever
utility bills that were paid by her,
249
00:11:30,400 --> 00:11:31,934
you were supposed to pay half.
250
00:11:32,000 --> 00:11:34,033
- Correct. Which I--
- [Judy] Did--
251
00:11:34,100 --> 00:11:38,200
My last payment to her was December
4th for Spectrum Water, Trash and Gas.
252
00:11:38,266 --> 00:11:40,500
- That was twelve four.
- Mm-hmm.
253
00:11:40,567 --> 00:11:42,000
How much did you pay her?
254
00:11:42,066 --> 00:11:45,433
- $364.61.
- [Judy] Okay, just a second.
255
00:11:45,500 --> 00:11:48,266
Did she pay you $364 in December?
256
00:11:48,333 --> 00:11:50,166
She did for prior months.
257
00:11:50,233 --> 00:11:53,734
[Judy] So that was for November.
That covered November.
258
00:11:54,467 --> 00:11:57,066
If it was paid in December,
that covered November,
259
00:11:57,133 --> 00:11:59,633
It would have been more so October.
I--
260
00:11:59,700 --> 00:12:03,166
I can't-- I can't get
involved with that, madam.
261
00:12:03,233 --> 00:12:05,533
Don't give
him a whole bunch of papers.
262
00:12:05,600 --> 00:12:07,734
Don't give him a whole bunch of papers.
263
00:12:07,800 --> 00:12:13,033
December and January,
statement for utilities.
264
00:12:13,100 --> 00:12:15,500
- You were gone in February?
- Yes.
265
00:12:15,567 --> 00:12:20,700
December and January,
bills for utilities, did you pay those?
266
00:12:20,767 --> 00:12:23,800
{\an8}I did not, because
she left me with all the rent.
267
00:12:23,867 --> 00:12:26,600
{\an8}I understand that,
but now you're getting your rent.
268
00:12:26,667 --> 00:12:28,033
Now we're going
to settle up on the utilities.
269
00:12:28,100 --> 00:12:32,300
I didn't include it in the lawsuit,
but she still owes me for trash,
270
00:12:32,367 --> 00:12:35,200
and I have a list of stuff
that she took on mine that I did--
271
00:12:35,266 --> 00:12:37,266
I'm not interested in it, Ms. Henderson.
272
00:12:37,333 --> 00:12:39,066
It didn't work out.
You should be very happy.
273
00:12:39,133 --> 00:12:40,266
She's gone.
You didn't like her.
274
00:12:40,333 --> 00:12:42,734
She overcharged me utilities
with her business expenses
275
00:12:42,800 --> 00:12:44,734
- Okay.
- [Ellen] every month we lived there.
276
00:12:48,200 --> 00:12:52,133
[Judy] Did you come in contact with her
on the 25th of May
277
00:12:52,200 --> 00:12:54,934
in a pedestrian car incident?
278
00:12:55,000 --> 00:12:56,400
Not that I recall.
279
00:12:56,467 --> 00:12:58,367
About one minute to eight in the morning.
280
00:12:58,433 --> 00:13:00,333
Who drives a white minivan?
281
00:13:00,400 --> 00:13:01,533
Me.
282
00:13:13,500 --> 00:13:16,834
{\an8}[narrator] Ellen Henderson
has accused her ex roommate,
283
00:13:16,900 --> 00:13:19,333
{\an8}Tara Williams of breaking their lease.
284
00:13:19,400 --> 00:13:24,000
Tara claims she filed the restraining
order because Ellen was stalking her.
285
00:13:24,066 --> 00:13:25,700
Ms. Henderson, it didn't work out.
286
00:13:25,767 --> 00:13:28,166
You should be very happy she's gone.
You didn't like her.
287
00:13:28,233 --> 00:13:30,567
She overcharged
me utilities with her business expenses
288
00:13:30,633 --> 00:13:32,467
- every month we lived there.
- Okay.
289
00:13:33,266 --> 00:13:35,667
You have a bill for December and January.
290
00:13:43,033 --> 00:13:46,567
If there's anything here
that's not December and January,
291
00:13:46,633 --> 00:13:48,467
I'm dismissing that part of your claim.
292
00:13:48,533 --> 00:13:53,600
And I already have a bill
that's dated April of 2022.
293
00:13:53,667 --> 00:13:56,767
Right. That was for
January, February water.
294
00:13:56,834 --> 00:14:00,867
That's $390.
Billing date, Four fourte--
295
00:14:01,400 --> 00:14:02,300
Oh.
296
00:14:02,467 --> 00:14:03,567
It was--
297
00:14:03,633 --> 00:14:09,033
No. I want you
because I'm losing my patience slowly.
298
00:14:11,166 --> 00:14:13,333
Please read out the bills,
299
00:14:13,400 --> 00:14:17,200
the total bills for
December and January only.
300
00:14:17,967 --> 00:14:19,300
Sarah, get ready.
301
00:14:19,367 --> 00:14:21,467
Can it go till February 1st?
302
00:14:21,533 --> 00:14:22,967
- [Judy] Yes.
- Okay.
303
00:14:23,033 --> 00:14:27,033
By the way, while she's looking for that,
did you go to her kids' school?
304
00:14:27,100 --> 00:14:28,100
{\an8}I dro-- Yeah.
305
00:14:28,166 --> 00:14:30,767
{\an8}I served her a letter of
default and a cease-and-desist letter
306
00:14:30,834 --> 00:14:32,200
{\an8}in the parking lot of her school.
307
00:14:32,266 --> 00:14:33,433
- Kids.
- [Judy] Mm-hmm.
308
00:14:33,500 --> 00:14:37,066
Because she didn't pick
up a letter from the mailbox.
309
00:14:37,133 --> 00:14:39,667
She knew it was coming
from me and I had to go back
310
00:14:39,734 --> 00:14:41,567
to the mailbox and get it after a month.
311
00:14:41,633 --> 00:14:43,934
- [Judy] Okay.
- And I didn't know where she lived.
312
00:14:44,000 --> 00:14:46,900
- I didn't know how else to reach her.
- [Judy] Okay.
313
00:14:46,967 --> 00:14:50,867
Did you come in contact with her
on the 25th of May
314
00:14:50,934 --> 00:14:54,166
in a pedestrian car incident?
315
00:14:54,233 --> 00:14:55,333
Not that I recall.
316
00:14:55,400 --> 00:14:57,800
About one minute to eight in the morning?
317
00:14:57,867 --> 00:14:59,500
Who drives a white minivan?
318
00:14:59,567 --> 00:15:02,367
Me. What was the date?
319
00:15:02,433 --> 00:15:03,834
May 25th.
320
00:15:03,900 --> 00:15:06,066
[Ellen]
Oh, yeah. That was her kid's school.
321
00:15:06,133 --> 00:15:08,000
That was her kid's
school when I delivered the letter.
322
00:15:08,066 --> 00:15:11,533
Well, that's why she filed for
protective order against you.
323
00:15:12,066 --> 00:15:13,133
Not unreasonable.
324
00:15:13,200 --> 00:15:16,166
It was dismissed after a
hearing or it was just dismissed?
325
00:15:16,233 --> 00:15:18,200
- {\an8}-
- It was dismissed after a hearing.
- [Judy] Yeah.
326
00:15:18,266 --> 00:15:21,867
{\an8}Part of your claim for filing a
false restraining order is dismissed.
327
00:15:21,934 --> 00:15:24,367
I could actually see why you
would get frightened if
328
00:15:24,433 --> 00:15:26,834
somebody went to your
kids' school to serve you papers.
329
00:15:26,900 --> 00:15:28,800
Okay. What are the bills for utilities?
330
00:15:28,867 --> 00:15:30,767
- Can I just say something?
- Sure.
331
00:15:30,834 --> 00:15:33,734
I had to give her those
letters in order to file for small claims.
332
00:15:33,800 --> 00:15:34,800
[Judy] Okay.
333
00:15:34,867 --> 00:15:38,133
I had tried to mail it and
she didn't go to the post office.
334
00:15:38,200 --> 00:15:42,000
I got it.
Could we have the utilities?
335
00:15:42,066 --> 00:15:43,667
Which utility and what is it?
336
00:15:43,734 --> 00:15:46,667
You should have all this
together for me and not make it difficult.
337
00:15:46,734 --> 00:15:48,100
This is why you were coming.
338
00:15:48,166 --> 00:15:49,467
- Don't read out the numbers.
- [Tara] Okay.
339
00:15:49,533 --> 00:15:52,467
What the utility is,
for what month, and the amount.
340
00:15:52,533 --> 00:15:55,600
So, water $257.94.
341
00:15:55,667 --> 00:15:59,166
Water for February was $132.09.
342
00:15:59,233 --> 00:16:03,700
For 12/03 bill date
for electricity was $167...
343
00:16:03,767 --> 00:16:04,767
What date?
344
00:16:04,834 --> 00:16:06,500
- 12/20...
- That's December.
345
00:16:06,567 --> 00:16:08,500
- Yes, but--
- [Judy] That was for November.
346
00:16:08,567 --> 00:16:10,600
I thought we were doing
December, January.
347
00:16:10,667 --> 00:16:13,100
For December,
but you wouldn't have gotten
348
00:16:13,166 --> 00:16:14,734
December's bill in December.
349
00:16:14,800 --> 00:16:16,433
You would have gotten it in January.
350
00:16:16,500 --> 00:16:18,200
It was prepared 12/03.
351
00:16:18,266 --> 00:16:22,133
Right, but that was November,
it was prepared 12/03.
352
00:16:22,200 --> 00:16:24,900
They're not prorated.
Come on, let's go.
353
00:16:24,967 --> 00:16:29,066
Okay, uh, 2/04,
this was prepared for electricity.
354
00:16:29,133 --> 00:16:31,100
- $74.72.
- Okay.
355
00:16:32,100 --> 00:16:36,200
This one was for
the date that I ended at 1/28 to 2/01.
356
00:16:36,266 --> 00:16:39,800
It was $12.78 for Edison electricity.
357
00:16:39,867 --> 00:16:40,867
Let's move on.
358
00:16:40,934 --> 00:16:44,500
And then this is gas for 12/29 to 1/27.
359
00:16:44,567 --> 00:16:46,500
It was $37.04.
360
00:16:46,567 --> 00:16:49,333
And then the ending charges was $5.72.
361
00:16:49,400 --> 00:16:53,333
Got it? $5.72. I can't believe it. Can--
362
00:16:53,400 --> 00:16:55,100
- Okay. Could you add those up?
- [sighs] Yeah.
363
00:16:56,166 --> 00:16:58,100
And your arrangement
with her, Ms. Henderson,
364
00:16:58,166 --> 00:17:01,266
was that you each
paid half of the utilities, is that right?
365
00:17:01,333 --> 00:17:04,066
Yeah.
Can I say something about that, too?
366
00:17:04,133 --> 00:17:09,934
Back in April or May of 2021,
I had went to her to speak
367
00:17:10,000 --> 00:17:13,133
and ask about me paying less for water,
368
00:17:13,200 --> 00:17:17,266
gas and electric because she
brought all of her airbnb laundry.
369
00:17:17,333 --> 00:17:18,633
She has a cleaning business,
370
00:17:18,700 --> 00:17:20,834
and our washers and dryers
were going constantly,
371
00:17:20,900 --> 00:17:21,767
[Judy] And?
372
00:17:21,834 --> 00:17:24,633
And she didn't meet me halfway,
373
00:17:24,700 --> 00:17:26,467
- so I was stuck paying half.
- [Judy] Okay. Fine.
374
00:17:27,033 --> 00:17:28,734
I have the total for you
whenever you're ready.
375
00:17:28,800 --> 00:17:30,600
$507.51.
376
00:17:30,667 --> 00:17:31,800
Divide it by two.
377
00:17:32,433 --> 00:17:34,333
$254.
378
00:17:34,700 --> 00:17:37,333
$1,243 less $254.
379
00:17:37,400 --> 00:17:39,300
That's $1,243 is what she's owed now.
380
00:17:39,367 --> 00:17:42,333
Less the security deposit.
I love this case.
381
00:17:42,400 --> 00:17:44,400
Couldn't be more excited about it.
382
00:17:46,000 --> 00:17:47,400
$989.
383
00:17:47,467 --> 00:17:49,400
Judgment for the plaintiff, $989.
384
00:17:49,467 --> 00:17:51,567
- [Tara] Your Honor, I had two--
- Thank you very much. We're done.
385
00:17:51,633 --> 00:17:53,200
- [bailiff] Court is adjourned.
- [Judy] Thank you.
386
00:17:57,734 --> 00:18:00,800
{\an8}It's sad that I lost,
but I put up a good fight.
387
00:18:00,867 --> 00:18:02,200
{\an8}I'm happy with the decision.
388
00:18:02,266 --> 00:18:04,166
{\an8}If she didn't want to live with me,
that there were issues,
389
00:18:04,233 --> 00:18:06,433
{\an8}why would you turn in a lease to renew
390
00:18:06,500 --> 00:18:08,300
{\an8}for a whole 'nother
entire year with someone?
391
00:18:08,367 --> 00:18:09,467
{\an8}It's been a lot of stress.
392
00:18:09,533 --> 00:18:12,066
{\an8}I wanted her to file suit
so I could see her in court
393
00:18:12,133 --> 00:18:13,767
{\an8}in order to take care of the matter.
394
00:18:13,834 --> 00:18:15,200
{\an8}I had nowhere to go, and I didn't think
395
00:18:15,266 --> 00:18:17,266
{\an8}she was gonna renew, to be honest.
396
00:18:17,333 --> 00:18:20,233
{\an8}Zero roommates. Don't do it. [laughs]
397
00:18:21,066 --> 00:18:24,767
{\an8}I mean, I went into it thinking that
this was gonna be a good situation.
398
00:18:25,033 --> 00:18:28,100
{\an8}I really got along,
and I loved her and her kids, and...
399
00:18:29,100 --> 00:18:31,633
{\an8}I don't know that I could
have done anything different.
400
00:18:33,100 --> 00:18:36,567
So the new phenomenon that
I've seen over this past generation
401
00:18:36,633 --> 00:18:38,700
for as long as
I've been in this business
402
00:18:38,767 --> 00:18:40,066
is because of the economy,
403
00:18:40,133 --> 00:18:41,500
people having to live together
404
00:18:41,567 --> 00:18:43,367
that are neither in love with each other
405
00:18:43,433 --> 00:18:45,433
or related to each other.
406
00:18:45,500 --> 00:18:49,166
I actually think, Sarah,
that's such a very hard thing to do.
407
00:18:49,233 --> 00:18:52,367
You know, this is
the first case that we've had
408
00:18:52,433 --> 00:18:54,700
that involved adults and their kids
409
00:18:54,767 --> 00:18:57,700
having to, for financial reasons,
move in with each other.
410
00:18:57,767 --> 00:18:59,367
I think I've always said,
411
00:18:59,433 --> 00:19:01,166
and I don't know how you feel about this,
412
00:19:01,233 --> 00:19:04,934
that I'd rather live
in a shoe box alone...
413
00:19:05,000 --> 00:19:05,867
[chuckles]
414
00:19:05,934 --> 00:19:09,233
than with strangers in more
comfortable surroundings.
415
00:19:09,300 --> 00:19:11,367
Sure. I think that's a tough call that
416
00:19:11,433 --> 00:19:13,967
a lot of people are
having to make nowadays
417
00:19:14,033 --> 00:19:16,400
with the cost of living and inflation.
418
00:19:16,467 --> 00:19:18,000
- Young people.
- Young people.
419
00:19:18,066 --> 00:19:20,567
Two single mothers trying to live
together with their children
420
00:19:20,633 --> 00:19:22,700
to give them a home environment.
421
00:19:22,767 --> 00:19:24,934
So it's a risk that you take
422
00:19:25,000 --> 00:19:26,233
when you don't know the other person.
423
00:19:26,300 --> 00:19:27,233
Even when you do know them.
424
00:19:27,300 --> 00:19:29,400
- we see family members fight all the time.
- They ch--
425
00:19:29,467 --> 00:19:31,400
So I think it's a double-edged sword.
426
00:19:31,467 --> 00:19:33,367
[Judy] Yeah, I don't know.
It's unfortunate.
427
00:19:33,433 --> 00:19:37,233
It's unfortunate that people have to
make those kinds of choices for happiness.
428
00:19:37,300 --> 00:19:39,033
Shouldn't create that kind of stress.
429
00:19:39,100 --> 00:19:41,800
I think the best thing you can do is
have a concrete contract
430
00:19:41,867 --> 00:19:44,633
to fall back on for--
if something like this happens,
431
00:19:44,700 --> 00:19:46,967
because it's a very stressful situation.
432
00:19:47,033 --> 00:19:48,967
But nobody wants to take that risk.
433
00:19:49,033 --> 00:19:51,734
Nobody wants to-- who's signing
a lease agreement saying
434
00:19:51,800 --> 00:19:53,133
- If it doesn't work out,
- Yeah.
435
00:19:53,200 --> 00:19:55,100
this is what happens.
436
00:19:55,166 --> 00:19:58,533
Well, that's never between
the tenant and the landlord
437
00:19:58,600 --> 00:20:01,166
- Mm-hmm.
- as between those two people.
438
00:20:01,233 --> 00:20:03,266
- Maybe it would be enforceable,
- Yeah.
439
00:20:03,333 --> 00:20:06,000
but not between
the two tenants and the landlord.
440
00:20:06,066 --> 00:20:08,500
- Landlord still gets his money.
- [Judy] Landlord gets his money.
441
00:20:08,567 --> 00:20:10,934
- Stay with people who you love
- Yeah. [chuckles]
442
00:20:11,000 --> 00:20:12,967
- [Judy] or you have to love.
- True.
443
00:20:14,567 --> 00:20:15,800
[narrator] Want justice?
444
00:20:15,867 --> 00:20:18,133
{\an8}Go to JudyJustice.tv.