01x38 - Single Mother Struggle

[bunniefuu]

She, um, owns a daycare.

How many children
do you take care of in the daycare?

About 16.

She even called Child Protective
Services on me, called the police.

You had your kids sleeping in a
basement.

- No.
- Just back and forth,

- that's all it was.
- [Katrina] You said the word.

- I have... excuse me, I have a
stack...

I don't wanna hear anyth...

I don't know where you think you are.

I'm at court.

Then behave like it.

[Announcer] This is Judy Justice.

[theme music playing]

[announcer] Javala Elam is suing
business owner Katrina Weems

for a car and stolen items.

[Kevin] Court come to order.
All rise.

[Judge Judy] Be seated, please.

[Kevin] Hello, Judge.

Case 1059, Elam versus Weems.

- Thank you.
- You're welcome.

[Judge Judy] Ms. Elam,
when did you meet the defendant?

[Javala] I met the defendant, Ms.
Weems

around November, December,
I should say.

- [Judge Judy] Of 2020?
- [Javala] Yes.

- [Judge Judy] Where did you meet her?

I met her through a friend, actually.

Tell me how.

[Javala] She was helping
me out at my hard times...

[Judge Judy] Who was helping you
out?

[Javala] Ms. Weems.

[Judge Judy] No, how did you meet
her?

I met her through my...
I met her through my best friend,

she's my...my best friend

is cousins with her kids' daycare
teacher.

She runs a daycare
and my best friend's cousin

go to her daycare.

And Ms. Weems was buying stamps and
she...

[Judge Judy] Buying what?

Buying food stamps.

She was buying food stamps from whom?

From everybody, me included.

Me and some other people, anybody...

um, her daycare kids' parents,
she's buying from.

She keeps cards

cause she, she has a daycare.

[Judge Judy] Okay.
So you say she buys some,

- she gives you money for them?
- Yes.

[Judge Judy] So you get
a supply of food stamps

for a month or for a week?

Explain to me how that works.

Um, well, the pandemic,
um, being going on,

so they've been giving us food
stamps,

like pandemic stamps they call them.

And that's how I was able...

- How often?
- [Javala] Like, twice a month.

Like, minus the...
minus the regular, you know,

time you get your stamps,

they give it to you, like, twice,
three times a month,

like constantly.

[Judge Judy] Okay.

So they give you
more than you actually need

for your family, so you sell them?

- Well, I...
- [Judge Judy] If she buys them,

then you have to sell them?

Right. But I don't have a fam...

I have a daughter, yes,
but I put food in the home...

[Judge Judy] I'm talking about...

I'm just trying to understand.

How much does she pay you
for the food stamps?

Oh, like, um, say, if I was to sell
her

a hundred dollars in stamps,
she'll give me fifty.

And she would do this
for your friend as well?

Yes, everybody.

[Judge Judy] And what do you do
with them, Ms. Weems?

- [chuckles] I, um...
- [Judge Judy] Just...Okay.

I actually...I buy food,

I give them away,

I'm just a person that helps
everybody.

I just buy them because
they would need the money,

so I buy a lot of food,
I have a surplus of food in my...

I didn't know she was giving them away.

[Judge Judy] Shush.

Doesn't matter what I do with them.

[Judge Judy] No, I just would
like to know how it works.

- [Javala] Right.
- So if you have a hundred dollars

worth of food stamps,

she'll give you fifty dollars for
it?

[Katrina] Uh-hmm.

Or two hundred, she'll give me
a hundred, you know.

[Judge Judy] So it's, it's cut in
half.

- It's...it...half, yeah.
- [Judge Judy] Okay.

And you save them,
give them away, or sell them?

No, I never sell them.

Where do you get the money to buy
them?

Well, I make about 15,000 a month,
I own a tax office as well as a

daycare.
- You have a daycare?

[Katrina] I own daycare and,
and a tax office.

- [Judge Judy] And a what?
- A tax office.

[Judge Judy] Okay. In the daycare,
which is where she said

she met you through a cousin or
something?

I would actually...
I could better explain it.

[Judge Judy] How many children
do you take care of in the daycare?

About 16.

- How old?
- [Katrina] From about six weeks

to sixteen years of age
with special needs.

[Judge Judy] And is the tax office
in the same building?

- [Katrina] No.
- [Judge Judy] Where is that?

It's in a different location.

[Judge Judy] And who is in that
location?

I actually own a salon as well.

So my cousin who's a licensed
stylist, she actually does hair

there.
I own a lot of things. I'm sorry.

I just wanna know who's in the tax
office.

[Katrina] Oh, me.

[Judge Judy] And who's in the
daycare?

Uh, my employees.

As well as myself
depending on the time of day.

Well, tax season is over now, but
yeah.

[Judge Judy]
This is what the case is about.

You say you bought
a car from her for $2,800.

- 38.
- [Judge Judy] 38.

How much did you give her?

[Javala] I gave her 2,800
through Cash App.

If you don't know Cash App,
it's a app where...

[Judge Judy] No. Just a second
there's an app, I don't...

- [Javala] Yeah.
- Don't try to explain it to me.

I'm very, very stupid.

- So...
- [Javala] Okay.

And then I gave her a thousand in
cash.

I was gonna give it all to her in
cash,

but because I have Chime.

My bank with Chime,
I don't bank with a actual bank,

I wasn't able to get a money order
out.

So I asked Ms. Weems,
was it okay for me to give her

a thousand dollars in cash
since I already got the thousand

out the ATM.
and if I can Cash App her the rest.

She agreed to doing that, but...

[Judge Judy] Uh, just a second.

Did she give you $3,800 for the
car?

No, ma'am.

[Judge Judy] How much did
she give you for the car?

She gave me $2,800.

[Javala] Is this when I pull out
evidence?

[Judge Judy] I'm going
to see your evidence.

- [Javala] Okay.
- [Judge Judy] This took place

in April of 2020?

- Uh-hmm.
- [Judge Judy] April what?

April 21st.

- [Judge Judy] Uh, was it April 21st?
- [Javala] Uh-hmm.

I'm actually talking to you.
Uh-huh is not an answer.

- Yes is an answer.
- Yes. Yes, yes.

I'd like you to show me proof
that you gave her $3,800.

She says you only gave her 28.

- Oh, no, no. I'll take care of it.
- [Javala] Oh, I'm sorry.

Okay. That's the 28

and then, um, I have
the screenshot in my phone

for the thousand dollars.

I took off 500 cause you can't
take off the whole thousand,

so I had to take off 500
for the first ATM, transaction.

- [Judge Judy] Just a second. Just...
- And then...

...and what month and date?

[Javala] This was April.

- April what?
- [Javala] 21st, yes.

[Judge Judy] April 21st.

- Yes.
- [Judge Judy] This is for how much?

I just wanna be able to look.

Who's Pretty Lagirl?

- [Javala] That's her.
- I'm Pretty.

- [Judge Judy] That would be you?
- Yes.

[Javala] Right here.

That's how much I got back
after she did my taxes

and those were the two transactions

that I had made,
and it shows the date up there.

Okay.

Okay. ATM withdrawal, 500.

ATM withdrawal 500.

Transfer from Credit Builder.
What's Credit Builder?

Credit Builder is... um, because I'm
trying to build my credit,

it's another account
that's connected to my Chime.

So it just...instead of it going
to my spending account,

it's go to my credit account

- and I can transfer it.
- [Judge Judy] Okay.

So the tax refund was processed

- at 11:37 in the morning.
- [Javala] Uh-hmm.

I called her right away.

[Judge Judy] And that was $4,823.63.

On that same day at 1:48 and 1:44

and this is on Tuesday, the 20th,

she took out a thousand dollars.

I wouldn't know what she took out
the bank, ma'am, I don't know.

- [Judge Judy] Hmm?
- [Katrina] She didn't give it to me.

I don't know what she...I can't vouch
for what she took out the bank,

ma'am.

[Javala] I have
a screenshot of her saying,

"You gave him thirty-eight hundred,

he gave me a hundred dollars

for the tires, so now,
you only pay thirty-seven."

- [Judge Judy] Could I see that?
- Yes, ma'am.

[Judge Judy] May I see that, please?

- [Javala] Yes, ma'am.
- [Katrina] That is reflecting...

Don't speak.

I asked you question.

- The question was a simple one.
- What's...

[Judge Judy] I said,
"What is the location,

- the current location of..."
- [Katrina] I'm not aware.

[Judge Judy] "...the 2005 Toyota
Camry?"

I don't know.

[tense music playing]

[Announcer] Javala Elam claims
business owner Katrina Weems

wrongfully repossessed her car

and all the belongings left inside.

[Judge Judy] While she's looking for
that,

tell me the location, Ms. Weems,

of the 2005 Toyota Camry.

I sold it.

[Judge Judy] To whom?

A young man.

Tell me when you sold it.

[Katrina] I sold it, I believe
it was...I'd say June 27th.

Basically, what took place is,

I sold the car... um, actually, I
didn't sell it to her.

She wanted to purchase the car.

- I wanna give you a accurate...
- No.

I asked you question.

- The question was a simple one.
- What's...

[Judge Judy] I said,
"What is the location,

- the current location..."
- I'm not aware.

[Judge Judy]
"...of the 2005 Toyota Camry?"

I don't know.

[Judge Judy] So you say, "I sold it."

I sold it.

[Judge Judy] Put your hand down.
I said, "To whom?"

- You said a young man.
- [Katrina] Uh-hmm.

That's where we're at, not a whole
story.

Did you sell it
after putting an ad someplace?

No, I just put a for sale sign on
the car.

Okay. And the car
was registered in your name?

No, it's registered in my fiance's
name.

Okay. And your fiance's name is what?

- Jackson.
- [Judge Judy] Okay.

Now, Mr. Jackson had to have signed
the title over to this young man?

No, to this young lady, no, he
didn't.

- [Judge Judy] No. To the young man.
- [Katrina] Oh, yeah, he did.

- Pay attention.
- Yes, yes, yes. The...

- [Judge Judy] To the young man...
- Yes, he did.

[Judge Judy] In order for the young
man to put the car in his name.

And that you did in June?

[Katrina] It was two days
after I retrieved the car.

[Judge Judy] In what month
did you retrieve?

It was about June 27th or 28th,
give or take a day.

Were you there
when this transaction took place?

Yes.

[Judge Judy] Of the sale of
the car?

- Yeah.
- Oh, yeah, don't say it is yeah.

You said it wasn't your car,
it's your boyfriend's car

cause it was in his name. So it's a
logical question. Were you...

- It was my car. Actually...
- It can't be your car

if it's not registered in your name,
if the title is not in your name.

The car is registered
in Jackson's name.

- [Judge Judy] Well...
- I cannot tell you, yeah.

- What?
- [Katrina] It's all true.

The car is registered
under Jackson's name.

I gave him the cash for the car.

- I paid for the car. So...
- [Judge Judy] I don't care

whether you paid for it or not,
I don't care what that was from.

If the car is titled in his name
and registered in his name,

- it's his car.
- Yes.

[Judge Judy] So he had to be there
in order to sign the title.

- He did sign the title.
- [Judge Judy] Great.

And he signed the title

sometime in June of this year.

- Correct. Correct.
- [Judge Judy] Right.

- Is he here with you today?
- [Katrina] No, he's not.

What's his telephone number?

He doesn't wanna be...I'm actually
his POA.

I want his phone number.



[Judge Judy] Let's get this right.
I'm gonna call this number.

Is there going to be a recording
or is there gonna be a person,

- or is it wrong number?
- No, it's his phone number.

- [Judge Judy] It's a Mr. Jackson.
- It's his phone number.

[Judge Judy] Okay.
And just so that we're clear,

Mr. Jackson is going to tell me

that he sold by signing over the
title

to a young man
whose name you don't know.

I never said I didn't know the name.

- [Judge Judy] Well, what's his name?
- I'm not gonna give his name.

You have to give his name.
This is not a secret.

- [Javala] I can. Can I, Judge?
- Sure.

[Javala] His name is...um, he go by
Trey.

He is a friend of my, um, cousin.

I've seen him the day before I was
actually supposed to board the plane.

I'd seen him at the gas station
on Teutonia and Florist,

- um, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
- [Judge Judy] Just a second.

Was he driving this car?

[Javala]
Yes, he was. He was actually...

his friend...he got his friend driving
it. But he was in the passenger side.

- [Judge Judy] Did you talk to him?
- Yes, I did.

Did he confirm
that he had purchased the car?

- Yes, he did.
- [Judge Judy] I'd like to see

her text to you about this $3,800

minus $100 for the tires.

Tell one lie, you got to keep up
with the other ones

Okay. So you say to her,

"I just told him everything."

I assume that's Mr. Jackson.

Uh-hmm.

[Judge Judy] And he said that,
"He's gonna cover those tires

because he didn't want
to sell it that way.

So he just gave me a hundred.

So you just owe me $300.

So now you paid $37."

- [Javala] Uh-hmm.
- That's 300 every two weeks.

- She knows the agreement.
- [Javala] No.

[Judge Judy] So now you paid 37.

That'll be the total amount
that she'll be paying

for the car once
she completely paid me off, ma'am.

- Well, that's not what it says.
- Thank you.

It's quick and straight to the point.
We had a verbal conversation...

[Judge Judy] Just a second.

This looks like I have you $3,800.

- So you mean I gave you $3,800...
- [Javala] Yeah. Yeah.

[Judge Judy] ...for a whole car
that wasn't even worth it.

I was doing you a favor,

cause you did me one.

[Javala] Meaning that I gave her
$3,800 for a car

because like I said Katrina
was helping me out.

- [Judge Judy] Okay.
- It was a 2005.

Um, I could have got something better
for $3,800, but because...

No, you couldn't. No, you couldn't.

- I mean, I could've if I would've
went...

[Judge Judy] No.

[Javala] ...to somewhere
more better than going to her.

I could've paid a car loan
instead of going to her paying...

- why would I pay her a car note...
- [Judge Judy] I don't wanna hear...

...when I can pay
an actual car note a car note.

- [Judge Judy] Well, if that's...
- Especially if they come repossess

my stuff and leave and take
everything in my trunk that I had.

She didn't give me
any of my things back.

[Judge Judy] Thank you.
And then she responded to you.

"Honey, you bought the car from him
so that money didn't go to me.

And that was a power
steering pump that you got fixed.

So in other words,
you're saying you're not

gonna give me the money
you owe me?"

And you respond,
"Of course I am not like that."

And she wrote, "I actually like
your,"

- and then I don't see the rest.
- Yeah, I have the rest of that.

That was me saying
I actually like you

so I'm not gonna take it personal
that you're being disrespectful

because you've never
disrespected me before.

I still have all the messages.

- The car belonged to Mr. Jackson.
- Exactly. And it still his.

[Judge Judy]
Whether you bought him a gift,

whether it was a birthday present,
whether it was a Hanukkah present,

I don't know. I don't know.

But, it was his car.

And you say it was his car.

[announcer] Javala Elam
has accused business owner

Katrina Weems of repossessing her car

and stealing the items inside.

[Judge Judy] Let us assume, for...

just the sake of argument here

that I believe you
that she only gave you $2,800

and you repossessed the car

cause we acknowledge
that you repossessed the car.

And you say you were there

when Mr. Jackson sold the car

- Uh-hmm.
- How much did he get for the car?

$900.

- 900?
- [Katrina] That was all I wanted.

Because I wanted my money back.
It...It wasn't no...

[Judge Judy]
Just a second. Just a second.

Well, that's ridiculous.
I can't believe that because...

- [Katrina] It's the truth.
- ...the book value of this car is?

- [Sarah] Between 2,800 and 4,300.
- [Katrina] Yeah.

But I had already got 2,800.
I...I make a lot of money, Judge.

- [Judge Judy] Just a second.
- Go ahead.

[Judge Judy]
So you had already...just a second.

So you had already gotten


[Katrina] Uh-hmm.

[Judge Judy] And all you wanted
was nine, because?

That was all I needed left.

That would've
completed me getting to $3,800.

- He gave her 2,500 for that car.
- No, he didn't. I...no, he didn't.

[Javala] He met her at [indistinct]

No he didn't.

Judge Judy, I have his number on
standby I can call him right now.

[Katrina] And also just to enlighten
you guys,

that's actually my little cousin.

We just didn't let her know that.
It's my cousin. And he did it, it...

Why didn't you answer
that to me? You say...

- She doesn't know that.
- [Judge Judy] No. No.

Why didn't you say that to me?

Because I wasn't trying
to make her aware of that as of yet.

[Judge Judy] Okay.
How long did you drive the car?

- I drove the car till June 27th.
- [Judge Judy] And when did you buy

- it?
- I bought it April 21st.

[Judge Judy] You drove it some of
April,

some of May, right?

- All of May.
- [Judge Judy] All of May.

- [Javala] Yeah.
- [Judge Judy] Until June?

- 27th.
- [Judge Judy] 27th. And June.

I'm not actually
a hundred percent satisfied

with all of the math here.

- Math is not my strong suit.
- It's mine.

[Judge Judy] But I know
one thing for certain

that you gave her 28...

- at least $2,800 for this car.
- Uh-hmm.

[Judge Judy] And you drove it
for at least two and a half months?

- [Javala] Yes.
- [Judge Judy] Right. So...

[Javala] I actually paid 38.

But if you don't count
the thousand dollar transaction

as a part of that,

then I understand,
but I actually paid $3,804.

[Judge Judy] Okay.

What I'm telling you is you drove
the car.

She says that she
only received $2,800 from you.

You tell me
that you paid $3,800 for the car.

She sold the car again
or gave it away to her little cousin.

I don't believe her.

I don't think that she's the sweet
little lady that she says she is.

I think that she makes money.

And she makes money from lots of
sources,

which is very good and resourceful
of her.

On the low end, it's worth $2,500.

So why would she give her
little cousin this car for $900

because all she wants was her money
back?

What happened to Mr. Jackson?
It's Mr. Jackson's car.

And she says here.

If my memory is correct,

"Honey, you bought the car from him"

- Yeah, we have six cars.
- [Judge Judy] Nope. Just a second.

- You bought the car from them?
- Let me elaborate on it.

[Judge Judy] So that...you say,

"Honey," referring to her.

"You bought the car from him.

So that money didn't go to me"

- That's what you say.
- [Javala] Not you only pay 2,800.

- [Judge Judy] Shush!
- Okay.

I completely paid for that car.

It needs all the tape measures.
It was our paper.

[Judge Judy] I don't...listen... I
don't care whether you actually paid

for the car or not.

- The car belonged to Mr. Jackson.
- Exactly. And it still his.

[Judge Judy] Whether you bought him
a gift, whether it was a birthday

present, whether it was a Hanukkah
present, I don't know.

I don't know.

But it was his car.

And you say it was his car.

- [Javala] Uh-hmm.
- [Katrina] That's why she picked up

one of his cars. If I...I would need
to elaborate on everything cause

- I am very detailed, Your Honor.
- No I don't want to elaborate on it.

- I'm done with this case.
- [Katrina] Oh, okay.

You drove the car for two months
make-believe you rented it for two

months. Judgment for the plaintiff
in the amount of $2,800

because she doesn't have it anymore.
We're done. We're done!

- But Judge, I also...no, I...
- [Kevin] Court is adjourned.

- [Judge Judy] We're done.
- [Javala] But what...

- [Kevin] It's over. It's over. - ...
the stuff that was left in the car?

I had things that was up...
my daughter things was up

in that car when she repossessed
my car.

- I don't get that back? Everything.
- [Kevin] Wait, wait, wait, hold up.

- Just a second.
- [Kevin] Hold up.

Did you ask Trey when you met him

if there was anything
in the car when she bought it?

Sh...She took it all out.

She cleared it out,
everything that I had up in that car.

She cleared it out.

I want you to consider yourself very
lucky

that you're getting
the money back for this car.

Consider yourself lucky.
You have a counterclaim.

- You say that she harassed you.
- [Katrina] Yes, ma'am.

Actually your counterclaim
is for a whole lot of money.

Now, I want you to show me
the worst of the harassment

that she did to you.

Come. Let's go.

- Your Honor.
- [Judge Judy] Hand down.

[Katrina] Uh, the very worst would
be her threatening to sh**t my kids.

[Judge Judy] Oh, I'd like to see that.

[Katrina] Right here.

I have documentation of everything.

Okay. Hope.

[Javala] Only because she did this
to me and threatened my child.

- Here you go.
- No, I didn't.

And I have a surplus
of those on multiple occasions.

Nobody can hear you.

[Javala] I have proof
of her doing this to other people.

- [Katrina] Hmm.
- Like this is crazy.

You're just talking nasty to each
other. Can I please see what she has?

Exactly. Just back and forth. That's
all it was, was back and forth.

I don't wanna hear anyth...

I don't know where you think you are.

I'm at court.

Then behave like it.

I have documentation of everything.

- Can you give this?
- She even a called

Child Protective Services on me,

called the police and the Child...
and the Child Protective Services...

Because you're a bad mom.
You're a bad mom.

- Due to the COVID.
- You had your kids sleeping

in the basement.
You're a bad mom.

[Judge Judy] Put your hands off.
Thank you.

[Katrina] I'm speaking with you,
Judge Sheindlin.

You're not speaking to me.
If she's not taking it down,

you're not speaking to me.

Judgment for the plaintiff
for the amount of $2,800.

The counterclaim is dismissed.
We're done. Thank you.

- [Kevin] Court is adjourned.
- [Javala] It don't matter for me.

Thank you.

No, we were never friends.

I was only buying her food stamps,
her government assistance,

which I will be reporting
to the government as well.

She made her judgment.
It is what it is.

She's mad because she rented a car
from me.

She refused to pay me
the rest of the money.

And I went and took it back.

So at the end of the day, you know,

she got what she got.
She did what she did.

Oh, actually, I don't care.
It's a learning experience for her.

- I'm still up.
- And it's okay. She lost.

[Sarah] I wonder if both
those women realize

that they just admitted
in court to committing a felony.

When I heard that they were
exchanging food stamps for money,

for cash, for other things
I looked up the Wisconsin Statute.

And sure enough, if you transfer

or sell for money,
something other than food,

that's a class one felony.

[Judge Judy] It sounded like a scam.

Irrespective of the fact
that the defendant says,

I give it away, I use it,
you know, but I pay for it.

I don't know some programs
that are meant

to really help people.

And it's just too bad
that some people will always stoop

to the level of abusing a program

that was really meant to help people

who really couldn't afford to buy
food, people who are going hungry.

In this short time
that we have been doing these cases,

half a dozen examples of people

- who knowingly abuse the system.
- [Sarah] Uh-hmm.

And the system
isn't capable of protecting itself.

- It's very frightening.
- [Sarah] Yeah.

- Thanks for the info.
- No problem.

[announcer] Have you been cheated?


[theme music playing]