01x40 - Body Reshaping Gone Bad

[bunniefuu]

[Judge Judy] You went to their spa.
She refused to give you services.

Yes.

She was threatening me.

I did not threaten them.
They threatened me.

Texting my phone at 1:00 through


Well you were messaging her
in the middle of the night?

Well, I mean...

Continuously! What kind of nut does
that?

[announcer] This is Judy Justice.

[theme music playing]

[announcer] Aija Richardson is suing
spa technicians,

Tasha Cole and Mercedes Lolly,

for false advertising,
unwanted injections,

and emotional distress.

[Kevin] Court come to order.

All rise.

Be seated, please.

[Kevin] Hello, Judge.

Case 1100, Richardson versus Cole,
Lolly.

Thank you.

Ms. Richardson, you went
to the defendant's spa...

Uh-hmm.

...for what you call a bit of a
makeover.

And it is your claim that the
defendant,

one of them,

injected you in the buttocks
with a foreign substance...

Yes.

[Judge Judy] ...which was not
consistent

with service you thought
you were going to have...

- Correct.
- [Judge Judy] ...which was a sort of

a body reshaping whatever?

You wanna be compensated for that
in the amount of $8,000?

Not just that.

[Judge Judy] And the fact that they
made you feel bad?

Yeah. She came to my house.

Well, you'll tell me about that.

Okay.

[Judge Judy] Okay. So how long
has your spa been in existence?

My spa has been open since 2019.

What kind of work did you before that?

I'm a agent manager with
UnitedHealthcare for eight years.

What specific training
did you have to open up a spa?

[Tosha] So, me and my daughter,
we did a lot of research.

I was already doing cosmetic.

[Judge Judy] Research is not
training.

- [Tosha] Oh, sure-sure. Absolutely.
- Okay. This is your daughter?

- Yes, ma'am.
- Yes, ma'am

[Judge Judy] Okay. Your last name is
Cole?

- Yes, ma'am.
- [Judge Judy] I want you tell me

what specific education you had

and training to open a spa?

[Tosha] So we have a certification
in radio frequency...

Certification from whom?

[Tosha] From Discrete Institution.

They're out of Houston.

I do have certifications here,
if you wanted to...

[Judge Judy]
Just a second. Where do you live?

[Tosha] Minnesota.

Did you ever go to Houston?

Eh no. Actually, the trainer

was training out of Detroit,
Michigan,

so me and my daughter drove up there,
about 10 hours away from Minnesota.

[Judge Judy] How long did you
stay there?

We stayed for almost a week.

So what you're telling me is

your sole training

for opening up a spa
was a five-day course

that you and your daughter went to

and got some certification
from some place

in Texas?

No, ma'am. It's Detroit, Michigan.

- [Judge Judy] In Detroit.
- It's on top of multiple trainings.

Okay.

[Tosha] Um, so there's different levels

to body sculpting.

So we started off at the basic level.

- I want you to tell me...
- [Tosha] Yeah.

- ...other than the five days...
- [Tosha] Okay.

- ...training you had...
- [Tosha] Oh, sure.

I had advanced body lifting training.

- Advanced body lifting training?
- [Tosha] Correct.

- Where?
- [Tosha] That was through

the same institution.

So we do classes online.

- You opened your spa in 2019?
- Yes.

[Judge Judy] Is what you're
telling me

the only training that you had
was online training

other than the five days
that you spent in Detroit?

Correct. So it was multiple trainings
that I took over the years.

And that gave you a certificate?

Multiple certificates.

- That five days?
- Yes.

- [Judge Judy] I'd like to see it.
- Absolutely.

And I'm gonna show it to you.

Yeah, thank you.

[chuckles] This is the most
ridiculous thing

I ever saw in my life.

"Be it known that
the Discrete Laser Institute

in recognition of the successful
completion of theory knowledge

and hands-on training practicum,

and by the virtue
of the authority vested in...

has conferred upon Tosha Cole

in recognition of successfully
completing the noninvasive

advance body contouring
and skin tightening circumferential

reduction and improvement
of elasticity of the skin ultrasound,

radio frequency, [indistinct] and
mechanical modalities

with all the rights and privileges
there unto appertaining."

[chuckles] Oh.

"In testimony whereof

the signature
of its duly authorized officers

are hereunto affixed..."

my Doctor of Laws wasn't as wordy
as this.

Such nonsense. Would you look up
this organization, please?

Such a lotta who-shot-John.

- What is this?
- Well that's a certificate, uh,

to be able to perform Hyaluron Pen

on top off a needleless injection

for the stomach and buttocks.

Where does it say you're allowed
to give injections to anybody?

So it's in that training.

Like, all of the training we get.
It's in the paperwork.

That's the certificate
that these scalpel trainers give us

which are certified trainers.

You can look those up as well.

- She's looking it up.
- Absolutely.

Amen.

[Judge Judy] Okay.
You went to their organization.

You were unhappy
with the way the procedure went.

You say that you got an injection
of something.

And then you got very upset with them

and you had to go to see
your spiritual adviser,

so you want not only your money back
but you want $8,000.

Well, that's not happening.

[chuckles] And you want the rest of
the money for her contract

because she didn't come back,
she signed the contract,

and plus damages
for threats and defamation,

and you acknowledge, at least in
here,

there was one needleless injection
made in the process.

So needleless is done
by a Hyaluron Pen

which is forced air so there's no
needles.

We also show all of the items
that we use to our clients.

[Judge Judy] All right.
You wanted a different kind of body.

Can I see the contract that you
signed?

I'm gonna make this a contract case.

Contract. Contract. Who has it?

[Tosha] I have it, ma'am.

- There you go.
- [Kevin] Okay.

[Sarah] All I can find is a form
online

to sign up for this online program

for noninvasive med spa business.

Looks like you'd fill out the form,
pay a fee.

- How much is the fee?
- [Sarah] It depends

on what class you're signing up for.

But online instructor's class,

$1,200, online basic class, $350.

But I can't find a website
for the institute itself.

There's no website for the institute?

[Sarah] Just this...just this form
with a phone number.

Eh-they're in where? Detroit?

- Detroit, Michigan.
- Look in Detroit, Michig...

- [Sarah] Yeah.
- [Tosha] I'm sorry.

Ma'am, it was a training course that
she actually went to this location.

So it was multiple ladies
in our training class.

I just wanna see if they do anything.

Yes, ma'am.

So you messaged her at 1:00 AM?

When again did you message her?

It was continuous. I was just asking
about the next steps.

Just a second. What kind of nut does
that?

And then tells me that she's a nut,
she called you at 5:00 in the morning

when you were messaging her
in the middle of the night?

[announcer] Aija Richardson
claims spa technicians,

Tosha Cole and Mercedes Lolly,

owe for unwanted injections
during a spa treatment

causing her emotional distress.

Tosha and Mercedes are countersuing

for an unpaid invoice, defamation,
and personal threats.

- So you signed this contract?
- [Aija] Yes.

[Judge Judy]
This is your signature on here?

[Aija] Yes.

[Judge Judy] You signed up
for a course of treatment

for an iLipo procedure.

"The purpose of that spot fat
reduction

is either to improve cellulite,

bust or breast enhancement.

I'm aware that clinical results
may vary," blah, blah, blah.

You signed a contract
for a course of treatment, $350.

"Five treatments
totaling fourteen hundred dollars.

Five sessions, balance due
a thousand fifty dollars.

Advise client to set up next
appointment for butt needle shots,



Four sections left on the package."

You filled out this form.

You filled out this waiver form.

- Do you understand that?
- Yes.

[Judge Judy] Do you wanna look at it?

No. I'm fine. I don't have to look at
it.

- Fine? You signed it?
- [Aija] Yes. I signed it.

Right. And...

She told me that I cannot come
back.

[Judge Judy] ...did she keep...
just a second.

Let me tell you what it says.

There's a specific s-statement in
here

that says that needles are involved.

Specifically, injectable serums.

- It says in the contract.
- [Aija] Yes.

Yes.

Unfortunately, I was in a rush and I
did not read it.

[Judge Judy]
Well, that's not my problem, madam.

I understand that.

Yeah, that's not my problem
that you didn't read the contract.

But for the Mommy Makeover with...

[Judge Judy] No.
This isn't a Mommy Makeover.

But that's what we initially agreed.

[Judge Judy] I don't care what you
initially agreed on.

The only contract you have is for
this,

unless you have another one
to show me.

That's the only contract that you have.

Okay.

What you say in your complaint was
you went to their spa.

You were on your stomach.

You felt a needle go in to your
buttocks. You weren't

there for that. You were there
for some sort of a Mommy Makeover.

What you signed
in this contract is specific

and outlined in this contract
and it does provide...

though I think crazy but it does
provide for injecting serums.

You had an opportunity to have
an allergy test for a serum.

I mean, they're not gonna give you
an allergy test, madam,

if they're gonna give you
a bouquet of flowers.

They're gonna give you an allergy
test if they're going to either

inject you with something
or put on a material on you.

You signed it.

You waived any patch test
for allergies to the serum.

Do you wanna read what you signed?

No. That's fine. I believe what you
say.

So I'm trying to figure out
what your case is.

So her terroristic threats, saying
that she's gonna spit on my son.

[Judge Judy] Well, now tell me...
now tell me...just a second.

So you went to the spa on what date?

June 9th.

- And you got one treatment?
- Yes.

[Judge Judy]
And you paid for the one treatment?

Yes.

[Judge Judy] When was your next
contact

with either of the two defendants?

Well, I contacted them, uh, the day
of

just to make sure that we were doing

my stomach and my breasts next.

- And then...
- Okay.

So first they did something
on your butt,

and then you contacted them to find out

if they were doing another procedure?

No. The same.
I asked for the Mommy Makeover.

- We both...
- Forget Mommy Makeover.

Okay.

[Judge Judy] This is the written
contract you had with them.

You signed it.

Now, the only thing I'm listening to

are these t*rror1st threats that you say

that they made against you,
and when did they start,

and about what.

So right now you had a procedure

and then you were supposed
to call back about another procedure.

Tell me about the threats.

So the threats came after
she kept calling my phone



And then after the second time,
I didn't answer.

After the third time she called,
I answered.

She's yelling, woke up my son.

And I said, "What is wrong with you?

Where's your daughter?

Why are you yelling so loud?

I have a child. You have a child.

Let's like be adults. Do not call me.

Stop calling me
'cause it's gonna wake my son up."

[Judge Judy] Can I ask a question?

Did you call her at 5:00 in the
morning?

- [Tosha] No, ma'am. No, ma'am.
- [Aija] I have paperwork.

She's referring to me, not my mom.

[Judge Judy] She's referring to you?

[Mercedes] Yes, ma'am.

Did you call her at 5:00 in the morning?

No, ma'am.

- [Judge Judy] No? Could you...hmm?
- I have paperwork.

- I have paperwork. Okay.
- I'd like to see it.

[Judge Judy] Who is this, "I need my
papers today,"?

[Aija] Me. She refused to give me
a copy of my contract.

I see missed call, missed call,

and then 5:23 AM, audio call.

Yes. She called me two times.

Well, how do I know that that's her?

- Um it says her name at the top.
- [Judge Judy] Where?

[Aija] That's her Facebook name.

- Your last name is Lolly?
- [Mercedes] Yes, ma'am.

And, yes, that is my account.
My Facebook account.

I don't understand this.
S-Sarah, explain this to me.

[Sarah] Okay. So this
is the defendant's Facebook account.

- [Judge Judy] Right.
- [Sarah] So this shows here

at a little bit before 5:00 AM,
two missed calls.

And then the plaintiff answered at


and had a one-minute conversation.

After that conversation,
she sent this text.

[Judge Judy] The plaintiff sent
that, "I need my..."

[Sarah] Sent this text. "Papers
today."

[Judge Judy]
Okay. Now, do you remember that?

- Yes, I do, ma'am.
- [Judge Judy] Okay. So go.

All right. The only reason why I
didn't say like, you know, I just

called her 'cause that's kind of how
she was tryna make it

like I just called her randomly.

I did make a phone call to her
so we could speak over the phone

because she was misunderstanding
my text messages 4:00 in the morning.

Well, why did you call her 5:30
in the morning?

[Mercedes] I didn't call her at 5:30
just to like wake her up.

She was already texting my phone
at 1:00 through 4:00 AM,

- threatening and sending...
- Oh. May I see that?

[Mercedes] Yes. And if I'm able
to put it in order for you...

[Judge Judy] Just...shh. Just a sec.
Yeah.

[Mercedes] ...really quick.
And then my witness as well,

- she was terrorizing.
- [Judge Judy] No, no, no. No, no,

no. Don't. Don't. I just wanna see
why...

[Mercedes] I know. I just want you...
I don't want you to get confused

- because...
- [Judge Judy] I'm gonna try...

- and Sarah is gonna...
- Yeah. So I'm gonna make it

very understandable for you 'cause,
again, this is very confusing.

[Judge Judy] Maybe I can make it
less confusing while you're looking.

Ms. Richardson, she's looking through
to put this in order.

Did you call her at any time
between 1:00 AM and 4:00 AM

the morning where she called you
at 5:00 in the morning?

Did you call her?
That's what she's looking...

- No. I did not call.
- You didn't have any contact...

- [Mercedes] No, she did not call me.
- [Judge Judy] You didn't have...

I messaged her...

Just a sec. You messaged her? When?

- 1:00 AM.
- [Judge Judy] On that morning?

- I didn't reply until 4:00 AM.
- Don't, don't help me.

[Mercedes] I'm sorry, Judge.

[Judge Judy] You messaged her?
At what time in the morning?

- 1:00 AM. Um.
- [Judge Judy] 1:00...

you messaged her at 1:00 AM.

When again did you message her?

It was continuous. I was just asking
about the next steps.

[Judge Judy] Just a second.
What kind of nut does that?

And then tells me that she's a nut,
she called you at 5:00 in the morning

when you were messaging her
in the middle of the night?

[Aija] Well, I mean, she was online

- and I just had questions before...
- Okay.

So what did she say about them
to you?

Well, she called me at about 4:00
in the morning. She was texting me.

She sent me a whole paragraph
on how she was unhappy with,

you know, she didn't get
the services she wanted.

She was basically belittling
what they were doing.

I don't wanna hear basically.
I wanna know what she said.

[announcer] Aija Richardson
has accused spa technicians,

Tosha Cole and Mercedes Lolly,

of unwanted injections
during her spa treatment.

Tosha and Mercedes say
Aija defamed their business

and threatened their family.

Forget threats, do you understand?

- I did not threaten her.
- [Judge Judy] No. Just a second.

What you said to me was, "She started
to call me at 5:00 in the morning."

And I said...you finally answered her
and said,

"How could you call me 5:00
in the morning?

My son is sleeping.

You're a mother. I'm a mother."
And I said, "You know, that's true.

Why would somebody call somebody,
unless they were harassing them,

at 5:00 in the morning?"

And then it appears
that you've been messaging her

from 1:00 in the morning on.

Then it make sense calling you


Do you understand?

- Y-yes. I understand that.
-[Judge Judy] Yeah.

But I was just asking about a
product.

[Judge Judy] I don't care what you
were asking about.

- [Aija] She didn't have to reply.
- [Judge Judy] I don't care what

you were asking about at 1:00 in the
morning continuously.

- [Aija] Okay. Okay.
- I don't care.

- But I did not...
- [Judge Judy] I don't care.

- ...threaten them at all.
- [Judge Judy] What you made...

what you suggested to me was

- she called to harass you...
- [Aija] Yes, she did.

[Judge Judy] ...at 5:00 in the
morning.

And what you now acknowledge
in being confronted by her

that you started to message her at


- But not-not confrontational.
- [Judge Judy] Oh, please.

- You have no case. Get a life.
- All right. Ma'am,

- I'm getting it together right now.
- Now, let me...just a second.

Just a second.
I'm getting to this counterclaim.

I'm actually not interested in
threats, harassment.

- I'm not interested in any of that.
- Okay.

You have something here,
punitive damages for defamation.

[Tosha] Yes, ma'am.

[Judge Judy] You say that she defamed
you. How and to whom?

It was actually on Facebook
and also to a client.

Don't tell me unless the client's
here.

[Tosha] The client is here.

- [Mercedes] She's right here.
- [Judge Judy] Okay.

So first let me see Facebook
and then you can step over.

[Mercedes] Yes, please.

[Madison] Okay. Excuse me. I'll...

[Judge Judy] First, let me see the
Facebook. Kevin?

- [Kevin] Yes.
- I wanna get the Facebook posts.

[Mercedes] I just wanna get when she
first text me, ma'am. Sorry.

[Judge Judy] I've tossed out
that part of her case.

- She has no case.
- Yeah. Exact...

but I wanna tell you
where she was threatening me.

- [Tosha] No, no, no.
- I will.

First, I wanna get to defamation.

[Mercedes] Defamation? Okay. Perfect.

Okay. Let's just do
the defamation then.

[Aija] So I just wanna say,
it's okay for her to say

she's gonna post my body on Facebook?

[Judge Judy] Listen to me.

Say goodbye.
Your case is over. It's finished.

Read your contracts next time.

While you're standing there
and I'm reading this,

you wanna read the contract
that you signed in initialed?

- No.
- That's what you're supposed to do.

I have no case.

[Judge Judy] You're supposed to read
a contract that you sign

because she's suing you
for the balance on this contract.

Okay.

Next.

Can I add something, Judge?

So the reason why those
messages are unavailable

is because I was getting messages...

[Judge Judy] Don't tell me the reason
they're not available.

Okay.

If I don't see them,
they're not available.

[Madison] She deleted them all.

Just...I don't care.

They're not here.
You're here to testify...

- Okay.
- [Judge Judy] ...that she made

defamatory remarks about them to you.

How do you know her?

I provided services for her.

I'm a tattoo artist, so I knew her,
you know, through my business.

[Judge Judy] You provided services
for her outside of their business?

[Madison] Yes. So I just knew her
already. You know,

she had questions about their 'cause
I'm, I'm a client theirs,

so, so she came to me with questions
about them at one point.

I answered them, you know,
sent them their way

'cause I had good result.
I had a good time.

So what did she say about them to
you?

Well, she called me at about 4:00
in the morning. She was texting me.

She sent me a whole paragraph
on how she was unhappy with,

you know, she didn't get
the services she wanted.

She was basically belittling
what they were doing.

I don't wanna hear basically.
I wanna know what she said.

- [Madison] Okay. So...
- [Judge Judy] Was she texting you?

Yes. She was texting me and calls...

- [Judge Judy] Show me.
- She deleted them all.

Oh.

[Madison] That's the only thing I have.

You are able to do that on Facebook.

[Madison] Yeah. You can delete messages.

[Judge Judy] Okay. Sit down.

Did she ever pay you
the balance on her contract?

- No, ma'am.
- [Judge Judy] Okay.

Balance on her contract
is a thousand fifty dollars?

Yes, ma'am.

[Aija] She refused
to give me any more services.

[Tosha] After I was threatened.

- Is that true?
- [Tosha] Yes, ma'am. Very true.

- [Judge Judy] Oh. So you...
- [Aija] I did not threaten her.

- [Tosha] Absolutely.
- Fine. Then...

I did not threaten her.

[Judge Judy] Whether
you threatened her or not, she says

and she acknowledges that she refused

- to give you services...
- [Aija] Yes.

[Judge Judy] ...'cause I was going
to award them on their counterclaim

the $1,050 pursuant to a contract
that you didn't read.

But if you refused to give her
services then I can't do that.

- Okay? Do you understand that?
- [Tosha] Yes, ma'am.

- Your claim is dismissed. Goodbye.
- [Mercedes] Thank you.

[Judge Judy] So is your counterclaim.
Goodbye. Be happy.

- [Kevin] Court is adjourned.
- Be in love with yourselves.

Read a contract before you sign it.

Have a happy life.

[Kevin] You can leave your evidence.

- [Mercedes] Thank you, Judge Judy.
- [Kevin] Leave your evidence.

[Mercedes] Thank you.

I mean, it's what it is.

You know, it's absolutely
just disgusting

that we had to shut down
our whole spa to come here.

There was like big mosquito bites
like around one cheek,

and then, like, they itch really bad.

So, yes, she will have mosquito bites
from the needle injections

and those are aware.

I'm not sure what they used.

At the appointment, you will
be told that, and she was told that,

and she had no issues.

There was not supposed to be
any injections.

So they're not needles. It's air.

- We're just using pressure.
- No needles. It's air.

We're just using a Hyaluronic Pen
to force air into the dermal skin.

I looked it up but she showed me
the pen

and she said,
"This is all that I'm doing."

Uh, we sanitize everything.

We do it right in front of the
client.

We're very, very safe.

They never told me
and told me it was natural.

Natural to me means
no injections, no needles.

I always say, "Hey, do you understand
what you're signing today?"

She clearly understands.
She wanted a deal.

Yeah. I'm totally fine.

She tried to go by to my daughter
and get a deal.

We don't do deal.

[Judge Judy] Sarah Rose, lesson to
be taken away from that case is?

- Contract. Writing, only.
- [Judge Judy] Read it.

- Oh, that too. That's...
- Read it before you sign it.

- Yeah.
- Because you're bound by it.

- Uh-hmm.
-[Judge Judy] Oh, my goodness.

And I also wish there was some
consistency

- with regard to regulations of...
- Uh-hmm.

[Judge Judy] ...what kind of training
you need because...

well, we didn't go into that here

because there was a contract
and it was a contract case.

I would feel more comfortable that
somebody who was going to give me

injections had some sort of training.

Uh-hmm.

I tried looking into it,
certain Minnesota statutes

where they're from
on med spas and regulations,

and it's so convoluted and confusing,

and it changes from year to year,
state to state, county to county

even. So it's...I agree, it needs some
sort

- of uniformity.
- [Judge Judy] Uniformity.

Especially when it's something
that could create,

in this case, some sort of allergic
reaction or bad aftereffects.

- [Judge Judy] Yeah.
- There should be regulation on that.

M-but at the end,
you have to rely on caveat emptor,

let the buyer beware.

Do your research before you let
somebody deal with your body.

Yeah.

- And read your contracts.
- [Sarah] Yeah.

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scam?



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