03x19 - Alleged Horse Abuse and Dog Rescue Gone Wrong

[bunniefuu]

Did you board your horses
with the defendant?

-Yes.
-Your Honor, may I speak?

Shh!
It didn't work out.

Oh, it's way more than didn't work out.

You're really being so annoying to me.
So far, you're not losing.

The only thing you're losing
is my patience.

[announcer]
This is Judy Justice.

[theme music playing]

Gabrielle and Angela Alfredson are suing
their stable landlord, Glenn Garritano,

for rental fees after being forced to
move their horses from his property.

[Bailiff Kevin] Court come to order.
All rise.

Have a seat, please.

-Hello, Kevin.
-Good morning, Judge.

Case number 3028
Alfredson versus Garritano.

-Thank you.
-You're welcome.

I'm going to speak to you.
What's your first name?

-Gabrielle.
-Gabrielle.

-This is your mom and you had horses.
-We do. Both of us.

-How old are you?
-21.

In what month and year did you start
to board your horses with the defendant?

February 2023.

And where had they been
prior to that?

Charlotte, North Carolina, where I lived
before moving to Charleston.

-And your mother?
-She still lives in Charlotte.

She has plans to move to Charleston.

[Judge Judy] How many horses
did you have?

I have one and my mom has one.

-But you took both of them with you.
-Yes.

Tell me why.

They've been together for over six years.

This is something we do together,
me and my mom,

and since she had plans to move,

we didn't want to stress
them and separate them.

-So, we wanted to keep them together.
-Okay.

When you moved with the horses,

you were the
person who found the property.

-Correct.
-And did you meet with the defendant?

[Gabrielle] Yes, I did.

[Judge Judy] Did you ultimately sign
a lease with him?

[Gabrielle] Ultimately? Yes.

-When? Month and year.
-Beginning of February 2023, I believe.

I have the lease.
I'm not...

-I'd like to take a look at the lease.
-Um, it is on my phone, through email.

I want to look at the lease.

-I have it, ma'am. Would you like a copy?
-I'd like to see it. Yes.

These are copies of all the documents
I'll be speaking about today.

I don't want to see all the documents.
I want to see the lease.

Coming up.

-Exhibit B.
-[Judge Judy] Thank you.

[Judge Judy] Okay. Your lawsuit today
seeks recoupment of certain monies

that you paid
pursuant to this lease.

The defendant has a cross-complaint

for damages that your horses did
to his property,

which is also included
in the lease as your responsibility.

So, the lease started February the 12th.

When did you move your horses there?

-The night of the 11th.
-And where did you put them?

-In the pastures on Glenn's property.
-Was he there?

He was. He came out and told us,
told us we can, you know...

[Judge Judy] So, you were there
with your mother.

-Yes. It was me, my mother and my father.
-And there were no incidents.

Did he explain to you what had to be done?

You have to water them
from a certain trough.

-[Gabrielle] Mm-hmm. Correct.
-Did he explain all that to you?

Yup. He said he has no knowledge of how
to maintain and care for horses.

That was all on us.

As long as we pay our
rent and take care of everything,

-that will be that.
-Okay, so that's February.

How much money
did you pay him in February?

-[Gabrielle] Nine twenty-five.
-[Judge Judy] For the two horses.

-Correct.
-Were the horses there in March?

I think it was when we moved them,
in the beginning of March.

Or middle of March.

-Do you remember the date?
-[Glenn] Yes, ma'am.

-What was the date?
-The 13th is when they actually

came with the two deputies
to take their possessions.

-So, they were there for a month.
-Five weeks.

She was to come
in mid-January...

Just a second. The lease says it starts
February the 12th.

-[Glenn] Correct.
-That's what the lease says.

-They left March 13.
-Correct.

Okay. And you paid
the defendant how much?

Um, three payments of 925.

-Okay, February, we have 925.
-Correct.

And you are several
days over into the second month.

Did you pay the second month?

-We did, initially.
-You made three payments.

I'd like you to explain
to me the third payment.

We had to pay the first month of board,
which was the 925.

-Then the 925 for a deposit.
-Okay.

-So, a 925 was a security deposit?
-[Gabrielle] Correct.

And then an initial 925
for the first month of February.

Okay. So, 925 was a security.

-Is that correct?
-It is correct.

-Okay.
-It was not paid at the proper time.

Neither was the first lease payment.

-[Judge Judy] 925 was security deposit.
-[Glenn] Yes.

-Two months board.
-Correct.

-Now, it didn't work out.
-Oh, it's way more than didn't work out.

I just said...
I don't care, actually.

The idea is to keep it simple.
It didn't work out.

You were happy to see them go?

I initiated termination in the lease,

-pursuant to...
-And they were happy to go?

-Apparently, yes.
-So, now, it's a matter of money.

That's all it's about. I mean, you're
not married to each other.

You don't share grandchildren together.

So, it's a matter of why they don't
get their security deposit back.

Do you understand? You stayed
over the second month.

So, you had to pay the second month,

but 925 is security deposit
and there's no reason,

unless there was some sort
of violation of the lease,

why you're not entitled to the 925 back,
which is your security.

There is also criminal
animal abuse

during the five weeks
that they were there.

What does that have to do
with this lawsuit?

It has to do with why they were asked...
their lease was terminated.

-I don't care.
-[Glenn] Okay, that's fine.

They want... They want their money back.
They don't want the pasture back.

And I understand from your papers you
believe that they weren't adequately

caring for the animals and because they
weren't caring for the animals,

the animals ate up your pasture.

I don't know. You're gonna show
me what you're alleging...

-Sure.
-...in order to avoid

returning their


-That's part of it.
-Ball's in your court.

Okay.

Security deposit.

Nine twenty-five security deposit
to which they would otherwise

be entitled to unless you
have proof to me

that their horses
damaged your property.

So, you wanna go directly to the damages?

I wanna go directly
to the damages.

-Okay, I heard you.
-Th-This is my life.

It's fleeting by so fast.

-Someone, please, give this to the judge.
-I just want you

to show me
what the damages were.

Okay.

I guess I'm not going to refer
to my notes, I'll just do it on the fly.

Okay.

-The very first pic...
-Shh-shh!

Oh, don't explain.

No, I don't want you to explain anything.
They're pictures.

Oh, there's something in the packet
that you just gave me.

Would you please show this to Gabrielle
and ask her if that's her signature?

-[Glenn] Your Honor, may I speak?
-Shh!

-No!
-[Glenn] That means "no."

-That's enough.
-Okay.

-Is that your signature, is my question.
-Yes. Yes.

-Okay. When did you sign that?
-Um, the day we left.

-The day you left.
-Correct.

Okay. "And this shall
serve as your receipt

for the month's rent
of 925 and the deposit 925.

It will also serve as a receipt for your
final month's payment of March 2023.

We have agreed that
the deposit is forfeited

to cover some of the damage
done by the horses."

-Right? And you signed that.
-Correct.

Well, then you have no case.
What do you want?

I want to tell you my side, please.

You wanna tell me about what?

-This whole incident.
-Your Honor...

[Judge Judy] I don't care about
the whole incident.

-Your Honor...
-Just... shh.

[Judge Judy] You don't understand.
This is a contract.

-She signed the lease as a contract.
-Right.

She's 21 years old.
In order to leave, you left,

you were both happy to be
done with each other.

Your daughter who is the lessee signed
this agreeing for the two months rent

and to forfeit the 925 deposit

and there's an acknowledgement that
the horses did damage to the property.

That's it. So, you have no case.

-Does it say "acknowledgement"?
-Your Honor...

-What?
-Does it say that? "Acknowledgement."

Or if there
was damage to the property?

No, it says, "We have agreed that
the deposit is forfeit

to cover some of the damage
done by the horses.

Now... You're really being so
annoying to me. I'm just about...

-I'm taking... I'm preparing my next paper.
-Just a second.

Just a second. Don't prepare anything.
So far, you're not losing.

The only thing you're
losing is my patience.

[theme music playing]

You said, "I have 43 pages."

I said, "I'm not reading 43 pages
unless it's all relevant."

And if I read 43 pages and if it's not all
relevant, it's gonna put me in a bad mood,

-which I'm getting to...
-Quickly. I see that.

Yes.

[announcer]
And later today...

You live with somebody
as a roommate?

Yeah, she's my girlfriend.

Girlfriend. And that's the girlfriend
who's also your friend.

-Yes.
-How long have you been together?

-Like twelve... twelve years.
-What?

[theme music playing]

[announcer]
Gabrielle and Angela Alfredson

claim their stable landlord,
Glenn Garritano,

is wrongfully keeping their
rental fees and deposit.

Glenn is countersuing for property
damage caused by their horses.

Okay. We have agreed that
the deposit is forfeit

to cover some of the damage
done by the horses.

Now, if I were you, one word I would
have absolutely eliminated

is "some" of the damage because
that says to you,

Bing!

It's not to liquidate the damages
done by the horses.

It says to cover some of the damage
done by the horses,

which is his counter-claim.

So, the fact that this didn't work out
and you were unhappy

is absolutely irrelevant
to a lawsuit.

Do you understand?
Irrelevant.

Now, did you and your tenant

have any discussion
about what damage

you allege
that the horses did?

-Yes.
-Was that the day that she left?

No, ma'am. It was prior to
that, numerous occasions.

Can you imagine
I have something important?

Just, please, sir... ma'am.

I have something important
to show you.

Sure. Give it to Kevin and answer my...
Give it to Kevin and answer my question.

-I shall.
-Great.

Do you have anything in writing...
emails, et cetera...

To demonstrate to me,
other than verbal conversations,

that the tenant was made
aware of damages

-that the horses would have...
-43 pieces of evidence.

-I would like... just a second.
-Represent... Does have that evidence...

-...that you're asking for.
-Just a second.

Everything that you're gonna
hand me in that 43 pages...

I just wanna let you know...
'cause when I go through 43 pages,

if all of it is not relevant

to the damage and the amount
of damage that the horses did,

that's not gonna put me in a good mood.

-So make sure you're sending me...
-I understand.

...all that stuff.

-Hold on a second.
-This is important prior...

-Hold on.
-...to even looking at that receipt.

If you'd please refer to the last page
of the summons and complaint.

-What are you showing me?
-What I'm showing you, ma'am,

Is that the summoning complaint
was filed by the father.

-I don't care.
-Oh, no, ma'am.

This is an... this is filing
an ill*gal court document.

I don't know why you don't care.

I don't care because I don't...
I wish I could care.

For your sake, I wanna care,

but for the purposes of this case,
I don't care.

All I want to see from you
is the damage that you are alleging

that was done to your property
in excess of $925

which you kept as security deposit.

That's all I want to see.

I don't want you to tell me
that her underwear doesn't match,

that the wrong person filed
the summons and complaint.

-I'm not interested in that.
-[Glenn] The dam...

Very simple. Do you understand?

Do you understand
what I said to the plaintiffs, sir?

-The damages are in file folder four...
-Did you understand that?

-...that you have.
-Don't hand me all that stuff.

I'm not. I'm saying it's in folder four
right in front of you.

Those are the damages.

The damage to the grass
in front of all of the, uh...

No, that's not what
I asked you for.

If you follow instructions, I said to you,
I want to see in writing,

which you said you had,

notification to your tenant,
prior to March 13,

that damage was being caused
to the property

and you said, "Numerous!"

I said, "Show me,"
you said, "I have 43 pages."

I said, "I'm not reading 43 pages
unless it's all relevant.

And if I read 43 pages
and if it's not all relevant,

it's gonna put me in a bad mood."

-Which I'm getting to...
-Quickly. I see that.

Yes, because this is a lawsuit.
It's not a kvetching contest.

-It's not about kvetching.
-Do you understand?

I didn't let her kvetch.
I said, "This is a lawsuit.

You want your money back.
You signed the document

that says you're not getting
your money back.

That's what you signed."

The damage estimates
are in the back of that folder.

And I told you, I'm not asking
you for estimates.

Okay, you're asking me for communication
between me and them.

It was mostly verbal.

So, then the answer is you don't
have anything in writing.

There may be text messages,
I did not review them.

-Oh, okay. Maybe.
-But there were text messages

regarding a trough that was leaking
and she just ignored the text.

She ignored the texts often.

I actually don't care.

I have pictures of the damage
to the stables in there.

Yeah. $925. You got it. It's covered.

-No, no.
-Complaint dismissed.

-We're done. This case is over.
-It...

[Bailiff Kevin]
This court is adjourned.

[theme music playing]

The man was very harassing
to me the whole time.

I didn't get to show
any of my text messages.

She was a week late
with the rent.

She signed the lease, brought the horses
and then, "Oh, I forgot the rent."

And to the second week
we were there,

I told my daughter something's
wrong with this man.

We got to get the horses out.

A week later, she comes back with the rent
and I'm, like, "Where's the deposit?"

She goes "Oh, I didn't have the deposit.
I'll get you that in a week."

He wanted me off the property.

He said, "I want no-trespassing
ordinance on you."

I said, "Can I not feed my horses?"
"No, get off the property."

These people were bananas
and they were damaging horses.

Good example out there of we,
here in court,

hear legal arguments,
not emotional arguments.

It can be, you know,
a therapeutic experience

for the litigants to be able
to get their story across

or share the underpinnings
of the story

or "what really went on"
is something that we hear a lot in court,

but it doesn't matter how many
color-coded files you have,

if they don't contain evidence that
are pertinent to the legal argument,

not the emotional argument,
we don't want to see 'em.

-We don't want 'em.
-Especially in this case.

-It was cut and dry.
-In this case, there were contracts.

-Yeah, signed.
-There were two contracts,

a lease and a termination
of that lease...

-Mm-hmm.
-...with the terms.

-Yup.
-And there was

only one word, Sarah,
and that word was "some."

And that allowed him to even bring
the countersuit in the first place.

-But it was sort of slick.
-Mm-hmm.

The word "some"... if you're going
to forfeit your $925 deposit.

And what he's primarily
complaining about

was that the horses
ate all his grass in his meadow.

-Mm-hmm.
-Right?

For $925 you can buy
an awful lot of grass seed.

-Sure.
-They're not about to build him

a whole
new piece of property.

Didn't work out. There was a contract.
Sort of interesting.

-Yeah.
-Yeah.

Case 2203.
McAley versus Wadsworth.

All parties,
please step forward.

[announcer] Susan McAley
is suing her neighbor, Ed Wadsworth,

for towing fees and car damage.

You know, the defendant through
a friend of yours.

-I do.
-She is...

...significant other, partner...

Right now,
they're roommate status, but...

-Roommates.
-Correct.

-Of a friend of yours.
-Correct.

Some time ago, you found a dog
or rescued a dog

and gave it to your friend
and the defendant.

They had found the dog and rescued it.

-Okay. So, they found the dog.
-Yes.

-What kind of dog?
-Kind of a...

You-You could imagine him
pulling a sled.

-I have a picture of him.
-I'd like to take a look.

-All right.
-No, no.

-Oh, sorry.
-That's all right.

You can hand that to her.

Okay.

-[Judge Judy] Oh, he's beautiful.
-[Ed] Oh, he's wonderful.

He's beautiful.

And tell me you live with
somebody as a roommate.

Yeah, she's my girlfriend.

Girlfriend. Okay. And that's
the girlfriend who's also your friend.

Yes.

-How long have you been together?
-Like, twelve... twelve years.

-What?!
-I know. I know.

But I've been there and done that.

You were afraid to even say that.

Twelve... twelve minutes,
twelve hours, twelve days...

Twelve years.
She's gonna get me for that one.

Okay. Is this the first dog that you had?

No. We had a golden retriever that lived
to be 16 years old and died,

uh, this last summer

and then a friend of mine,
he was driving to work one day and he saw

what eventually became Snowy,
running around.

So he rescued him...

-When was this?
-Six, seven months, at least.

-Six, seven months ago?
-Yes.

Beautiful animal.

-Just wonderful animal.
-I see he's your screen saver.

Oh, I know. I know it.

In the morning we'd let him out to do
his business because we live in ...

-No, we're not... we're not there yet, sir.
-Sorry.

There was an incident that occurred
when the dog got loose

and you couldn't find him.

How long had you had him
before he got loose?

Six to seven months.

Well, this is her complaint.

-Yes. Yeah.
-She said it was January 2023.

And you got him
in December of 2022.

-You have a dog of your own.
-It's my roommate's dog.

And, uh, they're the same age.

[Judge Judy]
Okay. And do they play together?

Yes, we use them...
We socialize them.

May I see the photograph?

Yeah.

Same age, uh...

...and wanted to see how they socialize
together and they did great.

They became great buddies.

Oh!

They're wonderful...

...together. Anyway.

Something happened in January
and you called the Plaintiff and told her

that Snowy had gotten out and he was
missing and he didn't come back.

-Was he out overnight or just part...
-Overnight.

He was out overnight.

Did you call her in the morning?

No, it was later in the afternoon.
It was getting towards...

Okay. So he had been gone
one whole night.

-Yes.
-And in the morning and afternoon

-of the next day.
-Yes.

[theme music playing]

You tell me why you're not
responsible for half the tow truck.

Okay. So the tow truck couldn't
get to her through me

because it was such a mess.

-How did you get out?
-He pulled me a little bit.

[laughs]

[theme music playing]

[announcer] Susan McAley
claims her neighbor, Ed Wadsworth,

owes for towing fees
and vehicle damage.

Okay. Had you been looking for him
during that period?

-Oh, for hours.
-Okay.

And then you called her
and asked for her help?

-Yes.
-I assume you asked for her help

and told her to bring her dog,
or this dog,

-because they were friends.
-Yes.

-Okay. He called you and said...
-Well, I believe it was his girlfriend,

my-my friend,
our mutual friend,

-that asked to...
-[Judge Judy] Just a second.

So, it wasn't the defendant
who asked you,

it was your girlfriend,

but when you met,
was your girlfriend there?

-No, she was not.
-Just he was there.

-Correct.
-Okay, and where did you meet?

-Uh, it was outside his property.
-Where was your girlfriend?

Uh, she was in the house.
She's, uh, got some physical disabilities.

It's a struggle to
get out in the snow.

Okay. So, just the two of you and each
of you has a truck.

Correct.
Uh, I was also with my roommate

she came as well
because the dog is actually hers.

-Okay.
-[Ed] And I had the truck.

-[Judge Judy] And you have...
-I have a Honda Element,

an old Honda Element.

Okay. So this is...
this is the case very briefly...

I don't have to get into
any more facts with you.

The facts are relatively simple.
Your dog got lost.

Your girlfriend called her girlfriend
and said, "Could you help find Snowy?

Bring your dog with you,

because, you know, maybe that will
be helpful in finding him.

He's been out a day and a night."
And you volunteered to go.

-Yes.
-And you went

-and your car got stuck in the mud.
-Correct.

-And was damaged.
-Correct.

And you think he's responsible

-and you want him to pay for that?
-Yes.

-Well, there's a little bit more to it.
-You tell me why he's responsible.

Well, you know, this is a case of
no good deeds go unpunished.

The thing was, is that we asked him
to come help tow the vehicle out.

He said, "Sure," he told...

He also got stuck in that process
and then when I called the tow truck,

the tow truck came,

pulled him out
and then he just took off.

No thank you, no covering his expenses,
and just left.

-Covering what expenses?
-Covering the expense of the tow.

-And there is some damage to my, uh...
-Forget the damage to your car.

-Okay.
-He didn't even ask you to go.

-Uh...
-His girlfriend asked you to go.

-Ok. Well, he...
-He didn't ask... even ask you.

Even if he had
your car got stuck.

He wasn't driving your car,
was he, when it got stuck?

-No.
-Okay.

You were driving your car
when it got stuck.

-Correct.
-Right. And he also got stuck.

-[Susan] Yes.
-[Judge Judy] Okay.

So, legally there's no liability for
him to pay for the damage to your car,

if your car was in fact damaged,

I can't even think of
a scenario where

your girlfriend... and his girlfriend...
would have been responsible.

Your car got stuck in the snow.

You're right.
No good deed goes unpunished.

It ended up costing you some money,
but we're gonna talk about the towing.

Could I see the towing bill?

-[Susan] Yes.
-Thank you.

Let's see what.

Okay.

So, Mr. Wadsworth,
this is my question to you, sir.

-Yes, your honor.
-I read the complaint. I read the answer.

Your truck got stuck in the mud as well.

That's correct. I asked her,
"How's the ground?"

And she said it was frozen.

-But where she was, wasn't frozen.
-Wha...

-I pulled like crazy.
-And who called the tow truck?

-I did.
-Were you able to extricate yourself

without the tow truck?

-No, no.
-The tow truck had to tow you out

as well as the plaintiff.

-[Ed] That's correct.
-Okay, sir.

-So...
-Hmm.

There's a tow truck bill for $330.

Why shouldn't you
be responsible for half of that?

Okay. Well, the tow truck driver...

Don't tell me what the tow truck driver
told you, sir.

-Anyway...
-Just... No, not "anyway."

-So...
-I want you to tell me, not a "so."

The tow truck came and towed
both of you out of the mud.

That's right.

Now, there's a bill here for $330
that you say you paid in full.

-Yes.
-And I'm asking you

why you shouldn't be responsible

for half of that tow truck bill,
not her car damage.

You're not responsible for her car damage.

But you tell me why you're not responsible
for half the tow truck bill.

The tow truck couldn't
get to her through me

because it was such a mess.
He had a long cable

and that's eventually
how he pulled her out.

How did you get out?

He pulled me a little bit.

'Cause you couldn't get out yourself.

Then I drove the rest of the way.

You know the three
most difficult words for a man to say.

Well, besides, "I'm sorry."

How about,
"Oh, it was my fault."

Or how about...

"Yes, I'm responsible."

-Or "Yeah, I'm sorry."
-Well, we had offered to use

our tow service,

which wouldn't have cost anything.

Did you call your tow service?

-We called our...
-Just a second

You called your insur...

-Already called...
-Don't speak!

[Judge Judy] I al... Don't speak.

I already explained to you why he's not
responsible to the damage to your car,

but you owe her $165.
That's half the tow.

Judgment for the plaintiff.
Thank you very much.

-Okay.
-[Bailiff Kevin] This court is adjourned.

-Oh, you found the dog?
-Uh...

You found the dog?
I understand that...

I understand that you didn't
find him in time.

Not he was injured,
but he's home with you now?

-He's home now.
-Good.

Yes.

I guess it was a fair judgment.

To me, it was the principle of uh,
you know, rewarding favors

and being grateful for help.

The tires spun, with four-wheel drive,
and then I got stuck.

In the end,
the dog was found.

He's safe. He's happy.
And I'm grateful for that.

-The judgment was okay.
-I would do it again.

I liked the plaintiff's initial statement
that no good deed goes unpunished.

And this was a pretty easy case
to split down the middle.

Obviously, if you have a tow bill
for two cars, one of them's yours,

one of them's hers.

-Split it. That's what you owe.
-Easy.

So that was easy.

Yeah, the rest of it is, is no good
deed goes unpunished.

Yeah. Yeah. And she was...
and she was right,

but I thought he was adorable

when I said, "How long
have you been together?"

And he knew he was gonna get it.

-And very quietly he said...
-One of those.

..."T-Twelve years."

Twelve.

Well, two beautiful dogs
and seems like a nice life.

Little bit of property.
Maybe get a fence.

He had a fence because, sadly...
I read the complaint

-and I know the dog is back home.
-I did see some of the evidence.

But the dog got stuck on the fence
and they had to amputate a leg.

-Yeah, the chain, the small...
-Yeah.

-Small square fence.
-Right. I saw that and was sad,

but, otherwise,
the dog is fine, healthy.

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