03x23 - Child Support Showdown and Dog Attack Drama

[bunniefuu]

He owes you for certain expenses
for your older child.

That is correct.

Nope.

I told him,
"You gotta help me with the boy."

I paid it.

I've been paying for them
since they divorced.

His mother paid for those.

Why didn't you tell me that?

[announcer]
This is Judge Judy Justice.

[theme music playing]

[announcer] Mary Grace Casey
is suing her ex-husband, Rodrick Casey,

for medical bills and car repairs.

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

Have a seat, please.

-[Bailiff Kevin] Hello, Judge.
-[Judge Judy] Hello, Kevin.

-Case 3049, Casey versus Casey.
-Thank you.

Ms. Casey,
this is your former husband.

You have two children,
according to the complaint,

and it is your claim
that the defendant

owes you for certain expenses
for your older child...

-That is correct.
-[Judge Judy] ...that he agreed to pay.

The defendant says he never agreed
to pay any additional expenses,

that his child support obligations
were concluded.

He fulfilled the obligation
for that child.

I assume you still have
an outstanding order for the younger one?

-Yes.
-[Judge Judy] Okay.

So let me get some dates down.

The two of you were married when?



[Judge Judy]
And how old are your two boys?

I have a 20-year-old
and I have a 17-year-old.

When were you divorced?



And at the time of the divorce,
was a support order entered

for both boys?

-Not immediately, no.
-[Judge Judy] When?

We separated for probably two years
before some kind of arrangement was made.

But I'm saying,
you were divorced in 2014.

[Mary] Yes.

At that time, was a support obligation
put into place in your divorce?

-Yes.
-[Judge Judy] Yes.

And what was that
for each of the boys?

Total monthly, I got, um...

I believe 600 a month.

-For both boys?
-[Mary] For both boys.

Is that correct?

Yes.

And this was all until
the boys were 18 years old?

[Mary]
Yes, ma'am.

And your case alleges
that when the older boy turned 18,

Mr. Casey terminated
his support obligation to that child.

The morning he turned 18,
he called the court...

[Judge Judy]
That was his support obligation,

and he fulfilled it under the terms
of the divorce decree...

[Mary]
...that morning.

...and stopped paying support
for that child.

-How old is that child now?
-[Mary] Twenty.

[Judge Judy]
So that's two years ago.

Yes, ma'am.

[Judge Judy]
What is that boy doing now?

He is a manager at a fitness place.

[Judge Judy]
So he's working.

He's working.

-Full time?
-[Mary] Full time.

And has he been working full time
since he graduated from high school?

He's just recently, about six months ago,
started working full time.

He was going to school also, part-time.

Is he living at home?

-Yes.
-[Judge Judy] Okay.

What you're suing for now
are certain expenses:

car repairs and medical bills.

Correct.

Which came first,
the medical bills or the car repairs?

The car repairs first.

And when was it that car repairs
were needed for the car?

It was on March 17th, 2023.

-2023?
-[Mary] Mm-hmm.

Oh, and there's another one
for the car on May 16th.

-Of 2023?
-[Mary] Of 2023.

[Judge Judy]
And the medical bills?

Wisdom teeth was...

May 15th, 2023.

So based upon the dates
that you've just given me,

all three of these bills were incurred
when your son was working full time.

[Mary] Correct.

-And he lives with you.
-[Mary] Correct.

-[Judge Judy] Does he pay you rent?
-Um...

-[Judge Judy] "Um" is not an answer.
-He does.

-[Judge Judy] Does he pay you rent?
-He pays some.

Be very careful.
Does your son pay you rent?

The answer is yes?

No, he does not.

[Judge Judy]
Why not?

Because he doesn't make enough.

How much does he make?

He makes $9.98 an hour.

[Judge Judy]
He works full time.

He works full time.
He makes about $600 per every two weeks.

That's sort of interesting.
Your son is working...

Don't. Don't do that.

This is her case so far.

Why in the world
would you ask your ex-husband

to pay for things for his adult child

who is working full time
and living at home rent-free?

Why?

[Mary]
Because he didn't have insurance.

He didn't have the money
to cover for the procedure.

Well, just a minute.
That's talking about the dentist.

Dentists would always take payments.

He works full time and he has a car.

Mm-hmm.

Why doesn't he pay
for his own car repairs?

[Mary]
He doesn't make enough.

[Judge Judy]
Oh, well, what does he spend his money on?

What does he spend his money on?

He spends his money on gas.
He spends his money on food.

He does buy groceries.
He buys the groceries.

Just a second. He buys groceries
for your whole household?

Yes, he will. Yes.

[Judge Judy]
Yeah, I don't believe you.

-[Mary] He does.
-I don't believe you.

I don't believe that he buys groceries
for your whole household.

-Do you work?
-[Mary] I do.

-[Judge Judy] Full time?
-I do.

And you, sir?

Yes, two jobs.

Okay. Now what I'd like you to do
is tell me, Ms. Casey,

your version of the contract
that you entered into with your husband.

When did that take place?

Because you understand
he is under no legal obligation

to pay for anything at all.

So I'd like you to tell me
the circumstances and the date

in which you entered
into this contract with him.

[Mary]
Mm-hmm, okay.

Prior to that,
he was having a difficult time.

I let him stay at my place until...

[Judge Judy]
Who was?

I let Rodrick stay at my place
until he can get back on his feet.

[Judge Judy] Just a second.
Uncross your arms.

I don't know what you mean.

You mean, you allowed your former husband
to move into your house?

[Mary] To sleep on the couch, yes,
'cause he had nowhere to go.

When?

I think it was in...

October, maybe, of last year.

-[Judge Judy] October of 2022?
-[Mary] Yes, ma'am.

And that's when I said,
"Rodrick, I'm gonna let you stay here.

I'm gonna help you
until you can get on your feet,

but you've gotta help me with the boy.

He's gonna have to have his teeth pulled."

Oh, no, you didn't say all that to him
in October of 2022,

and then in May of 2023,
he had dental work.

You didn't anticipate that.
I don't believe that, Ms. Casey.

If what you're telling me
is that while he was staying with you

and sleeping on the couch,
you said to him,

"You can stay with me
until you get on your feet."

Yes.

"But then thereafter you have to help me
out with the boy," and he said, "Okay."

Yes.

[Judge Judy] Okay, is that the contract
you're talking about?

Yes.

It's invalid. There's no contract.

Even though he agreed to say,
"I will help you?"

Whatever agreement you thought you had
is void for vagueness.

It has to be set.

Now, if you called him in May and said,

"There's an outstanding dental bill
for Noah, would you pay it?

Because he doesn't have
enough money to pay it

and I have other expenses,"
and he said, "Yes, I'll pay it,"

that's a different story.

But if you said to him in October of 2022,
"I'll let you stay on the couch,

but you have to continue
to help me out with the boys,"

and he said, "I will,"
that is not a contract.

I told him, "You have to help me.
I still need help."

Even his mother knew that.

No, I don't care what his mother knew.
I'm telling you it's not a contract.

[theme music playing]

So now you're telling me
that after you called his mother

and gave her a figure, he called you
and said, "I will pay for it?"

Nah, didn't happen, Ms. Casey.

[announcer]
And later today.

My Honor, it was so hard.
I was bleeding.

I tried to push the dog
to escape the room.

I went to the other room.

The dog bit you.

[theme music playing]

[announcer] Mary Grace Casey
claims her ex-husband, Rodrick Casey,

owes for their child's medical bills
and car repairs.

It's not an enforceable contract
in the law.

It's void for vagueness.

He can say, "I'm gonna help you.
I'm gonna give you $10. That's help.

I'm gonna give you $20.
I'll give you $100."

What, instead of the dental bills
being what they were, they were $20,000?

Would you expect him to pay that?

Um...

[Judge Judy] What if the car bill,
instead of being $500, was $2,500?

See, he doesn't owe. That's what I mean
when they say "void for vagueness."

Neither one of you knew
what he was contracting for.

As a matter of fact,
based upon what you just said to me,

March and two bills in May,

you didn't even know what
they were going to be, back in October.

No, you're correct.

He knew, once I received a bill,
how much it was.

[Judge Judy] Oh, be very careful, 'cause
that's not what you said to me before.

I don't care whether he knew
what the bills were.

Did he agree to pay it in May of 2023?

He agreed.

Tell me the circumstances
surrounding him agreeing,

'cause now you're changing your story.

I called him.

Actually, not him, his mom.
I always contact him through his mom.

-He doesn't take my calls.
-[Judge Judy] Well, yeah.

[Mary]
And I told him...

No, you didn't tell him.

I told her to tell her son
that this is how much the bill is.

[Judge Judy] And?
-And that he needs to pay it.

And then she said she will contact...

[Judge Judy]
She will tell him.

-[Mary] Yes.
-And then what happened?

And then he said he would.
He would pay for it.

Oh, just a second. So he called you
and said, "I'll pay for the bill?"

[Mary]
He did, I believe, yes.

[Judge Judy]
Oh, no, I don't believe you, Ms. Casey.

No, he did. He did.

Ms. Casey, I don't believe that,
that he called you.

You said, "I don't speak to him.
I speak to him through his mother."

So now you're telling me
that after you called his mother

and gave her a figure, he called you
and said, "I will pay for it?"

Nah, didn't happen, Ms. Casey.

I can ask him.

And if he's together, he's gonna tell me.

No, she did not call me.

[Judge Judy]
Did you call her?

Nope.

-Who is this?
-[Rodrick] My mother.

[Judge Judy]
Could you stand up, please?

-What is your last name?
-Casey.

Ms. Casey, do you remember when
the plaintiff called you and said,

"I have this dental bill?"

Of course I remember
'cause I paid it.

[Judge Judy]
Which bill did you pay?

To get his teeth extracted in May.

[Judge Judy]
How much was it?

Oh, $2,300, I think.

Just curious, did you make it
directly to the dentist?

I was at the orthodontist
when his teeth were pulled,

and I carried him home.

You went with him
and you paid the bill?

[Kathleen] I did.

[Judge Judy]
Ms. Casey, is that accurate?

-Very easy.
-Yes.

Well, then why are you suing him?

He still owes me the money for
the prescriptions that he didn't pay for

and the co-pay.

Ms. Casey, I'm dismissing your case.

And I'm gonna tell you,
I don't believe you.

I think that you were very surprised
to see Mr. Casey's mother here.

Because if you were being truthful with me

when I asked you the dates of bills
that you were expecting him to pay for,

and you said dental extractions
and two car bills...

Mm-hmm.

[Judge Judy] ...you should've said
the dental extractions

were not his responsibility
because his mother paid for those.

Why didn't you tell me that?

Because I owe her that money.

She owes me that money,
but she owes me about 100,000 more

'cause I've been paying for them
since they divorced,

for all the extra stuff.

I know you know what it's like.

[Judge Judy]
I do. I do.

Has Mrs. Casey been helping you
since the divorce?

Yes, she has.

So why are you here today?

You're getting more than
your judgment of divorce provided for.

Your former husband's mother
has assumed a responsibility,

for whatever reason,
and I don't have to go into it right now.

-Not necessary.
-Later. [chuckles]

-[Judge Judy] Much later.
-[all laugh]

[Judge Judy] Has assumed a responsibility
that was not her responsibility.

[Mary] Mm-hmm.

Has she ever sued you for any of the money
she's given you since 2014?

No.

[Judge Judy] So she's just taken care
of her grandchildren.

-Yeah.
-[Judge Judy] What?

Say thank you and goodbye, Mrs. Casey.

-Yes, ma'am.
-[Judge Judy] Say thank you and goodbye.

-We're done here.
-[Mary] Thank you.

Case is dismissed.

-All right.
-[Kevin] This court is adjourned.

[theme music playing]

I paid more also than he ever has.

He's never had any responsibility.

I did not owe her anything,
but she owes my mom.

I was trying to get the car repair,
which I did pay for.

I think their marriage
was kind of a disappointment to her,

and she was left to raise the two boys.

Hopefully, he, you know,
grows and learns

and becomes more present
and do well.

I was super impressed
with that grandmother.

I was too.

When she first raised her arm,
I was a little concerned for her

because I know you don't like that.

But then when she came back around
and waited her turn when it got to her,

she really had
a lot of good things to say.

She was a good grandma.

She realized that what her son
was contributing towards the support

of her grandchildren
was really insufficient to support them.

Sure.

And she evidently has the resources.

And it wasn't just the dental work.

She said she's been paying them
since the divorce,

which she said is well over $100,000
I think I heard her say,

so I was really impressed with her.

The plaintiff looked like
butter would melt in her mouth,

but it turned out
she was a disingenuous lady.

I agree.

I think if it was anything other than
a money grab from her ex-husband...

Maybe she's still upset
about the divorce, who knows?

Maybe.

Then the first thing out of her mouth
would have been,

"I'm suing for the associated costs
with the extraction,

which my former mother-in-law
paid for."

Paid for, right.

Case 3052,
Nguetsop versus Thomas.

All parties please step forward.

[announcer] Poupy Nguetsop
is suing her former roommate,

Tabitha Thomas,
for medical bills,

a false eviction,
and emotional distress.

Ms. Nguetsop.

Nguetsop. [chuckles]

You were looking for a room to rent.

-Yeah.
-[Judge Judy] Why?

Basically, I didn't have, you know,
a stable place where to live.

How did you find the room?

So we were working together.

[Judge Judy] Where?

Heimat. It's a very luxury gym.

-So you met each other at work.
-Yes.

And you found out she had a room.

[Poupy] Exactly.

And you went to look at the room.

[Poupy] Yes.

[Judge Judy]
When did you go to look at the room?

The beginning of November.

-[Judge Judy] November of 2022?
-Yes.

Okay. You looked at the room
and you decided to take the room.

-[Poupy] Yeah.
-You took the room.

You moved in in November,
according to what I read.

And you paid
the first month's rent in December.

-Yeah.
-[Judge Judy] Okay.

Did you have a written lease?

That's a yes or a no.

No, because she asked me
not to worry about it, so I trusted.

[Judge Judy]
Just a second.

That's a no.
You did not have a written lease.

No, I did not.

[Judge Judy]
When did you move out?

December 31st.

You moved out on December 31st.

[Poupy] Yeah.

[Judge Judy] And you paid rent
for the month of December.

Yes.

So you lived there one month,
you paid for one month.

Yeah.

And you had no lease.

[theme music playing]

Look, what about...
what about the eviction notice?

-Just a second.
-[Poupy] Okay.

Pay careful attention.

You can't live in a house

where there's a dog
that you're afraid of.

What do you mean,
an eviction notice?

You wanna stay in that house?

[theme music playing]

[announcer] Poupy Nguetsop
claims her former roommate,

Tabitha Thomas,
owes for medical bills,

a false eviction,
and emotional distress.

[Judge Judy]
Now, this is your claim.

You claim that her dog bit you.

Yes.

[Judge Judy]
And you had some medical bills.

Yes.

And you wanna be
compensated for that.

[Poupy] Yes.

You're also suing for
a lot of emotional distress

because she told you
you had to leave

because you didn't
get along with her dog.

Exactly.

Yeah, that's not happening.

So we're gonna concentrate here
on the dog.

When you moved in to the room,
did you see the dog?

-Yes, My Honor.
-[Judge Judy] Okay.

And on what date
do you claim the dog bit you?

-It was on December 9.
-[Judge Judy] 12/9.

And tell me how that happened.

So I was in the room
on a Zoom meeting with my professor,

and then the other roommate
with who I shared the room with,

she came in the room
with the dog.

The dog wasn't leashed.

The dog jumped on me
and he bite me.

-[Judge Judy] Where?
-[Poupy] Right here.

I still have the scar here.

-I still have the scar here.
-[Judge Judy] Got it. Got it.

My Honor, it was so hard.
I was bleeding.

I tried to push the dog
to escape the room.

I went to the other room.

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

The dog...

The dog bit you.

Yeah.

Was this the other roommate?

[Poupy]
Yes. She...when I...

Shh. When did you go to see a doctor
or an emergency room?

Because you say the dog bit you
and there was a lot of blood.

The next thing I'd like to see is the
record from an emergency room or a doctor.

This is the bill for the emergency room.

-Shh.
-[Poupy] Sorry.

[Judge Judy] Well, you went almost a week
later to the emergency room.

-[Poupy] Yeah. Mm-hmm.
-Just a second.

You went almost a week later.

"Patient presents with
a chief complaint of a bite wound

of the upper left extremity, left elbow,
and right extremity."

What happened to your elbow?

So after he bite me
and I was trying to escape from him,

he scratched me here too.

[Judge Judy] You showed me
something on your leg.

The first thing that urgent care notes is,

"Chief complaint is a bite wound
of the left upper extremity, left elbow."

You didn't go to the doctor
for a week after the bite.

No, because I was okay.

[Judge Judy]
Just a sec.

I'm just saying,
you didn't go to the doctor for a week.

Why?

I did not have insurance,

and I was scared about,
like, the cost of the bills, first.

And then in my head,
I was hoping her to offer me that

because that was her dog.

-She didn't.
-I did.

And the second, the second thing,
I didn't have insurance,

and I was scared about the bills too.

I was scared about my life.

-I then say, "What happened?"
-[Judge Judy] Okay. Okay. Okay.

-I'm injured.
-Okay, can I see the bill?

And I will see the photographs
that you have of the injury.

-[Poupy] Right here.
-Just a second.

The amount of your bill was $80.

When did you take these photographs?

I took that the same day.

Is this your leg
where it's already black and blue?

-[Poupy] Yeah.
-Just a second.

This your leg
where it's already black and blue,

and there are three little...
they look like scratch marks.

That's what it looks like.

It looks like three little scratch marks,
if it was done the same day.

-It's a bite.
-[Judge Judy] Okay.

Tell me what happened
when the dog went in.

When the dog went in,
he went to sniff her

because she had lived there
about 13 days.

He wanted to sniff her.

Every time that she would walk in,
she would physically push him away.

-Like this.
-'Cause she was afraid of him.

[Tabitha]
'Cause she was afraid of him,

which she did not mention
when she moved in.

Just a second.
Don't get into a whole drama here.

[Tabitha] Okay.

-This whole thing is worth $80.
-[Tabitha] Yes.

Okay, so the dog
went into her room.

The dog went into her room.
He went to sniff her.

She did the thing where she screamed,
pushed him away.

He went like this on her.

He did, I think, hit her leg
with his nails.

Like, look at his face.
Like, there's no way he would've.

-[Judge Judy] Okay.
-Okay.

So then when she was screaming,
I pulled him away.

I offered her aid.

I asked her if she was okay,
if she needed anything.

I even went and handled Eddie.

She went, and then handled her
and asked her again if she needed help,

if she needed to go to the doctor.

She said no.

She then went, took a shower,
got dressed to the nines,

and then went out to go to an event.

[Judge Judy]
Is that accurate?

-Yes.
-[Judge Judy] Okay.

Where did you go that night?

-Shh! Just, don't give me a whole story.
-[Poupy] To school.

-I went to school.
-[Judge Judy] Where did you go?

I went to school.

[Judge Judy]
Okay, and...

I actually know where she went.

She went to the LA Christmas Parade.

[Judge Judy]
May I see it?

[Tabitha] It was on her Instagram,
to go interview, like, celebrities.

[Judge Judy]
You have a green dress?

-My Honor, that is completely...
-Just a sec.

Would you just answer my question?

Do you have a green dress?

I didn't have green dress that day.
I had a black dress with a red coat.

It doesn't matter to me, madam.

I think that you're a whole lot of drama.

No, I...

I actually think that
you're a whole lot of drama.

-Because if you...
-No, My Honor.

Sorry, I just try to explain you
because she tried to use that picture...

You can't explain...

She just try to use
that picture against me.

That was for... [stammers]

You have to understand, madam.

-It was different.
-You have to understand, madam.

-Okay, sorry.
-I think you're a whole bunch of drama.

I have no question that the dog
either scratched or nipped you.

You had a medical bill that you're
entitled to be reimbursed for.

You don't want to be reimbursed
for that medical bill.

You want $10,000.

My Honor, look. What about...
what about the eviction notice?

-[Judge Judy] This is not...
-What about the...

-Just a second.
-[Poupy] Okay.

Pay careful attention.

You can't live in a house

where there's a dog
that you're afraid of.

What do you mean,
an eviction notice?

You wanna stay in that house?

-I wasn't afraid of her dog.
-[Judge Judy] Hey, listen.

A lot of drama.
A lot of drama.

Not $10,000, madam, 80.

You paid the bill, $80.

And you're lucky to get it
because I read the report,

and the report said, "Well,
the first thing you complained about

was something on your elbow."

It didn't say anything about infection.

It didn't say anything about any reason
that a week later after the event,

you went to urgent care.

Nothing. It didn't say "swollen."
It didn't say "infected."

It didn't say "pussing."
It didn't say "oozing."

It didn't say it needed lancing. Nothing.

Eighty dollars.
Judgment for the plaintiff.

We're done.
Thank you very much.

-[Tabitha] Thank you.
-[Kevin] This court is adjourned.

[theme music playing]

It's something that
I really want them to understand,

that I was in pain.

I am so ecstatic that this is over.

She has been after me and my dog
and my money for a year now,

and I'm glad that this is done.

It was a big dog.
It wasn't a joke.

He is a Golden Retriever-Terrier mix.
They're not, they're not mean dogs.

That plaintiff was a whole lot of drama,
and some hysterics sprinkled in.

She seemed very dramatic,
waiting a week for an injury like that.

The leg looked as if there was
a black-and-blue mark there,

but it looked like
an old black-and-blue mark.

It's possible it was from a bite.

And she was certainly entitled
to have her medical bill reimbursed.

-Mm-hmm.
-But not the rest of her life.

Yeah.

I thought that
that was perfectly fair and reasonable.

And she was disappointed.
She was expecting a much bigger payday.

[announcer]
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[theme music playing]