1
00:00:00,300 --> 00:00:03,300
You paid to complete
a family tree for you.

2
00:00:03,367 --> 00:00:06,700
-Correct.
-So you did in fact complete that?

3
00:00:06,767 --> 00:00:09,600
I did a significant amount of work.

4
00:00:09,667 --> 00:00:11,266
That's not my question.

5
00:00:11,333 --> 00:00:13,033
-I can explain.
-Did you do it?

6
00:00:13,100 --> 00:00:15,633
I wanted to finish the project for her.

7
00:00:16,600 --> 00:00:17,934
Do you know what she's talking about?

8
00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:19,133
No, I do not.

9
00:00:19,200 --> 00:00:21,567
[narrator] This is Judy Justice.

10
00:00:22,667 --> 00:00:24,200
[theme music playing]

11
00:00:39,700 --> 00:00:44,867
[narrator] Cheryl Stevens is suing
cold case investigator, Gabriella Vargas

12
00:00:44,934 --> 00:00:48,500
for a refund of services
she never completed.

13
00:00:49,300 --> 00:00:51,433
[Kevin] Court come to order. All rise.

14
00:00:53,233 --> 00:00:54,266
[Judy] Have a seat, please.

15
00:00:54,333 --> 00:00:57,300
Judge, case 4038, Stevens v. Vargas.

16
00:00:57,367 --> 00:00:58,200
-Thank you.
-You're welcome.

17
00:00:58,266 --> 00:01:02,667
Ms. Stevens, your claim involves
the return of money

18
00:01:02,734 --> 00:01:06,967
that you paid to Ms. Vargas
to complete a family tree for you.

19
00:01:07,033 --> 00:01:09,367
-Correct.
-You paid her $750.

20
00:01:09,433 --> 00:01:11,200
When did you pay her that 750?

21
00:01:11,266 --> 00:01:13,467
I paid her on February 7th.

22
00:01:13,533 --> 00:01:15,934
-Of what year?
-Uh, 2023.

23
00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:20,767
[Judy] And we are now in October of 2024.

24
00:01:20,834 --> 00:01:24,967
Did you receive the information
that you wanted from her

25
00:01:25,033 --> 00:01:26,800
with regard to your ancestry

26
00:01:26,867 --> 00:01:31,000
between February 7th, 2023
and October of 2024.

27
00:01:31,066 --> 00:01:32,633
I did receive information.

28
00:01:32,700 --> 00:01:34,033
Tell me what you received.

29
00:01:34,100 --> 00:01:38,233
From February 9th through February 25,

30
00:01:38,300 --> 00:01:41,667
all of this represents the changes
that she made on my tree.

31
00:01:41,734 --> 00:01:43,265
-So… Yes.
-May I see it?

32
00:01:52,066 --> 00:01:54,934
Well, this is a lot,
I don't know what's old and what's new.

33
00:01:55,000 --> 00:01:57,400
So I don't have information

34
00:01:57,467 --> 00:02:00,166
on what the tree looked like
before she touched it,

35
00:02:00,233 --> 00:02:03,967
so that represents, in Ancestry,
all the changes that she made.

36
00:02:04,033 --> 00:02:08,400
She deleted some of my information,
she added some family members,

37
00:02:08,467 --> 00:02:10,500
but she did not complete the job.

38
00:02:10,567 --> 00:02:12,433
Well, what was the job
supposed to look like?

39
00:02:12,500 --> 00:02:15,633
The job was supposed to be complete
on my mother's side of the tree

40
00:02:15,700 --> 00:02:20,033
with her grandparents,
her grandparents' siblings,

41
00:02:20,100 --> 00:02:22,600
and so forth, and none of that
is stated on my tree.

42
00:02:22,667 --> 00:02:24,567
Do you have a contract with her?

43
00:02:24,633 --> 00:02:28,266
No, I only have an email in which
she stated what she would do.

44
00:02:28,333 --> 00:02:31,033
-I'd like to see it, please.
-I mean a text, I'm sorry.

45
00:02:31,100 --> 00:02:32,100
Here you go.

46
00:02:33,033 --> 00:02:34,133
Right down there.

47
00:02:34,200 --> 00:02:35,533
So she did do work?

48
00:02:35,600 --> 00:02:37,266
-Yes, she did do work.
-Okay.

49
00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:44,200
Okay, so she says to you, "Hi, Cheryl,
I've reviewed your tree and the data.

50
00:02:44,266 --> 00:02:49,000
The tree has multiple issues including
inaccurate information and documentation,

51
00:02:49,066 --> 00:02:52,100
duplicate people, and information taken
from other trees

52
00:02:52,166 --> 00:02:53,934
without proof to support it.

53
00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:58,400
Building out your mother's maternal
grandparents will be a bit more complex

54
00:02:58,466 --> 00:03:03,033
due to the times of slavery and lack
of documentation during that time,

55
00:03:03,100 --> 00:03:05,934
but it is absolutely possible to do."

56
00:03:06,000 --> 00:03:07,900
-You sent her that message.
-I did.

57
00:03:07,967 --> 00:03:12,367
Okay, you told her that the fee
was $750

58
00:03:12,433 --> 00:03:14,100
-and you told her…
-Correct.

59
00:03:14,166 --> 00:03:16,500
…that it's absolutely possible to do.

60
00:03:16,567 --> 00:03:17,533
Did you do it?

61
00:03:17,600 --> 00:03:18,734
I absolutely did.

62
00:03:18,800 --> 00:03:20,800
-[Judy] Did you receive it?
-No.

63
00:03:20,867 --> 00:03:24,567
Okay, so you did in fact,
according to you, complete that?

64
00:03:24,633 --> 00:03:30,066
I… did a significant amount
of work on her tree.

65
00:03:30,133 --> 00:03:31,667
[Judy] That's not my question.

66
00:03:31,734 --> 00:03:37,266
For $750, you indicated to her
in February of 2023

67
00:03:37,333 --> 00:03:40,300
that you could complete
the maternal part of her family tree.

68
00:03:40,367 --> 00:03:42,834
-Correct.
-And you said it's absolutely doable.

69
00:03:42,900 --> 00:03:43,834
-Correct.
-Okay.

70
00:03:43,900 --> 00:03:46,867
All I want to know is did you do it,
so the answer is no,

71
00:03:46,934 --> 00:03:49,466
but you did a significant
amount of work on it.

72
00:03:49,533 --> 00:03:51,966
The answer is yes, I did complete it,

73
00:03:52,033 --> 00:03:55,934
however I was removed from the tree

74
00:03:56,000 --> 00:04:01,000
before I could provide her
with the end report.

75
00:04:01,066 --> 00:04:04,000
Okay, and when did you complete it?

76
00:04:04,066 --> 00:04:07,066
Month, day, and year.

77
00:04:07,133 --> 00:04:11,633
It was in March of 2024,
I don't have the exact day.

78
00:04:11,700 --> 00:04:14,500
-So over a year later?
-Yes.

79
00:04:14,567 --> 00:04:16,567
-And I had indicated--
-Just a second.

80
00:04:16,632 --> 00:04:18,700
-Sorry.
-Did you send it to her?

81
00:04:18,767 --> 00:04:20,065
She already--

82
00:04:20,800 --> 00:04:24,767
Did you send
the completed work to her

83
00:04:24,834 --> 00:04:27,300
in March of 2024?

84
00:04:27,367 --> 00:04:29,100
She owned the tree.

85
00:04:29,166 --> 00:04:34,133
She had possession of it the entire time,
I worked in her family tree.

86
00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:36,767
I was never the owner of the tree.

87
00:04:36,834 --> 00:04:40,367
So there was nothing that you had
that you didn't give to her

88
00:04:40,433 --> 00:04:41,834
that she didn't have.

89
00:04:41,900 --> 00:04:45,332
And is what you're telling me
that the job-- careful.

90
00:04:45,400 --> 00:04:49,200
That the job that she hired you for
was completed?

91
00:04:49,266 --> 00:04:51,800
Because Whitney is going to read back

92
00:04:51,867 --> 00:04:56,000
your prior answer which suggested to me
that it was not completed.

93
00:04:56,066 --> 00:04:57,200
I can explain.

94
00:04:57,266 --> 00:04:58,133
Explain.

95
00:04:58,200 --> 00:05:00,333
-So I--
-First of all.

96
00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:05,700
Let's just get to was it
or was it not completed?

97
00:05:05,767 --> 00:05:09,967
Now, it could not be completed because
you couldn't do it for whatever reason.

98
00:05:10,033 --> 00:05:14,367
You couldn't do what you had indicated
in your text what you were going to do.

99
00:05:14,433 --> 00:05:16,934
There may have been reasons
why you couldn't do it.

100
00:05:17,000 --> 00:05:18,433
It was completed.

101
00:05:18,500 --> 00:05:22,967
And I had let the plaintiff know
that I was having

102
00:05:23,033 --> 00:05:26,066
an immense amount of issues
working in her tree

103
00:05:26,133 --> 00:05:29,867
because she would not stop
working in her own tree

104
00:05:29,934 --> 00:05:33,533
which I specifically asked her not to
as I was cleaning it up.

105
00:05:33,600 --> 00:05:37,734
So I advised her that I would start
working in my own tree

106
00:05:37,800 --> 00:05:40,933
that I owned,
to finish completing the work

107
00:05:41,000 --> 00:05:44,433
so that it could remain accurate
with evidence to back it up.

108
00:05:44,500 --> 00:05:46,033
Do you know what she's talking about?

109
00:05:46,100 --> 00:05:47,066
No, I do not.

110
00:05:47,133 --> 00:05:48,867
I'd like to see what you're talking about.

111
00:05:48,933 --> 00:05:51,166
Talking about an ancestry.com type of tree

112
00:05:51,233 --> 00:05:53,100
so it's the plaintiff's account
that the defendant

113
00:05:53,166 --> 00:05:55,133
was working in the whole time.

114
00:05:55,200 --> 00:05:57,734
However, every time the plaintiff
makes a change,

115
00:05:57,800 --> 00:06:00,500
with or without evidence,
it affects the work that the defendant

116
00:06:00,567 --> 00:06:04,266
is then doing in the tree, but she just
had the plaintiff's login information.

117
00:06:04,333 --> 00:06:08,166
She's not providing
any additional pieces of evidence

118
00:06:08,233 --> 00:06:10,500
that you're looking for
as far as information about the--

119
00:06:10,567 --> 00:06:12,066
-Who isn't?
-The defendant.

120
00:06:12,133 --> 00:06:13,100
It's all being done

121
00:06:13,166 --> 00:06:14,934
-under the plaintiff's account.
-Plaintiff's tree.

122
00:06:15,000 --> 00:06:16,266
Under the plaintiff's account.

123
00:06:16,332 --> 00:06:19,166
So if she makes changes to it,
that explains the defendant's work

124
00:06:19,233 --> 00:06:20,700
as far as what she's able to do.

125
00:06:20,767 --> 00:06:23,133
[theme music playing]

126
00:06:23,200 --> 00:06:26,000
What date did you continue
to start to work on it?

127
00:06:26,066 --> 00:06:28,400
"Just recently" is what you say.

128
00:06:28,467 --> 00:06:31,700
"I continued to work on it." Well, give me
the date of just recently.

129
00:06:31,767 --> 00:06:34,433
-The--
-Give me the date, that's a date

130
00:06:34,500 --> 00:06:35,767
of "just recently."

131
00:06:35,834 --> 00:06:37,233
[narrator] And later today…

132
00:06:37,300 --> 00:06:39,900
You go to the store,

133
00:06:39,967 --> 00:06:43,533
play the numbers,
and because you're doing this leg work,

134
00:06:43,600 --> 00:06:45,000
so I don't have to go to the store,

135
00:06:45,066 --> 00:06:47,533
if my numbers win,
I'll give you half.

136
00:06:47,600 --> 00:06:50,867
That's a contract.
That's different from a favor.

137
00:06:53,533 --> 00:06:56,233
[theme music playing]

138
00:07:00,500 --> 00:07:05,633
[narrator] Cheryl Stevens claims
cold case investigator Gabriella Vargas

139
00:07:05,700 --> 00:07:10,266
never finished her family history
and owes her a refund.

140
00:07:10,333 --> 00:07:15,667
Okay, your answer says
from May until August of 2023.

141
00:07:15,734 --> 00:07:17,166
She hired you in February.

142
00:07:17,233 --> 00:07:20,332
You said from May until August
you had issues of your own

143
00:07:20,400 --> 00:07:21,567
so you couldn't work on it.

144
00:07:21,633 --> 00:07:22,533
Yes.

145
00:07:22,600 --> 00:07:26,900
And then you started working
on a high-profile murder case.

146
00:07:26,967 --> 00:07:29,433
-Yes.
-So you also didn't work on it.

147
00:07:29,500 --> 00:07:32,200
So now we're going to a year later.

148
00:07:32,266 --> 00:07:38,266
May of 2024 is when you gave her
additional information and she blocked me.

149
00:07:38,332 --> 00:07:39,533
So that was a year later.

150
00:07:39,600 --> 00:07:45,000
Is what you're telling me that for a year,
her project was placed on hold,

151
00:07:45,066 --> 00:07:47,100
either because of your medical issues

152
00:07:47,166 --> 00:07:49,967
or because you were working
on another case?

153
00:07:50,033 --> 00:07:51,667
-That's either a yes or a no.
-No.

154
00:07:51,734 --> 00:07:56,900
Okay, so when after February 2023,

155
00:07:56,967 --> 00:07:58,967
after the first information,

156
00:07:59,033 --> 00:08:01,800
did you work on her tree?

157
00:08:01,867 --> 00:08:03,500
The entire year.

158
00:08:03,567 --> 00:08:05,100
That's not what you say in your answer.

159
00:08:05,166 --> 00:08:06,700
-That's not what you say.
-Your Honor, I…

160
00:08:06,767 --> 00:08:09,734
That's not what you say in your answer.
You say in your answer:

161
00:08:09,800 --> 00:08:12,934
"In May and August, 2023,

162
00:08:13,000 --> 00:08:18,266
I had some family and health issues
and had to put the work on hold."

163
00:08:18,332 --> 00:08:23,266
Yes and therefore I was unable to work
on it for a few days, maybe a week.

164
00:08:23,332 --> 00:08:25,500
Because I'm reading your answer
and your answer says,

165
00:08:25,567 --> 00:08:30,332
"Just recently I continued to work
using the papers I had already printed.

166
00:08:30,400 --> 00:08:32,533
I've found the original person in question

167
00:08:32,600 --> 00:08:36,633
is not part of her family tree after all,
but she does not yet know this."

168
00:08:36,700 --> 00:08:40,400
So we're talking about now
in October of 2024.

169
00:08:40,467 --> 00:08:42,633
You say, "I continued to work on this."

170
00:08:42,700 --> 00:08:45,834
On what date did you continue
to start to work on it?

171
00:08:45,900 --> 00:08:50,100
"Just recently" is what you say,
"I continued to work on it."

172
00:08:50,165 --> 00:08:52,033
Well, give me the date of "just recently."

173
00:08:52,100 --> 00:08:53,633
-The--
-Give me the date,

174
00:08:53,700 --> 00:08:56,300
that's a date of "just recently."

175
00:08:56,367 --> 00:08:58,367
March of 2024.

176
00:08:58,433 --> 00:09:02,633
Can you show me some documentation
that you did work in March of 2024?

177
00:09:02,700 --> 00:09:05,033
It's all in my texts and emails.

178
00:09:05,100 --> 00:09:06,700
No, don't show me a whole bunch of papers.

179
00:09:06,767 --> 00:09:09,300
At my age, I can't go through
all that nonsense.

180
00:09:09,367 --> 00:09:12,333
So what you're telling me is
you did no work on this project,

181
00:09:12,400 --> 00:09:15,734
let's say, August, September,
or October of 2024,

182
00:09:15,800 --> 00:09:19,333
the work that you did on it
was March of 2024.

183
00:09:19,400 --> 00:09:23,667
I was unable to,
she revoked my access to her account,

184
00:09:23,734 --> 00:09:27,967
but I had a paper document
that I was using,

185
00:09:28,033 --> 00:09:30,367
and the work that I had done in my tree

186
00:09:30,433 --> 00:09:33,900
that I continued to work
using that documentation.

187
00:09:33,967 --> 00:09:38,033
Because I was paid for a service and
I wanted to finish the project for her.

188
00:09:38,100 --> 00:09:41,165
What date? Show me the date.

189
00:09:41,233 --> 00:09:43,700
I don't have an exact date.

190
00:09:43,767 --> 00:09:46,367
-Give me a month.
-That I finished working on it?

191
00:09:46,433 --> 00:09:48,667
Tell me the last time
you worked on it. Month.

192
00:09:48,734 --> 00:09:54,333
I restarted working on it in August
when I found out that I was being sued.

193
00:09:54,400 --> 00:09:56,300
Okay, well, that's what I wanted to know.

194
00:09:56,367 --> 00:09:58,667
When you found out you were being sued

195
00:09:58,734 --> 00:10:01,433
for the return of your money
you started to work on the project again.

196
00:10:01,500 --> 00:10:03,567
Without access to anything.

197
00:10:03,633 --> 00:10:05,433
Well, whatever access you had.

198
00:10:05,500 --> 00:10:09,900
When you found out you were being sued,
you started to work on the project again.

199
00:10:09,967 --> 00:10:12,900
Until that time,
we're not talking about March of 2020,

200
00:10:12,967 --> 00:10:15,166
we're talking about three months ago.

201
00:10:15,233 --> 00:10:16,934
-That is correct.
-Okay.

202
00:10:17,000 --> 00:10:18,767
And when you did that work,

203
00:10:18,834 --> 00:10:23,266
did you transmit the results
of that work to the plaintiff?

204
00:10:23,333 --> 00:10:26,667
I have been blocked
and have no contact with her.

205
00:10:26,734 --> 00:10:30,934
Okay. Do you have any interest in seeing
the results of that work?

206
00:10:31,000 --> 00:10:34,133
-I do.
-If you see the results of that work,

207
00:10:34,200 --> 00:10:35,934
then I'm dismissing your lawsuit.

208
00:10:36,000 --> 00:10:36,967
Do you understand?

209
00:10:37,033 --> 00:10:41,033
I do. So then let me retract. No.

210
00:10:41,100 --> 00:10:43,533
-Because you have no confidence in it.
-Yes. Right.

211
00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:45,734
-Okay. I wouldn't either.
-Okay.

212
00:10:45,800 --> 00:10:48,967
Judgment for the plaintiff
for the amount of $750.

213
00:10:49,033 --> 00:10:50,767
Thank you very much, we're finished.

214
00:10:50,834 --> 00:10:52,400
-This court is adjourned.
-[scoffs]

215
00:10:52,467 --> 00:10:54,100
[theme music playing]

216
00:10:57,467 --> 00:10:59,367
I don't feel it was fair.

217
00:10:59,433 --> 00:11:04,533
I'm very pleased. I was confused by her
testimony regarding being blocked

218
00:11:04,600 --> 00:11:08,233
because she still had access
to my emails and my phone

219
00:11:08,300 --> 00:11:09,867
and never communicated with me.

220
00:11:09,934 --> 00:11:13,433
I have not had a chance to speak with her
and given her a final report.

221
00:11:13,500 --> 00:11:15,367
She was non-responsive.

222
00:11:15,433 --> 00:11:20,033
I sent several messages via text and email
and even tried calling her

223
00:11:20,100 --> 00:11:21,133
and she never responded.

224
00:11:21,200 --> 00:11:22,934
I will not be working with her again.

225
00:11:23,000 --> 00:11:25,633
I will find somebody else
to finish the tree for me.

226
00:11:27,834 --> 00:11:29,633
You know, clearly they had a contract.

227
00:11:29,700 --> 00:11:32,900
-And the text exchange shows contract.
-Mm-hmm.

228
00:11:32,967 --> 00:11:36,367
Seven hundred and fifty dollars,
I will provide you with this.

229
00:11:36,433 --> 00:11:38,867
It will be difficult to do,
but I can absolutely do it.

230
00:11:38,934 --> 00:11:42,066
The contract, simple as it was,

231
00:11:42,133 --> 00:11:45,033
-did not state time was of the essence.
-Mm-hmm.

232
00:11:45,100 --> 00:11:47,165
Interesting. So just for people watching,

233
00:11:47,233 --> 00:11:49,834
if you want the time
of the essence clause,

234
00:11:49,900 --> 00:11:52,100
which is a date certain,
you should put it in.

235
00:11:52,165 --> 00:11:53,433
-Mm-hmm.
-If there's not

236
00:11:53,500 --> 00:11:57,700
a time is of the essence clause,
you have to use a reasonable standard.

237
00:11:57,767 --> 00:11:59,533
You have to see what's reasonable.

238
00:11:59,600 --> 00:12:02,500
And she really didn't start to work on it

239
00:12:02,567 --> 00:12:05,867
until after she was served with a summons

240
00:12:05,934 --> 00:12:08,066
that said, "I'm suing you
for my money back."

241
00:12:08,133 --> 00:12:10,000
-Yeah.
-Well, at that point,

242
00:12:10,066 --> 00:12:14,100
the issue is if she does it,
has she cured it?

243
00:12:14,166 --> 00:12:16,433
And I would say not.

244
00:12:16,500 --> 00:12:21,433
If you're responding to a lawsuit,
I don't think that I have to rely

245
00:12:21,500 --> 00:12:26,300
on the veracity or the quality
of your work to complete it

246
00:12:26,367 --> 00:12:28,600
after you're being sued,

247
00:12:28,667 --> 00:12:33,100
in order to earn the money
that you have already been paid.

248
00:12:33,165 --> 00:12:36,633
Hopefully, the plaintiff can take
the money that she got here today

249
00:12:36,700 --> 00:12:39,266
and have somebody else
complete the tree for her

250
00:12:39,333 --> 00:12:42,800
and hopefully have more confidence in it
than someone who finished it

251
00:12:42,867 --> 00:12:45,066
-during litigation.
-A year and a half of--

252
00:12:45,133 --> 00:12:47,133
-Right. As a result of being sued.
-Exactly.

253
00:12:47,200 --> 00:12:49,600
Right, but if you're doing a contract,

254
00:12:49,667 --> 00:12:52,900
the wise thing is to put a date
in the contract and say

255
00:12:52,967 --> 00:12:55,033
work should be completed by this date.

256
00:12:55,100 --> 00:12:57,333
-Makes it easier.
-Because clearly she sort of blew off

257
00:12:57,400 --> 00:12:59,867
this project for a year and a half
while she had other issues.

258
00:12:59,934 --> 00:13:01,500
-Yeah.
-Okay.

259
00:13:02,233 --> 00:13:04,800
Case 4032, McPhee v. Snell.

260
00:13:04,867 --> 00:13:06,734
All parties please come forward.

261
00:13:06,800 --> 00:13:11,667
[narrator] Danielle McPhee is suing
her former friend Lateisha Snell

262
00:13:11,734 --> 00:13:15,934
for withholding lottery winnings
and the cost of a rental car.

263
00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:18,333
Ms. McPhee. Interesting case.

264
00:13:18,400 --> 00:13:21,467
You and the defendant
have been friends for a very long time.

265
00:13:21,533 --> 00:13:24,066
-Yes.
-You live in different counties,

266
00:13:24,133 --> 00:13:27,133
but you are in communication
regularly with each other.

267
00:13:27,200 --> 00:13:30,166
-And you both play the lottery.
-Yes.

268
00:13:30,233 --> 00:13:34,767
I assume that from your complaint
that you have special numbers.

269
00:13:34,834 --> 00:13:37,200
-Yes.
-What are your numbers?

270
00:13:37,266 --> 00:13:38,734
1004, my birthday.

271
00:13:38,800 --> 00:13:42,533
-On July 30th of this year…
-Yes.

272
00:13:42,600 --> 00:13:43,700
…you were on the phone

273
00:13:43,767 --> 00:13:45,467
-with the defendant.
-Yes.

274
00:13:45,533 --> 00:13:46,600
Tell me what happened.

275
00:13:46,667 --> 00:13:49,400
We was on the phone talking,
having a conversation,

276
00:13:49,467 --> 00:13:50,367
and then she was like,

277
00:13:50,433 --> 00:13:52,967
"Sis, I'm gonna call you back,
I'm finna go and play my numbers."

278
00:13:53,033 --> 00:13:54,567
Call you back,
I'm going to play my numbers

279
00:13:54,633 --> 00:13:56,867
which meant she was going to play
her lottery numbers.

280
00:13:56,934 --> 00:13:59,200
-Yes.
-Ms. Snell, what are your numbers?

281
00:13:59,266 --> 00:14:04,133
Oh, I have so many, I could start off
with pick three, pick four, or pick five.

282
00:14:04,600 --> 00:14:07,934
Okay, so you have specific numbers
that you play all the time?

283
00:14:08,000 --> 00:14:10,533
And she has specific numbers
that she plays all the time.

284
00:14:10,600 --> 00:14:12,667
-Yes, I'm sure.
-That you-- Just a second.

285
00:14:12,734 --> 00:14:14,066
That she gave you.

286
00:14:14,133 --> 00:14:16,734
-Yes.
-So, on July 30th,

287
00:14:16,800 --> 00:14:18,934
when you were going to buy
your lottery tickets,

288
00:14:19,000 --> 00:14:24,066
she asked you to buy
some lottery tickets for her

289
00:14:24,133 --> 00:14:25,600
using her numbers?

290
00:14:25,667 --> 00:14:28,233
-Yes, those five numbers I play…
-Using her numbers.

291
00:14:28,300 --> 00:14:30,934
-Mm-hmm.
-And she gave you those numbers.

292
00:14:31,000 --> 00:14:33,633
-Yes.
-And in effect said to you,

293
00:14:33,700 --> 00:14:36,934
"When you're going for yours,
I'll send you money, play mine."

294
00:14:37,000 --> 00:14:39,066
-Yes. Yes.
-And you did?

295
00:14:39,133 --> 00:14:41,000
How much money did she send you?

296
00:14:41,066 --> 00:14:42,867
Thirty-five dollars.

297
00:14:42,934 --> 00:14:44,266
And she sent you how?

298
00:14:44,333 --> 00:14:45,533
Through Cash App.

299
00:14:45,600 --> 00:14:47,300
-So you got it immediately?
-Yeah.

300
00:14:47,367 --> 00:14:50,033
-Where did you go to purchase the tickets?
-7-Eleven.

301
00:14:50,100 --> 00:14:52,867
How much money did you spend
on your lottery tickets?

302
00:14:52,934 --> 00:14:58,967
Oh, I didn't have a chance because
it was 5 minutes until the draw time.

303
00:14:59,467 --> 00:15:04,333
So I was trying to put all of our numbers
in there, but I ran her numbers first.

304
00:15:04,400 --> 00:15:07,400
-I spent $4 because that's four tickets.
-Just a second.

305
00:15:07,467 --> 00:15:09,233
-Let's go slowly.
-Okay.

306
00:15:09,300 --> 00:15:11,700
[theme music playing]

307
00:15:11,767 --> 00:15:14,567
She asked me what time
I was going to cash the ticket.

308
00:15:14,633 --> 00:15:17,600
The reason why she won't take
cash the ticket in her name

309
00:15:17,667 --> 00:15:19,533
is because she receives disability

310
00:15:19,600 --> 00:15:21,934
and she cannot get it in her name.

311
00:15:22,000 --> 00:15:23,867
Oh, there we go.

312
00:15:26,400 --> 00:15:29,467
[theme music playing]

313
00:15:33,066 --> 00:15:36,567
[narrator] Danielle McPhee
claims her former friend

314
00:15:36,633 --> 00:15:40,767
Lateisha Snell, turned in Danielle's
winning lottery ticket

315
00:15:40,834 --> 00:15:43,433
and wrongfully kept half the money.

316
00:15:43,500 --> 00:15:46,000
Okay. You went to the place.

317
00:15:46,066 --> 00:15:49,533
-You spent her $35, played her numbers.
-Yes. Mm-hmm.

318
00:15:49,600 --> 00:15:52,000
And spent $4 of your own?

319
00:15:52,066 --> 00:15:54,600
-Yes.
-How many numbers did you get to put in

320
00:15:54,667 --> 00:15:55,600
for $4?

321
00:15:55,667 --> 00:15:57,900
Only four tickets
which were a dollar each…

322
00:15:57,967 --> 00:16:00,166
-Four tickets. Okay.
-…were able to go in.

323
00:16:00,233 --> 00:16:02,367
That's okay. What number won?

324
00:16:02,433 --> 00:16:04,233
One zero zero four.

325
00:16:04,300 --> 00:16:05,567
-That's her birthday.
-Yup.

326
00:16:05,633 --> 00:16:07,567
And so this is what the case is about.

327
00:16:07,633 --> 00:16:11,633
Ultimately, when you found out
that your birth date won,

328
00:16:11,700 --> 00:16:13,033
you wanted your winnings.

329
00:16:13,100 --> 00:16:16,767
You offered to give the defendant,
according to what I read, gas money.

330
00:16:16,834 --> 00:16:19,166
-Yes.
-The defendant ultimately,

331
00:16:19,233 --> 00:16:21,433
after some bickering back and forth,

332
00:16:21,500 --> 00:16:24,667
-sent you half of your winnings.
-Yes.

333
00:16:24,734 --> 00:16:27,533
And how much were all of the winnings?

334
00:16:27,600 --> 00:16:29,166
$2,700.

335
00:16:29,233 --> 00:16:31,000
And you sent her how much?

336
00:16:31,066 --> 00:16:37,300
Altogether she got $1,371.

337
00:16:37,367 --> 00:16:38,867
-Is that correct?
-Yes.

338
00:16:38,934 --> 00:16:40,667
-Now, Ms. Snell.
-Mm-hmm.

339
00:16:40,734 --> 00:16:44,467
I'd like you to try to explain to me

340
00:16:45,033 --> 00:16:50,834
why you withheld $1,329 from her.

341
00:16:50,900 --> 00:16:54,700
Okay, when I first called her back
and told her,

342
00:16:54,767 --> 00:16:58,900
well, she already knew that my tickets
hadn't won because I was so busy--

343
00:16:58,967 --> 00:17:01,266
Don't tell me what-- Listen to me.

344
00:17:01,333 --> 00:17:03,867
-Don't tell me what she knew.
-Okay.

345
00:17:03,934 --> 00:17:07,200
So far you had not entered into

346
00:17:07,266 --> 00:17:11,333
-a business relationship with her.
-Mm-hmm.

347
00:17:11,400 --> 00:17:14,433
Which was, "I'll give you money,

348
00:17:14,500 --> 00:17:18,367
you play the numbers, my number,
because you're going.

349
00:17:18,433 --> 00:17:21,400
If we win, I'll split it with you."
That's business.

350
00:17:21,467 --> 00:17:23,000
-Mm-hmm.
-That's not what

351
00:17:23,066 --> 00:17:25,767
you both tell me happened.

352
00:17:25,834 --> 00:17:28,667
You were on the phone.
You said, "I'll have to call you back,

353
00:17:28,734 --> 00:17:30,233
I'm running to play my numbers."

354
00:17:30,300 --> 00:17:33,767
She said if you're going to play,
play my numbers.

355
00:17:33,834 --> 00:17:36,767
She sent you money to play her numbers.

356
00:17:36,834 --> 00:17:39,967
You played her numbers
and her birthday won.

357
00:17:40,033 --> 00:17:42,533
Where do you think you're entitled
to any of that money?

358
00:17:42,600 --> 00:17:45,900
Because I did all the footwork
and her numbers would've never got played

359
00:17:45,967 --> 00:17:47,934
-if I would've never played them.
-Okay.

360
00:17:48,000 --> 00:17:52,200
Ms. Snell, what you did
was do her a favor.

361
00:17:52,266 --> 00:17:56,700
Now, there's nothing in the law
of doing somebody a favor,

362
00:17:56,767 --> 00:18:00,500
but in order to create
a business relationship

363
00:18:00,567 --> 00:18:03,200
there has to be a contract,
a meeting of the minds.

364
00:18:03,266 --> 00:18:07,700
I will send you money.
You go to the store.

365
00:18:07,767 --> 00:18:11,333
Play the numbers,
and because you're doing this legwork

366
00:18:11,400 --> 00:18:15,100
so I don't have to go to the store,
if my numbers win, I'll give you half.

367
00:18:15,166 --> 00:18:17,467
-That's a contract.
-Mm-hmm.

368
00:18:17,533 --> 00:18:19,367
That's different from a favor.

369
00:18:19,433 --> 00:18:20,667
Do you understand?

370
00:18:20,734 --> 00:18:24,767
There has to be some theory.
There's no theory about I did the legwork.

371
00:18:24,834 --> 00:18:26,433
-Do you get it?
-Yes.

372
00:18:26,500 --> 00:18:31,133
So I'm going to ask you again,
do you see any basis for you

373
00:18:31,200 --> 00:18:33,433
not turning over her winnings to her?

374
00:18:33,500 --> 00:18:37,200
I felt as though I did turn over,
you know, the winnings.

375
00:18:37,266 --> 00:18:43,233
We never dis-- Even when
I told her that our numbers hit,

376
00:18:43,300 --> 00:18:44,400
-the numbers hit.
-No,

377
00:18:44,467 --> 00:18:47,800
-her number hit. Her birthday hit.
-Okay.

378
00:18:47,867 --> 00:18:52,033
Well, even when I told her, there was
no discussion of what we were going to do.

379
00:18:52,100 --> 00:18:56,734
She was sending me to the lottery office
which I drove to Casselberry in Florida

380
00:18:56,800 --> 00:19:01,333
to go and cash in a ticket which was
a good way from my residence

381
00:19:01,400 --> 00:19:02,700
to go and cash in the ticket.

382
00:19:02,767 --> 00:19:04,900
Did she ask you to-- Just a second.

383
00:19:04,967 --> 00:19:07,166
Did she ask you to do that?

384
00:19:07,233 --> 00:19:08,367
-Yes.
-No, just--

385
00:19:08,433 --> 00:19:10,533
-To go and cash the ticket?
-Yes.

386
00:19:10,600 --> 00:19:11,867
-Yes.
-[Danielle] No.

387
00:19:11,934 --> 00:19:15,300
Tell me when she asked you
because anybody could cash the ticket

388
00:19:15,367 --> 00:19:17,700
if you don't put your name
on the back of it.

389
00:19:17,767 --> 00:19:19,967
So you could have given her the ticket

390
00:19:20,033 --> 00:19:22,033
and she could have gone
to cash in the ticket.

391
00:19:22,100 --> 00:19:23,333
That's easy.

392
00:19:23,400 --> 00:19:26,800
So I'm asking you because I didn't get
that impression from the papers

393
00:19:26,867 --> 00:19:30,767
that she said to you,
"Go and cash in the ticket."

394
00:19:30,834 --> 00:19:33,700
She asked me what time I was going
to cash the ticket.

395
00:19:33,767 --> 00:19:36,700
The reason why she won't
cash the ticket in her name

396
00:19:36,767 --> 00:19:41,133
is because she receives disability
and she cannot get it in her name.

397
00:19:41,200 --> 00:19:43,333
[Judy] Oh, there we go.

398
00:19:43,400 --> 00:19:46,033
Did you ask her to cash in the ticket?

399
00:19:46,100 --> 00:19:47,934
-No, I did not.
-Not true, Your Honor.

400
00:19:48,000 --> 00:19:50,934
I told her I would come.

401
00:19:51,000 --> 00:19:55,700
Asked Crystal could I come to rent a car
for me and come to Orlando

402
00:19:55,767 --> 00:19:56,800
to pick up the ticket.

403
00:19:56,867 --> 00:19:59,100
If I'm telling you to cash the ticket in,

404
00:19:59,166 --> 00:20:01,734
why would I drive to Orlando
for the ticket?

405
00:20:01,800 --> 00:20:03,367
Why didn't she just put it in the mail?

406
00:20:03,433 --> 00:20:05,166
In any event there has to-- What?

407
00:20:05,233 --> 00:20:06,900
Your Honor, she didn't drive to Orlando

408
00:20:06,967 --> 00:20:09,433
till the next day
after I cashed in that ticket.

409
00:20:09,500 --> 00:20:14,000
What I'm telling you is, Ms. Snell,
there has to be a contract

410
00:20:14,066 --> 00:20:18,467
for you to receive half those winnings
because that was your arrangement.

411
00:20:18,533 --> 00:20:21,467
You can't decide afterwards,
"Well, I did all the legwork

412
00:20:21,533 --> 00:20:22,967
and I'm entitled to money."

413
00:20:23,033 --> 00:20:24,600
-Do you understand?
-Yes.

414
00:20:24,667 --> 00:20:25,700
Okay, good.

415
00:20:25,767 --> 00:20:29,066
So I also wanted to say that
even this ticket isn't in my name,

416
00:20:29,133 --> 00:20:32,066
I'm also going to be responsible
for the taxes.

417
00:20:32,133 --> 00:20:37,834
Well, that's true, you will
and if you file for taxes--

418
00:20:37,900 --> 00:20:39,433
-Do you work?
-Yes.

419
00:20:39,500 --> 00:20:40,734
What kind of work do you do?

420
00:20:40,800 --> 00:20:42,000
Sanitation lead.

421
00:20:42,066 --> 00:20:44,633
-And how much do you earn?
-Well, right now I'm out of work.

422
00:20:44,700 --> 00:20:46,800
Okay, then you don't have
to worry about taxes.

423
00:20:46,867 --> 00:20:51,767
Okay judgment
for the plaintiff the amount of $1,329.

424
00:20:51,834 --> 00:20:53,567
-Thank you very much.
-Thank you so much.

425
00:20:53,633 --> 00:20:54,867
This court is adjourned.

426
00:20:54,934 --> 00:20:56,166
[theme music playing]

427
00:20:59,800 --> 00:21:03,533
I just don't think it's fair, I did a lot
of the, you know, a lot of the work.

428
00:21:03,600 --> 00:21:05,433
-I love it.
-I was excited,

429
00:21:05,500 --> 00:21:07,033
we both were excited on the phone.

430
00:21:07,100 --> 00:21:09,767
It bothers me
because we've been friends over 40 years

431
00:21:09,834 --> 00:21:11,066
and I've been there for her.

432
00:21:11,133 --> 00:21:13,433
She wanted to be greedy
and keep it all for herself.

433
00:21:13,500 --> 00:21:16,367
It really bothers me that
she took the money like that.

434
00:21:16,433 --> 00:21:17,967
Buy your own lottery tickets.

435
00:21:18,033 --> 00:21:19,667
I'm a winner, thank you.

436
00:21:21,533 --> 00:21:24,900
Only one take away from this case,
my darling, and that is

437
00:21:24,967 --> 00:21:28,133
money can break up a friendship easily.

438
00:21:28,200 --> 00:21:31,533
Because there really was
no legal issue here, it was a favor.

439
00:21:31,600 --> 00:21:34,667
She said here's my money,
play my numbers,

440
00:21:34,734 --> 00:21:37,533
and that's what the Lotto is,
it's a dream.

441
00:21:37,600 --> 00:21:39,200
Interesting though
it brings up a bigger issue

442
00:21:39,266 --> 00:21:40,333
we were just talking about

443
00:21:40,400 --> 00:21:43,834
before we started about large pools
of you know offices

444
00:21:43,900 --> 00:21:46,033
or groups of friends that buy in together.

445
00:21:46,100 --> 00:21:50,133
And again it is a dream, and such
a far-out fantasy that you actually win.

446
00:21:50,200 --> 00:21:51,767
-I've done it.
-But if you do,

447
00:21:51,834 --> 00:21:53,867
there should be some--
I mean you're just praying

448
00:21:53,934 --> 00:21:55,600
that everyone that's included in that

449
00:21:55,667 --> 00:21:58,900
is going to stay true to their word
and split it evenly.

450
00:21:58,967 --> 00:22:02,266
I never understood how that worked.
I couldn't trust that many people.

451
00:22:02,333 --> 00:22:05,133
Well, but a lot of offices do that,
but this wasn't one of those.

452
00:22:05,200 --> 00:22:07,533
-No, no.
-This wasn't a lottery pool,

453
00:22:07,600 --> 00:22:09,233
-this was play my birthday…
-Sure.

454
00:22:09,300 --> 00:22:10,734
-…here's my number.
-Here it was clear,

455
00:22:10,800 --> 00:22:13,867
I just mean it could get a little dicier
in other situations.

456
00:22:13,934 --> 00:22:16,100
-And it has. Lots of lawsuits there.
-Mm-hmm.

457
00:22:16,166 --> 00:22:18,033
-But this one was easy.
-It was.

458
00:22:19,567 --> 00:22:21,333
[narrator] Are you the victim
of an assault?

459
00:22:21,400 --> 00:22:23,633
Go to JudyJustice.tv.

460
00:22:28,100 --> 00:22:30,467
[theme music playing]