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They tried to vote me out of my own club.

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You claimed that he took money
from the club account?

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Yes.

4
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No, ma'am.

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When they tried to kick me out--
yes, ma'am, I, I did...

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00:00:13,133 --> 00:00:15,233
- Oh, absolutely right.
- [Zeb] I took it 'cause it's my club.

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It was for the club.
It was OPM, other people's money.

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It wasn't your money.

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[announcer] This is Judy Justice.

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[theme music playing]

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[announcer] Michael Mitchell
is suing card club founder Zeb Lollis

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for stolen money
from the club's bank account

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and the use of the club's name.

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[Kevin] Court come to order. All rise.

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Have a seat, please.

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Case 1097, Mitchell versus Lollis.

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- Thank you.
- You're welcome, Judge.

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[Judge Judy] Mr. Mitchell,
let me understand what your position is.

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- You live in...
- Jacksonville.

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- [Judge Judy] In Florida?
- Yes, ma'am.

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And several years ago,

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Mr. Lollis started a club to play cards?

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- Correct.
- He named the club?

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- Correct.
- [Judge Judy] And the name

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that he gave the club was...

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1st Coast Bid Players.

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Where did you get the name from?

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Well, Jacksonville is considered
the First Coast,

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and when I first moved to Jacksonville
in 2016, I didn't have any friends.

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I didn't know anyone.

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So, I have a passion for playing cards,

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bid whist, and I started the club
for--on meet-up.

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And we started with, like,
four people and it just grew on.

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I--don't just give me the whole story.

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- I asked you where the name came from.
- Oh, I just created the name.

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- [Judge Judy] Okay.
- Just from being First Coast.

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And at first,
there were just a few people,

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as the defendant says, were club members,

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and then it started to grow.

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In what year did you become
a member of the club?

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I became a member--uh,

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I became an official member
of the club in July 2017.

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[Judge Judy] And you must have become
an official member of the club

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because you heard about it

45
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and thought it would be fun
and interesting.

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Right. When I first heard about it, Judge,

47
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they weren't taking any memberships,

48
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'cause I heard about it in May 2017

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and membership was closed.

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So that's why I became
an official member in July.

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[Judge Judy] And being a club member
meant that a couple of times a week,

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you got together with other people
who played this card game, which was...

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Bid whist, B-I-D W-H-I-S-T, bid whist.

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Don't know how to play it.
My sole game is gin rummy.

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That's the only thing I know how to play.

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But I'm sure you enjoy it.

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I'm not even gonna ask you
to explain to me what the game is,

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because I probably
wouldn't understand it anyway.

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But the reason you wanted so badly
and you waited,

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it was because the club had a reputation?

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- Yes.
- [Judge Judy] Club that he started.

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- Yes.
- [Judge Judy] And he grew?

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- Yes.
- So this is what this case is about.

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In 2021, the club grew to almost
a hundred people, eighty people.

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- Yes.
- [Judge Judy] And they held an election,

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I don't know how the election was held,

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and the defendant was no longer
an officer of the club.

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Correct.

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And it is your claim--two things,

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first, you claim that he took money
from the club account,

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because he charged dues
to be a club member.

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- Yes, ma'am.
- [Judge Judy] When you

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became a club member in 2017,
you paid dues?

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- Correct.
- How much did you pay?

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Uh, at that time,
the dues were $25 a year per member.

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And did you pay it in check or cash?

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- Cash.
- [Judge Judy] And you were told that

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this $25 a year was to do what?

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It was to purchase the cards

80
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and help pay for venues
and things of that nature

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- that the club was...
- [Judge Judy] For parties, for people...

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- Yeah, right.
- ...for their birthday or...

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- [Michael] Things like that.
- Things like that.

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That's pretty reasonable dues.

85
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And then the dues were raised?

86
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- Yes.
- [Judge Judy] When?

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The dues was raised in July 2019

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to $70 a year per member.

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- Did you pay it in check or cash?
- [Michael] Cash.

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- That's not true, Your Honor.
- Just a second.

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Um, cash?

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Cash.

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[Judge Judy]
And when you went to play these games,

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- there were cards.
- [Michael] There were cards.

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[Judge Judy] How often
were the cards replaced?

96
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They were replaced, I'm gonna say almost--

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minimum every two weeks.

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- Who paid for that?
- [Michael] The club--

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the club paid for the cards,
the treasurer...

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

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The club paid for it out of the dues?

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Correct, Your Honor.

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And there were parties
occasionally for people,

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for birthdays, celebrations?

105
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- Yes, correct.
- [Judge Judy] And who paid for that?

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- The club...
- [Judge Judy] The dues?

107
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- The dues.
- And there were sometimes venues

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that were taken for events to play cards.

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Who paid for that?

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The club paid for that.

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- [Judge Judy] Out of dues?
- Out of dues.

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So that's a pretty cheap club.

113
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- Correct.
- [Judge Judy] For $25 or $70.

114
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- Right. And we...
- Nobody tapped you for more money?

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No. Well, we used to have,
like, raffles, 50/50 raffles

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or raffle off a basket or something.

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- [Judge Judy] Oh.
- [Michael] And those were other ways

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we generated revenue for the club.

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To pay for the expenses?

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- Yes.
- Now, he was voted out of office

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and he left the club,
the person who started it?

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- Yes.
- [Judge Judy] And you want the club name,

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- you want me to give you the club name?
- Yes.

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[Judge Judy] Because you're gonna tell me
that everybody voted you

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to be the spokesperson here.

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Correct.

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[Judge Judy]
What--you didn't invent this name?

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- No.
- Why should you have the name?

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[Michael] Because it was the club's name.

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Yeah, but wherever he goes, it's his club.

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He should take the club name
wherever he goes.

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If he wants to get another
25 people, fine.

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If he wants to get another
50 people, fine.

134
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He thought of the name, you didn't.

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You just joined.

136
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Well, if that's the way it works,
Your Honor,

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when you start something and leave,

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you're automatically
entitled to it for life...

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Well, why would you be entitled to it?

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- [Michael] As a member.
- Because you're a member?

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00:05:32,266 --> 00:05:33,233
- As a member. Like all...
- [Judge Judy] What--but you're...

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...of the other 80 members.

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[Judge Judy]
Just--but you're just a member.

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Why wouldn't he be entitled to it?

145
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He invented it.

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- But he's no longer a member.
- [Judge Judy] If I have to...

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- I mean...
- [Judge Judy] If I--

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well, he's no longer a--
but he still plays cards.

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And if he gets together
with a group of people, do you ever?

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Yes, ma'am.

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And if he gets together
with a group of people

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and he says that my club,
the 1st Coast Bid Players Club,

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is getting together, that's his.

154
00:05:57,133 --> 00:05:58,834
Pick another name for your 80 people.

155
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- Yes, ma'am.
- [Judge Judy] Great.

156
00:06:00,967 --> 00:06:02,533
Took care of that.
Now, we're gonna take care of this...

157
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- Yes, ma'am.
- ...misappropriation of money.

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You took the money out for yourself.

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When they tried to kick me out,
yes, ma'am, I did...

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00:06:10,433 --> 00:06:11,667
(laughs) Oh, absolutely, right.

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[Zeb] Uh, because, because it's my club
and I'm still operating under 1st Coast.

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[Judge Judy] No, sorry.

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It was OPM, other people's money
went in here, and you can't take it out.

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[theme music playing]

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[announcer] Michael Mitchell claims
card club founder Zeb Lollis

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00:06:35,734 --> 00:06:37,800
stole funds from their card club.

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00:06:37,867 --> 00:06:41,367
Zeb is countersuing
for defamation of character.

168
00:06:41,867 --> 00:06:43,533
Now, was there a bank account?

169
00:06:43,600 --> 00:06:45,332
- Yes, ma'am.
- [Judge Judy] In whose name?

170
00:06:45,400 --> 00:06:49,332
The bank account was in Mr. Lollis' name
and the treasury of the club.

171
00:06:49,400 --> 00:06:51,200
I'd like to see a paperwork for that.

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00:06:55,100 --> 00:06:56,767
Your Honor, may I say something?

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00:06:56,834 --> 00:06:58,867
In a minute,
after I look at the evidence.

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Who is James [...]?

175
00:07:09,266 --> 00:07:11,633
That's my treasurer at the time.

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[Judge Judy]
That was your treasurer at the time?

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00:07:13,200 --> 00:07:14,133
[Zeb] Yes, ma'am.

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00:07:14,200 --> 00:07:15,300
And he's also a close friend of mine.

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[Judge Judy] Okay.

180
00:07:16,266 --> 00:07:19,533
You withdrew from the club in what month?

181
00:07:19,600 --> 00:07:23,533
When they tried to vote me out
of my own club.

182
00:07:23,600 --> 00:07:26,367
[Judge Judy] Just--I said month,
that is not when.

183
00:07:26,433 --> 00:07:28,533
- [Zeb] Um...
- And when it's not the name of a month.

184
00:07:28,600 --> 00:07:29,867
I'm sorry, July.

185
00:07:29,934 --> 00:07:31,266
July of 2021.

186
00:07:31,332 --> 00:07:34,033
You have a statement here dated--

187
00:07:34,100 --> 00:07:38,933
the last one is August of 2021.

188
00:07:39,000 --> 00:07:39,933
Yes.

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00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:45,567
[Judge Judy]
There's a withdrawal here for $3,982.

190
00:07:45,633 --> 00:07:46,500
[Michael] Yes, Your Honor.

191
00:07:46,567 --> 00:07:48,600
And the account was closed at that time.

192
00:07:48,667 --> 00:07:50,367
Did you make this withdrawal, sir?

193
00:07:50,433 --> 00:07:51,867
Yes, ma'am. I sure did.

194
00:07:51,933 --> 00:07:53,066
[Judge Judy] The answer is yes.

195
00:07:53,133 --> 00:07:56,967
And when did the club start
to play cards again?

196
00:07:57,600 --> 00:07:58,533
My club?

197
00:07:58,600 --> 00:08:01,500
[Judge Judy] No, the club that
he belonged to, the dues went in.

198
00:08:01,567 --> 00:08:03,967
Ma'am, the last time
they paid dues is 2019,

199
00:08:04,033 --> 00:08:06,700
and we had a huge Christmas party
at the end of 2019.

200
00:08:06,767 --> 00:08:08,767
[Judge Judy] Okay. In December of 2019.

201
00:08:08,834 --> 00:08:10,734
[Zeb] December 2019,
we had a huge Christmas party.

202
00:08:10,800 --> 00:08:11,667
- Oh, just...
- Yes, ma'am.

203
00:08:11,734 --> 00:08:13,333
[Judge Judy]
Just one second. Let me find that.

204
00:08:15,934 --> 00:08:18,734
Well, I have January of 2020

205
00:08:18,800 --> 00:08:23,467
and there's a balance of $2,000

206
00:08:23,533 --> 00:08:26,533
on January 24th 2020.

207
00:08:26,600 --> 00:08:29,166
And when did you stop playing cards?

208
00:08:29,233 --> 00:08:34,165
We stopped playing cards
in March of, uh, 2020.

209
00:08:34,232 --> 00:08:35,232
[Judge Judy] 2020?

210
00:08:35,299 --> 00:08:37,165
March of 2020 due to COVID.

211
00:08:37,232 --> 00:08:39,000
- Right.
- And everything shut down, so...

212
00:08:39,066 --> 00:08:42,332
Okay. So, in November of 2020,

213
00:08:42,400 --> 00:08:44,232
there was still money in the club,

214
00:08:44,300 --> 00:08:46,500
there's $2,000 balance.

215
00:08:46,567 --> 00:08:50,266
- Uh-hmm.
- [Judge Judy] And then January, February.

216
00:08:50,333 --> 00:08:51,567
Where's March?

217
00:08:51,633 --> 00:08:54,233
Those statements
wasn't submitted as evidence on it,

218
00:08:54,300 --> 00:08:56,900
Your Honor, because the balance
stayed the same

219
00:08:56,967 --> 00:08:58,533
when--all of that time,

220
00:08:58,600 --> 00:09:02,266
so I just brought all the statements
that was relevant to, um...

221
00:09:02,333 --> 00:09:06,100
[Judge Judy] Well, the club stopped
functioning in March of 2020.

222
00:09:06,166 --> 00:09:08,700
- Right.
- [Judge Judy] And in 2021,

223
00:09:08,767 --> 00:09:11,633
there was only a balance of $2,200,

224
00:09:11,700 --> 00:09:15,767
all of a sudden, more money filtered,
and there was $4,500.

225
00:09:15,834 --> 00:09:16,700
That's correct.

226
00:09:16,767 --> 00:09:17,767
Who put in that money?

227
00:09:17,834 --> 00:09:18,967
I did, Your Honor.

228
00:09:19,033 --> 00:09:22,166
Um, at the very beginning of 2021--
'cause we were supposed

229
00:09:22,233 --> 00:09:25,867
to have a tournament 2020,
but that got pushed back a year later.

230
00:09:25,934 --> 00:09:28,266
Beginning of 2021,
I reached out to the members,

231
00:09:28,333 --> 00:09:31,633
I said, "We're still hosting a tournament,
I need your support."

232
00:09:31,700 --> 00:09:34,500
'Cause we'd normally feed them
and pay for venues and everything.

233
00:09:34,567 --> 00:09:37,667
"If you could just please just donate $10

234
00:09:37,734 --> 00:09:40,165
to help me feed everyone
that's coming in town."

235
00:09:40,233 --> 00:09:43,834
From 80 members, I got $70.

236
00:09:43,900 --> 00:09:45,934
So, I felt--it was
like a slap in the face.

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00:09:46,000 --> 00:09:47,165
So people still called and said,

238
00:09:47,233 --> 00:09:48,734
"Hey, you're--are you gonna have
the tournament?"

239
00:09:48,800 --> 00:09:50,100
"Yes, we're gonna have the tournament.

240
00:09:50,165 --> 00:09:51,567
You know, we're 1st Coast."
Blah, blah, blah.

241
00:09:51,633 --> 00:09:53,600
And the tournament
went off without a hitch.

242
00:09:53,667 --> 00:09:57,033
And no one from 1st Coast showed.

243
00:09:57,100 --> 00:10:00,333
I had to run the whole tournament
completely by myself.

244
00:10:00,400 --> 00:10:02,467
And Mike, he loves tournaments.
I was really surprised...

245
00:10:02,533 --> 00:10:03,900
[Judge Judy] I--just a second.

246
00:10:03,967 --> 00:10:05,934
I wanna know who put the money
in this account.

247
00:10:06,000 --> 00:10:07,100
[Zeb] Oh, I did. I'm sorry.

248
00:10:07,166 --> 00:10:08,867
[Judge Judy] Show me
where you made the deposit.

249
00:10:08,934 --> 00:10:11,400
[Zeb] I didn't bring
the bank statements or whatever,

250
00:10:11,467 --> 00:10:13,667
because I'm the only one--
me and James are the only ones

251
00:10:13,734 --> 00:10:15,533
who are--who are--access to the account.

252
00:10:15,600 --> 00:10:17,300
- Yup.
- [Judge Judy] But you say that

253
00:10:17,367 --> 00:10:21,033
in order to hold this tournament,
based upon what you are suggesting to me,

254
00:10:21,100 --> 00:10:23,400
you only got $70 from the membership

255
00:10:23,467 --> 00:10:25,667
and you covered the costs
of the tournament...

256
00:10:25,734 --> 00:10:26,700
- Um...
- [Judge Judy] ...is that what you're--

257
00:10:26,767 --> 00:10:28,300
just a second. Don't look over there.

258
00:10:28,367 --> 00:10:30,066
- [Zeb] No, no.
- Look over here.

259
00:10:30,133 --> 00:10:31,734
Yes. I will say that, yes.

260
00:10:31,800 --> 00:10:33,000
[Judge Judy] And you--
yes, you would say that,

261
00:10:33,066 --> 00:10:35,233
then you have proof
that you put in the deposit,

262
00:10:35,300 --> 00:10:37,165
you get a deposit slip.

263
00:10:37,233 --> 00:10:38,467
I didn't bring a deposit slip.

264
00:10:38,533 --> 00:10:41,400
[Judge Judy] Well, then, sir,
you can't close out this account

265
00:10:41,467 --> 00:10:44,400
and you can't take the--
whatever is left in the account yourself.

266
00:10:44,467 --> 00:10:46,000
Because it's my own personal account.

267
00:10:46,066 --> 00:10:48,200
[Judge Judy] Just a--
it's not your own personal account.

268
00:10:48,266 --> 00:10:51,567
If what you're saying is this money
was used for the club,

269
00:10:51,633 --> 00:10:55,165
and the dues that were paid
went into this account,

270
00:10:55,233 --> 00:10:56,400
you and the treasurer.

271
00:10:56,467 --> 00:10:59,033
If the dues that were paid
went into this account,

272
00:10:59,100 --> 00:11:01,667
it's not your personal account,
it was for the club.

273
00:11:01,734 --> 00:11:02,900
That was the purpose of it.

274
00:11:02,967 --> 00:11:03,867
It was for the club.

275
00:11:03,934 --> 00:11:06,834
It was OPM,
other people's money went in here,

276
00:11:06,900 --> 00:11:08,567
and you can't take it out!

277
00:11:08,633 --> 00:11:11,133
- I can't take it out?
- [Judge Judy] No, you can't take it out.

278
00:11:11,200 --> 00:11:12,567
It wasn't your money.

279
00:11:12,633 --> 00:11:14,433
And if it was your money that was in here,

280
00:11:14,500 --> 00:11:17,734
you would have proof for me
by way of a deposit slip

281
00:11:17,800 --> 00:11:23,467
that you put in money from Chase Bank
into VyStar Bank

282
00:11:23,533 --> 00:11:26,300
personally to cover a tournament.

283
00:11:26,367 --> 00:11:28,367
But you can't take this money out.

284
00:11:28,433 --> 00:11:30,333
[Zeb] But how would I suppose to pay
for the tournament

285
00:11:30,400 --> 00:11:32,100
if I can't take the money out?

286
00:11:32,165 --> 00:11:34,767
[Judge Judy] What I'm telling you
is you didn't take the money out

287
00:11:34,834 --> 00:11:37,734
to pay for the tournament,
you took the money out for yourself.

288
00:11:37,800 --> 00:11:40,033
When they tried to kick me out,
yes, ma'am, I--I did...

289
00:11:40,100 --> 00:11:41,000
[Judge Judy] (laughs) Oh, absolutely
right.

290
00:11:41,066 --> 00:11:44,200
[Zeb] I took it, 'cause it's my club
and I'm still operating under 1st Coast.

291
00:11:44,266 --> 00:11:46,100
[Judge Judy] No, sorry. Sorry, sir.

292
00:11:46,165 --> 00:11:49,900
Other people,
people who are not in your club,

293
00:11:49,967 --> 00:11:52,633
you have the name,
you will have new members,

294
00:11:52,700 --> 00:11:55,367
he'll give his club a different name,

295
00:11:55,433 --> 00:11:59,533
the club that has elected him to come here
and sue on their behalf.

296
00:11:59,600 --> 00:12:03,166
But they're the ones that paid
the dues into this!

297
00:12:03,233 --> 00:12:05,233
[Zeb] Their, their dues,
they don't have any proof of dues.

298
00:12:05,300 --> 00:12:06,433
First of all, dues were paid in 2019...

299
00:12:06,500 --> 00:12:10,900
[Judge Judy] No, you have to--you have
to show me that you put in your money.

300
00:12:10,967 --> 00:12:12,000
You have to show me.

301
00:12:12,066 --> 00:12:13,567
I'm a common sense person.

302
00:12:13,633 --> 00:12:15,233
- Okay.
- [Judge Judy] You have to show me,

303
00:12:15,300 --> 00:12:16,934
"This, this was my account."

304
00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:20,200
Even though I put this--
as you call them your treasurer,

305
00:12:20,266 --> 00:12:23,367
- "He was the treasurer and my friend."
- Okay.

306
00:12:23,433 --> 00:12:26,066
[Judge Judy] You used the term treasurer,
do you remember?

307
00:12:26,133 --> 00:12:27,233
- [Zeb] Yes.
- Okay.

308
00:12:27,300 --> 00:12:29,567
That was the treasurer of the club.

309
00:12:29,633 --> 00:12:31,667
Let me put it to you this way, sir.

310
00:12:31,734 --> 00:12:33,266
- Do you have a house?
- I do.

311
00:12:33,333 --> 00:12:34,533
Do you own the house, or rent it?

312
00:12:34,600 --> 00:12:35,667
- [Zeb] I do. I--
- You own it?

313
00:12:35,734 --> 00:12:37,165
- Do you pay a mortgage?
- I do.

314
00:12:37,233 --> 00:12:39,300
[Judge Judy] Do you have a bank account
to pay the mortgage?

315
00:12:39,367 --> 00:12:41,367
- I do.
- And in whose name is the bank account?

316
00:12:41,433 --> 00:12:44,333
- It's my name.
- [Judge Judy] You pay your utilities,

317
00:12:44,400 --> 00:12:47,834
taxes, car payment,
insurance out of that bank account,

318
00:12:47,900 --> 00:12:49,800
because it's your money
in that bank account.

319
00:12:50,633 --> 00:12:53,400
This bank account was set up for the club.

320
00:12:53,467 --> 00:12:54,967
This is not your bank account.

321
00:12:55,033 --> 00:12:57,433
Just as I said to the plaintiff,

322
00:12:57,500 --> 00:12:58,567
this is his name.

323
00:12:58,633 --> 00:12:59,767
He started it.

324
00:12:59,834 --> 00:13:01,200
He chose to leave it,

325
00:13:01,266 --> 00:13:03,100
because for whatever reason.

326
00:13:03,166 --> 00:13:06,066
He chose to leave it, he wasn't
the head of the club anymore.

327
00:13:06,133 --> 00:13:09,934
He gets to keep the name even though
he didn't trademark it,

328
00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:11,000
which you could have.

329
00:13:11,066 --> 00:13:13,667
- But you never did, because that's...
- It was a social club.

330
00:13:13,734 --> 00:13:15,467
- Because that's fair.
- [Zeb] It was a social club.

331
00:13:15,533 --> 00:13:18,300
Don't--this doesn't require
an answer from you.

332
00:13:19,734 --> 00:13:22,233
"Telling people that I stole club funds."

333
00:13:22,300 --> 00:13:23,133
Yes, that is correct.

334
00:13:23,200 --> 00:13:24,367
[Judge Judy]
Well, that's what I just said.

335
00:13:24,433 --> 00:13:27,367
[Zeb] But I didn't steal club's funds
because I felt it was my club

336
00:13:27,433 --> 00:13:29,967
- and I ran under the--you know, it was...
- Yeah. Okay.

337
00:13:30,033 --> 00:13:31,667
- 'Cause this is bogus.
- Just a second.

338
00:13:31,734 --> 00:13:32,900
This is bogus.

339
00:13:33,000 --> 00:13:34,800
No, I don't think it's bogus at all.

340
00:13:39,333 --> 00:13:41,400
[theme music playing]

341
00:13:45,300 --> 00:13:49,467
[announcer] Michael Mitchell has accused
card club founder Zeb Lollis

342
00:13:49,533 --> 00:13:52,100
of stealing funds from their card club.

343
00:13:52,165 --> 00:13:54,533
Zeb claims the money was his

344
00:13:54,600 --> 00:13:56,700
and he had the right to take it.

345
00:13:56,767 --> 00:13:59,467
[Judge Judy] Now, because it was fair,

346
00:13:59,533 --> 00:14:02,433
you thought of the name,
you started the club.

347
00:14:02,500 --> 00:14:04,533
They want to continue to play cards.

348
00:14:04,600 --> 00:14:06,633
You want to continue to play cards.

349
00:14:06,700 --> 00:14:08,700
You're taking the name with you.

350
00:14:08,767 --> 00:14:10,734
- Come up with a different name.
- Yes, ma'am.

351
00:14:10,800 --> 00:14:13,033
He understands that. And he said, "Okay."

352
00:14:13,100 --> 00:14:15,567
But you can't take the money
out of the club

353
00:14:15,633 --> 00:14:17,367
where other people have put dues.

354
00:14:17,433 --> 00:14:20,867
And the final amount that was in the club,

355
00:14:20,934 --> 00:14:25,033
that was taken out,
close out July 23rd was 3,982.

356
00:14:25,100 --> 00:14:27,500
And you said that you took it out,
'cause it was your money.

357
00:14:27,567 --> 00:14:28,934
- Yes. And I'm still operating under...
- [Judge Judy] And I said to you,

358
00:14:29,000 --> 00:14:30,900
"Prove it--prove it to me."

359
00:14:30,967 --> 00:14:33,800
And you say, "I have no proof
that I deposited that money."

360
00:14:33,867 --> 00:14:36,000
And if what you're saying is,
"I'm still operating the club

361
00:14:36,066 --> 00:14:39,200
with the same people
that were in the club from before,"

362
00:14:39,266 --> 00:14:41,567
you're not suggesting that to me, sir,
'cause I'll make...

363
00:14:41,633 --> 00:14:43,000
[Zeb] May I--may I say something?

364
00:14:43,066 --> 00:14:45,367
No, no, no. You may answer my question.

365
00:14:45,433 --> 00:14:48,433
You're not suggesting to me
that you're maintaining the club

366
00:14:48,500 --> 00:14:51,100
with the same people
that were in the club before?

367
00:14:51,165 --> 00:14:52,133
[Zeb] Some, yes.

368
00:14:52,200 --> 00:14:53,200
[Judge Judy] Name them.

369
00:14:53,266 --> 00:14:54,266
Tres [...].

370
00:14:54,333 --> 00:14:55,467
[Judge Judy] Name them all.

371
00:14:55,533 --> 00:14:56,967
I have--that's one name. Name them...

372
00:14:57,033 --> 00:14:58,800
[Zeb] Tres [...], Jimmy [...],

373
00:14:58,867 --> 00:15:00,900
Ronda [...], who else do I play with?

374
00:15:00,967 --> 00:15:03,533
Uh, Sonny, Sonny is there.

375
00:15:03,600 --> 00:15:04,767
- It's only about...
- [Judge Judy] Sonny, Sonny who?

376
00:15:04,834 --> 00:15:06,867
[Zeb] We call him Sonny.
I don't know his last name.

377
00:15:06,934 --> 00:15:08,867
[Judge Judy] You can't take the money out,

378
00:15:08,934 --> 00:15:10,367
$3,900.

379
00:15:10,433 --> 00:15:11,467
You keep the name.

380
00:15:11,533 --> 00:15:13,000
[Zeb] What about my countersuit,
Your Honor?

381
00:15:13,066 --> 00:15:14,300
- 'Cause this is bogus.
- [Judge Judy] Just a second.

382
00:15:14,367 --> 00:15:15,200
This is bogus.

383
00:15:15,266 --> 00:15:17,000
[Judge Judy]
No, I don't think it's bogus at all.

384
00:15:17,066 --> 00:15:19,633
I think that you can't close out
a bank account that was...

385
00:15:19,700 --> 00:15:22,033
But they didn't put any money
in that account?

386
00:15:22,100 --> 00:15:23,400
[Judge Judy] I don't know that, sir.

387
00:15:23,467 --> 00:15:24,967
- I don't know that.
- [Zeb] He told you...

388
00:15:25,033 --> 00:15:26,734
All I know is--
all I know is you concede--

389
00:15:26,800 --> 00:15:28,633
you concede that dues were charged

390
00:15:28,700 --> 00:15:30,467
and raised to $70.

391
00:15:30,533 --> 00:15:32,367
- And that's not true.
- [Judge Judy] You had--uh, just a second.

392
00:15:32,433 --> 00:15:35,100
Is what you're telling me
that they weren't raised to $70?

393
00:15:35,165 --> 00:15:37,165
[Zeb] That's exactly--I'm--
what, I'm telling you,

394
00:15:37,233 --> 00:15:38,734
they were not raised to $70.

395
00:15:38,800 --> 00:15:40,165
How much were the dues?

396
00:15:40,233 --> 00:15:41,467
[Zeb] The dues are $25.

397
00:15:41,533 --> 00:15:44,200
There was a discussion of raising of dues

398
00:15:44,266 --> 00:15:47,533
biannually to 35 per every six months.

399
00:15:47,600 --> 00:15:50,734
There was a discussion,
and they were not raised to 70.

400
00:15:50,800 --> 00:15:51,834
- We never went there.
- [Judge Judy] Fine.

401
00:15:51,900 --> 00:15:53,533
How many members of the club are there?

402
00:15:53,600 --> 00:15:56,300
They were probably right.
We have about 80 members.

403
00:15:56,367 --> 00:15:58,767
- At $25 a person?
- [Zeb] That's correct.

404
00:15:58,834 --> 00:16:02,433
[Judge Judy] Okay.
80 and $25 a person, and you last did...

405
00:16:04,867 --> 00:16:06,300
I purchased cards and everything.

406
00:16:06,367 --> 00:16:08,834
They didn't even play cards before
I even got to Jacksonville.

407
00:16:08,900 --> 00:16:10,633
[Judge Judy] Yeah, it doesn't matter.

408
00:16:10,700 --> 00:16:12,500
It's not your bank account.

409
00:16:12,567 --> 00:16:15,800
You treated it as your bank account,
but it's not your bank account,

410
00:16:15,867 --> 00:16:17,667
and you can't take all the money out.

411
00:16:17,734 --> 00:16:20,533
Unless you can show me that
you personally put the money in there.

412
00:16:20,600 --> 00:16:22,667
You have your own personal bank account,

413
00:16:22,734 --> 00:16:24,333
pays your mortgage, pays your taxes,

414
00:16:24,400 --> 00:16:25,500
pays your car payment,
pays your insurance...

415
00:16:25,567 --> 00:16:28,467
I can show you--I can show you
on his bank statement--

416
00:16:28,533 --> 00:16:32,233
on my bank statement that when
the money was deposited, it was me.

417
00:16:32,300 --> 00:16:34,667
They don't even have an account
where I bank.

418
00:16:34,734 --> 00:16:38,100
[Judge Judy] Just show me that
you took money out of your account

419
00:16:38,165 --> 00:16:42,834
by check and put it into this account
of $3,900, and then I'll say fine.

420
00:16:42,900 --> 00:16:44,934
Can I see their bank statements?

421
00:16:45,000 --> 00:16:46,266
This is the last bank statement,
it was $3,900...

422
00:16:46,333 --> 00:16:48,500
- [Zeb] May I see it? May I see it?
- Absolutely.

423
00:16:55,200 --> 00:16:58,900
That's when you said you took out
the payment on the 23rd of July.

424
00:16:58,967 --> 00:17:00,467
- That is correct. That's...
- [Judge Judy] Right.

425
00:17:00,533 --> 00:17:02,600
Okay. Now, the other--
you don't have any other bank statements

426
00:17:02,667 --> 00:17:03,900
where deposits were made?

427
00:17:03,967 --> 00:17:05,532
Listen to me, sir.

428
00:17:05,599 --> 00:17:07,934
- I see deposits made...
- And that was me.

429
00:17:08,000 --> 00:17:09,532
- Show me!
- [Zeb] Can I see the bank statements?

430
00:17:09,599 --> 00:17:13,400
No! It's--show me where you took money.

431
00:17:13,467 --> 00:17:14,834
I see that there were deposits,

432
00:17:14,900 --> 00:17:18,032
but I don't know that
that was deposits from you, or from dues,

433
00:17:18,099 --> 00:17:20,000
or from raffles, or from anything else.

434
00:17:20,066 --> 00:17:24,099
I know that this was a separate
bank account for the club.

435
00:17:24,165 --> 00:17:26,133
You have your own personal bank account.

436
00:17:26,200 --> 00:17:29,700
This was a separate bank account
for the club and you cannot take it out.

437
00:17:29,767 --> 00:17:31,000
Do you understand?

438
00:17:31,066 --> 00:17:33,400
Judgment for the plaintiff $3,900
to the extent...

439
00:17:33,467 --> 00:17:37,200
- And my countersuit?
- ...that he retains the name of the club.

440
00:17:37,266 --> 00:17:38,166
Yes, ma'am.

441
00:17:38,233 --> 00:17:39,133
[Judge Judy] That's his--that's his club.

442
00:17:39,200 --> 00:17:40,700
The attorney's fees for defamation,

443
00:17:40,767 --> 00:17:44,734
well he says that you took money out of
the bank account and you shouldn't have,

444
00:17:44,800 --> 00:17:46,967
that's the basis of your defamation suit.

445
00:17:47,033 --> 00:17:48,734
- No, ma'am. Uh...
- [Judge Judy] Oh, okay.

446
00:17:48,800 --> 00:17:51,200
Let's see what the basis
of your defamation suit is,

447
00:17:51,266 --> 00:17:53,633
"Telling people that I stole club funds."

448
00:17:53,700 --> 00:17:54,600
Yes, that is correct.

449
00:17:54,667 --> 00:17:55,734
[Judge Judy]
Well, that's what I just said.

450
00:17:55,800 --> 00:17:58,633
[Zeb] But I didn't steal club funds
because I felt that was my club

451
00:17:58,700 --> 00:18:00,800
and I ran it under the--
you know, it was...

452
00:18:00,867 --> 00:18:02,533
[Judge Judy] Yeah. Thank you.
Your counterclaim is dismissed.

453
00:18:02,600 --> 00:18:04,233
Judgment for the plaintiff, 3,982.

454
00:18:04,300 --> 00:18:05,667
We're done here. Thank you very much.

455
00:18:05,734 --> 00:18:06,700
[Kevin] Court is adjourned.

456
00:18:08,400 --> 00:18:10,600
I don't think it was fair. It's my club.

457
00:18:10,667 --> 00:18:12,767
I started it with my own personal account.

458
00:18:12,834 --> 00:18:15,166
Well, I think the Judge decision was fair.

459
00:18:15,233 --> 00:18:19,000
And just because I'm not playing
with those individuals anymore,

460
00:18:19,066 --> 00:18:20,567
I'm still playing under First Coast.

461
00:18:20,633 --> 00:18:24,100
Since she said he started it,
he, he got the name for life,

462
00:18:24,166 --> 00:18:25,800
so uh we have to accept that.

463
00:18:25,867 --> 00:18:26,967
It was never personal.

464
00:18:27,033 --> 00:18:28,834
It was my, my--the club,

465
00:18:28,900 --> 00:18:30,967
it was a club account but I started it.

466
00:18:31,033 --> 00:18:31,934
It's my club.

467
00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:35,400
It's not that I feel that he was using
the club funds as his personal funds.

468
00:18:35,467 --> 00:18:37,233
I am First Coast. I'm still the club.

469
00:18:37,300 --> 00:18:40,033
He was using the club funds
as his personal funds.

470
00:18:40,100 --> 00:18:43,100
He was using the club funds
according to the evidence.

471
00:18:43,166 --> 00:18:45,800
I'm still running under
First Coast Bid Players.

472
00:18:45,867 --> 00:18:47,533
Well, we've already started a new club.

473
00:18:47,600 --> 00:18:48,767
I'm still playing.

474
00:18:48,834 --> 00:18:50,133
We play twice a week.

475
00:18:50,200 --> 00:18:54,400
We've started retaking dues
and we--right now, we--even with COVID,

476
00:18:54,467 --> 00:18:56,500
we have 35 members
that have paid their dues.

477
00:18:56,567 --> 00:18:58,734
And hey, it is what it is.

478
00:18:58,800 --> 00:19:01,600
We're just gonna do
the First Coast Bid Association.

479
00:19:02,834 --> 00:19:04,500
[Sarah] So, I think
the great lesson from that case

480
00:19:04,567 --> 00:19:07,600
for anyone that's starting
any sort of social club,

481
00:19:07,667 --> 00:19:10,333
is you never wanna co-mingle the funds

482
00:19:10,400 --> 00:19:13,600
because then you end up in a situation
like the defendant here,

483
00:19:13,667 --> 00:19:15,600
who had what he believed to be
his own money,

484
00:19:15,667 --> 00:19:18,400
his own club,
the bank account was in his name.

485
00:19:18,467 --> 00:19:20,934
But like you said,
when you take funds from people

486
00:19:21,000 --> 00:19:23,033
who think they're paying dues to a club,

487
00:19:23,100 --> 00:19:24,667
and not to a individual,

488
00:19:24,734 --> 00:19:27,066
you can't just go and take that money
out for yourself.

489
00:19:27,133 --> 00:19:28,633
So, I think, the commingling of funds

490
00:19:28,700 --> 00:19:30,333
is a great lesson
that people could take away.

491
00:19:30,400 --> 00:19:32,567
Yeah, I think that that's true.

492
00:19:32,633 --> 00:19:35,767
It made it easier that there was
another name on that bank account.

493
00:19:35,834 --> 00:19:38,667
And made it doubly easy for me because

494
00:19:38,734 --> 00:19:42,300
the defendant had no proof
that he actually deposited money

495
00:19:42,367 --> 00:19:45,467
into the account--
nor, do I think that he did deposit

496
00:19:45,533 --> 00:19:47,066
his own money into the account?

497
00:19:47,133 --> 00:19:49,467
It was a dues account
and from other things.

498
00:19:49,533 --> 00:19:52,333
That's what happens when people have
too much time on their hands. (laughs)

499
00:19:52,400 --> 00:19:53,333
[Sarah] Yeah.

500
00:19:53,400 --> 00:19:57,467
[Judge Judy] But if you're gonna have
any kind of a venture with other people,

501
00:19:57,533 --> 00:19:59,166
- it has to have parameters.
- [Sarah] Uh-hmm.

502
00:19:59,233 --> 00:20:02,533
And you're right, you co-mingle f-funds,
you end up in this...

503
00:20:02,600 --> 00:20:04,467
- [Sarah] Sticky situation.
- Right.

504
00:20:07,100 --> 00:20:08,133
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505
00:20:08,200 --> 00:20:10,433
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506
00:20:15,367 --> 00:20:18,367
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