[Judge Judy] Beware,
accident looking to happen.
This piece flew off and damaged their car.
I can't recall.
Actually we took a picture.
I can't confirm or deny that I was there.
[Tina] You can see him driving.
[announcer] This is Judy Justice.
[theme music playing]
[announcer] Tina and Chad Fellows
are suing business owner Andree Mock for car repairs
after his sign hit Tina's vehicle.
[Kevin] Court come to order, all rise.
Be seated, please.
Hello, Judge.
Case number 1145, Fellows versus Mock.
- Thank you, Kevin. - You're welcome.
Mr. Mock, what kind of business do you have, sir?
I do power washing and leaf blowing bag,
as well as snow blowing.
[Judge Judy] Do you have a regular car or a van that you use?
I have a--I have a truck.
[Judge Judy] And you have signs on your truck.
- [Andree] Yes. - [Judge Judy] And on April 9th, 2021,
you had signs on your truck that were magnetic?
[Andree] I don't recall.
At that time, I--I may have.
But since then, I have went to--to stickers. So
Okay, but you did have magnetic signs on your truck.
At some point, uh, yes.
[Judge Judy] And you had those signs on both sides of your truck?
- Correct. - How large are they?
[Andree] I'd say about 18 by 12 inches.
And those signs say the name of your business?
- Correct. - [Judge Judy] And they say
the telephone number, how to contact you?
- [Andree] Correct. - [Judge Judy] So you're advertising.
- [Andree] Correct. - [Judge Judy] Do you remember the date
in April when this incident happened?
According to?
- According to them. - [Andree] I don't.
- [Judge Judy] You don't? - No.
[Judge Judy] But do you remember at some point on or about April 9th,
you checked and you were missing one of your magnetic signs.
At some point in April, yes.
[Judge Judy] And that's because according to Mr. and Mrs. Fellows,
they're driving along and one of those magnetic signs from your car
went flying off your car and hit the mirror of their car,
damaged their mirror, they want you to pay for the mirror.
That's what this whole geschichte is about, right?
And they don't look like crazy people, and you don't look like a crazy person.
So, at some point, what they did,
according to their complaint, Mr. Mock,
is they drove up-- 'cause they're on a highway,
and they drove up next to your car
and they wrote down the number from the magnet that hadn't flown off.
So far, correct?
- Actually, we took a picture. - [Judge Judy] Took a picture?
- Great. Can I see it please? - [Tina] He has a magnet
on the other side, too. Yes.
[Judge Judy] Yeah, great.
A photograph makes it so much easier.
I got it. This is your sign, sir?
- [Andree] Yes. - [Judge Judy] Great.
[Tina] And you can see him in the picture, as well.
[Judge Judy] Yes.
- Got it. Okay? - Okay. Uh-hmm.
[Judge Judy] And, so that's how they got your information.
- [Andree] Okay. - And then they called you?
Not immediately, no.
But at some point, they did make contact with me.
[Judge Judy] Okay.
And after you say that you were startled
by something flying off and hitting the mirror,
which could've been much more dangerous,
these things that [indistinct) and dangerous.
Everybody should be on alert,
they can fly off.
Beware, accident looking to happen.
You examined your car and what did you find?
We found that there was a piece on the mirror that was broken.
I have a picture of that as well.
- [Judge Judy] I'd like to see it. - Here it is.
And I would like to say the reason we didn't call right away,
um, when I have a chance.
[Kevin] Here, Judge.
[Tina] You can see the magnet that's stuck in the mirror there.
Oh, gee whiz.
[Andree] Your Honor, may I see those as well?
- [Judge Judy] Absolutely. - Uh-hmm.
Absolutely. (chuckles)
And we had emailed these to the defendant, Your Honor.
Did you ever see them?
And we exchanged emails as far as that goes.
I actually seen the-- the picture of--of--of me
but I did not see the other ones
and as I was attempting to receive counsel myself,
as far as those goes, I asked...
...them to, uh
- actually... - That's your sign in their mirror.
And we actually have the sign.
- [Judge Judy] That's a piece? - We have the piece of the sign as well.
- [Judge Judy] Oh. Kevin, could you... - [Andree] So I asked them to send me
- these pictures - Just a second.
Would you show that to Mr. Mock,
while you're there so you don't have to make two trips.
Got it?
- Yup. - (chuckles) Okay.
So you see, they come prepared.
- [Andree] Right. - Judy] Great.
So, these are the photographs of your sign in their window.
This is clearly your sign.
It looks like it.
[Chad] You can see the little tree match to the picture.
[Judge Judy] I--I see it.
Of course he sees it.
Okay. And how much is this going to cost to fix the mirror?
He's responsible for that, he knows that.
The written estimate we finally received from the dealership
where I bought the car was $726.11.
- I have an estimate. - May I see?
- What kind of - [Tina] And I also do have a reason
that we had an initial different price,
um, so it was kind of a long saga.
[Judge Judy] And what year car is it?
It's a 2020 Subaru Crosstrek,
my very first brand new car I ever bought.
[Judge Judy] [indistinct) mirror assembly, glass and trim.
[Chad] Which it has the blind spot sensor in the mirror.
- [Judge Judy] Yeah. - That's why it's so expensive.
[Judge Judy] So you're entitled to have a perfect mirror.
You don't have to have it fixed and polished up,
it's a brand new car.
[Judge Judy] Okay. Now you're gonna tell me why you waited
and why you gave him a lower estimate?
[Tina] So, when it first happened, of course we didn't know.
We're driving, you know, 65 miles an hour on the freeway.
I got--we're past that already.
- [Tina] So didn't know it was damaged... - We're--we have--
we have confirmed liability.
- Okay. - Do you--do you understand that?
We have confirmed liability.
This came off of your car, you're liable.
Period.
Based on the dates that they gave you, I...
- [Judge Judy] Period. - ...can't confirm or deny that...
- [Judge Judy] I--just a second. - ...that I was there.
[Judge Judy] (chuckles) You don't have to confirm or deny.
[Andree] Or what date they came.
That's what I'm here for.
That's what they pay me all this money for.
- [Andree] Right. - [Judge Judy] I'm telling you,
there are two parts of a civil case,
whether you're responsible for something
and if you are responsible for it,
what the damages are.
That's the two parts of a civil case.
They've already, in my judgment,
met their burden to show that on the 9th of April,
this piece from your car
on the other side flew off
and damaged their car,
so liability is finished.
I--have something to say. So April 9th,
can you ask them to confirm at what time?
Because I'm a--I'm a-- I'm a school teacher as well.
- So I own my own business - [Judge Judy] Listen to me.
You're in the car, sir.
You're in the car.
Right. So my magnet did fall off the car
but that doesn't necessarily state
that my magnet came in contact with their car
and that's just not--uh, I mean, I--I don't--I think it's not
[Judge Judy] Mr. Mock, I don't care what you think.
If you're a school teacher, I'm worried for the kids.
I've explained it to you very carefully, Mr. Mock.
I've explained it to you.
This, plus this,
plus this, establishes your liability.
- Uh-hmm. - [Judge Judy] Period.
The only question is damages.
Now, in this case, the car is a new car.
If the mirror was at all damaged,
they're entitled to have a new mirror.
- And which I tried to do. - [Judge Judy] Okay.
- Just a second. - Okay. Go ahead.
[Judge Judy] So what I've said to you is
two parts, liability, damages.
How do I know for sure,
it was your sign that came off your car
that they retrieved from their mirror
that looks exactly like your sign on April 9th.
How do I know that?
I know that because it's common sense
and the law is not supposed to be an ass.
Teach that to your children.
- That's right, thank you. - [Judge Judy] Okay?
So the question is one of damages.
- [Tina] Okay. - Now you were going to tell me,
Ms. Fellows, without any drama,
and without any hearsay,
why it took you time to call him.
- Okay. - And why you initially gave him
a lower estimate.
[Tina] Okay. We were on our way to our church meeting
so when we got there, we saw the damages.
So, the next day, we called Germain Subaru
and my husband tried to explain over the phone what the part was.
At that time, the person thought that they knew...
[Judge Judy] Don't tell me you see you-- now you're telling me hearsay.
Okay. They said-- they said it's [indistinct]
And you can't--you can't do that.
- You can't do that. - [Tina] But, um, I'm just trying
to explain why with the hesitation.
- Okay. - So they have shown...
- So he had--just a second. - ...it was a $20 part.
You keep trying to talk faster to me, Ms. Fellows,
but what I'm telling you is whether you talk faster or not,
I'm not paying attention to what you're saying
- that involves hearsay. - All right.
Now, if what you're telling me is that the first time you took the car
into Germain Subaru which is where you purchased the car
and they gave you this estimate,
it was the first written estimate that you got,
I accept that.
Don't tell me, "I--because my husband spoke to somebody on the phone,
they described what the problem was,
they gave him an estimate of--"
You can't do that.
- Okay. - [Judge Judy] That's hearsay.
- [Tina] Okay. - [Judge Judy] So, the next day,
you took it into Germain Subaru, okay?
And you called the defendant.
So that would've been the 10th or 11th.
[Tina] The first time we called him, I left him a very detailed message.
- [Judge Judy] What day? - [Tina] He did not...
- He never called me back. - What date?
What date?
April 10th.
Did you not call her back?
[Andree] I did not receive a phone call
nor a voicemail from, from, from her.
[Judge Judy] Okay. Then I don't have to deal any further with this case, sir...
Then you have to pay for new mirror...
- [Andree] No. - [Judge Judy] ...$726.11.
[Andree] Now, after that, we did have a conversation over the phone.
[Judge Judy] Okay. Well after that, let's be clear.
She said she left you a detailed message.
- [Andree] Uh-hmm. - [Judge Judy] Whether you received
that message and decided to blow it off,
I don't know.
But I guarantee you that the next communication,
she initiated.
- Yes, Your Honor. - [Judge Judy] Right?
- [Andree] Correct. Uh-hmm. - [Judge Judy] Right.
And the next communication,
you did answer the phone or you called her back?
[Andree] No, I answered the phone. I believe so, right?
- Yes. - Is that--yeah. Uh, yeah.
- [Judge Judy] Yes. - [Andree] Uh-hmm.
[Judge Judy] And the two of you spoke.
- Right. - [Judge Judy] Is that when she gave you
a lower estimate?
I don't recall but she did give me details
about her taking pictures and, um, my magnet.
Did she tell you she took the car into Germain?
[Andree] I--I can't--I can't recall but...
[Judge Judy] Then I'm gonna go back to what I said five minutes ago.
Judgment for the plaintiff in the amount of $726.11.
- Ma'am? - Thank you, Your Honor.
Uh, the first initial estimate was $240...
We're done.
We're done, Mr. Mock.
We're finished.
Do you understand? Do you understand?
- Two things, just pay attention - [Andree] And I also...
...and what you have to teach your students if you're a teacher is
when something happens,
that is more your fault
- than somebody else's fault... - [Andree] To be liable.
[Judge Judy] ...what you're supposed to do is take responsibility...
- [Chad] Correct. - [Judge Judy] ...and not stand here
and say, "Well, I'm not a hundred percent sure
that it was the 9th,
whether that I had the decals on, I'm not exactly sure."
And then she calls you, leaves you a detailed message,
you don't call her back,
she has a repair estimate from Germain.
- They are a reparative - [Andree] May I see that?
[Judge Judy] Absolutely.
And I've--I've-- I've tried to call this guy
and he hasn't returned my phone calls.
I don't know whether that's true or not and I don't care.
You told her that the name of your business
was Inner Movement Wellness, a professional corporation?
[Veronica] Okay. I told her I needed an expert to help me
- because it was very... - No. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no,
no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
[suspenseful music playing]
[announcer] Tina and Chad Fellows claim business owner
Andree Mock owes for car repairs
after his sign hit Tina's vehicle.
[Judge Judy] Now, all you have to do sir
is either you have an expert here
or you have for me something
that is the cost price of a new mirror
for a 2020 Subaru automobile.
I don't have to have that evidence, you did.
And if you wanna dispute this, do it.
You can't tell me I tried to call him and he didn't call you back.
- That's ridiculous. - [Andree] Your Honor.
We're done here Mr. Mock.
- It's a ridiculous - [Kevin] Court is adjourned.
- [Andree] It was - [Judge Judy] It's--you are taking
- a ridiculous position. - [Andree] It was $240 at first...
We're--we're finished.
- [Kevin] Court is adjourned. - Outside.
With the one we got over the phone,
the person didn't understand
what part we were talking about.
It--it went from $20 to $240, to $250.
And so then they gave the-- the cost for just the part,
the final estimate was for the parts and labor, everything.
It's like a, uh, a $500 difference between the two estimates. So...
And we wouldn't have had to go that far
if I didn't have to take him to court and get that evidence.
This is the first time I've ever seen those pictures.
So, if that would've been the, uh, the case back then...
It really was his. I mean, we took the picture,
you can see him in the car when we took the picture.
I definitely would've took the responsibility
and accepted the fact that I was--that--
that--that my magnet did that damage.
And we were not trying to inflate the cost or anything like that.
It was just an honest thing of going back to the dealership
and getting that complete estimate.
[Sarah] So that case reminded me of a lesson I learned from my father,
which was, "If it's more your fault than my fault,
just take ownership, take responsibility,"
and that came after I got into an accident on the highway
where someone hit my car
and I came home and said to dad,
"Dad, it wasn't my fault. It wasn't my fault."
And he said, "Hold on, hold on.
Is it more your fault than my fault?
Because I was at home watching a movie.
So, would you say that I have to deal with this or you have to deal with this?"
And I said, "You know what? You're right."
And I think this is a good case of that, is even if it's not your fault.
- Intention. - [Sarah] It's not your intention...
It's not your intention.
[Sarah] ...you still need to take responsibility.
[Judge Judy] Listen [indistinct) it
may not be your intention,
but the damage was your fault.
You chose to put on these magnets instead of decals
but they can be dangerous
and if they damage somebody else's property,
like here, there's no question of liability.
- [Sarah] Yeah. - The question was damages
and it's a brand new car,
they're entitled to have a brand new mirror.
- I agree. - [Judge Judy] That's it.
Your father's right.
Case number 1147, Sanchez versus Sharif.
All parties, please step forward.
[announcer] Veronica Sanchez
is suing tax preparer Darlene Sharif
for the cost of legal document services
and the loss of revenue.
Ms. Sanchez, what kind of business were you starting?
I was purchasing a chiropractic and acupuncture business.
Were you purchasing it from someone who had an existing practice?
[Veronica] Correct. The existing practice was a chiropractor
and I am an acupuncturist,
so I had to purchase it from a chiropractor.
And was the chiropractor retiring?
Chiropractor was leaving the state.
So in effect, you were taking over his lease.
[Veronica] No, because since I'm an acupuncturist,
and they're a chiro, I did not purchase the business.
I was purchasing the goodwill so I started a brand new lease.
What was the name of her-- the business?
[Veronica] Her business was called Inner Movement Wellness,
a Chiropractic Corporation.
How much did you pay her for the name Inner Movement Wellness?
[Veronica] I paid $220,000.
And you signed a new lease with the landlord?
- Correct. I--I have the lease, yes. - [Judge Judy] Just a second.
But now instead of Inner Movement Wellness, a Chiropractic,
it's Inner Movement Wellness and Acupuncture,
A Professional Corporation.
Were you represented by an attorney
in this $220,000...
- Yes. - ...negotiation?
Yes.
[Judge Judy] And the name of that attorney was what?
[ ] Lee.
[Judge Judy] How much did you pay Mr. Lee?
We together paid him $6,000.
[Judge Judy] When?
[Veronica] June 7th.
- [Judge Judy] Of this year? - Correct.
[Judge Judy] And you signed the lease when?
[Veronica] June 1st.
[Judge Judy] Now, you retained the defendant to file papers for you
so that you could start to do business
as Inner Movement Wellness,
only you had to change it to an acupuncture.
Is it a corporation or an LLC?
Um, the, the acupuncture board says it has to say,
"a professional corporation."
[Judge Judy] Okay. And when you hired the defendant--
she's not a lawyer, she just prepares papers.
[Veronica] Well, she had done my son's nonprofit.
- And you know she was not a lawyer. - [Veronica] Correct.
- [Judge Judy] Mr. Lee was your lawyer? - Correct.
[Judge Judy] So, she was supposed to file to get papers for you
so that you could start your business.
So I can open up a bank account and start my business, yes.
On what date did you make initial contact with her,
- with regard - On or about, um, May 3rd or 4th
but I went into her office on May 7th and...
[Judge Judy] Okay. This is what your case is about.
We're gonna go step-by-step.
Went into your office on May 7th,
you signed the lease on June 1st.
- [Darlene] Correct. - [Judge Judy] You say the paperwork,
because of her negligence,
was delayed several months
so that you paid rent for June and July.
Did you ever get the paperwork from the state?
- [Veronica] Yes, I did. - On what date?
[Veronica] June 30th,
I received a workable S corp,
but to this date, I don't have a DBA, to this date.
[Judge Judy] Just a second.
So, her work got you the paperwork
that you needed to work by June 30th.
[Veronica] But she had promised to expedite it.
She didn't promise to expedite it. Madam, it's COVID.
Nobody is working. You can't even get a license plate.
So, what you're suing for is the return of what you paid her, right?
Despite the fact that you got your paperwork.
- [Veronica] Uh-hmm. - [Judge Judy] And for your potential
lost income for a month.
[Veronica] Actually, I'm only asking for just three days,
not the whole, uh, month of June.
She's not paying you for that.
- [Veronica] Okay. - Just understand this.
She's not paying you for your potential lost income.
[Veronica] Uh-hmm. Well, I paid three times the normal going rate.
My accountant was gonna do it for 800...
[Judge Judy] Listen, you can't tell me what your accountant's gonna do it for.
- [Veronica] Well, no, it's a going rate. - You can't--just a second.
And you can't tell me what the going rate is,
- we don't have experts here. - [Veronica] Well I--I Googled it.
[Judge Judy] What I'm-- I don't care what you Googled.
What I'm telling you is,
if you can establish some sort of negligence on her part
and it has to be a serious negligence,
most you can get is some sort of a refund from her.
- [Veronica] Well I tried to - If she--don't, don't speak.
Just listen.
Because she got you what you asked for.
- [Veronica] Uh-hmm. - She got you the ability
to work in a business
in a relatively short period of time.
Now, the only thing that I want you to show me
is you filled out paperwork on May 7th.
- [Veronica] Uh-hmm. - [Judge Judy] I would like to see
the paperwork that you filled out with her in the office
because you say that, because of her negligence,
- that paperwork came back once. - [Veronica] Uh-hmm.
- It came back three times. - Okay.
Well, it came back three times.
So let me see what you filled out the first time.
- Uh-hmm. - [Judge Judy] No, no,
don't give me three letters.
I wanna see what you filled out with her.
May I see that, please?
So you went to her office and you told her
that the name of your business was Inner Movement Wellness,
A Professional Corporation?
- That's what - Okay.
I told her I needed an expert to help me because it was very...
[Judge Judy] No. No, no, no, no, no, no,
no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
It went directly to Ms. Sanchez?
- [Darlene] Yes, it did. And she - [Judge Judy] Well, can I see it?
Does somebody have it?
I do have this but since she was going through
a third party, LegalZoom, which I could've done myself.
[Judge Judy] Listen, you have to understand something.
I don't care.
[announcer] Veronica Sanchez claims tax preparer
Darlene Sharif owes for the cost of legal document services
after making several mistakes.
[Judge Judy] Now, you have to understand,
- this is what it's all about. - [Veronica] Uh-hmm.
[Judge Judy] You tell her what the name of your business is.
- This is a business - But if she's a...
but if she's an expert and is supposed to be able to help somebody
who doesn't know anything about this,
she's also supposed to guide me
- and she didn't guide me correctly. - [Judge Judy] Okay.
So, Ms. Sanchez, you told her that the name of your business--
- because you bought for $220,000. - [Veronica] Uh-hmm.
[Judge Judy] Inner Movement Wellness.
- Uh-hmm. - [Judge Judy] A Professional Corporation.
- And I also . - [Judge Judy] Just a second.
Actually, what I find fascinating is
you bought the goodwill of a chiropractor
- who had been in the same location. - Uh-hmm.
And you bought that goodwill
and the chiropractor did not have an acupuncturist there.
There is an acupuncturist there.
Did that acupuncturist come with you?
The acupuncturist continues to work there, yes.
- With you? - Yes.
[Judge Judy] How many people work there?
I have 11 employees.
[Judge Judy] How many did you bring with you?
- [Veronica] None. - [Judge Judy] They were all there?
Yes.
Oh, now, I got it.
So, Ms. Sharif, did you get anything back from the state
with regard to this application?
For the fictitious business name?
- [Judge Judy] Yes. - No, it goes directly to my client.
[Judge Judy] It went directly to Ms. Sanchez?
[Darlene] Yes, it did.
- [Veronica] And she - Well, can I see it?
Does somebody have it?
Did they not accept it?
What is the current name of the company?
To answer your question to the best of my ability,
on June 30th, I did get the S corp
and I do have
this but since she was going through a third party, LegalZoom,
- which I could've done myself. - [Judge Judy] Listen, listen, uh,
you have to understand something.
- I don't care. - [Veronica] Okay.
If what she went through was LegalZoom
or any other app
that gives lay people an opportunity
to fill out paperwork
and if she decides to be an intermediary
between you and LegalZoom
or you and somebody else,
that's her business.
And if after it's all over, you say,
"Well, I could have filled out the same paperwork so I want my money back."
- That doesn't happen. (laughs) - No. That was
- [Judge Judy] That doesn't happen. - That's not why I want my money back.
[Judge Judy] I don't know what you want.
You filled out these papers
and you have to show me where she did something wrong.
Seems to me somebody who's paying $220,000
for a practice keeps the same lawyer,
if they want a lawyer.
If you wanna do it on the cheap,
you do it on the cheap.
How much did she charge you for this?
She charged well above and beyond
[Judge Judy] No, don't chatter.
Twenty-six hundred dollars.
[Judge Judy] Okay.
So she charged you almost half of that
to get you the paperwork
to operate as a business
that sounds penny-wise and pound-foolish to me.
The reason I'm short with you is you got what you paid for.
You got the paperwork and if my feeling is correct,
it may not be,
you're annoyed because you could've done the same thing through LegalZoom.
That's not why...
Now I'm gonna see.
That's not why-- it's because she promised
expedited service and it took months.
You, you--no, it didn't take months
because once you fill it out and file it,
somebody's gotta look at it.
Now let me see the first letter.
No, don't give me three pieces of paper.
[Veronica] [indistinct]
[Judge Judy] Give me the first letter that you got from them,
which is what she said you got
and initially you said you did not.
Okay. So, you have to understand,
this came to you on June 1st,
which means it took somebody in Los Angeles County--
'cause this was sent in right away.
- Right. - [Judge Judy] It took them...
- Uh-hmm. - ...almost a month...
- Uh-hmm. - ...to read it and respond to you.
- June 1st. - [Judge Judy] And that's--just a second.
Just a second. That's not her fault.
- No, I agree. - [Judge Judy] No, no, no. Great.
[Veronica] But had she done it right? Had that been right,
I could've started then right there.
[Judge Judy] Shoulda, woulda, coulda.
- [Veronica] Uh-hmm. - If my parents had been taller,
I may have been taller than five feet tall,
- that's a possibility. - [Veronica] And she [indistinct]
[Judge Judy] My brother is five foot nine.
I could've been five foot nine and he could've been five foot tall.
That's a shoulda, woulda, coulda.
[Veronica] But also to promise expedited service when somebody's, like,
struggling to purchase a business and keep things going, you know.
Ms. Sanchez, you have absolutely no case.
You were up and running for business on June 30th,
according to you, is that correct?
Yes.
Now, the thing that you don't have is a DBA,
which you have not received yet.
Well, so far you have something pending with the Department of State,
- I assume - Yes.
[Judge Judy] ...and that's doing business as.
- [Veronica] Yes. - [Judge Judy] Listen,
I'm gonna tell you this.
If you hire somebody else,
and they're able to, during this time,
when people are not in state offices,
if you hire somebody else to get your DBA
and pay them,
you're free to come back to me and say,
"She was supposed to get me the DBA."
- Uh-hmm. - [Judge Judy] And she didn't,
- for whatever reason - [Veronica] Uh-hmm.
[Judge Judy] ...I had to hire somebody else and pay them.
Then I'll talk to you.
- [Veronica] Okay. - Right now she has paid...
- Okay. - [Judge Judy] ...to get you up
- and running in your business. - [Veronica] Uh-hmm.
[Judge Judy] You have 11 employees who have been working for you
for almost four months
as a result of this work that she did.
- Exactly. - [Judge Judy] She got you
what you needed to conduct your business.
[Veronica] But not timely. But it wasn't timely.
- [Judge Judy] Goodbye, we're done. - And it wasn't complete.
[Kevin] Court is adjourned.
Just unfortunate during these COVID times,
when mom and pops are trying to do their best.
I tell you, I really, really worked hard on her case.
That we still have people that wanna take advantage
and charge high prices.
But she's just-- was very persistent and...
And, uh, overcharge and under-deliver.
I'm sorry that she's unhappy.
And, um, waste people's time.
Judy Justice, she did me well.
[Judge Judy] You know, I actually came away with two things.
I think that the plaintiff was unreasonable.
The process was completed,
enabling her to work in less than 60 days.
That would be a reasonable period of time,
- even if it wasn't for COVID. - Uh-hmm.
[Judge Judy] The defendant enabled her through her work,
nobody else's work,
to hire and employ,
and make a living within seven weeks of their meeting.
[Sarah] Yeah. Almost impressive during COVID
- that it got done in that [indistinct] - [Judge Judy] Almost impressive.
So she's being unreasonable
and I honestly believe
that her issue was that she could have done the same thing
and filled out the same forms
as the defendant did for probably $200,
and the defendant charged her either $2400 or $2600.
[Sarah] Yes [indistinct]
[Judge Judy] So, she felt as if she was being scammed
because she could've done it herself.
- Well, that's on you. - [Sarah] Yeah.
That's something you wanna look into before you...
- Engage. - [Sarah] ...before you--into--
before you engage with someone for their services.
[Judge Judy] Engage somebody. Right.
And she knew she wasn't a lawyer
because according to her,
- she had done work for the family before. - [Sarah] Uh-hmm.
[Judge Judy] I was unsympathetic.
I could tell. (chuckles)
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