1
00:00:00,300 --> 00:00:02,900
-[Acker] Pursuing him for unfinished work.
-Correct.

2
00:00:02,967 --> 00:00:05,066
[DiMango] Is this the bathroom
he did for you?

3
00:00:05,133 --> 00:00:06,967
-No.
-That's her bathroom.

4
00:00:07,834 --> 00:00:09,367
You got a nice bathroom.

5
00:00:10,200 --> 00:00:13,400
Tell all your friends, "Watch the show,
they have my bathroom on it."

6
00:00:14,467 --> 00:00:15,867
See, he does great work.

7
00:00:15,934 --> 00:00:18,567
[narrator] Today on Tribunal Justice.

8
00:00:18,633 --> 00:00:20,200
[theme music playing]

9
00:00:40,500 --> 00:00:42,734
[narrator] Previously
on Tribunal Justice...

10
00:00:42,800 --> 00:00:43,934
What is this?

11
00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:45,433
[Malcolm] This is the shower
that was ripped out.

12
00:00:45,500 --> 00:00:46,467
-[Lisa] This the-- Yes.
-[Acker] After?

13
00:00:46,533 --> 00:00:49,633
[Lisa] This is the shower that he built.
It had to all be ripped up.

14
00:00:49,700 --> 00:00:51,200
Oh, my goodness.

15
00:00:51,266 --> 00:00:54,367
We found out he had been arrested
for robbing a bank.

16
00:00:54,433 --> 00:00:56,700
This is a man
I've just had in my home.

17
00:00:56,767 --> 00:00:58,000
Did he steal from you?

18
00:00:58,066 --> 00:00:58,767
Yes.

19
00:00:59,033 --> 00:01:03,133
In your complaint, you want us to believe
that he has this criminal record,

20
00:01:03,200 --> 00:01:05,600
that you didn't know about,
you found out about it,

21
00:01:05,667 --> 00:01:08,300
and now you're so concerned that
he's taken these muscle relaxers,

22
00:01:08,367 --> 00:01:09,934
you can't trust him anymore,

23
00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:13,200
this forced us to hire
a new contractor.

24
00:01:13,266 --> 00:01:17,200
So we can already agree that what you put
in your complaint was inaccurate.

25
00:01:18,100 --> 00:01:20,500
[narrator] And now, for the conclusion.

26
00:01:20,567 --> 00:01:25,400
Now, the new contractor comes in,
he has every reason to lie to you.

27
00:01:25,467 --> 00:01:27,367
Right? Every reason.

28
00:01:27,433 --> 00:01:29,834
But instead of getting an independent
person to come in and say,

29
00:01:29,900 --> 00:01:31,667
"Listen, we don't know
what the hell's going on.

30
00:01:31,734 --> 00:01:33,967
This isn't our business,
we don't know."

31
00:01:34,033 --> 00:01:36,366
But what we do know is we still got water.

32
00:01:36,433 --> 00:01:37,866
You don't know what the water's from.

33
00:01:37,934 --> 00:01:42,767
We got this new guy coming in, who says,
"Oh, this other contractor is so terrible.

34
00:01:42,834 --> 00:01:44,734
You give it to me
and I'm gonna make it all right."

35
00:01:44,800 --> 00:01:46,166
Two thousand, two hundred dollars.

36
00:01:46,233 --> 00:01:49,934
He had 2,200 reasons, right,
to misrepresent it to you.

37
00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:51,400
Once he completed his job,

38
00:01:51,467 --> 00:01:53,333
we have not had a piece
of water coming through that--

39
00:01:53,400 --> 00:01:54,900
-Not a drop of water.
-Not a drop of water.

40
00:01:54,967 --> 00:01:57,000
-[Levy] Did he do a water test?
-[Lisa] Yes.

41
00:01:57,066 --> 00:01:58,066
[Levy] Did you see him do that?

42
00:01:58,133 --> 00:02:01,066
-I didn't sit for the days he was there.
-[Levy] No of course not. Of course not.

43
00:02:01,133 --> 00:02:03,600
So you know what he could not
have allowed to happen?

44
00:02:03,667 --> 00:02:06,900
He could not have allowed
to happen another flood.

45
00:02:06,967 --> 00:02:10,066
So whatever he did
when he was taking that apart,

46
00:02:10,133 --> 00:02:12,900
he made sure
that if there was anything wrong,

47
00:02:12,967 --> 00:02:15,967
anything whatsoever wrong
with any cracked pipes,

48
00:02:16,033 --> 00:02:17,166
that they were fixed.

49
00:02:17,767 --> 00:02:20,133
Now, I want you to tell me
what you saw him do.

50
00:02:20,200 --> 00:02:22,400
He came back. He ran the water.

51
00:02:22,466 --> 00:02:24,166
What do you mean, "ran the water,"
what does that mean?

52
00:02:24,233 --> 00:02:27,200
He turned the shower on,
let the shower run for a long time.

53
00:02:27,266 --> 00:02:29,133
That's what the water--
He turned on the shower,

54
00:02:29,200 --> 00:02:31,033
he let it run,
the water was going down the drain.

55
00:02:31,100 --> 00:02:33,466
-After a week of us using--
-[Levy] Right. And that's what he did.

56
00:02:33,533 --> 00:02:35,667
Why don't you tell them
what a water test is?

57
00:02:35,734 --> 00:02:38,033
-You're supposed to do a flood test.
-[Levy] That's what I meant, a flood test.

58
00:02:38,100 --> 00:02:41,166
-In which you fill up the pan to the top.
-[Levy] How do fill it up, you plug it?

59
00:02:41,233 --> 00:02:43,700
Plug it, fill it up to the top
and you let it sit.

60
00:02:43,800 --> 00:02:46,100
Did you watch him do that flood test?
Plug the drain,

61
00:02:46,166 --> 00:02:47,767
and fill up the basin,

62
00:02:47,834 --> 00:02:49,300
-for lack of a better word?
-I didn't.

63
00:02:49,367 --> 00:02:51,667
No, you didn't,
you didn't see him put a mark

64
00:02:51,734 --> 00:02:54,066
on the pan,
and leave it for about an hour,

65
00:02:54,133 --> 00:02:57,266
and see if the water is seeping down
through the cracks

66
00:02:57,333 --> 00:03:00,867
or somewhere else that's getting behind
the water-proofing pan.

67
00:03:00,934 --> 00:03:02,867
That's what you do when you see
water down there

68
00:03:02,934 --> 00:03:05,133
and you're asked to come in,
as this guy was,

69
00:03:05,200 --> 00:03:07,100
to do a re-inspection.

70
00:03:07,166 --> 00:03:09,567
He didn't tell that to you
because he didn't care.

71
00:03:09,633 --> 00:03:11,133
He knew you were upset with him.

72
00:03:11,200 --> 00:03:14,400
He knew that all he needed to do
was to blame him.

73
00:03:14,467 --> 00:03:16,433
And he knew if he, the new guy,

74
00:03:16,500 --> 00:03:18,466
blamed him, you were gonna hire him,

75
00:03:18,533 --> 00:03:20,233
because that's how you do a flood test.

76
00:03:20,300 --> 00:03:21,400
The guy lied to you.

77
00:03:21,466 --> 00:03:23,166
I'm not saying that
what he did was perfect,

78
00:03:23,233 --> 00:03:26,900
but you can't stand here and say,
"Oh, this guy educated us.

79
00:03:26,966 --> 00:03:29,367
He was the best thing in the world.
He made all this right."

80
00:03:29,433 --> 00:03:31,133
He had a vested interest in that.

81
00:03:31,867 --> 00:03:33,100
Thank you, I have nothing further.

82
00:03:33,166 --> 00:03:36,700
[DiMango] Now that we've completed
your case against the defendant,

83
00:03:36,767 --> 00:03:39,567
we're going to ask you,
Mr. and Mrs. Scott, to be seated

84
00:03:39,633 --> 00:03:41,100
and that means you, Miss Mims,

85
00:03:41,166 --> 00:03:44,433
who is the plaintiff bringing
the cause of action in the second case,

86
00:03:44,500 --> 00:03:46,767
would step up in their stead.

87
00:03:46,834 --> 00:03:48,734
So please make that exchange.

88
00:03:49,867 --> 00:03:51,934
And so this case now is Part B,

89
00:03:52,000 --> 00:03:55,867
and you, Miss Mims,
are suing the defendant, Mr. Makosiej.

90
00:03:55,934 --> 00:03:57,033
Correct.

91
00:03:57,100 --> 00:04:00,900
[Acker] Miss Mims, your case
against the defendant is for $7,500.

92
00:04:00,967 --> 00:04:04,166
You're suing him
for what you describe as improper work,

93
00:04:04,233 --> 00:04:05,300
and unfinished work.

94
00:04:05,367 --> 00:04:08,667
Mr. Makosiej, you maintain
that the defendant, Miss Mims,

95
00:04:08,734 --> 00:04:11,600
in this case, did not let you finish,

96
00:04:11,667 --> 00:04:14,400
and this was a bedroom,
bathroom remodel? Yes?

97
00:04:14,467 --> 00:04:16,600
-Correct.
-[Acker] The original estimate I think

98
00:04:16,667 --> 00:04:20,466
-was $5000. It increases to $7500.
-Right.

99
00:04:20,533 --> 00:04:22,633
He does four days of work in the house

100
00:04:22,700 --> 00:04:24,233
and then according to your complaint,

101
00:04:24,300 --> 00:04:27,700
your nephew starts finding deficiencies
in the defendant's work.

102
00:04:27,767 --> 00:04:28,767
-Correct?
-Correct.

103
00:04:28,834 --> 00:04:32,433
And you also then mention
the false last name.

104
00:04:32,500 --> 00:04:35,133
I am going to give you, sir,
a moment to address this,

105
00:04:35,200 --> 00:04:39,467
because I'm wildly uncomfortable
with making conclusions

106
00:04:39,533 --> 00:04:42,133
about someone's background
when they've served their time

107
00:04:42,200 --> 00:04:43,600
-and there's no evidence...
-Sure.

108
00:04:43,667 --> 00:04:44,867
...of any illegal conduct.

109
00:04:44,933 --> 00:04:47,166
I don't think that people
who've served their time

110
00:04:47,233 --> 00:04:50,066
have to be punished forever
when they're doing honest work.

111
00:04:50,133 --> 00:04:53,133
So is there anything you'd like
to address on that point?

112
00:04:53,200 --> 00:04:54,933
I mean, it's all public record.

113
00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:57,500
If anybody searches my name,
which if somebody was in my house,

114
00:04:57,567 --> 00:04:58,933
I would probably do the same thing.

115
00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:02,900
But there's no law that says
I have to use my full name.

116
00:05:02,967 --> 00:05:05,333
So absent any allegation he was stealing

117
00:05:05,400 --> 00:05:07,467
from you or doing drugs in your house,

118
00:05:07,533 --> 00:05:08,734
I'm not here for it.

119
00:05:09,200 --> 00:05:10,500
So, we're gonna move on.

120
00:05:10,567 --> 00:05:14,400
The day after your nephew
starts taking issue with his work,

121
00:05:14,467 --> 00:05:16,033
didn't you tell them, sir,

122
00:05:16,100 --> 00:05:19,266
that you'd correct the mistakes
and refund the money?

123
00:05:19,332 --> 00:05:21,467
-Did you do that?
-Yes, I refunded the money that morning.

124
00:05:21,533 --> 00:05:25,133
So the day after your nephew points out
the problems with his work,

125
00:05:25,200 --> 00:05:29,867
he comes back, gives you back the $2000
that you paid for phase two,

126
00:05:29,934 --> 00:05:32,567
and corrects the issues, does he not?

127
00:05:32,633 --> 00:05:34,033
He didn't fully correct the issues...

128
00:05:34,100 --> 00:05:36,500
-[Acker] I'm reading from your complaint.
-...there was still-- Yes.

129
00:05:36,567 --> 00:05:39,300
"Returned the same day
and corrected the issues."

130
00:05:39,367 --> 00:05:43,000
And in your sworn complaint,
you then say that you repaid him

131
00:05:43,066 --> 00:05:45,700
-the $2000 that he gave back to you.
-Yes.

132
00:05:45,767 --> 00:05:48,967
So that suggests to me
that he addressed your issues,

133
00:05:49,033 --> 00:05:50,133
gave you your money back,

134
00:05:50,200 --> 00:05:52,533
you said okay, now I'm gonna repay you.

135
00:05:52,600 --> 00:05:55,332
I'm making these points
with respect to the timeline,

136
00:05:55,400 --> 00:05:57,834
simply to point out
what this defendant did,

137
00:05:57,900 --> 00:06:00,734
because you're trying
to get $7500 from him,

138
00:06:00,800 --> 00:06:04,500
for a job he didn't finish
when you didn't let him finish.

139
00:06:04,567 --> 00:06:07,133
And we know that,
and I'm gonna keep it moving,

140
00:06:07,200 --> 00:06:11,467
because it seems that things
really broke down on the 26th.

141
00:06:11,533 --> 00:06:13,800
By the 26th, according to you,

142
00:06:13,867 --> 00:06:15,467
he was supposed to show up,

143
00:06:15,533 --> 00:06:17,233
-but he didn't. Correct?
-Correct.

144
00:06:17,300 --> 00:06:19,066
[Acker]
Why didn't you show up on the 26th, sir?

145
00:06:19,133 --> 00:06:21,066
On Monday morning we texted

146
00:06:21,133 --> 00:06:24,033
and I told her I wanted to give
the self-leveling concrete

147
00:06:24,100 --> 00:06:25,433
a little more time to dry.

148
00:06:25,500 --> 00:06:28,367
She sent me a picture,
it was a little wet still,

149
00:06:28,433 --> 00:06:31,100
so I used that as time
to start another job.

150
00:06:32,033 --> 00:06:33,800
I said, "Well, we got
a couple things going on,

151
00:06:33,867 --> 00:06:35,500
so we'll just see you tomorrow morning."

152
00:06:35,567 --> 00:06:39,266
That delay and not coming
for whatever reason,

153
00:06:39,332 --> 00:06:42,900
gave her time to get online
and start digging around about you.

154
00:06:42,967 --> 00:06:44,166
And that's why I think

155
00:06:44,233 --> 00:06:47,600
a lot of the breakdown
and this situation started,

156
00:06:47,667 --> 00:06:49,633
not because he wasn't there on the 26th,

157
00:06:49,700 --> 00:06:51,033
it's because you got suspicious.

158
00:06:51,100 --> 00:06:53,734
You went online,
you started seeing things online.

159
00:06:53,800 --> 00:06:57,734
You started investigating his background,
there was a different name,

160
00:06:57,800 --> 00:07:00,166
and so red flags went up.

161
00:07:00,233 --> 00:07:02,633
And after you did that,

162
00:07:02,700 --> 00:07:05,667
there was some communication
between the two of you,

163
00:07:05,734 --> 00:07:08,400
because, sir, you became aware of the fact

164
00:07:08,467 --> 00:07:13,133
that she was reaching out to
prior customers and disgruntled people.

165
00:07:13,200 --> 00:07:15,000
-Didn't you? And you didn't like it.
-Yeah, I did.

166
00:07:15,066 --> 00:07:17,934
Well, the job we were working for
was actually a police officer,

167
00:07:18,000 --> 00:07:21,500
and we lost that job when this whole thing
kind of blew up on social media.

168
00:07:21,567 --> 00:07:25,500
I will say that the job for the police
officer that he's speaking of,

169
00:07:25,567 --> 00:07:27,633
he came into my house and said that

170
00:07:27,700 --> 00:07:31,266
the police officer's girlfriend was
taking her time trying to find a vanity,

171
00:07:31,332 --> 00:07:33,000
so he passed on that job

172
00:07:33,066 --> 00:07:35,266
-to take my job.
-[Acker] So?

173
00:07:35,332 --> 00:07:37,867
I mean, what is that?
So then he went back and took that job.

174
00:07:37,933 --> 00:07:40,367
Maybe he's like, you know what,
I'm trying to build a business.

175
00:07:40,433 --> 00:07:42,933
I don't have time or money
to pass on jobs.

176
00:07:43,000 --> 00:07:46,100
Maybe he changed his mind.
You know... [scoffs]

177
00:07:46,166 --> 00:07:51,800
I sense that you want to find
every single way you can

178
00:07:51,867 --> 00:07:55,633
to try to turn him
into some big evil boogeyman

179
00:07:55,700 --> 00:07:58,033
with a different name
and a criminal background.

180
00:07:58,100 --> 00:08:01,066
-I even told his witness, you know...
-[Acker] Like, I-- I...

181
00:08:01,133 --> 00:08:03,300
So, stop, hold it-- Just stay with me,

182
00:08:03,367 --> 00:08:08,066
because you, in your complaint,
say you realize you had been scammed.

183
00:08:08,133 --> 00:08:10,266
-[Mims] Yes.
-How did he scam you?

184
00:08:10,333 --> 00:08:13,767
Because it was continual excuses from him.

185
00:08:13,834 --> 00:08:15,400
He wouldn't show up on time.

186
00:08:15,467 --> 00:08:20,867
There would be days that, as he said,
when he texted about the floor,

187
00:08:20,934 --> 00:08:25,867
I actually initiated that text
and asked him if I could have an ETA,

188
00:08:25,934 --> 00:08:28,600
and then he requested
pictures of the floor,

189
00:08:28,667 --> 00:08:31,467
and he said,
"Well, let me give it more time to dry."

190
00:08:31,533 --> 00:08:33,033
Okay, that doesn't mean he scammed you.

191
00:08:33,100 --> 00:08:35,066
-He didn't show up.
-He told me going to show up every day

192
00:08:35,133 --> 00:08:36,200
and do the job,

193
00:08:36,265 --> 00:08:38,500
-and he didn't show up every day.
-[Acker] He worked in your house

194
00:08:38,567 --> 00:08:42,500
from October 20th,
on October 26th, he doesn't show up.

195
00:08:42,567 --> 00:08:45,000
I'm just gonna tell you this because I--
You can make this point

196
00:08:45,066 --> 00:08:46,333
-with those judges.
-Mm-hmm.

197
00:08:46,400 --> 00:08:49,433
He wasn't even there for,
what, two weeks.

198
00:08:49,500 --> 00:08:53,066
So you want to try to create this pattern?
He didn't show up, he didn't show up.

199
00:08:53,133 --> 00:08:55,667
What I am trying to get
is to whether or not

200
00:08:55,734 --> 00:08:58,800
you've really established
your right to get any money back.

201
00:08:59,867 --> 00:09:02,066
[narrator] Coming up
on Tribunal Justice...

202
00:09:02,133 --> 00:09:04,567
They go up to my neighbors
across the street.

203
00:09:04,633 --> 00:09:07,734
My neighbor comes out
and says, "What's going on?

204
00:09:07,800 --> 00:09:09,967
I had two people
coming to my door to knock."

205
00:09:10,033 --> 00:09:12,433
"You've got a bank robber in your house."
I said it's the contractor...

206
00:09:12,500 --> 00:09:14,567
-I've been dealing with.
-[DiMango] It's the contractor. [laughs]

207
00:09:14,633 --> 00:09:15,567
You know--

208
00:09:15,633 --> 00:09:17,834
That's his side job.
This is his real job.

209
00:09:17,900 --> 00:09:19,467
-[all laughing]
-Right?

210
00:09:24,133 --> 00:09:26,100
[theme music plays]

211
00:09:26,166 --> 00:09:30,800
[narrator] Kristy Mims is suing
her former repairman, Brian Makosiej,

212
00:09:30,867 --> 00:09:34,467
for an unfinished renovation
to her bathroom and bedroom.

213
00:09:34,533 --> 00:09:38,467
Brian claims Kristy
refused to let him finish the job

214
00:09:38,533 --> 00:09:40,800
and kept his expensive tools.

215
00:09:40,867 --> 00:09:43,767
Now, what I want to know is

216
00:09:43,834 --> 00:09:47,066
when did you file
your no trespassing order?

217
00:09:47,133 --> 00:09:50,266
-It was the 28th.
-[Acker] Of October.

218
00:09:50,333 --> 00:09:52,567
-I didn't go to court to file.
-[Acker] Where'd you file it?

219
00:09:52,633 --> 00:09:56,000
I handwrote. I was told
all I had to do was handwrite it

220
00:09:56,066 --> 00:09:58,033
-and send it to the address.
-[Acker] Okay, fair enough.

221
00:09:58,100 --> 00:10:01,600
So October 28th,
eight days after he started the job,

222
00:10:01,667 --> 00:10:03,400
you say don't come back.

223
00:10:03,467 --> 00:10:08,100
And now you want us to give you $7500
after you told him

224
00:10:08,166 --> 00:10:09,900
-he couldn't come back to your house.
-Correct.

225
00:10:09,967 --> 00:10:11,200
And not because he threatened you

226
00:10:11,266 --> 00:10:12,533
-at that time.
-No.

227
00:10:12,600 --> 00:10:15,100
Not because he stole anything from you,

228
00:10:15,166 --> 00:10:19,500
not because he broke any laws,
but he'd been slow in coming back.

229
00:10:19,567 --> 00:10:22,066
And then there are these nasty messages.

230
00:10:22,133 --> 00:10:25,200
You get threats from some unknown number,

231
00:10:25,266 --> 00:10:26,500
-and you submitted those.
-Correct.

232
00:10:26,567 --> 00:10:29,200
Did you send messages to her, sir?

233
00:10:29,266 --> 00:10:30,266
No, I did not.

234
00:10:30,333 --> 00:10:31,967
[Acker] You didn't send
the text message

235
00:10:32,033 --> 00:10:34,533
that did in fact contain
an implied threat?

236
00:10:34,600 --> 00:10:37,233
Because she sent that
to her police officer friend.

237
00:10:37,300 --> 00:10:39,100
Yes, she sent me a picture of that.

238
00:10:39,165 --> 00:10:41,567
So the text message
she received on November 3rd,

239
00:10:41,633 --> 00:10:45,633
"I would highly suggest you keep
whatever is going on between you and him.

240
00:10:45,700 --> 00:10:49,300
When you start harassing family,
then it becomes a family issue.

241
00:10:49,367 --> 00:10:52,700
And we deal with family issues
differently than you might be used to.

242
00:10:52,767 --> 00:10:55,533
Keep it between you and him.
You'll be happy you did."

243
00:10:55,600 --> 00:10:57,300
Now, this is the threatening message

244
00:10:57,367 --> 00:10:58,400
-you received?
-Correct.

245
00:10:58,467 --> 00:11:01,066
[Acker] The message is written
as if it's not him,

246
00:11:01,133 --> 00:11:04,567
it doesn't appear to be from him,
he says it's not from him,

247
00:11:04,633 --> 00:11:06,500
-but you assumed it was.
-Mm-hmm.

248
00:11:06,567 --> 00:11:10,266
I'm going to let my other colleagues
ask you some questions now. Thank you.

249
00:11:10,333 --> 00:11:12,300
Oh, my God,
this is like a scary neighborhood.

250
00:11:12,367 --> 00:11:14,233
I'm really-- I'm afraid of you people.

251
00:11:14,300 --> 00:11:19,000
You want to come across as nice,
decent, law-abiding church-going...

252
00:11:19,066 --> 00:11:23,967
What I see are self-righteous,
indignant, judgmental people.

253
00:11:24,033 --> 00:11:28,066
And I'm really, really,
on behalf of the defendant,

254
00:11:28,133 --> 00:11:29,767
offended and troubled by that.

255
00:11:29,834 --> 00:11:32,767
-Your Honor--
-[DiMango] I mean, I spent a long career

256
00:11:32,834 --> 00:11:35,200
as a judge handling criminal matters,

257
00:11:35,266 --> 00:11:39,700
and yet, no matter what,
if I meet somebody with a criminal history

258
00:11:39,767 --> 00:11:43,500
or anybody who's even appeared
in front of me that I see at a later time,

259
00:11:43,567 --> 00:11:47,967
I would never assume
that they are not rehabilitated,

260
00:11:48,033 --> 00:11:51,165
especially when I see a gentleman
who's presenting as he does.

261
00:11:51,233 --> 00:11:53,433
I would not not speak with them.

262
00:11:53,500 --> 00:11:56,133
I would not have, "Don't come near me."
No tressp--

263
00:11:56,200 --> 00:12:01,200
I mean, I don't think I would ever engage
in that behavior, nor have I.

264
00:12:01,266 --> 00:12:04,600
And I've been really there
in the trenches with it,

265
00:12:04,667 --> 00:12:06,233
not like the three of you.

266
00:12:06,300 --> 00:12:10,233
So I'm really troubled by what I see here.

267
00:12:10,300 --> 00:12:12,600
And I'm going to start off
by saying that

268
00:12:12,667 --> 00:12:14,500
you're in here trying to say

269
00:12:14,567 --> 00:12:17,667
that after five days, because he--

270
00:12:17,734 --> 00:12:19,934
Like, have you ever had
any other contract work done?

271
00:12:20,000 --> 00:12:22,633
-Yes.
-If you're gonna tell me those contractors

272
00:12:22,700 --> 00:12:27,066
said, "I'm coming at 9," came at 9,
said "I'm leaving at 7," left at 7,

273
00:12:27,133 --> 00:12:29,867
then I'm going to know for sure
that you're lying.

274
00:12:29,934 --> 00:12:32,967
Did any of those people
ever stick to those things?

275
00:12:33,033 --> 00:12:35,667
-No.
-[DiMango] Okay. That being said,

276
00:12:35,734 --> 00:12:37,500
did you fire them in five days?

277
00:12:37,567 --> 00:12:38,233
Yes.

278
00:12:38,300 --> 00:12:40,900
Did you get no-trespass orders
against them?

279
00:12:40,967 --> 00:12:43,100
-Yes.
-You better look people up online

280
00:12:43,165 --> 00:12:44,500
before you go work for them,

281
00:12:44,567 --> 00:12:46,467
because you're gonna be screwed
in the long run.

282
00:12:46,533 --> 00:12:48,834
Your Honor, I will say that--

283
00:12:48,900 --> 00:12:51,333
And I'm not completely against him,

284
00:12:51,400 --> 00:12:53,467
because I did say to his witness,

285
00:12:53,533 --> 00:12:56,000
that with the proper training,

286
00:12:56,066 --> 00:12:59,000
he could probably make
a great contractor.

287
00:12:59,066 --> 00:13:02,033
Let me ask you a question,
is this the bathroom he did for you?

288
00:13:02,100 --> 00:13:03,000
-[Mims] No.
-What is this?

289
00:13:03,066 --> 00:13:04,800
-That's her bathroom.
-[DiMango] That's your bathroom?

290
00:13:04,867 --> 00:13:06,734
-Yeah.
-You got a nice bathroom.

291
00:13:06,800 --> 00:13:08,934
[audience laughs]

292
00:13:09,000 --> 00:13:11,734
So you can go back home
and tell all your friends,

293
00:13:11,800 --> 00:13:14,266
"Watch the show.
They have my bathroom on it."

294
00:13:14,333 --> 00:13:17,233
-You should see how good it looks on TV.
-[audience laughing]

295
00:13:17,300 --> 00:13:18,967
[DiMango] That's her bathroom.

296
00:13:19,033 --> 00:13:20,767
-See, he does great work.
-You know, this is somebody

297
00:13:20,834 --> 00:13:24,000
you didn't call to come in
and testify on your behalf.

298
00:13:24,066 --> 00:13:27,700
You know, decent people let things go.

299
00:13:27,767 --> 00:13:30,200
And, you know,
what made you go online?

300
00:13:30,266 --> 00:13:32,500
I mean, is that what you do?
Do you go online

301
00:13:32,567 --> 00:13:35,700
-after you do this all the time?
-No, I wanted to see how many other people

302
00:13:35,767 --> 00:13:37,567
he had actually done this to.

303
00:13:37,633 --> 00:13:40,100
[DiMango] You know, I'm going to tell you
what's gonna happen when this show airs.

304
00:13:40,165 --> 00:13:43,165
He's going to get business and nobody's
gonna come to the house of any one of you.

305
00:13:43,233 --> 00:13:44,734
-That's what's gonna happen...
-Probably.

306
00:13:44,800 --> 00:13:46,133
...because who wants to deal with this?

307
00:13:46,200 --> 00:13:49,133
You know what? Only because
you're frustrating the hell out of me.

308
00:13:49,200 --> 00:13:52,633
Stand up and say
what it is you want to say.

309
00:13:52,700 --> 00:13:54,567
[audience chuckles]

310
00:13:54,633 --> 00:13:56,667
Okay, so this is what I've got to say.

311
00:13:56,734 --> 00:13:59,467
Ah, thank God.
I couldn't wait to hear from you.

312
00:13:59,533 --> 00:14:02,967
She and this other gentleman
were following Brian.

313
00:14:03,033 --> 00:14:05,600
They followed him
all the way to my house.

314
00:14:05,667 --> 00:14:07,066
He parks his van there

315
00:14:07,133 --> 00:14:10,233
and then they go up
to my neighbors across the street.

316
00:14:10,300 --> 00:14:13,200
My neighbor comes out and says,
"What's going on?"

317
00:14:13,266 --> 00:14:16,633
He tells me, "I have two people
coming to my door to knock.

318
00:14:16,700 --> 00:14:19,100
You've got a bank robber in your house."
I said, "It's the contractor,

319
00:14:19,166 --> 00:14:22,166
-I've been dealing with." You know.
-It's the contractor. [laughs]

320
00:14:22,233 --> 00:14:24,500
That's his side job. This is his real job.

321
00:14:24,567 --> 00:14:26,166
-[all laughing]
-Right?

322
00:14:26,233 --> 00:14:28,233
It's the-- It's the contractor.

323
00:14:28,300 --> 00:14:30,867
So I talked to my neighbor.
I said, "He's all good, he's all good."

324
00:14:30,934 --> 00:14:32,533
So I end up calling Kristy,

325
00:14:32,600 --> 00:14:34,667
she tells me all this
blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

326
00:14:34,734 --> 00:14:37,165
And then, so I go out
and I confront Brian,

327
00:14:37,233 --> 00:14:38,967
and he said, "Yep."

328
00:14:39,033 --> 00:14:42,700
Well, Kristy continued to put bad texts,

329
00:14:42,767 --> 00:14:47,000
Facebook, and all this other mess
about what a horrible man he is,

330
00:14:47,066 --> 00:14:48,967
and I know he's not.
That's his past.

331
00:14:49,033 --> 00:14:49,934
Past is past.

332
00:14:50,000 --> 00:14:51,233
-We thank you for that.
-[Maceachern] Okay.

333
00:14:51,300 --> 00:14:52,900
Did you get everything out
that you had to say?

334
00:14:52,967 --> 00:14:55,400
-Well, I'll raise my hand again.
-[audience laughing]

335
00:14:55,467 --> 00:14:57,767
Raise your hand when you think
you need to say anything.

336
00:14:57,834 --> 00:15:00,500
You know, I think
everybody's point here is,

337
00:15:00,567 --> 00:15:04,133
we get it if this were straight
you don't like what he did, he did this,

338
00:15:04,200 --> 00:15:08,133
but the point in bringing in
all of this extraneous material,

339
00:15:08,200 --> 00:15:10,567
no one here had any--
Let's make this clear.

340
00:15:10,633 --> 00:15:13,333
Nobody here had any allegation

341
00:15:13,400 --> 00:15:17,734
that he did anything unlawful
in your home, near your home, to you.

342
00:15:17,800 --> 00:15:19,367
Messages that you say you got

343
00:15:19,433 --> 00:15:21,867
were not from him,
it's clear it's not from him,

344
00:15:21,934 --> 00:15:24,734
and these flat tires or whatever
that you're alluding to...

345
00:15:24,800 --> 00:15:27,834
You're like saying, "Okay, let's find
the one guy that came here,

346
00:15:27,900 --> 00:15:29,734
doesn't belong here with us."

347
00:15:29,800 --> 00:15:32,033
He comes from New York, right,

348
00:15:32,100 --> 00:15:35,934
where I come from, so I'm already,
you know, not looking favorably here.

349
00:15:36,000 --> 00:15:38,333
-Ozone Park.
-[DiMango] He's coming from a bad city

350
00:15:38,400 --> 00:15:39,800
and he didn't do anything to us,

351
00:15:39,867 --> 00:15:42,500
but we're not taking
any chances in our little town,

352
00:15:42,567 --> 00:15:44,567
because we stick together.

353
00:15:44,633 --> 00:15:48,333
As far as the flat tires,
I didn't specifically say he did that.

354
00:15:48,400 --> 00:15:50,967
Oh, my God, I didn't specifically say,
I just alluded to it

355
00:15:51,033 --> 00:15:53,400
-so it'd be the conclusion people reached.
-I just said it was coincidental

356
00:15:53,467 --> 00:15:56,400
that I have sheetrock screws
in both rear tires.

357
00:15:56,467 --> 00:15:59,233
But you put these things in court
documents and papers,

358
00:15:59,300 --> 00:16:04,000
you didn't hesitate to say
a negative, nasty, unwarranted,

359
00:16:04,066 --> 00:16:08,166
or direct statement
about him and who he is,

360
00:16:08,233 --> 00:16:10,400
and there's no reason for it.

361
00:16:10,467 --> 00:16:13,100
So don't do that.
That-- This aggravates me.

362
00:16:13,166 --> 00:16:14,667
[theme music playing]

363
00:16:14,734 --> 00:16:17,266
[narrator] Coming up
on Tribunal Justice...

364
00:16:17,333 --> 00:16:19,533
You take as threatening
what you texted him.

365
00:16:19,600 --> 00:16:22,000
-What did I text him?
-You just told me what you texted him.

366
00:16:22,066 --> 00:16:25,100
You said, "I have a friend,
don't mess with me.

367
00:16:25,166 --> 00:16:27,967
I got a friend in law enforcement.
I know about your background.

368
00:16:28,033 --> 00:16:29,867
-Last thing you wanna do, mess with me...
-[Mims] Mm-hmm.

369
00:16:29,934 --> 00:16:33,266
because I have a police department
behind me that's gonna take care of you."

370
00:16:33,333 --> 00:16:35,367
-"Don't let a bank robber in your house."
-That's exactly right.

371
00:16:40,400 --> 00:16:43,300
[theme music plays]

372
00:16:43,934 --> 00:16:45,700
So what's your damages here?

373
00:16:45,767 --> 00:16:48,600
I'm out what it cost me
to have a new contractor

374
00:16:48,667 --> 00:16:50,600
come in and tear out what he did wrong.

375
00:16:50,667 --> 00:16:53,000
He didn't get to finish what he did,

376
00:16:53,066 --> 00:16:55,533
so how do you know
it would have been wrong in the end?

377
00:16:55,600 --> 00:16:56,667
Judge Levy.

378
00:16:56,734 --> 00:16:58,967
In one of the text messages,
just so I'm clear,

379
00:16:59,033 --> 00:17:01,233
you had indicated to the defendant
in the text message

380
00:17:01,300 --> 00:17:02,433
that based upon what he did,

381
00:17:02,500 --> 00:17:05,200
you were going to a friend of yours
who was a police officer.

382
00:17:05,266 --> 00:17:08,633
I told him that I had sent
a copy of the text

383
00:17:08,700 --> 00:17:10,633
to a police officer friend of mine

384
00:17:10,700 --> 00:17:13,367
just for advice to say what should I do.

385
00:17:13,433 --> 00:17:15,700
Okay. Did you take that as threatening,
by the way?

386
00:17:15,767 --> 00:17:17,266
I did, because--

387
00:17:17,333 --> 00:17:21,165
No, no, no. No, no, no. You take
as threatening what you texted him?

388
00:17:21,233 --> 00:17:22,066
What did I text him?

389
00:17:22,133 --> 00:17:25,967
You just told me what you texted him.
You said, "I have a friend."

390
00:17:26,032 --> 00:17:26,900
That's what you said.

391
00:17:26,967 --> 00:17:30,400
And that was intentional. "I have
a friend. Don't mess with me.

392
00:17:30,467 --> 00:17:33,600
I got a friend in law enforcement.
I know about your background.

393
00:17:33,667 --> 00:17:35,300
Last thing you want to do,
mess with me,

394
00:17:35,367 --> 00:17:37,633
because I have
a police department behind me

395
00:17:37,700 --> 00:17:39,000
that's gonna take care of you."

396
00:17:39,066 --> 00:17:41,900
-"Don't let a bank robber in your house."
-[Levy] That's exactly right.

397
00:17:41,967 --> 00:17:43,367
That's exactly right.
Let me ask you a question.

398
00:17:43,433 --> 00:17:45,433
-[Levy] I got this, this what I have.
-I had nothing to do with that.

399
00:17:46,300 --> 00:17:49,166
I just-- You see this--
I just make a little circle here.

400
00:17:49,233 --> 00:17:52,300
If this was a wall in your home,
a sheetrock wall,

401
00:17:52,367 --> 00:17:56,767
and you wanted a little tiny hole
or dent this size, fixed,

402
00:17:56,834 --> 00:17:58,333
and you hired a contractor,

403
00:17:58,400 --> 00:18:00,934
how many days do you think
it would take to fix that?

404
00:18:01,700 --> 00:18:03,467
-Couple of hours?
-Probably two or three.

405
00:18:03,533 --> 00:18:06,066
Two or three days,
as opposed to two or three hours?

406
00:18:06,133 --> 00:18:10,133
You gotta let the sheetrock stuff dry.

407
00:18:10,200 --> 00:18:13,567
"You gotta let
the sheetrock stuff dry."

408
00:18:14,433 --> 00:18:15,567
-Yeah.
-You know what takes

409
00:18:15,633 --> 00:18:19,333
a heck of a lot longer to dry
than sheetrock mud?

410
00:18:20,333 --> 00:18:21,333
Cement.

411
00:18:21,767 --> 00:18:23,133
-But why does it take him...
-[Levy] Cement.

412
00:18:23,200 --> 00:18:25,934
[Levy] Cement. Wait, wait, wait,
hold on one second.

413
00:18:26,000 --> 00:18:29,066
What material were you using
in the, in the shower?

414
00:18:29,133 --> 00:18:31,100
-Self-leveling.
-[Levy] Self-leveling?

415
00:18:31,166 --> 00:18:32,934
-Self-leveling concrete, yeah.
-[Levy] Concrete.

416
00:18:33,000 --> 00:18:35,734
So you knew before you brought the lawsuit

417
00:18:35,800 --> 00:18:37,900
that there was a legitimate reason why

418
00:18:37,967 --> 00:18:41,400
a contractor, like this one,
wouldn't be able to come and do a job

419
00:18:41,467 --> 00:18:45,066
every single day on a shower
because things have to set.

420
00:18:45,133 --> 00:18:47,800
-You knew that. Right?
-Sure.

421
00:18:47,867 --> 00:18:50,300
It takes time to set.
That's all I want to ask.

422
00:18:50,367 --> 00:18:51,266
Thank you, I'm done.

423
00:18:51,333 --> 00:18:53,166
We're going to retire to deliberate.
Thank you all.

424
00:18:53,233 --> 00:18:56,300
[Byrd] Court now stands in recess.
Parties are excused.

425
00:18:58,600 --> 00:19:02,600
I believe that both of these cases
should be dismissed.

426
00:19:02,667 --> 00:19:05,000
I don't think that there was
any credible evidence

427
00:19:05,066 --> 00:19:08,200
that was provided
by the plaintiffs in Case A,

428
00:19:08,266 --> 00:19:11,934
that's the Scotts,
to indicate that the defendant

429
00:19:12,000 --> 00:19:15,000
used the credit card
illegally, unlawfully.

430
00:19:15,066 --> 00:19:17,667
Failed to finish the job?
Yeah, you failed to finish the job

431
00:19:17,734 --> 00:19:19,834
because you got an order
telling him to stay out of your house.

432
00:19:19,900 --> 00:19:20,967
So that's my position.

433
00:19:21,033 --> 00:19:23,533
I believe the plaintiffs
failed to meet their burden.

434
00:19:23,600 --> 00:19:25,433
Let me first address the Scotts,

435
00:19:25,500 --> 00:19:27,967
because I see their situation
very differently

436
00:19:28,033 --> 00:19:29,867
than I do Miss Mims' case.

437
00:19:29,934 --> 00:19:32,700
With respect to the $700 worth
of little items,

438
00:19:32,767 --> 00:19:35,900
they add up $748, and on top of that,

439
00:19:35,967 --> 00:19:39,533
the defendant did say I'm going
to come back and do some other work.

440
00:19:39,600 --> 00:19:40,600
He didn't do it.

441
00:19:40,667 --> 00:19:43,367
So I'm actually inclined
to rule in their favor.

442
00:19:43,433 --> 00:19:47,066
With respect to Miss Mims' case.
I just want to dismiss it.

443
00:19:47,133 --> 00:19:49,900
With regard to the $748,

444
00:19:49,967 --> 00:19:52,600
I am in agreement
with giving them back that money

445
00:19:52,667 --> 00:19:56,900
because, only because, he said
I will come back and do work for you

446
00:19:56,967 --> 00:20:00,100
because I agree that perhaps
there was some overspending

447
00:20:00,166 --> 00:20:02,066
that shouldn't have been tacked on to you.

448
00:20:02,133 --> 00:20:05,000
But the bottom line is
I think they'd be entitled to the 748.

449
00:20:05,066 --> 00:20:08,333
And with regard to Mims, I'm totally
on board with dismissing the whole thing.

450
00:20:08,433 --> 00:20:11,567
I think that she got on board
like you couldn't believe,

451
00:20:11,633 --> 00:20:13,867
to find this guy was a thief, a criminal,

452
00:20:13,934 --> 00:20:15,400
and he was gonna steal from her.

453
00:20:15,467 --> 00:20:16,467
-I-- I...
-[Acker] They were having

454
00:20:16,533 --> 00:20:18,400
-neighborhood watch parties.
-Yeah, I mean...

455
00:20:18,467 --> 00:20:21,066
-My God, I don't know...
-Following him around the neighborhood.

456
00:20:21,133 --> 00:20:23,266
-So I'll dissent on Scott...
-[Levy] Yes.

457
00:20:23,333 --> 00:20:26,133
...because I would award them
the additional 2200.

458
00:20:26,200 --> 00:20:28,834
-And we're unanimous in Mims.
-[Levy] Right.

459
00:20:28,900 --> 00:20:31,200
And the 2200, we do not agree with

460
00:20:31,266 --> 00:20:32,667
because he would have come back

461
00:20:32,734 --> 00:20:34,734
and he would have fixed that job,
but for the--

462
00:20:34,800 --> 00:20:37,500
At least he should have said no
he wasn't gonna do it or not shown up,

463
00:20:37,567 --> 00:20:39,233
but she didn't give him that opportunity

464
00:20:39,300 --> 00:20:40,867
-on that issue.
-Got it.

465
00:20:41,333 --> 00:20:42,333
I agree.

466
00:20:45,266 --> 00:20:46,266
Court is back in session.

467
00:20:46,333 --> 00:20:48,233
Parties are reminded,
you're still under oath.

468
00:20:48,300 --> 00:20:51,533
Okay, Mr. and Mrs. Scott,
with respect to your case, first,

469
00:20:51,600 --> 00:20:53,200
I will be handling and then Judge Acker

470
00:20:53,266 --> 00:20:56,000
will take the second case,
that's yours, Miss Mims.

471
00:20:56,066 --> 00:20:59,667
With respect to your case,
we did not have a unanimous verdict.

472
00:20:59,734 --> 00:21:01,000
It was a split verdict.

473
00:21:01,100 --> 00:21:04,066
Judge Acker would have decided
and did decide

474
00:21:04,133 --> 00:21:09,000
that you were entitled,
Mr. and Mrs. Scott, to the $748

475
00:21:09,066 --> 00:21:10,867
that you claim were unauthorized.

476
00:21:10,934 --> 00:21:14,967
And quite frankly, Judge DiMango and I
agreed to a certain extent.

477
00:21:15,033 --> 00:21:20,233
But for the most part, we are unanimous
in that $748 verdict in your favor.

478
00:21:20,300 --> 00:21:24,367
Judge Acker would also give you $2200

479
00:21:24,433 --> 00:21:27,600
as a result of the work
that your new contractor did.

480
00:21:27,667 --> 00:21:32,967
That is where Judge DiMango and I disagree
that as the defendant indicated,

481
00:21:33,033 --> 00:21:35,333
he would have come back
to have done that work,

482
00:21:35,400 --> 00:21:38,900
but there was no evidence
that you provided that I saw

483
00:21:38,967 --> 00:21:41,700
that indicated you had provided
the defendant with notice

484
00:21:41,767 --> 00:21:43,166
that if he didn't come back immediately,

485
00:21:43,233 --> 00:21:46,066
you were going to be hiring
someone else to do the job

486
00:21:46,133 --> 00:21:48,633
and seeking reimbursement from him,

487
00:21:48,700 --> 00:21:51,934
and as a result of that,
the verdict of the three of us

488
00:21:52,000 --> 00:21:55,533
is that you are to receive the $748,

489
00:21:55,600 --> 00:21:57,633
but that's the extent of your damages.

490
00:21:57,700 --> 00:21:59,333
Thank you.
-[gavel bangs]

491
00:21:59,400 --> 00:22:01,967
With respect to your case
against the defendant, Miss Mims,

492
00:22:02,033 --> 00:22:03,834
we are entirely unanimous.

493
00:22:03,900 --> 00:22:05,734
Um, I will first point out,

494
00:22:05,800 --> 00:22:08,900
what we think happened here is that
you decided to ascribe to him

495
00:22:08,967 --> 00:22:11,967
certain improper conduct with no evidence,

496
00:22:12,033 --> 00:22:13,800
solely because of his background.

497
00:22:13,867 --> 00:22:16,567
And in fact, when we looked
at those text messages,

498
00:22:16,700 --> 00:22:17,967
as Judge Levy pointed out,

499
00:22:18,033 --> 00:22:20,467
your messages to him
were far more threatening

500
00:22:20,533 --> 00:22:22,400
than anything he received from you.

501
00:22:22,467 --> 00:22:25,200
To suggest to someone with a background

502
00:22:25,266 --> 00:22:27,600
that suggests that they've made
some serious mistakes,

503
00:22:27,667 --> 00:22:29,033
to kind of throw that thing out,

504
00:22:29,100 --> 00:22:32,367
"I got friends in law enforcement,
I know people." That's a threat.

505
00:22:32,433 --> 00:22:35,200
Actually, I'm going to go
a little further than that,

506
00:22:35,266 --> 00:22:36,500
I think that was a low blow.

507
00:22:36,567 --> 00:22:39,700
I'll just speak for myself,
but I can speak for my colleagues

508
00:22:39,767 --> 00:22:43,467
when I say that the assumptions you were
trying to make about this gentleman,

509
00:22:43,533 --> 00:22:48,000
based not on his work, but on his past,
were inappropriate.

510
00:22:48,066 --> 00:22:52,300
You're suing for $7500
for unfinished and improper work.

511
00:22:52,367 --> 00:22:54,767
We're dismissing your claim
in its entirety,

512
00:22:54,834 --> 00:22:57,133
but good luck to all of you,
and we hope that you find people

513
00:22:57,200 --> 00:22:58,900
who you're happy and comfortable with.

514
00:22:58,967 --> 00:23:02,300
Good luck to you, sir. We hope that
you're able to continue your fresh start.

515
00:23:02,367 --> 00:23:04,533
-Thank you, Your Honor.
-That's our verdict in this case.

516
00:23:04,600 --> 00:23:06,567
These cases are now concluded.

517
00:23:06,633 --> 00:23:08,900
Parties are excused, you may step out.

518
00:23:11,867 --> 00:23:14,734
It wasn't expressed to me
that it was a major leak.

519
00:23:14,800 --> 00:23:18,900
If I would have known the extent
of the water coming into the house,

520
00:23:19,667 --> 00:23:22,600
if I had to pull myself in there
off a gurney,

521
00:23:22,667 --> 00:23:24,734
I would have got under that house
to check it out.

522
00:23:24,800 --> 00:23:26,900
He had an e-mail that said, "S.O.S.",

523
00:23:26,967 --> 00:23:29,800
specifically, "we've got water coming in."

524
00:23:29,867 --> 00:23:31,834
You would think that sense of urgency

525
00:23:31,934 --> 00:23:35,333
would have given him enough to say
I'm gonna respond to that e-mail tonight

526
00:23:35,400 --> 00:23:37,133
or tomorrow. Nothing happened.

527
00:23:37,200 --> 00:23:39,734
[laughs] Get here as quick as you can.

528
00:23:39,800 --> 00:23:42,233
Mmm, that he did crappy work

529
00:23:42,300 --> 00:23:45,867
and he continues to do crappy work
and he gets by with it.

530
00:23:45,934 --> 00:23:48,834
She's been on social media
since the first day,

531
00:23:48,900 --> 00:23:52,433
bashing me, slandering me, um...

532
00:23:52,500 --> 00:23:53,734
I just hope it comes to an end.

533
00:23:53,800 --> 00:23:56,066
Make sure they're licensed,
make sure they're insured,

534
00:23:56,133 --> 00:23:58,767
make sure they're bonded
and check their driver's license.

535
00:23:58,834 --> 00:24:00,967
[narrator]
Did someone break your agreement?

536
00:24:01,033 --> 00:24:04,300
Let Tribunal Justice decide your case.

537
00:24:04,367 --> 00:24:07,667
Find us on social media
at Tribunal Justice.

538
00:24:07,734 --> 00:24:10,700
[theme music playing]