1
00:00:06,300 --> 00:00:08,266
Your twin sister moves in.

2
00:00:08,333 --> 00:00:09,633
She was being vindictive.

3
00:00:09,700 --> 00:00:11,000
What vindictiveness?

4
00:00:11,066 --> 00:00:15,333
She literally took my food
out of my refrigerator.

5
00:00:15,400 --> 00:00:16,400
I opened up the refrigerator.

6
00:00:16,467 --> 00:00:18,600
I said, "Oh, grapes.
Let me just taste one."

7
00:00:18,667 --> 00:00:22,567
She ran down the stairs, "Put it back."

8
00:00:22,633 --> 00:00:24,767
But I'm like, "A damn grape?"

9
00:00:24,834 --> 00:00:26,266
She didn't take just a grape.

10
00:00:26,333 --> 00:00:27,734
She took the whole bowl.

11
00:00:27,800 --> 00:00:29,500
How do twins end up like this?

12
00:00:29,567 --> 00:00:31,900
[announcer] Now, on Tribunal Justice.

13
00:00:31,967 --> 00:00:35,333
["Ride of the Valkyries" plays]

14
00:00:53,467 --> 00:00:56,433
[announcer] Today's case
was filed in Atlanta, Georgia.

15
00:00:57,533 --> 00:01:01,467
[Byrd] Your Honor, this is case number
2038 on the calendar,

16
00:01:01,533 --> 00:01:03,266
in the matter of Wilkins versus Wilkins.

17
00:01:03,333 --> 00:01:04,800
- This is you, right?
- [Judge Acker] It is, sir.

18
00:01:04,867 --> 00:01:06,100
- All right. Here you go.
- Thank you, Byrd.

19
00:01:06,166 --> 00:01:07,166
You're welcome, Judge.

20
00:01:07,233 --> 00:01:09,300
The parties have been sworn in.
You may be seated.

21
00:01:09,367 --> 00:01:13,400
The Wilkins twin sisters
are now squaring off in court.

22
00:01:13,867 --> 00:01:17,333
Your claim, ma'am,
is against your twin sister.

23
00:01:17,400 --> 00:01:18,767
She moved in with you.

24
00:01:18,834 --> 00:01:20,667
It was a one-year lease.

25
00:01:20,734 --> 00:01:23,867
She moved out
after about only three months.

26
00:01:23,934 --> 00:01:27,133
You are now suing her
for the balance of the rent,

27
00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:29,233
a fee for breaking the lease.

28
00:01:29,300 --> 00:01:33,533
The total amount of your claim, $1,192.

29
00:01:33,600 --> 00:01:38,133
You maintain that you never agreed
to some of the provisions in this lease

30
00:01:38,200 --> 00:01:39,900
that she's now trying to enforce,

31
00:01:39,967 --> 00:01:41,433
and on top of that,

32
00:01:41,500 --> 00:01:43,233
you have a counterclaim against her

33
00:01:43,300 --> 00:01:45,033
premised on your allegation

34
00:01:45,100 --> 00:01:48,533
that she improperly retained
a sorority sweater.

35
00:01:48,600 --> 00:01:49,767
I'm gonna ask you first.

36
00:01:49,834 --> 00:01:52,066
Why did you decide
to move in with your sister?

37
00:01:52,133 --> 00:01:55,967
Well, Your Honor, I was invited
to move in with my twin sister.

38
00:01:56,033 --> 00:02:00,133
Since my divorce in 2016, '17,

39
00:02:01,233 --> 00:02:04,667
I had to pretty much reinvent
and rebuild my life.

40
00:02:04,734 --> 00:02:08,900
And in that, I made the decision
that I would purchase my own home.

41
00:02:08,967 --> 00:02:12,934
Well, I was in a rental home
that I was pretty happy with.

42
00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:16,834
And my sister came over
the previous holiday

43
00:02:16,900 --> 00:02:18,867
and was like,
"Girl, you paying too much for this.

44
00:02:18,934 --> 00:02:20,166
You need to move in with me."
I was like...

45
00:02:20,233 --> 00:02:21,333
And it sounded like
a good idea to you, right...

46
00:02:21,400 --> 00:02:22,400
[Denisha]
Yeah, it sounded like a good idea.

47
00:02:22,466 --> 00:02:23,466
... because you could save money.

48
00:02:23,533 --> 00:02:24,600
I could save money.

49
00:02:24,667 --> 00:02:26,767
[Judge Acker]
Now, let me talk to your sister,

50
00:02:26,834 --> 00:02:30,266
because what I find interesting
is that she says, "She invited me,"

51
00:02:30,333 --> 00:02:32,266
and you seem offended by that.

52
00:02:32,333 --> 00:02:33,867
- It's a nice thing.
- [Hilisha] Yes, right.

53
00:02:33,934 --> 00:02:34,966
You were happy to do that.

54
00:02:35,033 --> 00:02:38,266
Yeah, I was happy
that she decided to move in,

55
00:02:38,333 --> 00:02:40,166
but I did not invite her.

56
00:02:40,233 --> 00:02:41,934
- Um...
- It doesn't matter.

57
00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:44,300
- You let her live in your house.
- Exactly.

58
00:02:44,367 --> 00:02:46,000
[Judge Acker]
She agreed to live in the house.

59
00:02:46,066 --> 00:02:49,734
And the two of you actually
even executed a lease agreement.

60
00:02:49,800 --> 00:02:52,133
- Exactly. I...
- Now, I know there are two agreements

61
00:02:52,200 --> 00:02:53,367
at issue in this case.

62
00:02:53,433 --> 00:02:56,400
Right now, I wanna talk about
the first lease agreement.

63
00:02:56,466 --> 00:02:57,900
How much rent was she paying?

64
00:02:57,966 --> 00:03:00,500
She was paying $850.

65
00:03:00,567 --> 00:03:03,033
[Judge Acker]
And it was supposed to be paid biweekly.

66
00:03:03,100 --> 00:03:05,200
- [Hilisha] Yes.
- So $425?

67
00:03:05,266 --> 00:03:09,667
Yes. And let me say that
I have a 2,500-square-foot house.

68
00:03:09,734 --> 00:03:11,600
I saw it. It's beautiful. We'll put it up.

69
00:03:12,200 --> 00:03:13,233
- [Hilisha] Yes.
- [Judge Acker] Gorgeous home.

70
00:03:13,300 --> 00:03:14,967
- Congratulations.
- [Hilisha] Thank you.

71
00:03:15,033 --> 00:03:17,667
And so when she moved in,

72
00:03:17,734 --> 00:03:22,567
my mortgage was $1,922.

73
00:03:22,633 --> 00:03:24,433
And having a house,

74
00:03:24,500 --> 00:03:28,834
there are an extreme
number of expenses, okay?

75
00:03:28,900 --> 00:03:31,734
So she moved in in April.

76
00:03:31,800 --> 00:03:34,166
[Judge Acker]
She paid April, she paid May on time.

77
00:03:34,233 --> 00:03:38,233
And then in June,
you offered her a second lease.

78
00:03:38,300 --> 00:03:40,767
Why did you offer her
the new lease in June?

79
00:03:40,834 --> 00:03:44,166
Because when I bought my house,
I bought it in the middle of the year.

80
00:03:44,233 --> 00:03:48,834
So when a full year rolled around,
my taxes increased,

81
00:03:48,900 --> 00:03:52,133
which made my mortgage increase
almost $300.

82
00:03:52,200 --> 00:03:53,500
So then in June,

83
00:03:53,567 --> 00:03:55,400
- you send her a new lease...
- [Hilisha] Yes.

84
00:03:55,466 --> 00:03:57,333
... where you wanna
increase the rent to what?

85
00:03:57,400 --> 00:03:58,500
A thousand dollars.

86
00:03:58,567 --> 00:04:02,266
[Judge Acker] So you're going
from $850 to a thousand dollars.

87
00:04:02,333 --> 00:04:05,533
- Yes.
- Now I note that first lease was signed.

88
00:04:05,600 --> 00:04:07,900
- [Hilisha] Yes.
- The new lease, you did not sign.

89
00:04:07,967 --> 00:04:09,734
- Why didn't you sign that?
- Well, Your Honor,

90
00:04:09,800 --> 00:04:14,800
when someone invites you
into their home at a fair price,

91
00:04:14,867 --> 00:04:17,867
you adjust your life
according to that price.

92
00:04:18,433 --> 00:04:21,367
I was invited to save money,

93
00:04:21,433 --> 00:04:23,700
and as long as I have been renting,

94
00:04:23,767 --> 00:04:26,066
no one has ever put in a lease,

95
00:04:26,133 --> 00:04:28,233
"You're subject to go up month to month."

96
00:04:28,300 --> 00:04:31,300
Okay, we'll get to--
we'll get to that in a minute.

97
00:04:31,367 --> 00:04:35,000
And I'm laughing
'cause I've really never seen this either.

98
00:04:35,066 --> 00:04:36,867
And here's the provision you have, ma'am.

99
00:04:36,933 --> 00:04:39,700
There may be instances
under this agreement

100
00:04:39,767 --> 00:04:41,467
where tenant may be required to pay

101
00:04:41,533 --> 00:04:44,200
additional charges to landlord. [chuckles]

102
00:04:44,266 --> 00:04:47,300
- Ain't that funny?
- It is funny, but you signed it.

103
00:04:48,033 --> 00:04:50,266
And, ma'am, what's the purpose of a lease

104
00:04:50,332 --> 00:04:53,933
if one of the parties
can just change the terms unilaterally

105
00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:55,567
and there's no meeting of the minds?

106
00:04:55,633 --> 00:04:57,567
What's the purpose of the lease then?

107
00:04:57,633 --> 00:05:00,066
Well, it states in the lease

108
00:05:00,133 --> 00:05:02,367
that at any particular time,

109
00:05:02,433 --> 00:05:05,567
her rate would go up, and she signed it.

110
00:05:05,633 --> 00:05:07,200
And let me preface

111
00:05:07,266 --> 00:05:10,633
that she was paying 850

112
00:05:10,700 --> 00:05:14,834
in a 2,500-square-foot house
with no utilities.

113
00:05:14,900 --> 00:05:18,033
She had two rooms, a bathroom.

114
00:05:18,100 --> 00:05:19,100
[Judge Acker] I know where you're going.

115
00:05:19,166 --> 00:05:20,266
- Okay.
- [Judge Acker] She had a great deal.

116
00:05:20,332 --> 00:05:22,100
In fact, maybe this tenancy

117
00:05:22,166 --> 00:05:25,900
turned out to be more expensive to you
than you intended.

118
00:05:25,967 --> 00:05:28,567
But I wanna talk to you,
because you did sign that lease.

119
00:05:28,633 --> 00:05:31,900
So let's put that additional
rent provision to the side

120
00:05:31,967 --> 00:05:36,100
because the court has the ability
to amend a contract.

121
00:05:36,166 --> 00:05:38,700
So if there's a provision
that's not enforceable,

122
00:05:38,767 --> 00:05:41,567
and I'm inclined to see this
as an unenforceable provision,

123
00:05:41,633 --> 00:05:44,200
the rest of the terms will remain intact.

124
00:05:44,266 --> 00:05:46,533
So if you sign a one-year lease,

125
00:05:46,600 --> 00:05:49,734
why do you think you can just move out
three months later?

126
00:05:49,800 --> 00:05:54,633
Okay, Your Honor, upon being in her home

127
00:05:54,700 --> 00:05:56,767
and paying a certain amount of money,

128
00:05:56,834 --> 00:05:59,200
I was on a budget,
because the main reason why

129
00:05:59,266 --> 00:06:03,600
she invited me was to save
for my own home.

130
00:06:03,667 --> 00:06:07,300
And in doing so,
she started acting a certain kind of way

131
00:06:07,367 --> 00:06:10,834
like I was not--
like I was just a common tenant.

132
00:06:10,900 --> 00:06:12,700
We shared a womb...

133
00:06:14,166 --> 00:06:15,166
okay?

134
00:06:15,233 --> 00:06:18,133
That right there enough--
would be enough to be like,

135
00:06:18,200 --> 00:06:20,367
"I can't believe your twin sister
is treating you like this."

136
00:06:20,433 --> 00:06:21,500
I'm like, "You know what?

137
00:06:21,567 --> 00:06:24,100
My peace is important

138
00:06:24,533 --> 00:06:27,266
and I'm not gonna be somewhere
where I am tolerated.

139
00:06:27,332 --> 00:06:28,667
Period."

140
00:06:28,734 --> 00:06:31,600
And then on top of that,
in the middle of my lease,

141
00:06:31,667 --> 00:06:33,533
I had a lot of my things in storage

142
00:06:33,600 --> 00:06:38,066
because her home did not accommodate
a whole storage rental unit.

143
00:06:38,133 --> 00:06:39,967
And on January 2nd,

144
00:06:40,033 --> 00:06:42,433
I got a notice from my storage unit

145
00:06:42,500 --> 00:06:45,367
saying that it was going up
to over $300 and...

146
00:06:45,433 --> 00:06:47,367
But you seem to kind of be engaged

147
00:06:47,433 --> 00:06:50,467
in the same sort of looseness
that she is, right?

148
00:06:50,533 --> 00:06:53,332
So she can't decide
to charge her tenant more money

149
00:06:53,400 --> 00:06:56,200
just because her bills have come up,
and you can't decide

150
00:06:56,266 --> 00:06:59,133
that you're not gonna pay
the contracted rent price

151
00:06:59,200 --> 00:07:01,000
because your bills have gone up.

152
00:07:01,066 --> 00:07:03,567
And given that, I am not sure

153
00:07:03,633 --> 00:07:06,133
that you have the right to just leave

154
00:07:06,200 --> 00:07:09,667
after three months
because she's not being nice.

155
00:07:11,266 --> 00:07:13,900
[announcer] Coming up on Tribunal Justice.

156
00:07:13,967 --> 00:07:15,200
I opened up the refrigerator.

157
00:07:15,266 --> 00:07:16,934
I said, "Oh, grapes.
Let me just taste one."

158
00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:19,700
- Uh-uh.
- She ran down the stairs.

159
00:07:19,767 --> 00:07:21,667
How did she know you were eating a grape?
Did you chomp on it?

160
00:07:21,734 --> 00:07:23,332
No. She has security cameras.

161
00:07:23,400 --> 00:07:24,900
[dramatic musical sting]

162
00:07:26,834 --> 00:07:29,066
[theme music plays]

163
00:07:29,133 --> 00:07:32,400
[announcer] Hilisha Wilkins
is suing her identical twin, Denisha,

164
00:07:32,467 --> 00:07:33,967
for breaking a lease.

165
00:07:34,033 --> 00:07:37,700
But Denisha claims her sister made it
impossible to live together,

166
00:07:37,767 --> 00:07:40,834
then arbitrarily changed her lease.

167
00:07:40,900 --> 00:07:44,100
What the heck happened
to the two of you from the womb to now

168
00:07:44,166 --> 00:07:45,900
that you're squaring off in court?

169
00:07:45,967 --> 00:07:47,867
How do twins end up like this?

170
00:07:47,933 --> 00:07:50,200
There has been some rift
in our relationship,

171
00:07:50,266 --> 00:07:53,533
especially since our parents
are no longer with us.

172
00:07:54,166 --> 00:07:58,367
For the last five years
of my mother's life, and I was married,

173
00:07:58,433 --> 00:07:59,933
I took care of her.

174
00:08:00,066 --> 00:08:01,400
I was her power of attorney.

175
00:08:01,467 --> 00:08:03,333
I was responsible for getting her from...

176
00:08:03,400 --> 00:08:05,600
[Judge Acker] Do you have some resentment
against your sister

177
00:08:05,667 --> 00:08:07,967
because you think
she left you hanging in some way?

178
00:08:08,033 --> 00:08:09,367
No, because the only person

179
00:08:09,433 --> 00:08:11,734
that I was really even concerned with
was my mother.

180
00:08:11,800 --> 00:08:13,467
Where does all this animosity come from?

181
00:08:13,533 --> 00:08:14,934
- [Denisha] She...
- Let me ask you.

182
00:08:15,000 --> 00:08:17,033
What's going on here in this relationship?

183
00:08:17,100 --> 00:08:21,433
Well, when my sister
was my mother's power of attorney,

184
00:08:22,266 --> 00:08:24,200
the last year of my mother's life,

185
00:08:24,266 --> 00:08:27,667
my mother found out that the nursing home
wasn't getting paid

186
00:08:27,734 --> 00:08:29,867
what they were supposed
to get paid every month.

187
00:08:29,934 --> 00:08:31,934
- Yes, they did.
- [Hilisha] And so she found out

188
00:08:32,000 --> 00:08:34,133
that she was months in arrears

189
00:08:34,200 --> 00:08:36,400
when she knew that
she had a Social Security check.

190
00:08:36,467 --> 00:08:38,767
Well, when I did some investigating,

191
00:08:38,834 --> 00:08:41,066
I found out that my sister

192
00:08:41,133 --> 00:08:44,000
was still getting her checks
and cashing them...

193
00:08:44,066 --> 00:08:45,467
[Judge Acker]
Okay, I'm gonna stop you there

194
00:08:45,533 --> 00:08:47,433
because you're accusing her of some crime.

195
00:08:47,500 --> 00:08:48,834
That's not what we're here for.

196
00:08:48,900 --> 00:08:50,233
I don't have any evidence of that.

197
00:08:50,300 --> 00:08:52,533
Neither of you treated this situation

198
00:08:52,600 --> 00:08:55,800
in the way that a proper landlord-tenant
relationship should be set up.

199
00:08:55,867 --> 00:08:56,934
Neither of you did.

200
00:08:57,000 --> 00:08:58,800
I'm gonna pass the case now
to Judge DiMango.

201
00:08:58,867 --> 00:09:00,367
- Judge?
- [Judge DiMango] Did either of you

202
00:09:00,433 --> 00:09:02,567
ever live together before this incident?

203
00:09:02,633 --> 00:09:03,734
- Yes.
- Yes, Your Honor.

204
00:09:03,800 --> 00:09:06,100
When was that
and for how long did you live together?

205
00:09:06,166 --> 00:09:08,533
- It was several years ago and...
- Lots of years.

206
00:09:08,600 --> 00:09:10,934
Yes. Before, when I was in transition,

207
00:09:11,000 --> 00:09:13,433
I didn't have a fulltime job,
so I stayed with her.

208
00:09:13,500 --> 00:09:15,700
And then I stayed with her
for a couple of months

209
00:09:15,767 --> 00:09:16,900
and then I moved out.

210
00:09:16,967 --> 00:09:19,133
How did you get along
when you were living together?

211
00:09:19,200 --> 00:09:22,133
It was fine.
I mean, I had two small children.

212
00:09:22,200 --> 00:09:24,066
She didn't have a job.

213
00:09:25,233 --> 00:09:28,767
And our parents taught us that, you know,
we're to help one another.

214
00:09:28,834 --> 00:09:31,033
Yeah. I mean, good things. I mean, you...

215
00:09:31,100 --> 00:09:33,033
Not be at each other's throats
or whatever.

216
00:09:33,100 --> 00:09:36,800
You know, I think I have the same
kind of feeling as Judge Acker.

217
00:09:36,867 --> 00:09:39,567
Something happened here that makes me sad.

218
00:09:39,633 --> 00:09:42,433
I don't always get down
about relationships.

219
00:09:42,500 --> 00:09:44,767
I'm usually like,
"Everybody get away from one another

220
00:09:44,834 --> 00:09:46,567
and move on with your lives."

221
00:09:46,633 --> 00:09:48,533
But I don't think
I'd like to see that here.

222
00:09:48,600 --> 00:09:50,700
I think that there's just too much history

223
00:09:50,767 --> 00:09:53,433
and good history between the two of you.

224
00:09:53,500 --> 00:09:56,000
But life isn't always a fair shake.

225
00:09:56,066 --> 00:09:57,867
Sometimes people's lives are up.

226
00:09:57,934 --> 00:10:00,200
Other times people's lives are down.

227
00:10:00,266 --> 00:10:04,934
And that's kind of how
you have to face what's going on.

228
00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:07,667
Now, have you ever
owned a home before this?

229
00:10:07,734 --> 00:10:09,667
- No.
- And when you asked her to come in,

230
00:10:09,734 --> 00:10:12,266
it was gonna be
for the mutual benefit of both of you.

231
00:10:12,333 --> 00:10:14,133
- Would that be correct?
- Yes, Your Honor.

232
00:10:14,200 --> 00:10:16,600
And I didn't tell her to move.

233
00:10:16,667 --> 00:10:18,800
[Judge DiMango] I originally thought
that I was gonna see

234
00:10:18,867 --> 00:10:21,433
what they call
a constructive eviction position

235
00:10:21,500 --> 00:10:23,900
by you, Ms. Denisha Wilkins,

236
00:10:23,967 --> 00:10:26,967
because you had said
she locked your cabinets,

237
00:10:27,033 --> 00:10:28,967
and I think we have a photograph of that.

238
00:10:29,033 --> 00:10:31,400
Yes, Your Honor, over some Tupperware.

239
00:10:31,467 --> 00:10:32,967
- [scoffs]
- [Hilisha] Yeah.

240
00:10:33,033 --> 00:10:34,567
Over some Tupperware.

241
00:10:34,633 --> 00:10:35,734
Why would you do that?

242
00:10:35,800 --> 00:10:39,500
Because I was at the point to where

243
00:10:39,567 --> 00:10:41,967
if she was being vindictive enough

244
00:10:42,033 --> 00:10:44,165
to do the things that she did,

245
00:10:44,233 --> 00:10:46,600
then I wanted to keep my house intact.

246
00:10:46,667 --> 00:10:48,633
- What vindictiveness?
- And I did.

247
00:10:48,700 --> 00:10:50,165
I did nothing vindictive towards her.

248
00:10:50,233 --> 00:10:52,033
And so--yeah.

249
00:10:52,100 --> 00:10:53,567
Did you have dishes and plates

250
00:10:53,633 --> 00:10:55,734
- and stuff in other cabinets?
- Yeah.

251
00:10:55,800 --> 00:10:57,400
- [Judge DiMango] Did you lock those?
- No.

252
00:10:57,467 --> 00:10:58,667
[Judge DiMango]
You just locked the Tupperware?

253
00:10:58,734 --> 00:11:00,467
[Hilisha] Yeah.
- [Denisha] Because...

254
00:11:00,533 --> 00:11:02,467
Which you could get free
if you order takeout food

255
00:11:02,533 --> 00:11:04,166
and just fill up and put in there.

256
00:11:04,233 --> 00:11:05,533
Exactly.

257
00:11:05,600 --> 00:11:08,433
[Hilisha]
Well, when she wasn't taking stuff

258
00:11:08,500 --> 00:11:10,200
with--without my permission or...

259
00:11:10,266 --> 00:11:11,567
[Judge DiMango]
Where would--you're sisters.

260
00:11:11,633 --> 00:11:12,633
What do you mean permission?

261
00:11:12,700 --> 00:11:14,133
- I ate some grapes.
- Yeah. Well...

262
00:11:14,200 --> 00:11:15,967
[Judge DiMango]
Please explain about the grapes.

263
00:11:16,033 --> 00:11:17,667
I ate some grapes.

264
00:11:17,734 --> 00:11:19,533
[Judge DiMango]
Did you really complain about the grapes?

265
00:11:20,934 --> 00:11:21,967
Yeah.

266
00:11:22,033 --> 00:11:24,934
It doesn't sound as petty as she's...

267
00:11:25,000 --> 00:11:26,500
- [Judge DiMango] It sounds really petty.
- Really petty.

268
00:11:26,567 --> 00:11:28,600
- Well, yeah, it does.
- It really does.

269
00:11:28,667 --> 00:11:31,800
I get up every morning
to work my part-time job.

270
00:11:31,867 --> 00:11:34,400
And I was downstairs
making coffee one morning

271
00:11:34,467 --> 00:11:35,800
and getting my lunch together.

272
00:11:35,867 --> 00:11:37,100
I opened up the refrigerator.

273
00:11:37,165 --> 00:11:39,333
I said, "Oh, grapes.
Let me just taste one."

274
00:11:39,400 --> 00:11:41,834
She ran down the stairs.

275
00:11:41,900 --> 00:11:43,767
How did she know you were eating a grape?
Did you chomp on it?

276
00:11:43,834 --> 00:11:45,900
No. She has security cameras.

277
00:11:45,967 --> 00:11:49,934
She saw me
on her security cameras eating a grape,

278
00:11:50,000 --> 00:11:52,200
ran all the way downstairs

279
00:11:52,266 --> 00:11:54,367
- and said, "Put it back."
- No, that's not how it was.

280
00:11:54,433 --> 00:11:56,233
- But I'm like, "A damn grape?"
- [Hilisha] No.

281
00:11:56,300 --> 00:11:58,033
Well, maybe the last time
you took a strawberry...

282
00:11:58,100 --> 00:11:59,834
- [laughter]
- [Denisha] I mean...

283
00:11:59,900 --> 00:12:01,166
[Judge DiMango]
... and she might have seen that.

284
00:12:01,233 --> 00:12:03,266
The fact of the matter was at that time...

285
00:12:03,333 --> 00:12:04,433
[Denisha] Doesn't make sense.

286
00:12:04,500 --> 00:12:08,266
... she literally took my food
out of my refrigerator--

287
00:12:08,333 --> 00:12:11,100
because she had her own refrigerator
in the garage.

288
00:12:11,166 --> 00:12:14,800
She physically took
my food out of my refrigerator...

289
00:12:14,867 --> 00:12:17,633
- [Judge DiMango] Uh-huh.
- ... packing it to go to work.

290
00:12:17,700 --> 00:12:19,433
She didn't take just a grape.

291
00:12:19,500 --> 00:12:21,433
She took the whole bowl out

292
00:12:21,500 --> 00:12:23,734
and was physically packing it in a bowl.

293
00:12:23,800 --> 00:12:25,066
[Judge DiMango]
Were you stealing the grapes?

294
00:12:25,133 --> 00:12:27,266
- Yes, she was.
- No, Your Honor.

295
00:12:27,333 --> 00:12:28,633
She knows it just wasn't a grape.

296
00:12:28,700 --> 00:12:30,533
What--you said that she did
a lot of things to you.

297
00:12:30,600 --> 00:12:33,967
Is this what you're referring to,
the grapes, the Tupperware?

298
00:12:34,033 --> 00:12:36,300
- Is that what you're referring to?
- That--that's mediocre. But, you know...

299
00:12:36,367 --> 00:12:37,633
[Judge DiMango]
Well, give me something really bad.

300
00:12:37,700 --> 00:12:39,266
[Hilisha]
She didn't do anything really bad.

301
00:12:39,333 --> 00:12:40,367
Okay. So...

302
00:12:40,433 --> 00:12:42,100
[Hilisha] And the case
of the matter is, Judge...

303
00:12:42,165 --> 00:12:43,600
- Yeah?
- ... when I told her

304
00:12:43,667 --> 00:12:46,633
that I was increasing her rent
from 850 to a thousand dollars...

305
00:12:46,700 --> 00:12:48,734
- [Judge DiMango] She wanted out.
- She wanted out.

306
00:12:48,800 --> 00:12:50,133
And she wanted to save money.

307
00:12:50,200 --> 00:12:52,066
- She wanted out because she...
- Paying a thousand dollars...

308
00:12:52,133 --> 00:12:53,467
- Yes.
- ... to live in a house

309
00:12:53,533 --> 00:12:57,266
and going to paying almost probably 2,500

310
00:12:57,333 --> 00:12:59,467
to where she's living now
where she has to pay everything,

311
00:12:59,533 --> 00:13:01,400
that really makes no sense to me at all.

312
00:13:01,467 --> 00:13:03,934
What were you paying
before you moved in to your sister's home?

313
00:13:04,000 --> 00:13:05,300
Uh, 1,650.

314
00:13:05,367 --> 00:13:06,734
[Judge DiMango] You were paying 1,650.

315
00:13:06,800 --> 00:13:08,066
You moved in to save money.

316
00:13:08,133 --> 00:13:10,033
You were paying her 850.

317
00:13:10,100 --> 00:13:12,734
You gave notice July 3rd, 30 days' notice.

318
00:13:12,800 --> 00:13:13,834
- Yes.
- By text.

319
00:13:13,900 --> 00:13:15,066
[Judge DiMango] By text?

320
00:13:15,133 --> 00:13:17,333
Is there any salvation for the two of you

321
00:13:17,400 --> 00:13:19,667
to have a relationship as sisters anymore?

322
00:13:19,734 --> 00:13:21,633
Well, you know what? On my part, it is.

323
00:13:21,700 --> 00:13:24,533
But, you know, when she left my house,
she was rude.

324
00:13:24,600 --> 00:13:26,700
She told me to forget her number.

325
00:13:26,767 --> 00:13:28,066
She told me to forget that she ever had...

326
00:13:28,133 --> 00:13:29,567
Well, people say a lot of things
when they're mad.

327
00:13:29,633 --> 00:13:32,400
Is there any salvation
on this relationship for you?

328
00:13:32,467 --> 00:13:34,000
I don't know, Your Honor.
I honestly cannot...

329
00:13:34,066 --> 00:13:35,133
[Judge DiMango]
I mean, just honest questions.

330
00:13:35,200 --> 00:13:36,800
- I'm being honest.
- But, you know, you're in here.

331
00:13:36,867 --> 00:13:39,767
Maybe you'll see things
a little differently.

332
00:13:39,834 --> 00:13:41,033
Judge Levy?

333
00:13:41,100 --> 00:13:42,200
[Judge Levy] So, Ms. Wilkins,

334
00:13:42,266 --> 00:13:45,333
she said some nasty things
and you locked up the Tupperware.

335
00:13:45,400 --> 00:13:46,467
[chuckles]

336
00:13:46,533 --> 00:13:49,233
This seemed more to me like a sister fight

337
00:13:49,300 --> 00:13:51,165
than a landlord-tenant fight,

338
00:13:51,233 --> 00:13:52,500
and it's one of the reasons why

339
00:13:52,567 --> 00:13:55,834
I get a sense that you guys
kinda dug in your heels the way you did.

340
00:13:55,900 --> 00:13:58,033
- Does that sort of make sense to you?
- It does.

341
00:13:58,100 --> 00:13:59,934
- Yeah?
- And what about you, ma'am?

342
00:14:00,066 --> 00:14:01,066
Yes, Your Honor.

343
00:14:01,133 --> 00:14:04,533
So you say that prior to moving in
to your sister's place,

344
00:14:04,600 --> 00:14:07,166
you were paying $1,650 a month.

345
00:14:07,233 --> 00:14:11,433
And when you moved out in August of 2023

346
00:14:11,500 --> 00:14:14,567
because you were paying 850,
you didn't wanna pay a thousand.

347
00:14:14,633 --> 00:14:16,066
The place that you moved into,

348
00:14:16,133 --> 00:14:17,233
how much were you paying a month?

349
00:14:17,300 --> 00:14:18,333
It's 1,850.

350
00:14:18,400 --> 00:14:19,633
[Judge Levy] So a thousand dollars more.

351
00:14:19,700 --> 00:14:21,367
And are you renting or is that purchased?

352
00:14:21,433 --> 00:14:22,467
[Denisha] I'm renting.

353
00:14:22,533 --> 00:14:24,533
[Judge Levy] So in addition to the 1,850,

354
00:14:24,600 --> 00:14:26,433
- do you have renter's insurance?
- Yes.

355
00:14:26,500 --> 00:14:27,967
[Judge Levy]
Are you paying other utilities?

356
00:14:28,033 --> 00:14:29,033
Just one.

357
00:14:29,100 --> 00:14:31,266
So those are expenses
that you didn't necessarily have

358
00:14:31,333 --> 00:14:32,467
over at your sister's place?

359
00:14:32,533 --> 00:14:34,800
No, but you can't put a price on peace.

360
00:14:36,066 --> 00:14:38,667
[announcer] Coming up on Tribunal Justice.

361
00:14:38,734 --> 00:14:41,266
When she left,
she took every pink and green thing

362
00:14:41,333 --> 00:14:42,800
that was in my house.

363
00:14:42,867 --> 00:14:44,433
They're the colors
of the sorority sweater.

364
00:14:44,500 --> 00:14:46,400
I don't care about wearing something

365
00:14:46,467 --> 00:14:48,133
- that has pink and green.
- [Judge Acker] Oh.

366
00:14:48,200 --> 00:14:49,734
[dramatic musical sting]

367
00:14:51,567 --> 00:14:53,500
[theme music plays]

368
00:14:53,567 --> 00:14:57,033
[announcer] Hilisha Wilkins
is suing her identical twin, Denisha,

369
00:14:57,100 --> 00:14:58,800
for breaking a lease.

370
00:14:58,867 --> 00:15:02,000
But Denisha says
her sister drove her crazy

371
00:15:02,066 --> 00:15:04,266
and kept changing the lease.

372
00:15:04,333 --> 00:15:07,533
The reason that you told Judge Acker
and then Judge DiMango

373
00:15:07,600 --> 00:15:09,367
that you decided to go into this deal

374
00:15:09,433 --> 00:15:10,800
- was to save money...
- Uh-hmm.

375
00:15:10,867 --> 00:15:12,133
[Judge Levy]
... to save money for your own place.

376
00:15:12,200 --> 00:15:13,700
- Uh-hmm.
- [Judge Levy] And it just seems to me,

377
00:15:13,767 --> 00:15:16,200
from--based upon
what you've testified to so far,

378
00:15:16,266 --> 00:15:18,033
that you cut off your nose
to spite your face.

379
00:15:18,100 --> 00:15:21,233
Not exactly,
because I-I work extra hours

380
00:15:21,300 --> 00:15:23,900
on my part-time job, which I love.

381
00:15:23,967 --> 00:15:26,166
- [Judge Levy] Okay.
- And I got a raise at work.

382
00:15:26,233 --> 00:15:29,033
So I'm making a substantial amount more.

383
00:15:29,100 --> 00:15:30,800
With the extra money and the overtime

384
00:15:30,867 --> 00:15:32,400
- and the other expenses...
- [Denisha] Uh-hmm.

385
00:15:32,467 --> 00:15:34,767
... you'd be able to put a heck
of a lot more money in the bank

386
00:15:34,834 --> 00:15:37,165
for your future by only paying
a thousand a month

387
00:15:37,233 --> 00:15:40,367
as opposed to 1,850 a month
plus all those other expenses.

388
00:15:40,433 --> 00:15:42,700
- You are absolutely correct, Your Honor.
- [Judge Levy] I get that.

389
00:15:42,767 --> 00:15:44,233
And I'm gonna ask you now, Ms. Wilkins.

390
00:15:44,300 --> 00:15:46,233
Did you rent to anyone else

391
00:15:46,300 --> 00:15:49,100
after your sister moved out
in August of 2023?

392
00:15:49,165 --> 00:15:50,600
- No.
- [Judge Levy] You would agree

393
00:15:50,667 --> 00:15:53,567
to have someone
would have been a real help.

394
00:15:53,633 --> 00:15:55,066
- So much help.
- [Judge Levy] Yeah.

395
00:15:55,133 --> 00:15:56,900
So that's why I'm back to my point

396
00:15:56,967 --> 00:15:59,433
where I'm saying,
you gotta give it a good shot,

397
00:15:59,500 --> 00:16:01,300
no matter what happens here today,

398
00:16:01,367 --> 00:16:04,567
because ultimately
your parents passed away

399
00:16:04,633 --> 00:16:07,467
and you're pretty much all
that you have left and--as family.

400
00:16:07,533 --> 00:16:09,533
- Uh-hmm.
- And I just hope

401
00:16:09,600 --> 00:16:12,400
that you don't allow $150 increase

402
00:16:12,467 --> 00:16:16,266
or a locked Tupperware cupboard
get in the way of that.

403
00:16:16,333 --> 00:16:18,100
I have nothing else.
I have enough. Thank you.

404
00:16:18,166 --> 00:16:20,467
- Thank you.
- I think you have a counterclaim.

405
00:16:20,533 --> 00:16:23,500
And you were asking
for the return of your sweater.

406
00:16:23,567 --> 00:16:25,667
- The return of my sweater.
- Sorority sweater.

407
00:16:25,734 --> 00:16:26,934
Is that what you have here?

408
00:16:27,000 --> 00:16:28,000
[Hilisha] Yes.

409
00:16:28,066 --> 00:16:30,166
[Judge DiMango]
You'll be able to pass that over to her.

410
00:16:30,233 --> 00:16:32,533
Or I guess Cassandra will do it.

411
00:16:34,000 --> 00:16:35,533
So what happened to the sweater?

412
00:16:35,600 --> 00:16:36,867
I have no idea.

413
00:16:36,934 --> 00:16:38,433
I thought that--when she left,

414
00:16:38,500 --> 00:16:41,800
she took every pink and green thing
that was in my house.

415
00:16:41,867 --> 00:16:43,500
Did you say every single green thing?

416
00:16:43,567 --> 00:16:44,767
- [Hilisha] Pink and green.
- Oh.

417
00:16:44,834 --> 00:16:46,533
They're the colors
of the sorority sweater.

418
00:16:46,600 --> 00:16:48,000
I am not in a sorority.

419
00:16:48,066 --> 00:16:50,433
I don't care about wearing something

420
00:16:50,500 --> 00:16:52,300
- that has pink and green.
- Okay. All right.

421
00:16:52,367 --> 00:16:54,333
- Well, are we ready?
- [Judge Acker] Yes.

422
00:16:54,400 --> 00:16:55,734
Then we're gonna retire to deliberate.

423
00:16:55,800 --> 00:16:56,800
Thank you.

424
00:16:56,867 --> 00:16:58,300
[Byrd] Court now stands in recess.

425
00:16:58,367 --> 00:16:59,767
Parties are excused.

426
00:16:59,834 --> 00:17:02,433
[dramatic musical sting]

427
00:17:03,967 --> 00:17:06,165
How many grapes
did you have for lunch today?

428
00:17:06,233 --> 00:17:07,800
- I'd like to know.
- I saw the cameras.

429
00:17:07,867 --> 00:17:08,967
You know how many I've had.

430
00:17:09,032 --> 00:17:10,700
- Were some of those my grapes?
- [laughs]

431
00:17:10,767 --> 00:17:12,165
You know exactly how many...

432
00:17:12,233 --> 00:17:15,000
Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh. I wasn't joking.

433
00:17:15,066 --> 00:17:17,733
I've never seen a lease that said,
"Oh, by the way,

434
00:17:17,800 --> 00:17:20,066
I could charge you more money
if I need to down the road."

435
00:17:20,133 --> 00:17:22,200
- Every month.
- That provision,

436
00:17:22,266 --> 00:17:23,767
even though the defendant signed it,

437
00:17:23,834 --> 00:17:26,200
is, in my view, completely unenforceable.

438
00:17:26,266 --> 00:17:28,667
Frankly, I would dismiss the complaint,

439
00:17:28,734 --> 00:17:31,834
because the plaintiff
can't sue under a contract

440
00:17:31,900 --> 00:17:34,066
that she abandoned by offering her sister

441
00:17:34,133 --> 00:17:37,133
this new one
with the unilateral increase in term.

442
00:17:37,200 --> 00:17:38,767
So I would dismiss the complaint.

443
00:17:38,834 --> 00:17:41,133
She gave the sweater back.
And I'd call it a day.

444
00:17:41,200 --> 00:17:42,567
[Judge DiMango]
I, a hundred percent, agree.

445
00:17:42,633 --> 00:17:44,467
She can't just do
what she did with the lease.

446
00:17:44,533 --> 00:17:45,834
You just--you just can't do that.

447
00:17:45,900 --> 00:17:48,367
And I think the clause
is unconscionable in the first place

448
00:17:48,433 --> 00:17:50,967
and so we could either
just disregard the clause

449
00:17:51,033 --> 00:17:52,400
or the entire lease in any event

450
00:17:52,467 --> 00:17:54,633
and not even have a breach of lease

451
00:17:54,700 --> 00:17:56,367
on behalf of the defendant.

452
00:17:56,433 --> 00:18:00,066
She's a first-time homeowner,
and, boy, oh, boy, it's an education.

453
00:18:00,133 --> 00:18:02,834
The bills just keep coming
and coming and coming.

454
00:18:02,900 --> 00:18:05,834
So what I was gonna suggest,
perhaps if you feel it appropriate

455
00:18:05,900 --> 00:18:08,567
when explaining the decision,
and I do agree with it,

456
00:18:08,633 --> 00:18:11,667
'cause she's not gonna understand
why she's not getting that 425

457
00:18:11,734 --> 00:18:14,934
when her sister, the defendant,
decided not to renew.

458
00:18:15,000 --> 00:18:16,667
If you had to put a new roof on

459
00:18:16,734 --> 00:18:19,500
and that roof was $250,000,

460
00:18:19,567 --> 00:18:22,333
if you decided to raise the rent
to your sister

461
00:18:22,400 --> 00:18:25,667
from 850 to say 4,000

462
00:18:25,734 --> 00:18:27,433
and she said, "No, I can't pay that,"

463
00:18:27,500 --> 00:18:30,333
and she leaves, you still think
you're entitled to the 425?

464
00:18:30,400 --> 00:18:32,667
Maybe that way she'll understand,
but I agree a hundred percent.

465
00:18:32,734 --> 00:18:34,800
But why can't we just disregard the lease

466
00:18:34,867 --> 00:18:37,333
because it had an unconscionable
clause in it and she just, you know...

467
00:18:37,400 --> 00:18:41,000
Well, because I think
that we can ignore that provision

468
00:18:41,066 --> 00:18:43,033
- and enforce the enforceable terms.
- [Judge DiMango] Right.

469
00:18:43,100 --> 00:18:44,533
[Judge Acker] Even though she signed it,

470
00:18:44,600 --> 00:18:47,600
there was no meeting of the minds
as to what that additional rent might be,

471
00:18:47,667 --> 00:18:50,433
so that provision either is unenforceable

472
00:18:50,500 --> 00:18:52,734
or we say that because the material term
in the contract...

473
00:18:52,800 --> 00:18:54,233
- Right.
- [Judge Acker] ... is unclear,

474
00:18:54,300 --> 00:18:57,233
- it's void--the document is void.
- Yeah. Void ab initio, basically.

475
00:18:57,300 --> 00:18:59,100
Either way,
I think we're still on the same page.

476
00:18:59,166 --> 00:19:01,033
- Okay. Excellent.
- Great.

477
00:19:01,100 --> 00:19:04,300
[dramatic musical sting]

478
00:19:04,367 --> 00:19:05,600
[Byrd] Court is back in session.

479
00:19:05,667 --> 00:19:07,700
Ladies, you're reminded
you're still under oath.

480
00:19:07,767 --> 00:19:09,166
- [Judge Acker] Thank you, Byrd.
- [Byrd] Uh-hmm.

481
00:19:09,233 --> 00:19:10,767
The Wilkins sisters.

482
00:19:10,834 --> 00:19:12,667
You shared a womb,

483
00:19:12,734 --> 00:19:14,900
and that was the last time
you guys were good roommates.

484
00:19:14,967 --> 00:19:17,633
It seems like
it's been kinda downhill from there.

485
00:19:17,700 --> 00:19:21,600
I hope that changes,
especially since you've lost your parents.

486
00:19:21,667 --> 00:19:25,233
It's the two of you against the world,
not each other.

487
00:19:25,300 --> 00:19:28,200
So with that, your countersuit,

488
00:19:28,266 --> 00:19:30,967
the property
that you've proven your sister had,

489
00:19:31,033 --> 00:19:33,934
and you proved it 'cause she had it,
has been returned to you.

490
00:19:34,000 --> 00:19:35,900
Now, let me talk to your sister

491
00:19:35,967 --> 00:19:38,633
because the problem with what you did

492
00:19:38,700 --> 00:19:42,166
is that you really abandoned
that original agreement

493
00:19:42,233 --> 00:19:44,533
and said, "Nope, now we're gonna have
this new agreement

494
00:19:44,600 --> 00:19:46,500
where I'm charging you
this increased rent."

495
00:19:46,567 --> 00:19:50,700
So we certainly
aren't going to assess a late fee,

496
00:19:50,767 --> 00:19:53,667
a "breaking the lease" fee for a lease

497
00:19:53,734 --> 00:19:57,667
that she never agreed to
and that you were never acting upon.

498
00:19:57,734 --> 00:20:01,800
So for instance, you know, Judge Levy
had a good example back in deliberation.

499
00:20:01,867 --> 00:20:03,600
Let's say you had to put on a new roof

500
00:20:03,667 --> 00:20:06,633
and her rent went from $850

501
00:20:06,700 --> 00:20:09,734
to $10,000 a month

502
00:20:09,800 --> 00:20:11,066
and she says, "I'm not gonna pay that."

503
00:20:11,133 --> 00:20:14,333
Do you think it would be fair
to charge her a "breaking the lease" fee

504
00:20:14,400 --> 00:20:17,734
because she didn't wanna pay
10 times more in rent?

505
00:20:17,800 --> 00:20:21,433
- What my...
- Uh, you mean to say no,

506
00:20:21,500 --> 00:20:23,934
because that's the only
common sense answer.

507
00:20:24,000 --> 00:20:26,533
So we have to dismiss your claim.

508
00:20:26,600 --> 00:20:30,133
But I'm gonna reiterate
what my colleagues have said.

509
00:20:30,200 --> 00:20:33,967
This is a very sad case
because two people who shared a womb

510
00:20:34,033 --> 00:20:35,867
are now counting grapes

511
00:20:35,934 --> 00:20:39,500
and locking up cabinets
and saying nasty things.

512
00:20:39,567 --> 00:20:43,467
So I'm gonna say that I am sure
the two of you are better than that,

513
00:20:43,533 --> 00:20:46,200
your relationship
must be deeper than that.

514
00:20:46,266 --> 00:20:48,734
And if you're mad,
take it out on us, go make up,

515
00:20:48,800 --> 00:20:50,667
and then talk about
how we got it all wrong,

516
00:20:50,734 --> 00:20:52,133
so there's something you can bond over.

517
00:20:52,200 --> 00:20:53,500
- Good luck to you.
- [gavel bangs]

518
00:20:53,567 --> 00:20:55,333
[Byrd] This case is now concluded.

519
00:20:55,400 --> 00:20:57,467
Parties are excused. You may step out.

520
00:20:57,533 --> 00:21:00,934
[theme music plays]

521
00:21:02,734 --> 00:21:03,834
I'm in total shock.

522
00:21:03,900 --> 00:21:06,967
Family shouldn't treat family like this.

523
00:21:07,033 --> 00:21:11,033
There are other instances
where she's used other people.

524
00:21:11,100 --> 00:21:13,400
It's over, and I just wanna go on
with my life

525
00:21:13,467 --> 00:21:16,567
and just leave it as it is.

526
00:21:16,633 --> 00:21:19,867
Well, I have plans without her.

527
00:21:19,934 --> 00:21:22,400
The whole thing, you know, hurts.

528
00:21:22,467 --> 00:21:25,667
I wish you could pick my family.

529
00:21:25,734 --> 00:21:27,200
[announcer] Got family drama?

530
00:21:27,266 --> 00:21:30,367
Let Tribunal Justice decide your case.

531
00:21:30,433 --> 00:21:35,033
Find us on social media
at Tribunal Justice.

532
00:21:35,100 --> 00:21:38,200
["Ride of the Valkyries" plays]