1
00:00:00,033 --> 00:00:04,433
You met on a dating site
called "Sugar Daddy."

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00:00:04,500 --> 00:00:06,000
You're giving her money.

3
00:00:06,066 --> 00:00:08,633
Up to $20,000 in four months?

4
00:00:08,700 --> 00:00:11,367
You're here because
you didn't pay him back 600 bucks.

5
00:00:11,433 --> 00:00:16,332
Dude, you can really do better
than trying to buy a woman's affections.

6
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I'm just expecting to, uh,
get my money back.

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-Do you think this woman loves anybody?
-[James] No, Your Honor.

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00:00:23,900 --> 00:00:26,300
You gonna like,
try to buy her dinner tonight?

9
00:00:26,367 --> 00:00:28,000
Yeah. [chuckles]

10
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He's like, yes.

11
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Was that a "yes"?

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Ooph, all right.

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[narrator]
Now, on Tribunal Justice...

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[theme music playing]

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[narrator] Today's case
was filed in Pensacola, Florida.

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Your Honor, this is Case #3091,
Pritchard versus Ashcraft.

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All parties have been sworn in.

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

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You may be seated.

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Mr. Pritchard and Ms. Ashcraft,

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you met on a dating site
called "Sugar Daddy."

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[James chuckles]

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You, sir, after spending, oh, you say
between $10,000 and $20,000

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on her in a period of four months,

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you actually loaned her $600
to pay her rent.

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And you say she promised to repay you.
She hasn't.

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You spent so much money on her,
so really,

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this was you giving her money
and her promising to repay,

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and that's what was different about this.

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Ma'am, what you say is
that you don't owe him anything

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because this $600 was no different
than the $10,000 or $20,000

32
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that he spent on you
to support your "Sugar Baby" lifestyle,

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that he's just doing this
to see you again. You owe nothing.

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So, let's go through your situation.

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You guys meet on this Sugar Daddy website
in June of 2024, sir?

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Yes, Your Honor.

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[DiMango] And what do you do?
You start texting each other?

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Yes, Your Honor.

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[DiMango]
Do you talk, as well, on the phone?

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Sometimes, over the phone,

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uh, before she finally became comfortable

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with us moving forward

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00:02:17,233 --> 00:02:20,400
with going out on dates, um, events...

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You go to dinner, you pay. She goes...

45
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You go once in a while.
She pays, she'll buy you a gift.

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Right? Did that ever happen with you?

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It was always me paying for everything,

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and always me giving 100%.

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00:02:33,166 --> 00:02:36,266
-Well, you were a Sugar Daddy.
-[James] Yes, Your Honor.

50
00:02:36,333 --> 00:02:39,867
So, during this time now, you finally
meet in person when? September?

51
00:02:39,934 --> 00:02:42,166
-No, in June, Your Honor. Yeah.
-In June. You meet in June.

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Does it carry through
into a romantic relationship?

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It was on and off.

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[DiMango]
What do you mean "on and off"?

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[James] What would happen was
we would make plans.

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And we would come up with a time
that I would come pick her up

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for us to go out.
And almost to her place,

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and she's still not awake
'cause she's been...

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How many times would this happen?

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Between June and, uh, September,

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I'd say somewhere around
eight to ten times.

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[DiMango] How many times
did you need it to happen to you?

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Being stood up?

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00:03:16,033 --> 00:03:17,633
It was a vicious circle. We would...

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[DiMango] No, it wasn't vicious.
It was what you were doing to yourself.

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Let me move on
before I get too agitated.

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So now, apparently,
you tried this romantic relationship.

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So, let me move over to you.

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How do you define
a romantic relationship?

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Going on dates and spending time together.

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00:03:31,867 --> 00:03:34,466
Really? And do you share anything
in these dates?

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Gifts, or dinners, or money?

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No, because that's not
what you're in this for. Correct?

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[Isabella] I did.

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[DiMango]
What did you give him?

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He actually said, "Hey,
we're past Christmas, it's January.

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00:03:45,966 --> 00:03:47,633
Where's my Christmas gift?"

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00:03:47,700 --> 00:03:50,533
You didn't even give him
a Christmas present.

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00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:52,600
So now, we're in November.

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00:03:52,667 --> 00:03:54,834
You're putting her up
in an apartment, right?

81
00:03:54,900 --> 00:03:56,466
-You're paying for an apartment for her.
-Yes, Your Honor.

82
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But he's not allowed
to come in the apartment.

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Would I be correct about that?

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00:04:00,133 --> 00:04:01,200
-He...
-[DiMango] Yes, I am.

85
00:04:01,266 --> 00:04:03,367
What are you taking time
to think about?

86
00:04:03,433 --> 00:04:05,100
I could just pull up your text messages

87
00:04:05,166 --> 00:04:08,333
where you say to your cousin
who lives with you, don't let him in.

88
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He's paying for your apartment.

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He's not allowed in.
He doesn't have a key.

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00:04:12,700 --> 00:04:15,333
-Who's paying for her car?
-I bought the car.

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00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:17,800
[DiMango] You bought the car.
What kind of car did you buy her?

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00:04:17,867 --> 00:04:18,867
Uh, it was a Audi.

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00:04:18,934 --> 00:04:20,433
[DiMango]
You buy her an Audi.

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00:04:20,500 --> 00:04:24,233
I mean, there's gotta be
some kind of level of criminal stupidity

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00:04:24,300 --> 00:04:29,166
that you live in because
it's beyond what somebody would do.

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00:04:29,233 --> 00:04:31,734
By the way,
what's your educational background?

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00:04:31,800 --> 00:04:34,467
Uh, so, I graduated high school.

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00:04:34,533 --> 00:04:38,033
I worked after high school.
I worked, uh, logging.

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00:04:38,100 --> 00:04:40,900
I ran a cutter. And then in 1999...

100
00:04:40,967 --> 00:04:42,467
Didn't you go into the service?

101
00:04:42,533 --> 00:04:45,700
I joined the Marine Corps.
Eight years military policeman.

102
00:04:45,767 --> 00:04:47,967
Uh, 14 years army infantry.

103
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So, you like being told what to do
and beaten up.

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Because she tells you she can't stand you,
she doesn't want to be with you.

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You can't come into the apartment.
Please give me money.

106
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She says to you, my mother needs $450

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because I pay my mother rent.

108
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This is where you
don't give her the money, right?

109
00:05:04,066 --> 00:05:09,800
On that day, February fourth,
which is the day after I sent her money.

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00:05:09,867 --> 00:05:15,000
Um, I deal with severe depression
and anxiety

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00:05:15,066 --> 00:05:19,467
that I'm being seen through the VA.
I'm 100% VA disabled.

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[DiMango] Yeah, yeah.
And you're letting this...

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You're letting her take advantage of you.

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Instead of helping yourself get better.

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Instead of using your money to do things

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to make you happy,
to do things for you.

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You're giving it to this...

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You're just giving her money!
Up to $20,000 in four months.

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I'm depressed just reading the case.

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[dramatic music playing]

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[narrator]
Coming up on Tribunal Justice...

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Not that he came to see you,
but I think you came to show him you,

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00:05:49,200 --> 00:05:52,100
and that he will continue
to give you money.

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-No.
-[DiMango] Yeah. You know what?

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00:05:54,066 --> 00:05:56,133
-This is you, right?
-[Isabella] Yes, it is.

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And what are you doing here?

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[theme music playing]

128
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[narrator] James Pritchard
is suing ex-sugar baby Isabella Ashcraft

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00:06:06,200 --> 00:06:08,800
for a $600 loan she used to pay rent.

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00:06:08,867 --> 00:06:11,400
He says he's tired
of Isabella's deceitful behavior

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00:06:11,467 --> 00:06:13,200
and now wants to teach her a lesson.

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00:06:13,266 --> 00:06:15,867
Isabella says James showered her
with gifts and a car,

133
00:06:15,934 --> 00:06:18,934
but his constant harassment
ended their relationship,

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and he's only suing to see her again.

135
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Here, this is her.
"I don't know what I'm going to do.

136
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Mom said she needs the rent money today.

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I literally only have $100."

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You, trying to take a position,

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00:06:30,200 --> 00:06:32,066
"I'm sorry you're going through this."

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"Just wish I could get some help."

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00:06:33,900 --> 00:06:37,066
She plays you like a fiddle.
That's how she plays you.

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00:06:37,133 --> 00:06:39,667
And you go, "Well, Izzie,
you've made it clear

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00:06:39,734 --> 00:06:43,367
that I'm not worth your time or effort."
This is what she's done.

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00:06:43,433 --> 00:06:46,734
I mean, how much could a person
be depressed and feel low,

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00:06:46,800 --> 00:06:50,500
then another person who's just a user
and a taker and a loser

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00:06:50,567 --> 00:06:54,767
says to you, you're not good enough
for me to even steal your money from you.

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00:06:54,834 --> 00:06:57,266
You want to see her,
that's all about you want to see her.

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00:06:57,332 --> 00:06:58,600
You want to talk to her.

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00:06:58,667 --> 00:07:01,200
Oh, heh, I love this.

150
00:07:01,266 --> 00:07:05,567
You say to him,
"I have no money for a... Uber.

151
00:07:05,633 --> 00:07:09,166
I can't fix my... car
because you're," meaning him,

152
00:07:09,233 --> 00:07:12,333
"you're so... worried
about your dumb ass money."

153
00:07:12,400 --> 00:07:16,166
You say, "I'm in Orlando.
I had to take a vacation.

154
00:07:16,233 --> 00:07:17,967
I'll talk to you when I get back."

155
00:07:18,033 --> 00:07:19,900
And you know what you say?

156
00:07:19,967 --> 00:07:21,800
"Had to take a vacation, huh?

157
00:07:21,867 --> 00:07:24,633
When you're worried
about the money I owe you?"

158
00:07:24,700 --> 00:07:26,332
-Yes.
-[DiMango] You thought it was unfair

159
00:07:26,400 --> 00:07:27,734
-that he took a vacation?
-No.

160
00:07:27,800 --> 00:07:29,300
Yes, you did.
Well, what does that mean?

161
00:07:29,367 --> 00:07:31,934
Just felt like he just wanted
to see me here.

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00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:34,266
That's... it's $600.

163
00:07:34,332 --> 00:07:37,200
When he could've tried
for anything else, he tried for $600.

164
00:07:37,266 --> 00:07:41,233
I think you came here,
not that he came to see you,

165
00:07:41,300 --> 00:07:42,633
well, I think he did too,

166
00:07:42,700 --> 00:07:46,300
but I think you came
to show him you.

167
00:07:46,367 --> 00:07:49,400
And that he will continue
to give you money.

168
00:07:49,467 --> 00:07:51,166
-No.
-[DiMango] Yeah. You know what?

169
00:07:51,233 --> 00:07:53,367
-This is you, right?
-[Isabella] Yes, it is.

170
00:07:53,433 --> 00:07:56,300
And what are you doing here?
Putting yourself out there.

171
00:07:56,367 --> 00:07:58,500
"Someone who can take care of me
if needed.

172
00:07:58,567 --> 00:08:00,200
Someone who can maintain my car."

173
00:08:00,266 --> 00:08:01,667
Who are you talking to there?

174
00:08:01,734 --> 00:08:05,500
I actually had somebody ask me
what I was looking for in a man.

175
00:08:05,567 --> 00:08:07,166
[DiMango]
Just money.

176
00:08:07,233 --> 00:08:10,066
There's something on page 19
in one of the messages

177
00:08:10,133 --> 00:08:11,633
that kinda sums things up.

178
00:08:11,700 --> 00:08:15,000
You saying to her,
"You always come back for more money.

179
00:08:15,066 --> 00:08:16,934
Did you ever love me?"

180
00:08:17,000 --> 00:08:18,900
Now, I'm gonna just ask you that question.

181
00:08:18,967 --> 00:08:22,100
Do you think this woman loves anybody?

182
00:08:22,166 --> 00:08:23,467
No, Your Honor.

183
00:08:23,533 --> 00:08:25,967
And you know what you say?
"I just wanna move forward in life."

184
00:08:26,033 --> 00:08:27,233
And then, he says to you,

185
00:08:27,300 --> 00:08:31,033
"That's what I thought.
It was just about money for you."

186
00:08:31,100 --> 00:08:33,834
And you know what I wrote
at the end of those text messages?

187
00:08:33,900 --> 00:08:35,667
"Hallelujah."

188
00:08:35,734 --> 00:08:38,667
When you see this again,
you gotta run away.

189
00:08:38,734 --> 00:08:41,066
That's not a relationship.
Judge Levy.

190
00:08:42,400 --> 00:08:45,266
Ooph, all right. Well...

191
00:08:45,333 --> 00:08:47,767
It's funny how
we can see things differently.

192
00:08:47,834 --> 00:08:49,834
Listen, no one put a gun to your head.

193
00:08:49,900 --> 00:08:53,033
You're an adult.
You were looking for someone

194
00:08:53,100 --> 00:08:56,834
that was putting themselves out there
on a website,

195
00:08:56,900 --> 00:08:59,133
that you know
was looking for a relationship

196
00:08:59,200 --> 00:09:02,567
where you would provide things
and they would accept those things.

197
00:09:02,633 --> 00:09:04,166
-Right?
-Yes, Your Honor.

198
00:09:04,233 --> 00:09:06,166
But then, there came a time

199
00:09:06,233 --> 00:09:09,800
when you were hoping to develop
into something more exclusive.

200
00:09:09,867 --> 00:09:11,500
More real.

201
00:09:11,567 --> 00:09:13,333
Yes, Your Honor. And that was...

202
00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:16,567
-It started about the first of September.
-[Levy] September.

203
00:09:16,633 --> 00:09:20,700
Uh, when we basically
became more of a couple.

204
00:09:20,767 --> 00:09:23,100
I get... Well, in your mind's eye,

205
00:09:23,166 --> 00:09:25,000
-you became more of a couple.
-Yeah.

206
00:09:25,066 --> 00:09:27,433
-That's what you were led to believe.
-Yes, Your Honor.

207
00:09:27,500 --> 00:09:32,533
So, when you set up the Defendant
into this townhouse,

208
00:09:32,600 --> 00:09:34,834
at a time when you think
something's developing,

209
00:09:34,900 --> 00:09:37,367
and she won't allow you
to have a key to the place,

210
00:09:37,433 --> 00:09:39,567
you know, you're kind of
"bells are going off."

211
00:09:39,633 --> 00:09:41,000
But you were still hopeful.

212
00:09:41,066 --> 00:09:42,300
Yes, Your Honor, I was.

213
00:09:42,367 --> 00:09:45,433
I know, from the messages.
Now, Ms. Ashcraft,

214
00:09:45,500 --> 00:09:47,100
-how old are you?
-I'm 20.

215
00:09:47,165 --> 00:09:48,967
[Levy]
Yeah, you're a baby.

216
00:09:49,033 --> 00:09:51,066
But you're starting off
on the wrong foot.

217
00:09:51,133 --> 00:09:54,900
You said to Judge DiMango
that you're only here

218
00:09:54,967 --> 00:09:56,633
because he wants to see you again.

219
00:09:56,700 --> 00:09:59,000
Yes. I feel as if that's what it is.

220
00:09:59,066 --> 00:10:01,367
Let me drop somethin' on ya.

221
00:10:01,433 --> 00:10:05,667
The reason that you're here is
because you didn't pay him back 600 bucks.

222
00:10:05,734 --> 00:10:07,500
You knew you were gonna come in here,

223
00:10:07,567 --> 00:10:10,133
and the chance of you getting
a tongue-lashing from someone

224
00:10:10,200 --> 00:10:11,934
-were pretty good.
-[Isabella] Yeah.

225
00:10:12,000 --> 00:10:13,834
[Levy]
You think that was a good choice?

226
00:10:13,900 --> 00:10:15,667
-No.
-[Levy] No.

227
00:10:15,734 --> 00:10:18,767
What you say online,
the photographs you put online,

228
00:10:18,834 --> 00:10:21,467
-all that stuff is forever.
-[Isabella] Yeah.

229
00:10:21,533 --> 00:10:24,533
[Levy] But you're 20,
and you're not looking forever.

230
00:10:24,600 --> 00:10:26,800
You're not looking
how it's gonna affect you.

231
00:10:26,867 --> 00:10:29,567
You were just lucky
that the person that you had here

232
00:10:29,633 --> 00:10:33,767
that you were dealing with was,
you know, was an honorable man.

233
00:10:33,834 --> 00:10:36,500
Honorably discharged after 22 years?

234
00:10:36,567 --> 00:10:38,033
-Yes, Your Honor.
-[Levy] Yeah.

235
00:10:38,100 --> 00:10:40,467
There are some people out there
on these websites,

236
00:10:40,533 --> 00:10:43,000
while maybe you haven't
come across them,

237
00:10:43,066 --> 00:10:47,266
they don't do nice things to women
that they find on these websites.

238
00:10:47,333 --> 00:10:48,700
Yeah, I know.

239
00:10:48,767 --> 00:10:50,367
[Levy]
What do you like to do?

240
00:10:50,433 --> 00:10:53,900
What do you think you're good at?
Where do you see yourself in ten years?

241
00:10:53,967 --> 00:10:55,200
[dramatic music playing]

242
00:10:55,266 --> 00:10:57,467
[narrator]
Coming up on Tribunal Justice...

243
00:10:57,533 --> 00:11:00,100
Sir, when was the last time
you sent her money?

244
00:11:00,166 --> 00:11:02,500
February 3rd.
That was the $600.

245
00:11:02,567 --> 00:11:05,266
-[Acker] That was the $600 transaction.
-Yes. Yes, Your Honor.

246
00:11:05,333 --> 00:11:07,000
When was the last time
he sent you money?

247
00:11:07,066 --> 00:11:09,133
-This morning.
-[Acker] This morning?

248
00:11:12,100 --> 00:11:13,667
[theme music playing]

249
00:11:13,734 --> 00:11:16,300
[narrator] James Pritchard
wants Isabella Ashcraft

250
00:11:16,367 --> 00:11:18,867
to pay back $600 he loaned her for rent.

251
00:11:18,934 --> 00:11:21,000
He says, after spending thousands on her,

252
00:11:21,066 --> 00:11:22,400
she took advantage of him.

253
00:11:22,467 --> 00:11:25,100
But Isabella says,
James agreed to be her Sugar Daddy.

254
00:11:25,166 --> 00:11:28,834
Then, his harassing behavior was too much,
so she moved on.

255
00:11:28,900 --> 00:11:32,300
And James is only suing
because he wants to see her again.

256
00:11:32,367 --> 00:11:35,133
What do you like to do?
What do you think you're good at?

257
00:11:35,200 --> 00:11:37,500
Where do you see yourself
in ten years?

258
00:11:37,567 --> 00:11:39,133
I want to...

259
00:11:40,834 --> 00:11:43,033
I want to have some kind of office job.

260
00:11:43,100 --> 00:11:45,100
[Levy]
You want to have an office job. Okay.

261
00:11:45,165 --> 00:11:48,600
What could you do now
that could make that more likely for you?

262
00:11:48,667 --> 00:11:51,100
-You gotta think about those things.
-I know.

263
00:11:51,165 --> 00:11:54,700
Because if not,
you're gonna look in a mirror in 30 years

264
00:11:54,767 --> 00:11:57,200
and you are not gonna be happy
with what you see.

265
00:11:57,266 --> 00:12:00,633
I'm only giving you
this sort of lecture right now

266
00:12:00,700 --> 00:12:03,633
because to me,
there's not much of a case here.

267
00:12:03,700 --> 00:12:05,867
Because as Judge DiMango indicated,

268
00:12:05,934 --> 00:12:10,200
you spent upwards of $20,000
on cars and rent, and all that stuff.

269
00:12:10,266 --> 00:12:13,400
My bad. You know it.
That was all on you.

270
00:12:13,467 --> 00:12:17,433
No expectation of getting paid.
But on February 2nd,

271
00:12:17,500 --> 00:12:20,400
ma'am, you made it very clear.
This is your text;

272
00:12:20,467 --> 00:12:23,433
"Can I please borrow $600 from you

273
00:12:23,500 --> 00:12:26,500
and I pay you back as soon as I get paid.

274
00:12:26,567 --> 00:12:28,000
I promise to pay you back."

275
00:12:28,066 --> 00:12:30,200
-That was your text.
-Yes.

276
00:12:30,266 --> 00:12:32,233
[Levy]
And that's what changes everything.

277
00:12:32,300 --> 00:12:36,165
And you could've avoided all of this
by just paying him $600.

278
00:12:36,233 --> 00:12:37,667
So, why didn't you?

279
00:12:37,734 --> 00:12:41,100
When I got paid,
I had to pay my, um, power bill.

280
00:12:41,165 --> 00:12:44,100
It was off.
I didn't have any money left over.

281
00:12:44,165 --> 00:12:46,200
[Levy]
And Mom couldn't help out?

282
00:12:46,266 --> 00:12:48,066
-[Isabella] No.
-[Levy] Sell the car?

283
00:12:48,133 --> 00:12:50,667
I'd have no way to work.

284
00:12:50,734 --> 00:12:56,000
I get it. But this website and others
that you may or may not be involved in,

285
00:12:56,066 --> 00:12:58,800
is no place that you're gonna want to be
30 years from now.

286
00:12:58,867 --> 00:13:00,900
-No, it's not.
-[Levy] Get on a right path.

287
00:13:00,967 --> 00:13:02,467
Thank you. Judge Acker.

288
00:13:02,533 --> 00:13:03,734
Are you in school?

289
00:13:03,800 --> 00:13:06,033
I'm not. I work full time at a restaurant.

290
00:13:06,100 --> 00:13:08,367
[Acker] You know,
you have to do something else.

291
00:13:08,433 --> 00:13:10,333
There are people who go to night school.

292
00:13:10,400 --> 00:13:12,633
-Yeah.
-They have online schools.

293
00:13:12,700 --> 00:13:15,333
You know. So, just make better choices
going forward.

294
00:13:15,400 --> 00:13:18,300
You're just too young. You don't
need to be stuck in this kind of rut.

295
00:13:18,367 --> 00:13:19,567
No, I don't.

296
00:13:19,633 --> 00:13:21,967
I had a really similar reaction
to Judge Levy.

297
00:13:22,033 --> 00:13:25,734
Because it doesn't strike me
that you really have a defense here.

298
00:13:25,800 --> 00:13:27,800
I mean, in your answer,
you said some things

299
00:13:27,867 --> 00:13:30,734
about him becoming threatening
and the like,

300
00:13:30,800 --> 00:13:33,667
but I didn't really see that
in the text messages.

301
00:13:33,734 --> 00:13:36,200
Were there any incidents
that took place?

302
00:13:36,266 --> 00:13:39,467
That caused you to feel negatively
toward him?

303
00:13:39,533 --> 00:13:44,066
I looked out my roommate's window
one night at 12:00,

304
00:13:44,133 --> 00:13:47,900
just randomly, I see him
walking away from the door.

305
00:13:49,200 --> 00:13:50,900
Like back to his truck.

306
00:13:50,967 --> 00:13:52,233
[Acker]
He was checking on you.

307
00:13:52,300 --> 00:13:54,934
No, he told me he was sleeping at 8:00.

308
00:13:55,000 --> 00:13:58,500
Four hours later,
he was trying to come into the house.

309
00:13:58,567 --> 00:14:00,200
With just me there.

310
00:14:02,533 --> 00:14:05,467
[Acker] Sir, when was
the last time you sent her money?

311
00:14:05,533 --> 00:14:07,767
Uh, that would be February 3rd.

312
00:14:07,834 --> 00:14:09,934
After the $600 transaction?

313
00:14:10,000 --> 00:14:11,400
No, that was the $600.

314
00:14:11,467 --> 00:14:13,834
-[Acker] That was the $600 transaction.
-Yes. Yes, Your Honor.

315
00:14:13,900 --> 00:14:16,200
When was the last time
he sent you money?

316
00:14:16,266 --> 00:14:17,567
This morning.

317
00:14:17,633 --> 00:14:19,000
[Acker]
This morning?

318
00:14:19,066 --> 00:14:20,967
-Can I show you the text?
-[Acker] Sure.

319
00:14:21,033 --> 00:14:22,233
Please tell me no.

320
00:14:23,600 --> 00:14:25,667
It's just that top page.

321
00:14:25,734 --> 00:14:27,934
From the Plaintiff,

322
00:14:28,000 --> 00:14:30,100
"Put all this stuff going on aside.

323
00:14:30,166 --> 00:14:33,734
Have you eaten since getting here?
I know it's expensive."

324
00:14:33,800 --> 00:14:36,000
-You sent her that this morning?
-Yes, Your Honor.

325
00:14:36,066 --> 00:14:37,367
Before you showed up in court?

326
00:14:37,433 --> 00:14:40,266
-Yes, Your Honor.
-[Acker] And her response was, "Barely."

327
00:14:40,333 --> 00:14:43,667
And then, you said to her again,
"Go get breakfast

328
00:14:43,734 --> 00:14:45,500
and tell me how much to send you."

329
00:14:45,567 --> 00:14:48,266
And you said, "Okay."
So you sent her money for breakfast?

330
00:14:48,333 --> 00:14:49,900
Yes, Your Honor.

331
00:14:49,967 --> 00:14:54,467
Dude, you can really do better
than trying to buy a woman's affections.

332
00:14:54,533 --> 00:14:55,900
You really can.

333
00:14:55,967 --> 00:14:58,333
You have to make better choices too.

334
00:14:58,400 --> 00:14:59,567
Yes, Your Honor.

335
00:14:59,633 --> 00:15:02,467
Are you gonna like,
try to buy her dinner tonight?

336
00:15:02,533 --> 00:15:05,000
-He's like, yes. Okay.
-Yeah.

337
00:15:05,066 --> 00:15:07,133
-Was that a yes?
-[James] Yes, Your Honor.

338
00:15:07,200 --> 00:15:09,834
Oh, my God.
We're not done with therapy yet.

339
00:15:09,900 --> 00:15:11,300
-We're not done with...
-[laughter]

340
00:15:11,367 --> 00:15:13,433
[DiMango] The rest of this here.
She tells you...

341
00:15:13,500 --> 00:15:16,367
You say, "Get breakfast,
tell me how much to send you." "Okay."

342
00:15:16,433 --> 00:15:19,900
"Get some extra to take to the room
for lunch." "Okay."

343
00:15:19,967 --> 00:15:23,533
"I spent over a hundred last night
at a steak house.

344
00:15:23,600 --> 00:15:25,734
Great steak, but not for that price."

345
00:15:25,800 --> 00:15:27,467
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."

346
00:15:27,533 --> 00:15:30,500
"No strings attached.
I will take you later."

347
00:15:30,567 --> 00:15:33,333
"You should at least be able
to enjoy your first trip."

348
00:15:33,400 --> 00:15:35,433
You know, what bothers me is

349
00:15:35,500 --> 00:15:39,266
that I really, really, really thought
that there was hope for you.

350
00:15:39,333 --> 00:15:40,333
Yes, Your Honor.

351
00:15:40,400 --> 00:15:42,967
[DiMango]
But you know what, there isn't.

352
00:15:43,033 --> 00:15:44,900
What are you expecting to happen here now?

353
00:15:44,967 --> 00:15:49,667
I'm just expecting to get my money back
and move forward.

354
00:15:49,734 --> 00:15:52,467
[DiMango] Move forward?
But you're gonna take her to dinner.

355
00:15:52,533 --> 00:15:54,867
Where are you moving forward to?
She's not your friend.

356
00:15:54,934 --> 00:15:57,433
You think this woman's your friend?
Look at the expression on her.

357
00:15:57,500 --> 00:16:01,000
She's got a smirk on her face.
This woman is not your friend.

358
00:16:01,066 --> 00:16:03,433
-I understand. Yes, Your Honor.
-No, you don't. No, you don't.

359
00:16:03,500 --> 00:16:04,633
I've gotta get off the bench.

360
00:16:04,700 --> 00:16:07,567
If my colleagues have questions,
I'll stay. I don't wanna be here with you.

361
00:16:07,633 --> 00:16:10,266
Just hold on. Don't get up so fast.
Wait a second. Give me a minute.

362
00:16:10,333 --> 00:16:12,533
I'm giving you the time,
I just don't want to be here.

363
00:16:12,600 --> 00:16:16,700
You know, Ms. Ashcraft,
you seemed pretty happy

364
00:16:16,767 --> 00:16:21,367
when Judge Acker asked you
when the last time he gave you money was

365
00:16:21,433 --> 00:16:24,166
that you were just real happy
to say this morning.

366
00:16:24,233 --> 00:16:27,633
But that was right after
you almost got into tears

367
00:16:27,700 --> 00:16:33,165
because of an incident in which you
described yourself as feeling unsafe

368
00:16:33,233 --> 00:16:36,500
-and threatened. You know where I'm going.
-That part.

369
00:16:36,567 --> 00:16:41,433
I prosecuted domestic violence cases.
Cases in which women

370
00:16:41,500 --> 00:16:46,767
were murdered viciously, violently
because they made bad choices

371
00:16:46,834 --> 00:16:51,133
and put themselves in positions
that they knew were unsafe.

372
00:16:51,200 --> 00:16:54,633
I'd never give someone
a right to put their hands on you.

373
00:16:54,700 --> 00:16:58,967
But you just told Judge Acker
that there was something about him

374
00:16:59,033 --> 00:17:02,800
and the way he felt about you
that made you feel unsafe.

375
00:17:02,867 --> 00:17:03,867
-Right?
-Right.

376
00:17:03,934 --> 00:17:06,099
-[Levy] You're not gonna smile right now.
-Right.

377
00:17:06,165 --> 00:17:09,200
-[Levy] You just answer my questions.
-Yes, Your Honor.

378
00:17:09,266 --> 00:17:12,767
And in your answer,
you wrote about stuff where you said

379
00:17:12,834 --> 00:17:15,767
that he was gettin' kinda aggressive

380
00:17:15,834 --> 00:17:20,633
'cause he felt hurt, betrayed,
taken advantage of. Right?

381
00:17:20,700 --> 00:17:22,967
-Right.
-[Levy] And he left you some messages,

382
00:17:23,032 --> 00:17:26,367
some voice mail messages
that really got you worried in October.

383
00:17:26,433 --> 00:17:29,166
-And you were scared, right?
-Right.

384
00:17:29,233 --> 00:17:32,400
Mind you, I'm not saying
that you were an ax-murderer.

385
00:17:32,467 --> 00:17:34,800
-Yes, Your Honor.
-[Levy] That's not the point of this.

386
00:17:34,867 --> 00:17:39,033
The point of it is, your gut
was telling you that you were unsafe,

387
00:17:39,100 --> 00:17:41,800
and that you had to get someplace safe.

388
00:17:41,867 --> 00:17:44,200
-Right.
-[Levy] And for a $20 breakfast,

389
00:17:44,266 --> 00:17:47,500
you're prepared to put yourself
right back in that same situation.

390
00:17:47,567 --> 00:17:49,467
-Stop.
-I'm not.

391
00:17:49,533 --> 00:17:52,734
-[Levy] Stop. Yeah.
-I'm not putting myself in that position.

392
00:17:52,800 --> 00:17:55,867
-I hope not, Ms. Ashcraft.
-I'm not.

393
00:17:55,934 --> 00:17:58,900
If you've seen photographs of crime scenes
like I've seen

394
00:17:58,967 --> 00:18:01,300
with women just your age...

395
00:18:02,934 --> 00:18:05,166
Mm-mm, it would keep you up at night.

396
00:18:05,233 --> 00:18:07,600
-You gotta do better.
-I am.

397
00:18:07,667 --> 00:18:09,133
[Levy] All right.

398
00:18:09,200 --> 00:18:12,233
We're gonna retire to deliberate.
Thank you both.

399
00:18:12,300 --> 00:18:15,500
Court is now in recess.
Parties will be recalled.

400
00:18:15,567 --> 00:18:17,233
[dramatic music playing]

401
00:18:22,000 --> 00:18:23,533
Some people are hopeless.

402
00:18:23,600 --> 00:18:26,567
I could be one of them
because I keep trying to convince people

403
00:18:26,633 --> 00:18:29,934
that what they're doing
is people are taking advantage of them.

404
00:18:30,000 --> 00:18:34,734
Listen, no matter what she did before,
this was clearly, can I borrow $600?

405
00:18:34,800 --> 00:18:37,800
I promise to pay you back.
You know, like I always say,

406
00:18:37,867 --> 00:18:39,633
when Wimpy said to Popeye,

407
00:18:39,700 --> 00:18:42,266
I'll gladly pay you Tuesday
for a hamburger today.

408
00:18:42,333 --> 00:18:45,533
I mean, this is what it is.
She owes him the $600.

409
00:18:45,600 --> 00:18:49,767
And he really should take it
and go directly to intensive counseling.

410
00:18:49,834 --> 00:18:52,700
They're both very troubled people
to live this kind of life

411
00:18:52,767 --> 00:18:55,200
where one just takes and takes
and the other just gives

412
00:18:55,266 --> 00:18:57,467
without any regard for his own self.

413
00:18:57,533 --> 00:19:00,133
And he keeps telling her in the texts
if you recall,

414
00:19:00,200 --> 00:19:02,600
I'm gonna help you find Jesus,
I'll help you find God,

415
00:19:02,667 --> 00:19:06,233
I'll help you find this. And all she did
was find her way back to him, so.

416
00:19:06,300 --> 00:19:08,066
And him back to her.

417
00:19:08,133 --> 00:19:10,266
Yeah. I mean,
he wanted to be here to see her,

418
00:19:10,333 --> 00:19:13,133
and she wanted to be here
to get lunch and dinner.

419
00:19:13,200 --> 00:19:16,100
Yeah. Listen, I agree.
I said everything I had to outside.

420
00:19:16,166 --> 00:19:19,000
I hope that she changes
because that road ahead for her

421
00:19:19,066 --> 00:19:21,667
does not look pretty.
Again, she was lucky with him.

422
00:19:21,734 --> 00:19:23,400
And I just hope that she realizes that

423
00:19:23,467 --> 00:19:25,467
and finds something else
to do with her time.

424
00:19:25,533 --> 00:19:28,233
I think that there's a real sadness
to both of them.

425
00:19:28,300 --> 00:19:31,900
I think that she sees her options
as more limited than they may be.

426
00:19:31,967 --> 00:19:35,266
You know, she's young enough
to have a new path.

427
00:19:35,333 --> 00:19:38,900
And I feel bad that he doesn't feel
that he can do better than this

428
00:19:38,967 --> 00:19:42,500
and that he had to keep getting wound up
in this situation.

429
00:19:42,567 --> 00:19:44,767
There's something very sad
about the whole case,

430
00:19:44,834 --> 00:19:47,200
but the legal issues couldn't be clearer.

431
00:19:47,266 --> 00:19:49,133
I know. All right, so, we're unanimous.

432
00:19:49,200 --> 00:19:51,000
He's gonna get the $600 back.

433
00:19:51,066 --> 00:19:52,633
[dramatic music playing]

434
00:19:55,600 --> 00:19:56,867
Court is back in session.

435
00:19:56,934 --> 00:19:59,166
Both parties are reminded
that you're still under oath.

436
00:19:59,233 --> 00:20:00,967
-[DiMango] Thank you.
-[Britt] You're welcome.

437
00:20:01,033 --> 00:20:02,967
[DiMango]
Well, we've reached a unanimous decision.

438
00:20:03,033 --> 00:20:08,000
There was a promise to repay a debt.
It was a loan. You said it was.

439
00:20:08,066 --> 00:20:12,900
You promised to repay repeatedly.
And she owes you the $600.

440
00:20:12,967 --> 00:20:16,567
Where the three of us
really were somewhat different was

441
00:20:16,633 --> 00:20:19,600
on our views of both of you.

442
00:20:19,667 --> 00:20:22,734
But I think we all came down
to one point,

443
00:20:22,800 --> 00:20:25,834
which is that both of you are troubled.

444
00:20:25,900 --> 00:20:29,133
Both of you need some sort of help.

445
00:20:29,200 --> 00:20:31,934
Both of you keep
shaking your head yes to everything

446
00:20:32,000 --> 00:20:34,934
because you're both pathological
on some level.

447
00:20:35,000 --> 00:20:36,834
That's my view; they didn't say that.

448
00:20:36,900 --> 00:20:40,667
And it's very sad. I mean,
it's very sad that you're gonna get $600,

449
00:20:40,734 --> 00:20:44,133
and you're gonna walk out this door,
and you're gonna buy her dinner

450
00:20:44,200 --> 00:20:45,533
and take her shopping.

451
00:20:45,600 --> 00:20:48,600
The rest of that text was
I'd love to take you shopping.

452
00:20:48,667 --> 00:20:53,500
The part that angers me in all of this is
how you could think so little of yourself

453
00:20:53,567 --> 00:20:58,533
that you would go through all of this,
only to do it again.

454
00:20:58,600 --> 00:21:01,700
So, when you do that,
and you take that 600

455
00:21:01,767 --> 00:21:03,633
and you give it all back in some way,

456
00:21:03,700 --> 00:21:07,266
she's right, this was all about
coming in here to see her.

457
00:21:07,333 --> 00:21:10,700
And though my colleagues
each feel a sense of hope

458
00:21:10,767 --> 00:21:13,433
that there's something
that's gonna make you both better,

459
00:21:13,500 --> 00:21:17,600
honestly, I don't feel any chance
that you're gonna get any better,

460
00:21:17,667 --> 00:21:20,000
and you're gonna do anything better
with your life.

461
00:21:20,066 --> 00:21:22,166
But as I said, we all agree

462
00:21:22,233 --> 00:21:25,533
that you're entitled to the $600
unanimously.

463
00:21:25,600 --> 00:21:28,033
And I should've walked off
the bench before.

464
00:21:28,100 --> 00:21:32,166
That's how I felt
because you're just gonna spend it on her.

465
00:21:32,233 --> 00:21:34,533
-[gavel bangs]
-[chuckles]

466
00:21:34,600 --> 00:21:37,400
This case has concluded.
All parties are excused.

467
00:21:37,467 --> 00:21:40,033
[triumphant music playing]

468
00:21:41,834 --> 00:21:44,767
He wants $600
but just sent me money this morning.

469
00:21:44,834 --> 00:21:46,500
All she has to do is hit block.

470
00:21:46,567 --> 00:21:49,467
I... I don't know.

471
00:21:49,533 --> 00:21:52,533
You can't treat somebody
like I was treated.

472
00:21:52,600 --> 00:21:54,400
He bought my car
because I didn't talk to him for a month.

473
00:21:54,467 --> 00:21:55,867
And he told me that I needed a car.

474
00:21:55,934 --> 00:21:59,767
And I made a lot of mistakes.
And I admitted to her all my mistakes.

475
00:21:59,834 --> 00:22:02,433
I don't think I should have dinner
with him, but I'm not sure.

476
00:22:02,500 --> 00:22:04,600
No dinner reservations.
Probably not.

477
00:22:04,667 --> 00:22:06,000
Maybe.

478
00:22:06,066 --> 00:22:07,400
I want to enjoy being single.

479
00:22:07,467 --> 00:22:08,867
Probably not.

480
00:22:08,934 --> 00:22:12,133
[narrator] Did someone
break your heart and your bank account?

481
00:22:12,200 --> 00:22:15,533
Get legal therapy on Tribunal Justice.

482
00:22:15,600 --> 00:22:18,233
Find us on social media.

483
00:22:18,300 --> 00:22:20,734
[theme music playing]