[narrator] Now, on Tribunal Justice...
You lost those rings, and that's done.
Then every time I would go, he would actually close the store.
-No. -It's your responsibility
to make a payment within 30 days.
Every time I tried to pay, he wouldn't accept payment.
-No way. -It makes zero sense.
You're a scammer.
This whole thing was a scam from the outset.
[main theme playing]
[narrator] Today's case was filed in Long Beach, California.
Your Honor, this is Case #3064 on the calendar
in the matter of Langston vs. George Royal Pawn Shop.
-Thank you, Byrd. -You're welcome, Judge.
Parties have been sworn in. You may be seated.
Ms. Langston, you were having some health issues,
you needed some additional money so you pawned two rings.
One of them was very special, very sentimental to you.
At some point you tried to buy them back from the pawn shop,
and you say that you were prohibited from doing that
by the defendant and his pawn shop. So, you're suing him for $5,000.
One is for the value of the ring which you say is $3,000.
And $2,000 for emotional distress caused to you
by the loss of the ring and by how you were treated.
Sir, what you say is she pawned rings.
She didn't make her payments as she was supposed to,
and she lost them, so you don't owe anything.
Before I get to your story, why don't you tell us a little bit
about how a pawn shop works. I come to you with a ring. What happens?
Sure. You try to borrow some money.
I ask the amount you need, you tell me $500.
And you give me collateral. I make you sign an agreement,
$500 plus interest. If she continue pay, I hold.
Okay. Let's look at 02.
-Is that the ring that you pawned? -Yes, it is.
[DiMango] Tell us the story behind that ring.
My daughter's father helped me buy that ring. We payed 50% each, $1,500.
And I pawned the ring.
[DiMango] Did your daughter also have a similar ring?
Yes, I have it on here.
-[DiMango] You're wearing her ring now. -Mm-hmm.
Okay. And let's go to 03.
Just to show you what exists in the pawn shop.
These are the pieces that are on display, sir, in your pawn shop.
-Would that be correct? -[George] Exactly.
-[DiMango] That's the pawn shop. -[George] Yes, ma'am.
[DiMango] I mean, people pawn everything from their gold pen to their scooters.
[George] Guitar, everything.
Yep. So, you go to the pawn shop, and is he behind the counter?
He was behind the counter, and he offered me $500.
And then, I, um, you know, I accepted the $500.
[DiMango] You went in with one or two rings?
It was actually two rings.
And you give her money for those rings. You give her how much total?
Do you remember?
Each ring is separate. So, each ring was $500.
[DiMango] You got $1,000 for the two rings.
[Lynette] Mm-hmm. It was a month apart.
At some point, you want to go back to the store and buy your ring back.
Yes. And it was the second ring that was on the--
-[DiMango] The sentimental ring. -Yes.
There was that ring. The ring was there.
And he kept telling me, oh, you have to come back.
Well, you have to come back with money if you want...
No, no, he told me I had to come back just to put the ring on layaway.
[DiMango] Yes, because first you pawned it, now you want to purchase it.
-Yes. -[DiMango] He says you gotta
-put it on layaway, right? -[Lynette] Mm-hmm.
[DiMango] You have to make a payment every thirty days for that ring, correct?
-[Lynette] Yeah.
And you don't make a payment every 30 days, you just go in and visit.
-No, no. -[DiMango] You go in and visit.
You said, I go in there all the time.
What are you goin' in for if you're not paying money?
I don't go there all the time.
The first layaway for May, that's when I go into my story.
In May, that's the first slip.
I lost the slip, because my car got repossessed in June.
So, I had to go back once I got more money,
to put the ring on layaway again--
No, no. You said when you went back, you got your car back,
-you found the slip. -Yeah, then I went back to him
to put the ring on layaway.
[DiMango] You lost it. Didn't you lose that one, as well?
Did she lose that on the May 10th?
-Yeah, but she lose it. -[DiMango] Yeah, 'cause she came back--
But you're talking about second. She purchase again.
-In October. You came back in October. -Exactly.
Because you said, in between, you were visiting him.
And I wrote here, what, were you making social calls?
It was on his display. How it was there on display.
Yes. And you kept going in to see if it was still there.
[Lynette] No, no. I was going to place it on layaway.
[DiMango] I gotta tell you. When you keep going back and forth with these stories,
losing the car, losing the receipt in the car,
getting the car back, getting the receipt...
[Lynette] Well, that's how it happened.
You can't predict life, what happens in life.
That's what happened. So, that's my story.
I think I know what I'm predicting here.
But aside from that, sir, I'm gonna ask you.
If they don't make the payments on layaway, what happens?
She... She lost it.
-[DiMango] You lose it. -Yep.
[DiMango] Where does it go?
[George] We put for sale.
And if somebody comes in at that point and says, I want it,
-you sell it to them. -We sell, yes.
Can you recall independently your situation with Ms. Langston?
Absolutely. I explain everything.
[DiMango] What did you tell her?
You lost it. You came like... She came like two weeks later.
And we keep it like six days after expiration date.
We waiting for her, and we put for sale.
And that's when she comes in and says, I lost my slip.
By the way, do you need to present a slip to you in order to...
No.
[DiMango] You just let people make payment.
Just three dollar for lost ticket.
Everybody can pay. Nobody can pick up, but everybody can pay.
Okay. What are your hours, by the way?
Uh, 10:30 to 6:00.
-[DiMango] Monday through Friday? -Seven days.
-[DiMango] Seven days a week. -Yep.
-[DiMango] Do you take a lunch break? -No.
-[DiMango] So, it's open all the time? -Yes.
No. It says 10 to six, but he's not open those hours.
[DiMango] So, you know the hours.
Yeah, because every time I call, he would close.
[DiMango] What are you calling him for?
To make sure. I'd say hello, my name is Lynette,
I'm coming to make a payment. And every time I would go,
he would actually close the store.
Wait, stop. He would see you coming and close up?
Every time I call I would go, this man's shop would be closed.
The only reason I'm letting you say that is because it makes zero sense.
[dramatic music playing]
[narrator] Coming up on Tribunal Justice...
[Levy] Ma'am, I'm sorry but...
-Yes. -[Levy] I know it's tough.
I know it's emotional and I know that it's sentimental,
but we gotta get through the facts of the case, okay?
[main theme playing]
[narrator] Lynette Langston says pawn shop owner George Osepyan
sold a cherished ring she had on layaway. She's suing for $5,000,
the value of the ring plus emotional distress.
But George claims Lynette stopped making payments,
so he owes her nothing.
What's your emotional distress?
The ring is sentimental to me. I can't sleep at night.
My daughter was looking for me, for my ring.
You know, it's different things--
[DiMango] Your daughter would get up in the middle of the night...
I'm not sayin' the middle of the night. I'm just sayin',
it's sentimental value to us.
She just feels like that's a part of me and her father together.
I'm trying to find out from you, because you're suing here
for $2,000 for emotional distress.
Yes, because he kept...
-[DiMango] What was your distress? -Because--
The fact your daughter couldn't see the ring on your finger?
Every time I went there, he would say, I can't find the ring.
Over and over he would say he couldn't find the ring.
He also once said, I have someone inquiring about the ring.
Do you have the ring, because I can't find the ring.
When I was trying to put it on layaway, he was trying to say it wasn't my ring.
Did she make payments in accordance with the layaway plan, sir?
[George] Just deposit $100, that's it.
Problem is, when she lost it third time,
I ask her, she want to buy this ring.
She told me no. She's not ready to buy.
She want to put again to layaway.
And it's not acceptable, you know, fourth time.
Did she ever call you and you said, uh-oh, she's coming, I'm gonna close the shop?
-No way. -[DiMango] I didn't think so.
I don't want to lose my customers.
-[DiMango] Judge Levy? -[Levy] Thank you.
So, Ms. Langston, I'll start with you.
What is it that you do for a living?
Licensed vocational nurse.
[Levy] In what capacity?
The same as nursing, like veterans, women and children, homeless people.
Okay. So, you say in your complaint November of 2023,
-you were out of work. -[Lynette] Mm-hmm.
You were behind on bills, and you had no choice but to pawn those rings.
[Lynette] Yes. And they raised my rent.
At a pawn shop, you offer, sir, short term loans
in exchange for items that you call collateral, right?
Exactly.
[Levy] And you went, so I'm clear,
with two rings. The defendant gave you $500 per ring.
And you took the money from him.
But you failed to pay it back in the appropriate time.
You lost those rings, and that's done.
-That's not why you're here... -Mm-hmm.
[Levy] but that's the history with the defendant.
-Yes, yes. -Then it's the layaway program,
where you select an item that you like. You put a deposit on it,
and you agree to make monthly payments.
But the shop keeps the item until all the money's paid,
and then you get the item back.
Yes, that's correct.
That's what happened here, correct? If we can go to 05, please?
What you're looking at here is a layaway slip, correct?
[Lynette] Yes, that's correct.
[Levy] It's layaway slip #2015.
Yes, that's the first layaway.
And so, what that says is that the item
that you purchased on layaway was $1,370.
[Lynette] Yes, that's correct.
-[Levy] On May 10th, you deposited $100. -[Lynette] Yes.
-[Levy] That's your business record. -[George] Yes, sir.
-[Levy] The balance was $1,270. -Yes.
And at no time did you give any more money after May 10th, 2024?
No, I did not.
And that's the reason why that ring was put back into the cabinet,
-and you lost the $100 deposit. -Yes.
[Levy] Can we please to go 06?
This is now the second layaway slip. And you see that that's 2065?
Ma'am, same ring, correct?
-Ma'am, I'm sorry. I know it's tough. -Yes.
I know it's emotional, and I know that it's sentimental.
But we gotta get through the facts of the case, okay?
That same as before, you left another $100,
and the balance was $1,270.
-2065, that's the original slip? -[George] Yes.
[Levy] Is this your handwriting, "past due," and a date on top, 11/22?
[George] Yes.
[Levy] So, on 11/22, if I understand that correctly,
she had not come back within the 30 days to make another payment.
Yeah.
[Levy] Since she failed to do that, again,
you took that ring, you put it back in the case.
-Yes. -When you put it back in the case,
it was for sale, and she lost her $100 deposit.
-Right. -[Levy] Okay.
And on the layaway slip, 2065,
it says, "30 days layaway deposit will be lost.
No refunds made on deposit. And you knew that ma'am, right?
Yes, that's correct.
[Levy] But when you went back there to the shop,
after November 22nd, what happens then?
Yeah, I went back a couple of times. Every time I went back,
he kept sayin', I can't find it. And it wasn't in the display.
He kept sayin', I can't find. It was like a whole month--
-[Levy] Do you remember that, sir? -Yes.
-You said you couldn't find it. -We got four locations.
And I explained to her, maybe it's in another location.
-[Levy] It could be in another location. -Exactly.
And you were concerned that even if you paid as you were supposed to,
he wouldn't have that ring for you.
Yeah, every time I was tryin' to pay, he wouldn't accept the payment.
He said, I have to find it first. He never turned me away.
Month after month. It went on for so long--
-[Levy] Why didn't you give him money... -He wouldn't accept it.
It was after the 30 day period?
-[Lynette] Um... -[George] Yeah.
[Levy] It was after the 30 day period, -[indistinct]
it was already gone.
Okay, thank you. I have nothing further.
So, just so we're clear,
I don't dispute at all that you're upset.
The ring was gifted to you by your late partner,
your daughter's late father.
-I am sure that it had sentimental value. -[Lynette] Mm-hmm.
[Acker] I'm sure there's emotional distress.
But what you have to prove is that he's somehow liable for it.
So, help me understand why you involved the police.
[narrator] Coming up on Tribunal Justice...
He kept sayin' to the police, I don't know who she is.
-I never seen her before. -What happened when she
arrived with the police in January?
[narrator] Lynette Langton is suing pawn shop owner George Osepyan
for $5,000 after he refused to accept layaway payments
on her precious family ring.
But George says, business is business and Lynette didn't pay.
So, he sold the ring to someone else.
I'm sure there's emotional distress.
But what you have to prove is that he's somehow liable for it.
So, help me understand why you involved the police.
I involved the police, because I explained it to them,
every time I would go there, he would close the shop.
[Acker] Can you give me a rough approximation
of the number of times that you showed up to make a payment,
and he wasn't there.
It was from October to January. He would never take a payment.
He kept tellin' the police, I don't know who she is.
I've never seen her before. When I said, "Why you didn't notify me?",
he said, "How can I notify you if I don't have your information?"
That's what he told the police.
[Acker] Can we put up Exhibit Nine?
So, and I'm not trying to disrespect you or your shop, sir,
but it doesn't look like the most organized...
It's not organized.
[Acker] It's not necessarily organized.
But we still have 1,800 customers.
What the plaintiff is suggesting is that there are times
when you are supposed to be open. She would call
and say I'm coming to make a payment.
And that she would get there and the shop would be closed.
10:30 to 6:00, but we not answer the phone.
Because it's a lot of customers, and I am alone.
There's no time to answer phone.
What happened when she arrived with the police in January?
She stay outside.
Two police officers come inside, ask me what's going on.
I tell them, little bit anger, that's it.
Do you put the items that are on layaway
and that are being paid for by your customers,
do you put them in a separate area so that you know
these are things that other people already have some stake in?
-Sure. -But there was a time, you admit,
when she came by and you were like, I'm not sure where the ring is,
-and you didn't take her payment. -No, no.
She came after expiration.
-[Acker] After November 16th? -And I don't know...
Exactly. The date was November...
Six days after expiration.
So, we got two occasion I'm not sure where we put it.
-[Acker] But it was after expiration... -Exactly.
[Acker] ...of the layaway period.
Yeah, so, Ms. Langston, I think the problem at least
with your case, from my perspective, is that I just don't see evidence
that he breached the contract before you did.
I feel like since it's a layaway, and he should notify you by mail,
just like if it's a pawn slip.
But either way, pawn or layaway, he didn't notify me.
Coulda, shoulda, woulda. The contract says
that it's your responsibility to make a payment within 30 days.
Might it have been nice? Yes. But look at how much stuff he has.
There's no legal requirement that I see
that he had some obligation to call you, reach out.
You knew what your responsibilities were, and you didn't fill them.
And you didn't fulfill them.
But I'll discuss with my colleagues. Judge DiMango?
-[Lynette] Thank you. -Two things consistent with his position.
First of all, you said you were making phone calls to him,
and you can't establish that. But in truth,
while he's in there with customers and all of these items,
there'd be no reason for him to want to pick up a call and say,
"Yeah, come on in."
Because the sign says when he's open and when he's closed.
So, that militates against your position there.
And also, if he would've closed just because he knew you were coming,
he would lose a substantial amount of customers,
because that is when he does his business. You understand that?
So, your position that this all caused you emotional distress
is all coming from you, absent any other proof to the contrary.
-Judge Levy? -[Levy] I have no questions.
[Acker] I don't have anything else.
[DiMango] We're gonna retire to deliberate. Thank you.
Court now stands in recess.
This case will be recalled. Parties are excused.
[dramatic music playing]
Well, I think we're all pretty convinced at this point
that people who are trying to pull a fast one
are people who are talking rapidly, confusing the facts.
Which rings she had. What ring she was wearing.
What ring she was pawning, which she wasn't.
But the bottom line here is, she took a layaway plan on a ring
that she says was her own ring. She lost it in May, on the May 10th pawn.
She also lost that, whatever ring she chose again,
and she never went back.
Why she went back months later with the police
to say he's preventing me from engaging in his own business,
it makes no sense, it's completely absurd
that he would not want to take money from her
for payment for something she had on layaway.
I mean, clearly, she's a scammer.
For all these reasons, she lost the ring, she didn't keep her bargain,
she didn't make the payments in a timely fashion,
and she's just out of luck.
He was just running his business the way he always does.
Um, she didn't care whether or not filing this false claim against him
was gonna clog up the system. That's not what scammers care about.
All they care about is hopefully one day they win on their scam.
She's suing him for breach of contract.
The only evidence is that she breached the contract.
She seems to want to suggest that he frustrated her ability
to perform under the contract. There's no evidence that he did that
by not being available during his regularly posted business hours.
So, solely for those reasons, I would dismiss her case.
And the phony crying in the courtroom always gets me.
'Cause I think it's all put on.
-So, yes, we're unanimous. -Thank you.
[dramatic music playing]
Court is back in session. I remind parties you're still under oath.
Thank you, Byrd. During deliberations,
Judge Levy used a word that I'm so fond of on occasion,
and that is, ma'am, that you're a scammer.
This whole thing was a scam from the outset.
From the time you went in to make the purchase,
and he was keeping you from making further payments.
We have a ring that you say is worth $3,000.
We didn't see any evidence of $3,000, and in fact,
you said you even paid for half of it. So, that means you woulda had proof
of the value of that ring.
So, all of this was just this one big ploy to pull a fast one.
First, maybe on him, and then following that, on us.
I'm not a...
[DiMango] It is the conclusion that we've unanimously come to.
Yeah, I needed more proof.
[DiMango] You breached the contract here.
You were the one who didn't make the payments.
He did nothing to interfere with that. You're the one with the problem here.
You're the one that breached the contract.
You're the one not being all that straightforward.
And so, when issues come down to credibility,
you're the one that we didn't believe.
So, the verdict then is to dismiss your case in its entirety.
And not to clog up the system with these types of lawsuits again.
[gavel bangs]
This case is now concluded. Parties are excused, you may step out.
I'm not a scammer, and I work hard for my money and the things that I have.
She tried to make money, that's it.
Once he got my money, every time he would not take a payment afterwards.
Because she don't need this ring.
She got four times opportunity, four times,
and she never take it back.
And he still would not tell me where the ring was or take a payment from me.
She complain about some discrimination...
And they ask me what's going on. I show them sticker.
They smile, and that's it.
I mean, I just have to move on. I have to move on.
[narrator] Are you being sued?
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