03x21 - Locked Up and Left Hanging

[bunniefuu]

[Judy] He took money out

-of your account.
-We've split money back and forth,

I wasn't keeping tally.

I'm asking you what you

-I send her money she send me...
-[Judy] Just a second. Just a second.

Now it's gonna get difficult.

[announcer] This is Judy Justice...

[theme music playing]

Jil Wyatt is suing
her ex-boyfriend, John Moore,

for the money he spent
while she was in jail.

[Bailiff] Court, come to order. All rise.

Have a seat, please.

[Bailiff] Case 3046, Wyatt versus Moore.

-Thank you.
-You're welcome.

Ms. Wyatt, how long were you
and Mr. Moore in a relationship?

Um, we've known each other
for about 18 years.

-[Judy] Did you ever live together?
-[Wyatt] On a couple of occasions.

[Judy] When was the last time
you lived together?

January, I believe, 2022.

-Were you living in a house or apartment?
-It was a house.

-Was it a lease?
-Yes.

Was the lease in your name,

Mr. Moore's, or both?

No, apparently it was
an arrangement that he had

with the person that he gave the money to.

There was no paper.

We're getting far off the field
but it's getting more interesting.

Now, Mr. Moore, Ms. Wyatt,
although I believe she probably has

a good memory of this.

I have just a sense that she's reluctant
to give me information about this,

for whatever reason.

In January of 2022, sir,

you and the plaintiff
were living in a house together.

-No.
-When were you living in a house together?

We've never had a...
We've never lived together.

When you say live together, I come over...

I got a girlfriend I been having
for the whole time.

So I've never lived with her.

[Judy] Do you remember the house

-she's talking about, sir? All right.
-Yes, I do.

-The one she destroyed.
-[Judy] I don't want your... Just a second.

-I don't want you to play around with me.
-[Moore] Okay. I'm not.

Okay. Do you know the house
she was talking about

when the two of you were together,
some of the time,

in January of 2022? That's a yes or a no.

-Still a no.
-[Judy] Okay. So...

The house that she's talking about,
you lived in alone?

I lived there with my girlfriend,
actually.

[Judy] Just a second. Did Ms. Wyatt
ever come to stay in that house

with you before you had your

then current girlfriend?

When I first got the apartment,

Ms. Wyatt was gonna come.

She didn't get along
with the lady upstairs.

She said she wouldn't come.
Destroyed the house, and left.

Okay, well, if she destroyed the house
then she was in the house.

-She...So, she... Yes, ma'am.
-[Judy] Just a second

If she destroyed the house
then she was in the house.

And if she didn't get along
with the lady upstairs,

she wouldn't know that
unless she actually lived there,

because she's not telepathic.

Okay.

[Judy] So, she was in fact there.

[Moore] I'm listening to
what you're saying.

-I'm trying to understand
-Good.

-what you're saying, ma'am.
-What I'm saying is not difficult.

She did in fact stay there with you
for a while after you got this house.

Okay.

-Not okay.
-[Moore] No, I'm...

I'm seeing where
you're trying to go with that.

I'm trying to see what you [indistinct].
Yes, she did stay there.

-All right.
-I'm agreeing with you.

That was me saying, yes, ma'am.

[Judy] Taken a long time,
but we're there. Okay.

And, then, at some point,
Ms. Wyatt, you left there

-and you went into your own apartment.
-Yes.

[Judy] Okay.
And where is your apartment?

[Moore] I moved into a, um,

-a trailer.
-That you were renting.

-Yes.
-[Judy] I just want to know.

[Judy] I'm getting ahead of myself,
but that's the trailer

that he was supposed to pay rent on
and utilities on when you went to jail?

-Yes, ma'am.
-[Judy] So, from 2020

until the time you went to jail,
for what, 18 months?

Seventy-eight weeks.

Or...I'm sorry, 78 days.

What did you go to jail for?

Um, in 2018, I, uh...

received a...

-I am...I'm sorry. I'm...
-[Judy] Just a second.


you had a conviction.

Yes, I ended up serving the time in 2022.

-For, uh... Correct.
-[Judy] For theft.

I stole Thanksgiving dinner, ma'am.

Are you sure?

It sounds like 78 days is a lot.

-Were you on probation first?
-[Wyatt] Yes.

-Did you take a plea in that case?
-Yes.

[Judy] Okay, and as part of the plea

-you placed on probation.
-Correct.

What was the crime
that you plead guilty to?

I want to understand this.

Was it petty theft? Was it grand larceny?

What was it?

No, it was retail fraud/shoplifting
for $170.

-Okay, and you were placed on probation.
-[Wyatt] Yes.

Why was your probation violated?

'Cause that clearly was why

-you went to jail for 78 days.
-Correct.

Not because of an old crime,
but because you violated probation.

I wasn't keeping in contact
with my probation officer like I was

-supposed to.
-[Judy] Okay.

So, this case is about the fact that
you asked Mr. Moore,

who you knew for a long time,
to take care of your expenses, your bills,

while you were incarcerated.

-And you gave him your phone.
-Yes.

Your phone had the wherewithal

and he understood that,
because he acknowledges he used it

to take money out of your bank account

-and pay bills, et cetera with it.
-Correct.

[Judy] And you acknowledge that
she gave you her phone for that purpose.

She gave me her phone, not to pay bills,
but to give her commissary,

and to keep up with her stuff.

Pay her bills,
some to put in her commissary,

and the last thing you said was,
"Pay her bills and...

"Put money in her commissary
and keep up with some stuff."

That's... The keeping up with some stuff
is what we're talking about here, sir.

Keeping up with what stuff?

-Phone bill. I mean... Go ahead.
-[Judy] Just a second.

Now it's gonna get difficult.

-[Moore] Okay, I'm listening.
-Do you understand?

[Judy] I know you are, sir.
Keeping up with other stuff.

-[Judy] Phone bill. [exclaims]
-She might've... I'm sorry.

-I'll wait til you ask your question.
-What else? Phone bill...

She end up buying a computer at that time.

-[Judy] No, I'm asking you.
-So...No, I'm telling you

that was...that came off
the monies that was there

She was incarcerated. So, as...

a lot of things just
come off the phone as a bill, like...

No, I'm asking you what you
-[Moore] What did I?

What, you, were supposed to take care of?

It was never etched out.
And what I'm saying is,

she wanted me to stay at her house
when she was gone

and that was a means for her to keep
in touch with me, or keep in contact...

Okay, no, no, no, no, no.

That's something that
I didn't get out of this.

So, she wanted you to stay in her trailer,

'cause she was living in a trailer
at the time while she was incarcerated.

-Where had you been living?
-[Moore] At my house.

That's where I currently live now,
with my girlfriend.

[Judy] With your girlfriend.
She wanted you to stay in her trailer.

-[Moore] Yeah.
-With your girlfriend?

Nope. She wanted me to be there
so she could keep up with me.

That was a means of me having her phone
and being in her car and being at her...

There would be a way for her to keep up
with me while she was incarcerated.

And did you like that idea, Mr. Moore?

-Not really, no.
-Just a second.

[Judy] I mean,
did your girlfriend like that idea?

-Not at all.
-So, why didn't you say to her,

I don't want your phone
and I don't want any responsibility...

Shh! Listen to me.
I'm living with my girlfriend.

We're not an item anymore,
and I don't want that tie

because my girlfriend knew that
I was staying sometimes in your trailer

and not being home,
that wouldn't be a good thing.

So, I'm not gonna take your phone.
Find somebody... Who are you?

Andrew Porter. I'm her son.

-[Judy] You're her son?
-Mm-hmm.

-Is there anything wrong with you?
-No.

-Do you walk to your mother?
-Yeah.

-[Judy] Yes. Do you work?
-Yes.

Yeah, so you mother could've given you
her phone and said, pay the bills.

Yeah. Right.
You have to stand next to your mother.

This is getting more fascinating
by the moment.

I wanna tell you something.

You wouldn't know the truth

if it came up
to slap you in the face.

-That's what happened.
-Mr. Moore,

you wouldn't know the truth

if it came up
and slapped you in the face

-and introduced itself to you.
-Okay.

[theme music playing]

[announcer] Jil Wyatt claims
her ex-boyfriend, John Moore,

misused money she gave him
while she was in jail.

John is countersuing for a false arrest.

So... do you understand, Ms. Wyatt,

I know that you thought it was going
to be easier when you came here.

No, I really... I did not.

You act... Oh, I'm very glad.
'Cause I have a feeling I could scratch

the surface and I'd find
more dirt the more I scratched.

-[Wyatt] You would.
-The more I scratched.

Well, I have no intention
of spending my life on this nonsense.

Because now I see that you have
a perfectly normal child.

An adult child to whom you could've
assigned the task of paying your bills.

And I assume that you trusted him

more than you trusted this guy,
who seems to have a girlfriend.

But, then, you know,
could be convenient. He could go here.

It's never painted that way
when it's in the midst of things.

But he...

-Yeah, I also work out of state.
-[Judy] What?

I also...I work out of state.
I'm, like, a field engineer

So, I'm only in Michigan
maybe a couple weeks at a time.

That's okay.

Paying your bills doesn't mean that
you have to be in Michigan.

You can pay your bills
and you could've done all of those things

except... Anyway, this is your case.

You allege that Mr. Moore
took money out of your account,

a couple of thousand dollars.

Seven hundred
and eighty-one dollars of that

he gave to me while I was in jail,
but the remainder

he can't account for anything that he did.

-So, some he did put in your commissary.
-Yes. Yes.

[Judy] He said he also sent you,
there was $600 in the account

when he gave the phone back to you.

Was there $600 in the account
when you were released from...

Does it say of the date of that?

What's the date of it, sir?

She asked the question,
but the answer is that I gave it to her.

I don't have it. I didn't know
I was gonna come to court,

so I didn't...But if I look
in my phone, I'm quite sure...

'Cause all our transactions
were via Cash App.

What do you mean you didn't know
you were coming to court?

Where did you think you were coming today?

When we were in this situation,
never did I think we would be sued,

so I wasn't keeping tally.

[Judy] Well, but now
you know you're coming to court.

So it would seem to me,
if there's an allegation in your answer

that I returned the phone to her,
there was still $600 in the account.

-At least I would have documents.
-I do, I do.

-Give me a second, I can get right to it.
-I can give you a second.

[Wyatt I believe that amount
was for the August rent, on it.

Just a second. All I'm asking you is,
did he put $600...

When he gave you the phone,
was there still $600 in the account?

No, that was like a month after.
That was for August.

What do you mean, it was for August?
What does that mean?

[Wyatt] For the August rent.
This whole thing with not living with me

and not being with me
or whatever, is-is untrue.

When I got out of jail
we were supposed to be

working together, living together.

This was no...anything like he's describing
with having somebody else

or anything like that.

[Judy] I would like to see, Mr. Moore,

when you gave her back the phone

that there was $600 on the phone.

-It's her phone. I'm not sure of it.
-[Judy] Just a second.

I'm saying,
I don't have evidence of her phone.

[Judy] Okay. Now...

But I gave... If you ask her,
she'll tell you I gave her $600.

You say that the money that you used...

And you acknowledge that
you used some of the money.

...was because you drove her car
for a half a block.

-Nope, it was more than a half a block.
-Well, just a second. Let me see.

-It says that in...
-Just a second.

"I drove her car one block to my job."

So, it wasn't a half a block.
Just a second.

"I drove her car one block."

I apologize. It wasn't half a block.
Put your hand down.

"...to my job when she was in jail
and the alternator went out,

and it was impounded.

Explain that to me.
You drove her car. You had your own.

For some reason you drove hers.
Why don't you give me a one sentence

as to why you drove hers.

-One sentence.
-[Judy] One sentence!

On my truck I had my equipment,
my line equipment

and I was just going one block away,
so I didn't want to have to turn it around

and the car was impounded at my job,
one block away from my house.

Why was it impounded?

Because it stopped.
The alternator stopped.

Just a second. Cars aren't impounded
because an alternator stops.

[Moore] The alternator stopped
in the middle of the street.

I couldn't move it. They had to tow it
because it was in the driveway.

They towed the car
because the alternator stopped.

[Judy] Well, that's your fault, sir.

-It's my fault the alternator went out?
-Yes! Yes, sir.

It's your fault that
the car was impounded.

I'm listening. No, I'm...really...
I'm really trying to understand.

Yeah, I want you to listen.

Yes, it's your fault, and I don't know
what other nonsense there is here.

But if Sarah was driving her car

and it stopped running
because the alternator went out,

I'm gonna take a guess and I'm gonna say,
Sarah, what would you do

if your car stopped running in a driveway,
blocking the driveway. What would you do?

-Call AAA.
-[Judy] Call AAA. Call a tow truck.

And you would call a tow truck
and ask the tow truck to take it to a...

-Auto repair shop.
-[Judy exclaims] Ah!

To an auto repair shop.
Your first clue

would not be just to leave the truck there
and say send it to impound.

-No, it happened at...
-[Judy] Did you...

Just a second. Mr. Moore,

please try not to test yourself
on the dumb scale.

Nobody who's responsible,
because a car breaks down,

leaves it in the middle
of the road to be impounded.

That doesn't make sense. It's illogical.

Second thing I'm concerned about is,
when your car is impounded...

In order to get it out of impound,
which you say that you did.

...you have to show proof of title.

-[Moore] Yes.
-Yes.

-Now, how did you get proof of title?
-Because I have the title.

-I have the title because I...
-Just a second...

[indistinct mimicking]

I hear the wheels. I hear.
You have the title because...

I had access to her house.

-Well, the title is in her name.
-Right.

They wouldn't give you the car.
You're not her.

I mean, I would look at... dare I say,
you know, not even close!

Unless she gave you authorization
in writing to get the car out for her,

no impound service
is gonna let you take her car

because anybody can pick up a title
and say, I want that car out.

-Do you understand? Okay.
-Yes, ma'am.

So, you wanna try that again with me?

-Here's my question. I end up getting...
-[Judy] No, just a second!

-Okay.
-[Judy] I want you to tell me

where it was impounded?

It was impounded at-at my job.

It was impounded and it was
in a place that was in high-traffic.

-I walked back to the house...
-[Judy] Yeah, I wanna tell you something.

You wouldn't know the truth
if it came up to slap you in the face.

-That's what happened.
-[Judy] Mr. Moore,

You wouldn't know the truth if it came up
and slapped you in the face

-and introduced itself to you.
-Okay.

Now, how much did it cost
to get the car out of impound?

It cost me a thousand dollars...

[Judy] No, it didn't cost you anything.
'cause you took it out of her phone.

It didn't cost you, it cost

-a thousand dollars...
-[Moore] To get it insured,

re-titled,

so I could have the ability
to get the car out.

Well, how did you get
her name on the title?

What you mean?

[Judy] What do you mean what do I mean?
She has to sign it over to you

-in order to...
-[Moore] It was already signed over to me.

-[laughing]
-[Moore] It was already signed over.

It was already signed...
I sell cars, Ms. Judy

You don't sell cars. You just told me
that your car broke down

-on the way to your place of business.
-To my job.

On your job,
and your job is not an auto mechanic.

Or a salesman for a car service,

which is what you told me.
"I sell cars, Ms. Judy.

That's why the title
was turned over to me.

Signed over and I managed
to get the car titled in my name."

-You wanna try this on for me?
-[Moore] Judge Judy,

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you.

But I was in a situation
where it was impounded

They were charging $30 every single day,
and she would've lost her car.

-So...
-So, just say you forged my...

-[Judy] Just a second. Just a second!
-No, I didn't. I didn't forge anything.

[Judy] Well, you had to have
forged something, sir.

Because if it was in impound
and what you're saying is,

"They were charging $30 a day,
she was gonna lose her car."

Your next statement was,
'cause you keep

digging that hole a little deeper
and a little deeper.

You couldn't get it out because
other car was in her name.

Not yours, but you had the title
'cause you had access to the trailer.

Which is what she's suggesting.
And you went and forged her signature,

got a new title, got insurance

And the car was clearly towed,
but you got it out of impound,

that's what you said,

with a new title in your name
and insurance.

-Also, I assume in your name.
-[Moore] Yes, ma'am.

What did you do with the car?

-I gave it back to her, when she got out.
-[Judy] Just a second.

You gave it back to her.

-Did you sign over the title? Shh!
-Yes.

So you paid restitution...

-Excuse me, Judge Judy...
-Stop. Just...

-If you say something I want to clarify.
-[Judy] Just a second.

-Go ahead. Just tell me when I can talk.
-Did you sign this? Did you sign this?

Yes, ma'am.

Then you're cooked!

[theme music playing]

[announcer] Jil Wyatt has accused
her ex-boyfriend, John Moore,

of stealing her money
while she was in jail.

John is countersuing.
Claiming Jil had him falsely arrested.

Now, did you sign over the title to her?

I signed over everything to her
'cause she sold the car since then.

[Judy] Oh, did you sell the car?

-Since all this, yes, ma'am.
-Yes.

-But he's...
-[Moore] I'm what?

-[Judy] He's what?
-[Wyatt] I had to go through

the police department
and the Sheriff's department

and threaten him
in order to get my title back.

-He would not give me back my title.
-Not at all...

-Not at all the truth.
-[Judy] Do you have any proof of that?

Any proof of?

That you had to go through
the police department,

Sheriff's department, or anything else
in order to get your title back?

-Do you have any proof of that at all?
-I don't have any proof of that, ma'am.

Okay, so it was $1,000 for impound
that he took out of your account.

-Correct.
-[Judy] That's $1,000

-No.
-[Judy] And...

-Okay.
-[Judy] Did you take out $1,000

from her account

-to get it out of impound?
-No. No.

-Well, you just said...
-I paid $1,000...

-Show me... Show me that you paid $1,000
-Ms-Ms. Judy...

to get it out of impound.

I can't show it to you
'cause all the paperwork was in the car.

Did you pay impound by credit card

-or cash? Cash.
-I paid it by cash.

[Judy] Then you would've
taken cash out from...

-I have a job Judge Judy. I made...
-Yeah, you're so full of baloney, sir.

I did have a job Judge Judy.
How's that full of baloney?

-[Judy] Okay, $1,000.
-Okay.

Next, you say in your answer, Mr. Moore,
that you paid for [chuckles]

you paid for it out of her money.

-[Moore] Ms...
-You say in your answer

you pay for it out of her money.

That's kind of going
back and forth with...

We've split money back and forth.
If I give you a copy of our Cash App

It's the exact same money back and forth
over the last couple years.

-I send her money, she send me. So...
-Just a second.

Why would she do that sir
if you have a girlfriend?

-I'm monogamously challenged.
-[Judy] Shh! Listen!

Why would you do that back and forth
if what you said to me earlier was,

"I don't know what she's talking about.
I live with my girlfriend

in the same places as I'm living now."

Now let's move on to.
So far, I have $1,000

and I really, Ms. Wyatt,
don't understand anything else.

I'm not spending any more time
with your case.

That's the person that should've been
taking care of your business.

-Not this nonsense. Not this nonsense.
-[Wyatt] Yes.

'Cause I'm not exactly sure whether

I'm getting the whole story
from this side either.

All right. Now, you have a counterclaim.
Your counterclaim is for $2,000

-for having you falsely arrested.
-Yes, ma'am.

[Judy] Let us move on
with falsely arrested.

After she gets out of jail,
according to what I read

-the two of you are kaput?
-No.

Well, okay, here we go.

We're gonna go back to your answer
in your counterclaim, sir.

I'm going to read you what I said.

"On February 13, I went out
to a few bars to have a good time.

Jil was at a different bar

but came and met me where I was at.

Upon arrival..."
You're not paying attention.

-Yes, I am listening to you.
-"...on arrival, Jil started

to pressure me to leave with her.

I reminded her that
we were no longer and item

and I didn't want to leave.
She was making a scene so we went outside

to finish our conversation."
That's your counterclaim.

Now, pick it up from there.
That's what you wrote.

-Try to remember.
-I told her I wasn't going anywhere

and then she told me, I'll show you,
but you told me this thing, Judge Judy,

if it's not accurate, would you want me
to let you go ahead

'cause I didn't write that.

I signed it to them, them told me
I'd be able to explain this to you

as we're doing this here...
I'ma say, hell no, that didn't happen.

No, we didn't fight. It wasn't one block.
They said, "You'll get a chance

to explain that to the judge."

You shouldn't...

You shouldn't listen to anybody else, sir,
when you sign a document that says,

"I, Blash Moore being duly sworn,
deposes and says, that this is accurate."

We didn't live together.
We still knew each other.

Would you mind telling me what happened
in the bar on February 13?

She told me she was going to get me
locked up for domestic violence

because I had assaulted her.
I had not assaulted her

I told her, "Whatever."
And I walked back into the bar,

sat down, the police pulled up,
and they said,

"Sir, would you come step outside?"

Excuse me. They said,
"Would you come step outside?"

I step outside, they said,
"Put your hands behind your back,

we're locking you up
for domestic violence."

May I please have
a copy of your complaint?

-I can give you all this, what I have...
-Don't give me all of that that you have.

So you're saying the complaint.
There was...I was arrested on the spot.

-There was a disposition in that case.
-Yes, they dismissed it.

Okay.

This is all complaint to the disposition.

Oh, here we go. The case
was dismissed in the interest of justice

because you agreed to pay her restitution

for... Just a second.
You agreed to pay her

restitution in the amount of $246

which I assume represents the broken
eyeglasses that she says that you broke.

This says, "Receipt of Restitution Monies"

Same case. "I, John Moore,
state that I have delivered a check

in the amount of $246.00
to the Calhoun County Prosecutor's Office,

it is my understanding that this check
represents the amount of restitution

that is owed to the victim

according to the agreement
entered into by the defendant."

So, you paid restitution...

-Excuse me, Judge Judy...
-Stop. Just...

I'm trying to give you...
If you say something I want to clarify it.

-Go ahead. Just tell me when I can talk.
-Did you sign this? Did you sign this?

-Yes, ma'am.
-Then, you're cooked!

-So, if I...I gotta question for you.
-It's over.

[Judy] I don't answer your questions.

If I get off of work, I been
in this court case five times in a row.

it costs me two hundred
and some dollars to come to court.

And they said they'll dismiss all charges,
they'll be no charges at all

if you pay...agree to pay $250.
I've paid $800 coming to court.

So, why wouldn't I just say,
hey, here, I'll pay you the money

and then, try to sue you for false arrest
'cause I never...where's the glasses at?

Where's the picture of the glasses?
The police arrested me on the spot.

[Judy] Mr. Moore, like a perennial victim,
I really feel sorry for you.

-Your counterclaim is dismissed.
-So...

[Judy] Just a second.
Mr. Moore, it's dismissed.

Judgement for the plaintiff
in the amount of $1,000.

Your counterclaim is dismissed.
I am finished with this case, permanently!

-Thank you. Have a great day.
-[Bailiff] This court is adjourned.

It went just like
I thought it would be.

I'm pleased with the results.

She mad I don't want
to deal with her anymore.

My guards are up now.

Hey, she wanted to get her day
in court. I can leave with it.

Not asking anybody for help.

She the one
was locked up before.

I've never been
locked up for stealing.

She was locked up for stealing.
How do...That's the thief...

The pot calling
the kettle black.

Just to be careful
who you trust.

There was a great line
from the defendant out there.

I don't think anyone caught it.

But when you asked, "How is it possible
that you could live with the plaintiff

and have your girlfriend,
and all at the same time,

how is that possible?"

And then he moved onto something else
and continued rambling. But he said,

"Ms. Judy, I'm monogamously challenged."

-"I'm monogamously challenged."
-[laughing]

And I heard it and I started laughing,
and I saw no one else...

no one else made any sort of reaction.
And I said,

I must've been the only one
that heard that, or I misheard that.

But I'm pretty sure that
that was his excuse.

It's a great line. And it's true.

Yeah, it seemed very true in that case.

Yeah, I have a feeling
there's a lot more there.

-Yeah. A lot more dirt just to add to it.
-But it was a lot more there.

But enough. Funny line.

Monogamously challenged.

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