01x35 - Birthday Influencer or Personal Loan/Deer in the Headlights

[bunniefuu]

You made a loan to him
for a birthday party.

-Yes, Your Honor.
-Nope.

Uh, I actually have the text message.

No, Your Honor,
I don't know where that came from.

If you click the circle in the top,
you could call it.

[phone rings]

You don't know where that came from?!

That's your number.
Shame, shame on you.

[announcer] This is Judy Justice.

[theme music plays]

[announcer] Social media influencer
Stephanie Landor

is suing her friend Malik Earnest

for a birthday party loan.

[Kevin] Court come to order,
all rise.

Have a seat please.

-Hello, Judge.
-How are you?

Case 1099. Landor vs. Earnest.

-Thank you.
-You're welcome.

Miss Landor, the defendant
was a friend of yours?

And it is your claim that
you made a loan to him

-for a birthday party of his.
-Yes, Your Honor.

[Judy] The defendant says
there was never a loan,

you decided to make this party
so that you could enhance a...

some sort of a social media site
that you have.

And that you could use that
because somehow,

and I know people have tried to explain
this to me

there are people on the internet
who they call "influencers."

[Malik] Correct.

Sarah had tried to explain that to me
that means that just because

you're a person,
you try to make yourself interesting

so a lot of people
watch what you do.

Like what you eat,
when you go to the bathroom,

-[audience laughs]
-when you have your teeth fixed,

and when you brush your hair.

And what you're having for lunch.

And people come to watch that.

And then other folks who are in business
say, "Oh, well, we can...

Since people are interested in
what Miss Landor eats for lunch,

we can advertise on her site where
she posts what she eats for lunch."

Let me get...
Understand if I'm getting this right.

That's right.

[Judy] "And since a million people
are interested in what she has for lunch,

or when she's having her teeth cleaned,

we're gonna advertise
our product on that site

so it's gonna pop up when somebody
watches her with the hygienist."

Am I getting that right?

-Yes. the gist.
-Pretty much. Anyway.

Mr. Earnest says there was never a loan,
you paid for the party

because you took advantage of the party,
the venue and everything else

to put on your site.

I read the case.

So did Sarah,

and since she has far more
acumen with the machine than I do,

she actually brought up pictures
of the birthday party.

-It was a yellow-themed birthday party.
-Correct.

-Yellow and black.
-[Judy] Hmm?

Yellow and black, correct.
Two of my favorite colors.

What do you do for a living, sir?

Uh, I'm a helicopter reporter.

For local news.

How long have you been doing that?

Uh, two and half years in this position.

What do you make a year?

[chuckles] You want me
to answer that out loud?

I want you to answer a question.

Uh, upwards of 80K.

Can I have a number please?
K is...

-[Malik] 80,000. Upwards of 80,000.
-So you make $80,000 a year.

-Correct.
-[Judy] Who do you live with?

Uh, my parents.

-[Judy] Do you pay them rent?
-Nope.

-[Judy] Do you have a car?
-Yup.

-[Judy] What kind? "Yup" is not an answer.
-A Mustang, Judge Judy.

Yes. that's very good.

-You have a Mustang. All paid for?
-Nope. I still pay for that vehicle.

"Nope" is not an answer.
"No, I still pay for it."

[Malik] No, ma'am,
I still pay for the car.

Very good.
And how much is your car payment?

-$400 a month.
-[Judy] What else do you pay for?

[Malik] I pay for my family's cellphone,

I pay for my own food. [chuckles]
Day to day expenses.

Uh, help out the parents with expenses,
anything else they need.

In addition to also helping out friends
when they're also with financial trouble.

-[Judy] Okay.
-[Malik] Occasionally.

-[Judy] And you have a bank account?
-[Malik] Correct.

[Judy] Your birthday
was in May of this year.

-Yup.
-[Judy] Yup is not an answer.

-Yes is an answer.
-Yes, Judge Judy.

You have a bank account.

And your bank balance was what
in May of this year?

I want you to take a look
on your phone

because you should have your
bank balance on your phone.

Because I know Sarah checks
her bank balance every day.

-At least twice a day.
-[Malik] Right.

So I know people of you generation check
their phone and their bank balance

and who's contacting them
or whatever.

Are you looking for a total
of my entire bank account on that day?

Yeah. A total!

That's gonna take a while
to scroll far down

past all of my expenses.

But I can give you
an estimate of what it was.

No, I want to know what your bank account
balance was on...

let's say, the beginning of May.

I can give you an estimate,
which was around $20,000.

I'd like to see it.

I can't provide that to you right now.
I don't have...

the capability of scrolling...
I don't know how to find it,

like, go through the bank.
I don't check like that.

Oh, well, give your phone to Sarah,
she'll scroll it and find it for me.

Do you understand?
Find it!

[Malik] Your Honor, is there anything else
I can provide you with?

Besides sitting here
to look for these statements?

I really cannot find them on this app.

That's all I need.

I mean, I don't wanna see
a birthday list. I wanna see...

Right. What would those statements prove,
Your Honor?

I don't answer your questions, sir.

-You answer my questions.
-[Malik] Correct.

I want to see your bank balance
in May of 2021.

Oh, well, look at that.
You got your phone?

-And he's looking for his?
-Yes.

-[Judy] I want to see your bank balance
in May of 2021.

Okay. No worries.

Sarah, would you bring up on your computer

videos that you found about this party?

I'll see.

I'm trying for it to load,
Your Honor.

[whispering] Great.

[Sarah] The app's just loading.

We're all fighting
for internet use here, so...

-Correct.
-[Judy] Should be able to get that.

In this room.

It's a high-tech operation here.

[audience laughs]

So my exact balance
for the first of May

was $11,201.

And 13 cents.

Now I want you to tell me about
a withdrawal on that date.

-[Stephanie] Yeah.
-For $4,000.

I actually have the receipt
from the transaction.

-[Judy] I'd like to see it.
-I have a printed copy if you'd like that.

[whispering] I would like to see it.

[Stephanie] And I have this.

And here's the statements as well.

This is the $1000 that was spent on a
Cinnabon truck for his birthday party.

Shh. Just a second.

No worries.

Keep looking.

Yes, ma'am.

I'm still looking right now.

She's just more adept than you are,
is that what we're talking about?

She probably has better cellphone service
than I do in here.

What kind of cellphone do you have?

An iPhone Thir... Twelve.

Pro Max.

I'm sure not.

Eleven, Your Honor.

[theme music plays]

I have that video for you.

[announcer] And later today...

The accident was a result of a deer
running out in front of you

-You hitting a deer in the road?
-Correct.

Oh, you hit the deer because
you were texting.

-Yeah, and I wonder who I was texting.
-Shh! I don't care who you were texting.

You're the idiot driving.

[laughter]

[theme music plays]

[announcer] Social media influencer
Stephanie Landor

says her friend Malik Earnest
is responsible for a loan she gave Malik

for his birthday party.

Okay. What was the name of the venue
that the birthday party was at?

Um, I don't know what
the name of the venue was

where he had his birthday party
because he just asked me

to take out the money for him.

And then we went to the venue after.

-[Judy] And the party was the same day?
-[Stephanie] Yes, correct.

[Judy]
Who planned this yellow theme?

Malik Earnest did, Your Honor.

[Judy]
How many people were at the party?

I would like to say
upwards of 100 people attended.

I have that video for you,
Your Honor.

I'd like to take a look at it.

There's music as well but...

I don't think you need it.

And then it just replays.

Okay, so there's a car in the middle of
the road that's yellow.

And you're saying "I bet you can't guess
what my favorite color is..."

That was actually for
a content collaboration day.

-Was this at the birthday party?
-[Stephanie] No.

Not in any way. None.

-[Judy] It was not.
-No.

-This?
-From the same day.

[Stephanie]
Yes, now that was for...

-So this was the same day?
-a photo collaboration that I did.

Okay. Did you do anything with the party?

No. I just attended and I loaned him
the money the day of the party.

Just a second.

You didn't post any pictures
of the party?

I don't think I have.
I might have it on my SnapChat.

If you'd like,
I could scroll to that date...

-No. Here!
-This is on the same day, May 8th,

-she posted it.
-I can get the images from that.

It was a photoshoot that I did
for a Smilez.

Okay. But you didn't do posts on this...
site, whatever it is,

any video of the party.

Uh, I think I do have
a video of the party.

-If you'd like, I could get that for you.
-Yeah.

Uh, I haven't received my phone back.

Oh. [laughs]

[Stephanie laughs]

-Thank you, Your Honor.
-And Your Honor, I have my bank statement.

And how much was in the account?

The bank I was using during that time was

on May 1st, $4,532.10.

And what is the current balance
in that account?

Uh, I don't use this account anymore.

-The current balance would be...
-[Judy] Just a second!

$662.17

[Judy]
There were 100 people at the party.

When were the 100 people
notified about the party?

Uh, about two and a half weeks
in advance

via an invite that was sent to them.

Do you have a copy of that evite?

-Find it on your phone.
-[Malik] I do.

Uh, Your Honor?

Uh, I found videos on my Instagram story
dated May 7th

from Smilez, which is the event
in which I had the photoshoot.

His birthday party occurred
on the 8th of May.

Okay, great. So the only thing that was
posted on the 8th of May

was anything that
had to do with the party.

-Yes.
-[Judy] Okay, you're gonna find that

and you're gonna get me
a copy of the evite.

-Correct.
-Have it?

[Malik] No, ma'am,
I'm still waiting for it to load.

I just put up the RSVP.
I'm seconds away from getting the invite.

[Judy]
Who arranged for the evite?

-I did.
-[Judy] Okay. through what company?

Uh, I designed the flier and sent it out.

Everybody filled out a Google form,
which is how we were

accumulating names
for the list for entry.

Okay, so you designed it.

-Correct.
-[Judy] The RSVPs came back to you.

Correct.

What was the name of the venue?

Um...

They didn't really have a name.

It's a venue that is over
in North Hollywood.

Well, there had to be an address
on your evite.

Correct, and I'm pulling that up
for you right now.

[Stephanie] Your Honor...

Uh, I actually have the text message
of Malik Earnest inviting me

-to his birthday party.
-[Judy] May I see it please?

This is a lot of text messages.
You can scroll, everything is there.

-[Judy] Oh. Mr. Earnest.
-Yes, Your Honor.

Your defense to this case is that...

I'm reading your answer, that she wants to
throw you a memorable birthday.

-Correct.
-[Judy] She says in her complaint

you ran into some banking trouble,
she was with you,

you needed money to pay the venue

and she advanced you the money.

And you say that that's not true.

-That is not true.
-Okay.

On May 10th, two days after
she withdrew the money,

and gave it to pay for the venue,

she says to you,

"Hey, did you figure out
any banking stuff yet?"

And you reply, "Yes, I'm waiting on a call
from them to tell me

why my account is suspended.

And what I need to do
to get it taken care of.

I'm hoping to have it
resolved this week

and you paid ASAP!"

No, Your Honor, I don't know
where that came from.

And Your Honor,
I also have an audio message of him...

[Judy] Just a second!
You don't know where that came from?!

It came from you, Malik Earnest.
I see your picture over here.

-That's correct. That's me.
-And so, that comes from you.

-No, ma'am.
-[Judy] Oh, yeah.

"Not me having to make an emergency trip

to LA tomorrow to go back to
that damn bank.

I am AO RIP."
I don't know what that means.

"That's my update for today."

If you click the circle in the top,

you could see the phone number.

-And either call it or confirm the number.
-Oh!

[Stephanie] If you could call,
his phone will ring.

Where? Show me.

Unless he has it turned off.

My phone is on. And I'm sure it will ring
because that is my number.

-Yes
-[Sarah] And that will call it.

But where did those
text messages come from?

From your phone number, sir.

"Sir." Right.

-What's happening?
-It's calling.

Oh, yeah, that's your number.

Okay. How much did you give him
for the party?

Shame, shame on you, Mr. Earnest.

-For what, Your Honor?
-[Judy] You have family.

They probably watch you,
you're a big fibber.

You say, "I'm gonna try to figure out
what happened to my bank.

-And I'll get it back to you ASAP."
-Your Honor, what does my personal

financial status have to do with
her giving me money?

No, that's what you said to her.

-[Stephanie] Giving me money.
-That's what you said to her.

What does my personal financial status
have to do with her

choosing to give me money for a party
that she wanted to throw me?

Didn't you understand what I said to you?

I read to you what you wrote to her.

She says that she went to the bank,
you tried to cash a check

or get money out to pay the venue.

They suspended your account,
that's what you wrote in her complaint.

-It was while she was in the car with
me. -[Judy] Just... Don't speak!

For some reason,
they suspended your account,

she took money out,
gave it to you.

Your answer says that she wanted to make
you a big bash for your birthday.

Your answer to her two days
after the party was,

"Yes, I'm waiting on a call for them
to tell me why

my account is suspended.

And what I need to do
to get it taken care of.

I'm hoping to have it
all resolved this week

and you paid ASAP."

And the reason they
didn't give you the money,

was because you had just a couple of bucks
more than what you were asking for.

You had $4,432.

That was the reason why I asked you
what was in your bank account.

Do you understand?

-I understand but...
-Very good!

I don't believe a word you're saying,
Mr. Earnest.

-[theme music plays]
-[audience chuckles]

[announcer] And later today...

-Show me. Show me!
-I don't have anything to show you.

My phone actually broke, so...

You know how many people
in 26 years had broken phones?

Always the ones who need...
who need a phone.

[theme music plays]

[announcer] Social media influencer
Stephanie Landor

says her friend Malik Earnest
is responsible for

a loan she gave Malik
for his birthday party.

Okay. I don't believe a word you're
saying, Mr. Earnest.

Judging for the plaintiff
in the amount of six thou... just a second.

I'm taking off the 500 that you said,
that he said he would give you

because it's usurious interest.

But you gave him 4,000 and another 1,500
to pay for the donut truck or some...

-I also have audio of him...
-It was a Cinnabon truck.

[Judy] Some other stupidity.

That's $5,500.
Judgment for the plaintiff.

-Goodbye!
-[Kevin] Court is adjourned.

Thank you.

If she wanted me to sit up there and lie,
I could've done that.

But I told her the truth.

It definitely hurts me,
the fact that he went against me

when I did him a huge favor
when nobody else would.

We're best friends, actually.

Today was our four-year anniversary
of being friends.

We've actually been friends for six years.

I just wish that things hadn't end up
on such a bad note.

I want nothing to do with somebody

who cares more about a party
than the well-being of somebody else.

I always said that
the best part of having children

was having grandchildren, so...

I'm going to give you a thank you.

Because my generation being
brought into this social media

would never have happened
if we didn't have young people

that we were around so much.

I still don't understand why people find
it interesting to see what

somebody else is having for lunch.

I think it's just the need
for constant content.

You know, kids are on their phones
all the time.

And when you ask,
"What are you looking at?"

They need something at look at.

So hence, content creators, influencers,
just takes up time in the day.

You think that's a good thing, Sarah?

-Think about it.
-It's good.

If you're on the right end of it,
if you have a message

that's important, that you think you want
to share with your millions of followers,

I think it can be positive.

But I think it's also sucking
the younger generation

into their phones more and more

-for hours.
-Well, and not being social.

-Not being out there.
-It's a different kind of social.

It's a different kind
of interaction that is

very unfamiliar to your generation,
I think.

Well, it's really isolating.

When I go out to dinner with Poppy,

and sometimes I look around,

and there are groups
of four and six people.

They're all at dinner
and all on their phones.

Nobody is communicating.
They're so used to using that

as a form of communication.
There's no... social interaction.

-I think... the whole thing is horrifying.
-Yeah. [chuckles]

I think that if you have to think about
what human beings

are gonna look like in...


very little fingers

and all have big thumbs
because that's the way

people... that's the way...

They're gonna become... useless!

Useless. The only thing...
there's gonna be mitts.

-And a big thumb.
-[chuckles]

[Judy]
Anyway, the whole thing is frightening.

Case 1086. Linton vs. Farah.

All parties, please step forward.

[announcer] Trevor Linton
is suing his former girlfriend

Caitlin Farah for unpaid loans.

Mr. Linton, you met the defendant
on a dating app?

-Yes, I did.
-In what month and year?

Um, October, 2019.

And when did you start to date?

Um, officially, our first date
was October 25th, 2019.

Is your claim that you made a loan to her?

Yes.

[Judy] And the loan was because
she had an accident with her car?

-That is correct, Your Honor.
-[Judy] When was that?

You don't have to bend down.
The microphone will pick up your speaking.

Okay.

Um, the accident was December of 2019.

And the accident was a result of
a deer running out in front of you?

-You hitting a deer in the road?
-Correct.

[Judy]
And your car was substantially damaged.

-Yes.
-Didn't have money to fix the car?

Not at the moment, no.

Tell me, Mr. Linton,
how you found out that

Miss Farah needed money
to fix her car.

So she texted me, uh, in a panic.

-[Judy] Do you have the text?
-[Trevor] Yes, I do, Your Honor.

[Judy]
I'd like to a look at it.

And then she also states
why she hit the deer.

[Judy] Oh, you hit the deer
'cause you were texting.

-Yeah, and I wonder who I was texting.
-[Judy] Shh!

-[laughs]
-I don't care who you were texting,

you're the idiot driving.

[laughs]

-What happened to the deer?
-It actually got up and walked away.

[Judy] Okay. So did you take the car
to your uncle's shop?

-I did.
-And how much was it to fix it?

Um, it was 1,560.84.

[Judy] And did you borrow the money
from the plaintiff?

Uh... yes.

[Judy] Yeah, but that's...

It's either a yes, you borrowed
the money from the plaintiff,

or "No, I didn't borrow the money
from the plaintiff."

But, Miss Farah, what I'm gonna tell you
is, according to the plaintiff,

you repaid part of this 1,560.84.

Correct. So I repaid what we agreed on.

Okay. So you borrowed the money from him.

Correct. And I've read your answer.
And I've read his complaint,

and you paid 800 and some-odd dollars

-back to him.
-Correct.

So you paid him back approximately half.

Of what we agreed on.

Don't interrupt me. Again.
It's annoying.

And she would like the balance.
And your defense is...

that you were only supposed to
pay back half.

-Mm-hmm.
-"Uh-huh" is not an answer.

-Yes is an answer.
-[Caitlin] Yes, Your Honor.

That's better. Okay.
Now, that's her defense.

You agreed when you
originally made the loan,

agreed to accept half as payment.

She paid back half.

-You broke up.
-Yes.

[Judy]
She continued to make certain payments.

And then dropped off the face of the Earth

and blocked your number,
that's what you say.

That is not correct.

Did she block your number?

I have no idea.

Did she drop off the face of your Earth?

[Trevor] No, she still...

she would randomly communicate

that she was going to send me a check

or a Western Union wire
and would... and did not.

And our agreement was for the full amount,
not half.

Do you have any evidence of that?

-[Trevor] Yes.
-Great.

So I have this evidence, Your Honor,
stating when I offered to help her,

-she states...
-Uh, just a second.

-Can I read them please?
-[Trevor] Okay. Yeah.

And then she states how long it's gonna
take her to pay me back

on the last... last one.

Thank you.

Okay, so you told him you would pay him
back 100 dollars a month.

Correct. Until I paid that 825.

No, that's not correct.
Because you say,

"It would only take me
like a year and a half

to pay you back."

-But he verbally told me that...
-[Judy] No, no, no, no, no.

-Okay.
-That's what you said to him.

-"It would only take me...
-[Caitlin] Mm-hmm.

Like a year and a half."

A year and a half at $100 a month,

is not $800. I mean,
I'm not very good at math.

Math was never my family's strong suit.

But a year and a half, at a $100

is more than $800.

But he said that after that.

[Judy]
Oh, well, show me.

He's got a whole bunch of stuff here.
I don't see it.

And I don't see anything
that you had.

-He's got texts here.
-Correct.

-[Judy] So show me. Show me.
-I don't have anything to show you.

My phone actually broke, so...

You know how many people
in 26 years who have had broken phones?

Always the ones who need...
who need... a phone.

Who need evidence from a phone.

Their phone fell in the toilet,
their phone fell in the river,

fell in with their toupee in the bathtub.
Whatever.

You owe him $725.
Judgment for the plaintiff.

-We're finished here.
-[Kevin] Case is adjourned.

Thank you, Your Honor.

It's fine. I'm glad the situation
is done and over with

and I don't have to worry
about it anymore.

Uh, just shows you unfortunately,
you have to be very wary

of people who you loan money to.

Because they'll take advantage
of your payments.

He's mad we broke up.

She'd tell me the check's in the mail,

or she's gonna
Western Union me the money,

so there was always the runaround.

-Lesson learned.
-Judge Judy gave me justice. Thank you.

That was one of those cases
I know you love.

Where one of the litigants
at least comes prepared

with their documents,
their evidence,

texts, proof of a loan...

-Organized.
-Ducks in a row.

It makes the world go
so much more smoothly.

So that's the takeaway from this case.
You go to court,

don't say "I lost my phone."

"The dog ate my homework."

"I have nothing." Keep it simple.

"I owe him the money."
And goodbye.

-Yes.
-[Judy] Or just make an arrangement.

It's so interesting to me,
actually, Sarah.

There's no question she has her phone.

There's no question
she had the same texts.

Look through them,
be organized.

Or be responsible.
And the responsible thing...

It was over, but she had agreed
to pay him the money to fix her car.

Mm-hmm.
And if you're doing the right thing,

you don't have to lose a phone

to not let a judge like yourself
go through it

-to find the right evidence.
-Right.

[announcer]
Have you been cheated?



[theme music plays]