03x82 - Mother vs Teen Son and Horse Ranch Rumble

[bunniefuu]

Your mother bought a car for your use.

-Mm-hmm.
-That's not correct.

Uh, he was there during the agreement
that we made.

-Who is this?
-That's my father. He's my witness.

Good. Stand up, sir.

You have no personal firsthand knowledge
of anything. Is that correct?

No, not much because...

Now you can sit. What did you think
he was gonna say to me?

[narrator]
This is Judy Justice.

[theme music playing]

[narrator] Chastity Rubio-Cortes is suing
her son, Christian Rubio-Cortes,

for an unpaid car loan, DUI fees,
and tires.

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

[Judy]
Have a seat, please.

Judge, Case 3130,
Rubio-Cortes versus Rubio-Cortes.

-Thank you.
-You're welcome.

Miss Cortes, this is your son.
How old are you?

-Nineteen.
-[Judy] What do you do for a living?

Uh, currently unemployed.

I kind of just drive around
and deliver food.

-Who is this?
-[Christian] It's my father.

[Judy] Your father and mother
are no longer together, I assume.

[Christian] No.

Is he a witness for you,
or just here for support?

-Yes, ma'am. He's my witness.
-[Judy] Okay.

I'm gonna start with you, Mr. Cortes.

Your mother bought a car for your use.

-Mm-hmm.
-In what year?



-So, at the time, you were 17?
-[Christian] Mm-hmm.

"Uh-huh" is not an answer.

[Christian]
Yes, ma'am.

[Judy] And what was the arrangement
you had with your mother?

[Christian] Uh, we would buy the car
and split it half and half.

Explain that to me.
You gonna cut the car in half?

The price was 4,000. So, I would
pay 2,000 and she would pay 2,000.

-Did your mother have her own car?
-She did.

So, what you're saying is, she was gonna
make a gift to you of the other $2,000.

[Christian] No, ma'am.
She was also gonna use the car, as well.

But she had her own car.

-She did.
-[Judy] What kind of car did she have?

She had a Ford Explorer.

And what kind of car did you buy
with your mother?

-It's a Honda Civic coup.
-What year?



[Judy]
And what year is the Explorer?



So, if I were gonna choose a car
to drive around,

I would choose the Ford Explorer,

rather than
the ten-year-older Honda Civic.

That's what I would choose.
Take a vote here?

Take a vote here? Yeah.

Okay. Now, this is what the case is about.

Your mother said you still owe money
on the car.

And your claim to me is,
you paid for half.

Correct.

[Judy]
And that's all you're supposed to pay for.

-[Christian] Yes, ma'am.
-[Judy] That's a pretty good story.

Now, how old were you when you
got your first ticket with the car?

Seventeen.

-[Judy] What'd you get a ticket for?
-Uh, I was on my way home from work,

and I ended up falling asleep.

Fell asleep at the wheel of the car.
What kind of work were you doing?

Uh, I was working
at a fast-food restaurant.

-For how many hours?
-[Christian] Eight to ten.

What time of the day or night
did you fall asleep at the wheel?

I would say 6:00 P.M.

-[Judy] Did you damage the car?
-[Christian] No, ma'am.

-[Judy] What did you hit?
-I just fell asleep.

What do you mean, you fell asleep
and the car stopped itself?

I was parked.

Oh, so you were parked
and just fell asleep in your car?

I was very tired.

Well, what'd you get a ticket for?

I got a ticket for reckless...

-Reckless what?
-[Christian] Driving.

[Judy] And did you pay that ticket
and get points on your license?

I did.

Anybody help you pay the ticket?

-My mom.
-[Judy] How much did she pay?

[Christian]
It was $275.

[Judy] And that was when
you had just gotten the car?

Correct.

[Judy]
And when did you get your second ticket?

It was in 2023.

What did you get a ticket for?

I got a DUI.

-Did you plead guilty to the DUI?
-I did.

[Judy]
How much was the fine for the DUI?

Six hundred dollars.

-Who paid that?
-My mother.

[Judy] Well, the $600,
now you're over the age of 18,

$600 is your punishment
for driving while drunk.

Or intoxicated with something else.

You wouldn't ask somebody
to do your jail time for you.

You wouldn't say to Mom,

"Mom, I don't like to be in jail,
could you please go for me?"

-You wouldn't say that to her, right?
-No.

Well, the $600 is your penalty
for breaking the law.

-Did you pay your mother back?
-[Christian] Yes, ma'am.

-[Judy] The whole 600?
-Yes, ma'am.

-[Judy] Is that true?
-That's not correct.

[Judy] Did he pay you anything
towards the $600...

Not towards the 600 yet.
He's still paying off the car,

he still hasn't paid it off.
And the first ticket.

Well, the first ticket was when
he was 17 years old.

Yes, ma'am.

And as far as I'm concerned,
that ticket is on you.

Because I wouldn't have let him
keep the car for a second.

After he had the car
for a short period of time,

drove recklessly, and then,
fell asleep at the wheel.

Somebody had to have reported it,
if what he said, he was sleeping.

Do you understand?
Do you know the circumstances of that?

-I do.
-[Judy] Why don't you tell me.

Um, he was coming home from work
and he did end up driving recklessly.

And like, kinda hit a embankment.
But didn't total the car, or anything.

Well, when did he go to sleep?

While he was driving, I guess.
I wasn't there.

Well, that's what I asked him.
I'm not getting an answer from him.

Yeah. I mean, he got a ticket
for reckless driving.

And he fell asleep, so...

-You mean, he fell asleep first?
-[Chastity] Yes.

Okay. Well, I wasn't following this.
That he fell asleep at the wheel,

as a result of which he drove recklessly
for which he got a ticket.

-Yes.
-[Judy] 'Cause he was still driving,

or in the car moving,
when he was stopped by the police.

[Chastity]
Yes, ma'am.

Now, how much are you supposed to pay
on the car per week?

Sixty-five dollars.

How much in total did you pay on the car?

It was 2,112.

-Just on the car?
-[Christian] Mm-hmm.

[Judy] And how much did you pay
your mother in total?

And then, there was another 1,420.

And that is for the DUIs
and other tickets.

So, in total, you're gonna show me 3,532
in payments to your mother.

[Christian]
Yes, ma'am.

Is that right? Is that what you have?

-Okay.
-[pen scratches]

Listen to me what I just said to you.
That was my question.

-Yes, ma'am.
-[Judy] I said you have

no firsthand personal knowledge
of anything.

Yes, ma'am.

Now, you can sit.

What'd you think he was gonna say?

[narrator]
And later today...

You felt as if she was neglecting them
and you went to the place

where she was keeping the horses,
and took back the three-month-old.

Yes, Your Honor.

You took the baby back with police.

Yes. We had a Civil Standby.

I want you to tell me why.

[theme music playing]

[narrator] Chastity Rubio-Cortes
claims her son, Christian Rubio-Cortes,

owes for an unpaid car loan, DUI fees,
and tires.

Now, how much do you have,

Miss Cortes, as his total payments
to you for everything?

For everything, he has paid on the car,
$3,235.

And he still owes for the DUI fees,
the tire rims...

[Judy]
Forget tire rims, forget tires.

If you want to pay for his tire rims,
that's your business.

I don't care if you drive a tire
without rims with nuts and bolts in there.

Not when he hasn't paid other tickets.
That's on you.

I was just thinking of his safety, ma'am.

[Judy] He paid $3,235.
Well, not so much different.

There's a difference of $300.

Now, tell me what your father
is gonna testify to.

[Christian] He was there
during the agreement that we made.

[Judy]
Good. Stand up, sir.

Tell me your last name.

Uh, it's Rubio-Cortes.

[Judy] Mr. Cortes,
I want you to think back two years,

when your son was 17.

Were you and your wife together
at that point?

No.

Where were you when
you heard the discussion

between your former wife
and your son?

I was, um, uh, home.

-At whose home?
-[Armando] At my home.

-Who lives with you?
-My other son.

What was your former wife doing there?

-No, uh, I just heard...
-Look at me.

-Yes, ma'am.
-[Judy] You were home?

-She wasn't there.
-[Armando] Uh-huh.

So, you weren't all
in the same house together.

No. My other son, he goes
and hang out with them.

So, that's how I was noticed
that he was gonna buy another car.

So, you have no personal firsthand
knowledge of anything. Is that correct?

No, not much. Because...

[Judy] Not much.
Well, that was my question.

Yes, ma'am.

I said you have no firsthand
personal knowledge of anything.

Yes, ma'am.

Now, you can sit.

-What'd you think he was gonna say?
-[snorts]

What did you think he was gonna say
to me?

You said he was a witness to the agreement
that you made with your mother.

-How's that?
-Because me and my brother

had both told him about it.

[laughs] Okay. Very good.
'Cause you told your father.

Was your brother there when you and
your mother allegedly made this agreement?

-Yes, she...
-Shh! Just a second.

Where is your brother now?

-Not here.
-Where is he?

He's at work or home, I guess.

Okay. And so, you mind telling me
why you brought your father

instead of your brother,
who you say actually heard this agreement?

Because he couldn't make it.

He couldn't make it 'cause he was home?

-He just told me he couldn't make it.
-[Judy] Just a second.

[laughs]

Now, you owe your mother $2,600
for the car. Judgment for the plaintiff.

-We're finished. Thank you very much.
-Thank you.

[Kevin]
This court is adjourned.

Uh, we agreed to split it,

and she expected me to pay more
than what we agreed upon.

Well, 'cause he's not
taking responsibility for his actions.

And after that, we got into an argument

and ever since then,
we just haven't been on good terms.

He's upset with me right now,
but I think it'll be okay.

Probably not at the moment
gonna be talking with her that much.

But I'm sure I'll be
talking to her again soon.

You know, he could not make a contract
with his mother when he was 17.

True.

But because he made payments
after he was 18,

he ratified that contract.

The reason that I didn't give her
any money for the first ticket

was 'cause once he got that first ticket
for reckless driving,

I would've taken that car away.
I wouldn't have kept it in my name.

-Mm-hmm.
-[Judy] And the kid, clearly,

the young man has a, you know,
an ongoing battle with the truth.

The father, however... [laughs]

He was honest.

Well, not really.

It almost sounded like he thought
he could really be a witness

because his other son

-had told him something.
-[Judy] You think so?

You believe in humanity, I think,
maybe a little more than I do.

I think that he just got caught.

That's also possible.

Case 3128, Armstrong versus Rada.
All parties, please, come forward.

[narrator] Sheree Armstrong
is suing 18-year-old horse trainer,

Raven Rada, for the return of a horse.

You folks are all interested in horses.

-[Sheree] Yes.
-[Judy] You have several.

-How many?
-Approximately 30.

Um, it changes during foaling season

because some of them are born
and some of them go to new homes.

What do you use them for?

We raise them and show them.

So, the stallions are often bred, and then
we show the babies and the brood mares

along with the stallions.

And then, sell the babies off
to prospective show horse homes.

[Judy]
And how long have you been doing this?

My family has been doing it
since I was eight years old.

I've personally been doing it
since I was about 14.

So, I'm 30 now.
So, it's been quite awhile.

[Judy] Okay. What about you?
What's your interest in horses?

My interest in horses is a lot
based on mustangs.

Which I go and adopt mustangs each year,
train 'em and sell them during the shows

-over the summer.
-[Judy] Okay.

So, this is what the case is about.

Miss Armstrong, you sold,
in October of last year,

two horses to the defendant.

-A three-month-old...
-Yes.

-which you sold to her for $3,000.
-[Sheree] Yes.

[Judy] And a yearling,
which I assume is a year old...

-Yes, Your Honor.
-[Judy] ...for $1,000.

And it is your claim that
you weren't fully paid for the horses.

She didn't pay you anything, and then
at some point, sent you $275, she says.

But that you felt as if
she was neglecting them,

and you went to the place
where she was keeping the horses,

and took back the three-month-old.

-Is that right?
-Yes, Your Honor.

When did you take the baby back?

That would be October 23rd.

[Judy]
And when had you made the sale?

That was October third.

So, 20 days later, you took the baby back.

Yes, Your Honor.
There were a cumulative amount of events.

When she took the horses, she was
supposed to make a down payment that day.

We had the horses loaded in the trailer,
and I said, "Okay,

how much are you putting down today?"

And she said, "Well,
I won't have anything until Friday,"

and this was a Wednesday.
And so, I said, "Okay, well,

I'm not normally comfortable with letting
people take anything off the property

before it's paid in full,
but I've known these guys

for well over a decade,
and so, I thought it would be okay."

The horses were loaded and she said,

"Oh, my farrier is gonna meet me at home
to do their feet."

'Cause they were a little bit overdue
and they kinda needed done.

And I was like,
"Well, they're in the trailer,

they're gonna get their feet done, I guess
I can wait for a payment until Friday."

Friday didn't come yet, because Thursday,
I got a message

that she had put those three new horses
in a herd of established mustangs

who attacked the yearling,
trampled her and split her leg open.

-Just a second.
-[Sheree] Yes.

So far, is that correct?

No.

This isn't payment for any horse.
It says clearly, vet bill.

We agreed upon,
at the time of that payment,

that it would go towards the horse.

Why? Your contract specifically says
it does not.

And it specifically says vet bill on it.

[theme music playing]

[narrator] Sheree Armstrong
claims 18-year-old horse trainer,

Raven Rada, refuses to return her horse.

Raven is countersuing, claiming Sheree
wrongfully retrieved one of her horses.

Well, tell me how the yearling
got trampled.

You don't seem to deny that that happened.

-No. She did get trampled.
-[Judy] Okay.

-And she got trampled by what?
-Yes.

A quarter horse.

-That was on your property?
-[Raven] Yes.

Your Honor? It's not quite trampled...

-[Judy] Just a second.
-Sorry.

And it was bad enough, Miss Rada,
that you called the plaintiff.

[Raven]
Yes.

[Judy] What did you say to her
when you called her?

That the quarter horse was able
to roll the paint horse,

and created an injury.

[Judy] Did you tell her
how the horse was injured?

[Raven] Yes.

What did you tell her about the injury?

That the injury was bad enough where
it was bleeding and it would need a vet.

Why did you call her?

Because in her contract, she stated
that she would like to know

when a horse gets injured,
when one of the horses...

[Judy]
Oh. Do you have a contract?

-Yes, I do... Okay.
-[Judy] I'd like to take a look at it.

And is it a contract that you signed?

[Raven]
Uh, that we both signed.

Good. I'd like to see it.

I'm trying to find it, sir.

Here you go.

[Chad]
Your Honor.

[Khristina whispers]
Just wait.

Well, I don't understand
the Bill of Sale, actually.

I understand that it's a nice contract
and that it was for $4,000.

Payment scheduled every... Every what?

It was supposed to be a time frame,
but when she came to get the horses,

she said, "Well, I'm not sure
on the time frame yet.

I can let you know Friday
when I give you the money."

Okay. Payment: Buyer will provide
the seller with a down payment of zero.

Yep. Because I filled it out with her
on Wednesday when she picked them up.

[Judy] So, you filled this out
on the third?

Yes.

Well, you were supposed
to make your first payment on Friday.

-What happened?
-[Raven] The vet.

-When we had the vet come out.
-So what?

I went to go save it so I could
pay her back for paying the vet bill.

And I was never able to do that.

[Judy]
Well then, you defaulted on the contract.

When did you make
this first alleged payment of $275?

It was October 23rd,
when she went and got the colt.

-[Judy] Did you give her a check or...
-[Raven] A check.

-[Judy] May I see it?
-Yes.

[Judy]
No, this says it's for the vet bill.

-Did she pay the vet bill for your horse?
-Yes.

This isn't payment for any horse.
It says clearly, vet bill.

We agreed upon,
at the time of that payment,

that it would go towards the horse.

Why? Your contract specifically says
it does not.

And it specifically says vet bill on it.
That's what it says.

Okay. So, let me try
to put this in perspective now.

Now, you retrieved the baby horse.

-So, when...
-[Judy] Just a second.

I'm sorry.

You went and got the baby horse
'cause you felt as if there was

either trouble with the horses,
or she hadn't paid for them.

Either way, she hadn't paid for them.

That's the easiest thing
that I have to address.

-'Cause she hadn't paid for anything.
-Yes.

[Judy]
Now, it's five months later.

She took back the baby
and you kept the yearling.

-That's a yes or a no, not a sad look.
-[Raven] Yes.

-[Judy] And did you pay for the yearling?
-No.

Well then, it's not your horse.

-Right?
-Yes.

Then she gets it back.
That's what you want, right?

Yes, Your Honor.
I'm not 100% sure that the...

[Judy] You don't have to go into
a whole thing. She bought horses,

she didn't pay for the horses,
she gets 'em back. [chuckles]

-That's easy.
-Yes.

[Judy]
Right? Okay, fine.

How long will it take you
to pick up the horse?

We could come as soon as we get home.

So, within five days?

[Sheree]
Yes, Your Honor.

[Judy]
On 24 hours' notice.

You want to say something?

-[Chad] I do.
-Sure.

I assume you're her father.

-Uh, yes, I am, Your Honor.
-[Judy] Yeah, okay.

Uh, I did place a lien on the horse

because I have at least $750
into this horse.

Somebody allowed you to file a lien
on the horse?

You may do that in Idaho, ma'am.

-[Judy] Well...
-[Sheree] Uh, ma'am...

I contacted the brand inspector myself and
there cannot be a lien placed on the horse

unless I have been served
a copy of that lien

and the brand inspector has been
served a copy on that lien.

And there is nothing on record that
has the last name Rada or Armstrong

anywhere near it.

She's picking up the horse
within five days.

Okay, Your Honor.

[Judy] I don't care if you have money in
it for vet bills, feed. Read the contract.

Did you read the contract?

[scoffs] Yes, Your Honor.
-[Judy] Did you read the contract?

-All right.
-I would have never signed it.

The contract is specifically clear
that once the horse leaves her property,

the buyer is responsible for all vets,
feed, care, shoes...

Whatever it is,
that was her responsibility.

She didn't pay for the horse.

And if she came to her daddy and said,
"Could you help me pay

for these expenses?"
well, she's 18 years old.

-[Chad] Yes, Your Honor.
-Sue her.

Okay, Your Honor.

Within five days, on 24 hours' notice,
the plaintiff is picking up the yearling.

Now, there is sort of
a ridiculous counterclaim.

You want $3,000
for the return of the baby.

No, no, no.

You really don't want that.
You know, there's no legal basis

for you to have it.
You didn't pay for it.

Yes, Your Honor.

[Judy\ And you were supposed
to pay for it. Okay.

You have my order. The order is that,
within five days,

you pick up the yearling.

Your counterclaim is dismissed.
You want the return of the baby.

-You didn't pay for the baby.
-Right.

The baby stays where it is.
Thank you very much. We're done.

[Kevin]
This court is adjourned.

She had messaged me saying, uh,
"The little filly needs to go to the vet,

my horse rolled her. Got jealous,
attacked and rolled her."

She managed to roll it because
they were sittin' there, playing around.

I think that she loves her animals
very much.

I just think she's a little bit
underinformed on some of the basics

with introducing new horses and
handling some emergency medical care.

Probably take more caution
and separate them a little bit more.

I didn't get the feeling, Sarah,
that that young girl was devastated

by the decision. I don't know why.

Yeah. I feel like you made it
pretty cut and dry.

We didn't get into any of the nitty gritty
about how the horse came

versus how it left.
It was a very simple contractual,

you owed the money, you didn't pay,
the horse goes back, period.

And so, I think maybe
that's what removed the emotion...

-The emotion from it.
-...out of it. It's just...

She had no excuse.
She knew she didn't pay for it.

But I think it was pretty cut and dry
at the end of the day.

-You bought a horse, but didn't buy it.
-Right. Didn't pay for it.

[narrator]
Are you a victim of a scam?



[theme music playing]