03x89 - Romantic Denial

[bunniefuu]

-You gave him money.
-[tense music]

You say he never gave you
the car and he sold it.

-Yes.
-No, she didn't.

I have proof that
she paid you for this car.

It wasn't a significant sum.

-What?
-I don't know how much.

-I immediately don't like you already.
-[announcer] This is Judy Justice.

[theme music]

[announcer] Kayla Sams is suing
her former partner, Brenton Pickett,

for personal belongings,
a car, and harassment.

[Kevin]
Court come to order. All rise.

Have a seat, please.

Judge, case 3147, Sams versus Pickett.

-Thank you.
-You're welcome.

-[Judy] This used to be your boyfriend?
-Yes.

[Judy] Sort of lived there,
sometimes, where he lived,

-some place with a child, right?
-[Brenton] Yes.

-Boy?
-Two boys.

-[Judy] Two boys. How old?
-Uh, three and four.

-Where is their mother?
-She's around. We have joint custody.

[Judy] And sort of how many days
a week would you say that you spent,

-when you were together, at his house?
-Almost every day.

-[Brenton] No, she didn't... She...
-[Judy] Don't speak out.

[Judy] You never know where it's gonna go.
Just 'cause she says it,

-doesn't mean it's gonna hurt you.
-Okay.

See, she may say something
like "almost every day"...

-Right.
-[Judy] ...and that's only gonna hurt her.

-Do you understand?
-[Brenton] Yes.

Okay. And when did you start spending
almost every day at his house?

Around March in 2021.

-Until when?
-January of 2023.

[Judy] Then you broke up and claim
he owes you all kinds of money

and things that you weren't
able to take out of the house

and you also gave him money
for a car that you never got.

That's what the case is about, right?

-Yes.
-[Judy] Easy. Okay.

You bought a whole bunch
of electronics at a rent to buy.

Give me the name
of the company that was rent-buy.

Rent-A-Center and American Rental.

-[Judy] So two different companies?
-Yes.

What did you buy at each of the companies?

With Rent-A-Center,
I bought the Xbox One and then the TV.

And with American Rental, I bought the
PlayStation 5 and the sound speaker set.

In what year did you buy
each of these things?

In 2020 is when I bought
the Xbox One. 2021...

[Judy] And just a second.
In 2020. So before you met him?

Yeah. That one came before I met him, yes.

[Judy]
That one came before you met him.

So in 2020, you bought
the Xbox One and the TV?

No, the TV was bought later in 2021.

-So that was bought after you met him?
-[Kayla] Yes.

-[Judy] Now, you bought the Xbox?
-[Kayla] Yes.

Did you finish paying for the Xbox?

-Yes.
-Prove it.

Okay.

-Now, you're no longer a couple, right?
-We never were.

[Judy] Oh, she would come over
and visit, whatever it was.

Let's say that you're a nasty guy
and you just used her,

for the electronics and for whatever else.

Let's just say you never dated, you were
never together. You're just a nasty guy.

-Where is the Xbox?
-It's with my son.

-[Judy] Where is your son?
-[Brenton] At home.

[Judy]
At your house?

Right. Or at his mom's house,
currently, but...

Listen, double-talker.
You live with his mom?

-[yells] Do you live with his mom?
-No.

-Where is the Xbox?
-At her house with my son.

How did it get to his mother's house?

Uh, she bought it for him
and he took it where he wants.

[Judy]
Just a second. How old is your son?

-[Brenton] Five.
-Hmm?

-[Brenton, louder] Five.
-[Judy] Five.

Okay. I immediately
don't like you already.

I wasn't sure if I liked her,
but I don't like you already.

-[courtroom laughs]
-[Judy] Who is this?

It's my mom.

[Judy]
It's your mom. Should have tried harder.

[Kayla laughs]

-[Judy] Should have tried harder.
-Aww.

Five-year-olds don't take
Xboxes to their mother.

She didn't give him the Xbox
to take to his mother's house.

She bought it before she knew your kid.

-[Kayla] Your Honor...
-[Judy] Don't speak.

First of all, with regards to the Xbox,
look like you're losing?

-No. Sorry.
-[Judy] Alright.

She bought the Xbox
before she knew your kid in 2020.

You say no? Prove that she's mistaken.
Did you buy the Xbox?

-[Brenton] No.
-[Judy] When was it purchased?

-I don't know. I didn't ask for...
-[Judy] You don't know.

-She just brought it over?
-Yes.

[Judy] And when she brought it over,
did you ever use an Xbox?

-Do you know how to use it?
-Yeah.

[Judy]
That would be a "yes." Not "yeah".

-Yes, you know how to use it.
-Yes.

And so you used it,
and in 2021 when she came over,

so your son now is five?
Uncross your arms. Your son now is five?

-Yeah.
-So in 2021, he was...

-...A year and a half old, right?
-Something like that. Yeah.

[Judy]
I'm not great in math,

-but that would be about right.
-[Kayla] He just turned two...

-Shh.
-[Kayla] ...right when we got together.

[Judy]
So he was two. Okay.

Now, you're talking to somebody
who's had a lot of kids,


got a great-grandchild who's a year old.

They don't use Xboxes when they're two.
His father used the Xbox.

-I don't.
-[Judy] Then she used it to play?

-She didn't live in my house to play it.
-Should have tried harder.

-[Brenton laughs]
-[Judy] With him.

So, where do you come from?

-Indiana.
-You wanna go back to Indiana?

You flew here.
We paid for the ticket, right?

-Yeah.
-Get the Xbox back.

-[Kayla] He will break it.
-Shh. Oh, no, he won't,

because he also, when he comes here,
he gets an appearance fee,

which you're not gonna get until she gets
her Xbox back, do you understand that?

-Yeah.
-You understand it perfectly?

-Yes.
-[Judy] Right.

The appearance fee that you're promised
is gonna be zip-a-dee-doo-dah

until she gets her unbroken
Xbox back, understood?

-Right?
-Mhm.

[Judy] So it depends
upon how much it's worth to you.

Now, Xbox is coming back to you.
TV, when was it purchased?



[Judy]
Why'd you bring it to his house for?

-He needed a TV because Miles broke his.
-[Judy] Because what?

Miles broke his, which is his
youngest son. So I let him borrow it.

[Judy] Now, did you pay for it
from Rent-A-Center?

-[Kayla] Yes.
-I'd like to see proof of that.

[Kayla]
This goes with that.

And that statement that you have
up there goes with this as well.

Well, these are all November 27th.

[Kayla]
Yes. I paid them all off on the same day.

-Okay. So this is the payoff statement?
-[Kayla] Yes.

-That's the payoff statement. Yes.
-Okay.

Okay. Where is the TV?

-[Brenton] At my house.
-[Judy] What?

-[louder] My house.
-[Judy] Okay.

We're gonna make arrangements for her
to pick up the TV. Same conditions.

Zero money, do you understand,
until she gets back her property.

[tense music]

I don't wanna be too hard, [indistinct],

he doesn't have anything
wrong with him, does he?

-No, he does not. He has...
-[Judy] Oh, good. That's good.

I just wanted to make sure
that I wasn't bullying anybody

that had a pre-existing condition.

-His pre-existing condition is just that...
-[laughs]

Nasty.

[tense music]

[announcer] Kayla Sams claims
her former partner, Brenton Pickett,

kept her personal belongings and never
gave her the car she purchased from him.

Now, what other electronics?

There's a PlayStation 5
and a sound speaker set.

And I know that he does not
have either one of those

because I've been told
that he sold both of them.

Did you sell either one
of those two things?

Put your hands down.
Did you sell either of those two things?

-Once they were in my possession... Yes.
-[Judy] Just a...

-That requires an answer, yes or no?
-[Brenton] Yes. Yes.

-[Judy] You sold the PlayStation to whom?
-Someone on Facebook.

-Should have done better.
-[Brenton laughs] You're so funny.

I'm not trying to be funny.
I feel sad for your mother.

I know she probably
put in a lot of effort into you.

-[Kayla] You would think.
-Well, one would hope, and if she did,

I feel sorry for her,
that you should have done better.

Okay. So how much
did you pay for the PlayStation?

-[Kayla] $2,699.
-[chuckles]

It came from the rental place,
so I paid more for it

because of the interest and everything.
But I have the receipt right here.

May I see it, please?

PlayStation and speaker set.
Sold that, too?

-What does that mean?
-Yes.

-What does that mean?
-[Brenton] Yes. Sure.

Whatever you want me to tell you, I guess.

I don't wanna be too hard, [indistinct],

he doesn't have anything wrong
with him, does he?

-No, he does not. He has... [sighs]
-[Judy] Oh, good. That's good.

I just wanted to make sure
that I wasn't bullying anybody

that had a pre-existing condition.
His pre-existing condition is just that...

-[Kayla snickers]
-...Nasty.

Okay. And how much was the speaker set?

-I paid $904.54 for it.
-Hmm?

-[louder] $904.54.
-[Judy] Okay.

So the two things you're gonna get back,

and the rest of the things he says he's
already disposed of come up to $3,603.

-Now, we're gonna talk about this car.
-Okay.

Which I have a little bit of a problem
with, that I don't understand this car,

because you got a settlement from a
personal injury claim in May of 2022.

And according to you, he offered
to sell you a Dodge car for $4,500.

-[Kayla] Yes.
-[Judy] Did he own the car?

Um, his dad gave him the car.
So yes, it was his car.

-Are you still married to his father?
-No.

You can stand up with him. Move over.

-Who's his father?
-Steve Pickett.

-When did he give him this Dodge car?
-I do not know the exact timeframe,

but I have a message from Kayla
that says, um, April...

-[Judy] No, no.
-... 28th of '22,

-that he was giving the car to Kayla.
-[Judy] That's not what I asked you.

-I said, when did his father...
-[Brenton] It's a setup.

[Judy]
...buy him or give him the car? What year?

I don't know the exact date.

-It wasn't my car.
-[Judy] I don't wanna know the exact date.

I assume that you're in touch with him

because you have grandchildren
that I assume...

-[Kisha] Yes.
-...he needs your help taking care of

-when he has them in his custody.
-Yes.

-[Judy] Right? I assume that.
-Yes.

So then if I asked you in what year
his father gave him this car,

I guarantee you, you know the year.

-Guaranteed.
-I would not.

They're separated.
How would she know that?

I'm not married to his father. [laughs]

I know you're not married to his father.
You're telling me...

-[Brenton] They don't communicate.
-...you don't see your grandchildren?

-Yes, I see my grandchildren.
-[Judy] Of course.

And your grandchildren live with him.
That's what he said, some of the time.

Right? So when you see your grandchildren
and they're with him, and they're young...?

-Yes.
-[Judy] You know that he's either at work...

-Does he work?
-He works, yes.

[Judy] Right. Do you ever
take care of the children?

I live two hours away, so I don't take
care of the children during the week,

and I'm not there a lot.

And my husband passed away of cancer,
so no, I'm not there a lot.

So I would not know the exact year.

-[Judy] Really?
-I do have a message from Kayla

that she said that Brenton
was giving her the car.

-So that's my knowledge of the car.
-Okay. You have a message from her

-that he was giving her the car?
-[Kisha] Yes.

[Judy] Good. Now, she paid
you $4,500 for the car,

-correct?
-[Brenton] No.

[Judy]
How much did she pay you for the car?

She did give me money,
but as I planned to give her the car,

-I don't know how much.
-How much money did she give you?

-It was two years ago. I don't know.
-[Judy] What?

It wasn't a significant sum.

-I have a text message right here...
-I planned to give her the car.

-...that says how much it is.
-[Judy] May I please see what she has?

[sighs] This is some joke.

-[Kisha] It's okay.
-[chuckles] Is it?

-No, you're a joke, sir.
-[Brenton] Okay.

-[courtroom laughs]
-[sarcastically] Ha ha ha.

-[Judy] You're a joke.
-Aw. It's so funny.

[Judy]
"My son is not paying you a blank dime.

You are the one that paid him
$4,500 for a car that barely ran.

He doesn't owe you anything.
If you have to pay for all this stuff,

that's on you. Not him.

You've made him miserable ever
since you left him almost a year ago."

-31 [...] 323 [...]. Whose number is that?
-That's my number.

[Judy]
Well, that's what you said to her.

"You are the one that paid him
$4,500 for the car."

Does that refresh your recollection, sir?

Your mother got that
figure from someplace.

From her.

[Judy]
So you mean she's believing her now?

-[Brenton says something indistinct]
-Just a second. She's believing her now.

"You're the one that paid him
$4,500 for the car that barely ran."

So she's saying she gave
you money for a car, "that barely ran,

and he doesn't owe you anything.
If you have to pay for all that stuff,"

that's the electronics,
"that's on you," 'cause "he's miserable."

"How do you expect him
to pay almost $10,000?

-That's kind of ridiculous if you ask me."
-[chuckles]

[Judy]
Okay. So she gave you $4,500.

But my question to you is, you say he
never gave you the car and he sold it...

-Yes.
-[Judy] ... to somebody else.

He sold it to his children's mother.

-[Judy] Uncross your arms.
-[chuckles]

-[Judy] How do you know that?
-Uh, me and [...] are friends now.

[Judy] You have any proof that
he sold it to his children's mother?

I don't have proof of that,
no, but I can get it in my phone.

[Judy] Get it in your phone. So you
and his ex, the mother of his children,

-are friends now?
-[Kayla] Yes.

[Judy] Did you give the car or sell
the car to the mother of your boys?

-That's either a yes or a no.
-I gave it to Kayla.

So the answer is, you did not give the
Dodge to the mother of your children.

-No, I gave it to Kayla.
-[Judy] Now, just a second.

That's what I just said, it's right here.

-[Judy] Just a second.
-But you won't take our evidence, so...

[Judy] I'm gonna take your evidence.
I'm just laying a foundation.

[tense music]

She says with your permission.

He probably told her
that he had my permission.

The only question that I have
is why did you wait so long to sue him?

[tense music]

[announcer] Kayla Sams is accusing
her former partner, Brenton Pickett,

of keeping her belongings

and wrongfully selling the car
she purchased from Brenton.

Now, you did not give
the car that she paid you for

to the mother of your children.

-No.
-[Judy] The answer is no.

-It wasn't my car.
-[Judy] I want her phone number.

-You want [...] phone number?
-[Judy] That's absolutely right.

Sarah, take it down,
and go and call Ms. [...].

Find out what kind of car she drives,
where she got it from.



[Judy] Okay. So, please ask her
if she has in her possession an Xbox.

-[Sarah] Okay.
-[Judy] And we wanna know whether or not

she is driving a 2008 Dodge Caliber.

She's not driving it because the car,

-the front...
-[Judy] The car's what?

[Brenton]
How come she can talk and I can't?

She's not able to drive the car.
They had to junk it.

[Brenton]
How come she can talk and I can't?

Ask her whether she had the car
and what happened to it.

-[Kayla] Um, for...
-[Judy] Don't.

You say he gave it to the mother of his
children. I wanna find out if that's true.

-Find out when.
-[Sarah] Mhm.

Show me the date that you took out
$4,500 to give it to him.

I don't have that because
when I got the settlement check,

my lawyer, they deposited
the check into his account

and he wrote me a check for the remaining
balance after he took what was owed him.

[Judy]
I understand that.

[Kayla]
So I have the settlement and distribution.

[Judy]
I don't need the settlement in that.

I wanna know when you gave him the $4,500.

[Kayla] May 5th... May 4th.
It was the same day that I got the money.

[Judy]
Did you give it to him in check or cash?

Cash. Standing in his living room.

In any event, his answer seems,
she's gonna get me the information I need,

"I sold the car to Kayla."
That's what you swore to.

For $4,500. So, that, you acknowledge.

Let's see if the ex-wife had...
she was your wife or partner?

-Girlfriend.
-[Judy] Partner.

Okay. Now, Kevin, I'd like you to go
and take the first two documents

that he has in front of him
and bring them to me.

[Kevin clears throat] First two.

This is just proving
the contact order was false.

[Judy]
What is this that you're showing me?

That's the picture she put in the contact
order that I had nothing to do with.

It's from a car wreck.

-I...just a second. I'm talking about a car.
-Okay.

[...] does not like to
answer on the first ring,

so it took a few tries, but I got her.
And she said about a year and a half ago,

she wasn't certain on the exact dates,

but she's had her new car
for about a year and two months.

So she figures about a year and a half ago
is when she bought the Dodge

from Brenton with Kayla's permission.
So that's how she phrased it to me.

So I said, "You weren't sure
of who the owner was or you were?"

She says, "It was sort of
a convoluted situation.

But how it was presented to me
was that I was buying it

from Brenton and Kayla allowed
that sale to take place."

When I asked how much
she paid for the car at that time,

she said it wasn't a bill of sale
or a proper amount for the car,

but that she helped Brenton
out with rent payments

and other small things like that as a quid
pro quo, you could say, for the vehicle.

The vehicle is junked now.
She said it was not safe to drive.

She didn't feel comfortable
having her children in it.

Uh, so the car has been junked,
and in regards to the Xbox,

it is in full working order in her
house with her son currently.

[Judy] Perfect. Okay. So I have proof
that she paid you $4,500 for this car.

And according to the lovely [...],
you did in fact sell her the same car,

she says with your permission.

I did not give permission
for that vehicle to be sold again.

He probably told her that he
had my permission. He did not.

The only question that I have
is why did you wait so long to sue him?

Brenton was very a*usive and very mean.
And when I decided to finally leave,

I sent my family to get my things
and he wouldn't give it to 'em.

And it took me a minute to get over
everything that had happened,

and I had to pay off all of this stuff
as well, and he is in possession of it.

Judgment for the plaintiff
in the amount of $8,103

plus the return of the Xbox,
the defendant's fee,

if any, will be held here
until the Xbox is returned.

-Thank you very much. We're done.
-How do I get that back from him?

You can take the order
and get a sheriff to go pick it up.

-[Kayla] Okay.
-[Kevin] This court is adjourned.

[tense music]

Because she's a scam artist.

He came in here with a few text messages
that were irrelevant to the case.

I really don't know
what he thought he was doing.

I had a whole case stacked against him.

-It's what she does, bud.
-[laughs] I'm not dating no more.

-I don't... I don't know. Can I go?
-I'm ready for a brighter future.

You know you always have a problem

when the two exes
have each other's phone numbers.

-[laughs] Mhm.
-On speed dial.

Oh, yeah. I found it interesting
though, when I spoke to her,

and I should have followed up,
about the permission that she said,

'cause that was the word she used.

She said, "He gave me the car,
but Kayla gave her permission."

And I should have followed up more

because then she denied, Kayla,
the plaintiff, denied saying that.

And if you were friends now,

I feel like you might've gotten
your story a little straighter

before coming here then.

[Judy] I don't think that they intended
that you would go in the back

-and call it and verify.
-[Sarah] No, of course.

That's the best part of the verification
calls, is they're always a surprise.

-He wasn't a nice man.
-[Sarah] No.

[Judy] Because if the other stuff
was in his house,

and he knew that she had purchased it,

-and they were no longer together.
-[Sarah] Mhm.

Well, maybe he would say that she
purchased it and he kept it in the house.

-And they were gifts, but he didn't.
-[Sarah] Mhm.

-He sold most of it.
-[Sarah] Sure.

He sold the expensive... instead of giving
it back, he sold it for the money,

and there is absolutely no allegation

-that she owed him money for anything.
-[Sarah] Yeah.

She was the generous one
and he was the taker. I don't know...

Women need to nest, they pick on any
piece of trash in order to nest.

[tense music]

[announcer] Are you a victim of a scam?


[theme music]