>> Announcer: Clayton Howard
is suing his former friend,
22-year-old Esteban Morales
for a loan to buy back a car
he'd sold.
>> Judge Judy: Mr. Morales, I'm
going to start with you, sir.
How do you know the plaintiff?
>> I used to work with him
at Home Depot.
>> Judge Judy: For how long?
>> Uh, I worked with him for
two years.
>> Judge Judy: You became
friends?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: Who do you
live with?
>> I live with my father.
>> Judge Judy: And who do you
live with, sir?
>> My parents.
>> Judge Judy: Mr. Howard
gave you some money.
>> Uh, no.
Or, if we could rephrase that?
He, uh --
>> Judge Judy: I said to you,
Mr. Howard gave you come money.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: I don't have
to rephrase it.
That's English, what I'm --
Mr. Howard gave you some money.
>> Yes., when did he
give you money?
>> Not exactly sure on the date.
>> Judge Judy: Give me the month
and year.
>> 2016. May. The month of May.
>> Judge Judy: So, almost
two years ago.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: Is that what
you're telling me?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: How much money
did he give you?
>> He -- initially, was $1,000.
>> Judge Judy: For what?
>> I was in a situation, where,
um, I was kind of in the process
of, I sold a car, and this car
wasn't passing smog.
So, the person who bought the
car off of me requested to --
for me to take the car back
from him.
At the time, I used the money
that I sold the car --
>> Judge Judy: You used the
money.
You didn't have the money.
>> I didn't have the money,
'cause I bought another car.
But then, I was in an accident
with the car that I bought.
I wrecked and totaled it.
So, I didn't have that car, or
the money to get that car back.
>> Judge Judy: The money to buy
back the car that you sold, that
couldn't be smogged.
>> Correct.
>> Judge Judy: So, Mr. Howard
gave you $1,000.
>> Mr. Howard suggested, and
came with me to go
meet this person.
He had told me, um, "Let's see
if I can have a word with him,
and maybe we can figure
something out."
So, Clayton came with me, drove
up with me to Miramar.
We both got out of the car.
We spoke to the guy, and the guy
told me, um, "The car's not
passing smog."
>> Judge Judy: No, I got the
whole story.
How much money did Mr. Howard
give the gentleman to get the
car back?
>> $800.
>> Judge Judy: And what did you
do with the car?
>> I told Clayton,
"This is your car.
I mean, what do you want to do
with it?"
He said to me, "Keep it."
>> Judge Judy: No, he doesn't
want the car.
He was helping you, because,
otherwise, you were going to be
in trouble.
>> Exactly, so --
>> Judge Judy: Okay, so, when
you drove to Miramar,
in whose car did you drive?
>> Clayton's.
>> Judge Judy: Clayton's.
So, Clayton had a car.
>> Correct.
>> Judge Judy: So, what did he
need your car for?
>> Um, well --
>> Judge Judy: To have
a spare car?
>> Well, I mean, since he used
that money --
>> Judge Judy: No, let's say
he gave you that money --
>> Correct.
>> Judge Judy: -- to keep you
out of trouble.
>> Yes, Your Honor.
>> Judge Judy: 'Cause that's the
money he wants back.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: Did this
transaction take place
two years ago?
>> Approximately.
It was, um, actually in
December of 2015,
he needed a cell phone.
So, I went to the Sprint --
>> Judge Judy: Shh!
I don't care about a cell phone.
I'm not dealing with cell phone.
I'm dealing with this money.
What I want to know, Mr. Howard,
is, what took you two years
to get your money back?
>> Uh, I just -- you know, I'm
just a good --
I just, you know, was going
to wait, you know.
>> Judge Judy: Uhh...
>> He lost his job, so he just
didn't have the money.
You know, every time I would ask
him for it, he would, you know,
send me, you know, vulgar
text messages every time that
I brought that up.
>> Judge Judy: I would like
to see those.
So, I'm going to come back to
you, Mr. Morales.
>> Yeah.
>> Judge Judy: Mr. Howard gave
the person to whom you sold
the car, that couldn't be
smogged, $800.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: What did you do
with the car?
>> So, the ca--
>> Judge Judy: No, no, don't.
Look here.
>> Sorry, Your Honor.
>> Judge Judy: What did you do
with the car?
>> I drove the car home.
>> Judge Judy: You drove it.
>> I did.
>> Judge Judy: Drove it to
whose home?
>> My home.
>> Judge Judy: And then?
>> I parked it, um, outside
in the street, on the sidewalk
of my house.
The car, uh, it -- I wasn't
driving it.
It had a bad tire, so the tire
was about to pop.
So, I let it sit.
Um, I was -- I was in the
process of looking for a new
job, so wasn't really driving
anywhere.
I woke up one morning, and I saw
a ticket on the windshield,
uh, for the registration had
gone out.
So, it became an expense, and,
um, I -- I got -- saw the
ticket, and I figured I got
to get --
[ Pounds desk with hand ]
I have to get rid of this car.
So, I sold the -- I sold the
car.
>> Judge Judy: Sold the car
to whom?
>> To the junkyard.
I called the junkyard.
Um, they -- they came --
>> Judge Judy: What month did
you sell the car to the
junkyard?
>> Um --
>> Judge Judy: Then, I'm going
to ask you what junkyard,
so be careful.
>> I'm not exactly sure.
>> Judge Judy: Well, then, let's
think carefully.
>> Okay.
>> Judge Judy: This happened
in May of 2016.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: When did you sell
the car to the junkyard?
>> I believe, I'm going to say
July, 'cause it sat for about
two months outside of my house.
>> Judge Judy: So, you had the
car May, June, and you drove it.
>> I drove it -- Yes.
>> Judge Judy: You drove it.
>> Judge Judy: And then you
junked it.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: Now, when for the
first time did Mr. Howard
ask you for this $800 back?
>> Clayton had, uh -- he had
asked me for this money, um,
when I -- when I got rid of the
vehicle, I sold it for the
$800 -- of for the -- the $100.
The junkyard had given me that
money, so I drove over to
Clayton's house, and I -- I
told him, "Clayton, um, this is
what I got from that car that
you purchased, and --"
>> Judge Judy: He didn't
purchase a car!