>> Judge Judy: Mr. Moore,
it is your claim
that the defendant's dog
bit you and your dog,
causing injury to both.
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: You want her to
be responsible for your bills,
and for the dog's bills.
And the defendant says
that if you were bitten,
it was your fault.
If your dog was injured,
that was also your fault.
She's got a counterclaim.
She says you've been harassing
her and slandering her.
>> That's false, Your Honor.
>> Judge Judy: So what I gather
is that this incident occurred
at the home of a mutual friend
on the 19th of May of this year.
Is that right?
>> The incident actually
happened on the morning
of May 20, 2018.
I arrived on the property
May 19th.
>> Judge Judy: You were staying
over at a friend's home?
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: Was there
a party?
>> There was a birthday party
that weekend.
>> Judge Judy: For whom?
>> One of the defendant's
children.
>> Judge Judy: Ms. Rooks'
children?
>> That's what I believe, yes.
>> Judge Judy: Ms. Rooks,
what was the celebration for?
>> Actually, my son's birthday
party was prior to that.
It wasn't actually that weekend.
>> Judge Judy: Okay.
I'm just asking you a question.
It's not very germane
to this case.
It's not a big deal.
What were you celebrating
at this mutual friend's house?
>> We were celebrating them
moving into their new home,
and helping them remodel
and clean and --
>> Judge Judy: Okay.
So they were moving
into a new place.
>> Mm-hmm.
>> Judge Judy: And you brought
with you how many children?
>> Three children, Your Honor.
>> Judge Judy: How old?
>> 13, 10, and 7.
>> Judge Judy: You would be the
last one that I would invite to
my house if I were moving into
a new place to bring the chaos
of three children
and a dog, the last one.
I don't understand that.
And what kind of a dog
do you have?
>> She is a pit bull.
>> Judge Judy: How old?
>> She is 5.
>> Judge Judy: When
did you get her?
>> When she was
about 7 weeks old.
>> Judge Judy: And what kind of
a dog do you have?
>> She is a half heeler,
half Louisiana Catahoula.
It's a swamp hunting dog.
>> Judge Judy: I know
what they are, actually.
How old?
>> She just turned
10, Your Honor.
>> Judge Judy: Now these are
two dogs that shouldn't be
in the same house together.
You do understand that?
>> Correct.
>> Judge Judy: You understand
your dog's breed, and you
understand your dog's breed
so that they shouldn't be
in the house together.
So why didn't one or both of you
just leave?
>> We had drove 2.5 hours
to get there.
It was quite a ways
away from our town.
>> Judge Judy: But you're there,
and you know his dog.
You know about your dog.
And if you're helping people
move into a house and you have
two dogs that clearly are, like,
the Hatfields and the McCoys,
then you don't spend
a weekend there.
It's ridiculous.
Never heard of two more
stupid people in my life.
>> Your Honor --
>> Judge Judy: All right.
Let's go.
>> Judge Judy: So you have three
children and a pit bull.
And your three children
and pit bull were staying where,
in the house
or outside the house?
>> If you'd like,
I could show you on the diagram.
>> Judge Judy: Just tell me.
Were you staying in the house
or outside the house?
>> We were staying
in the art studio.
>> Judge Judy: And where were
you staying, sir?
>> I was staying in my tent
in the backyard.
>> Judge Judy: Okay.
On the 20th, I want you
to tell me what happened.
>> On the morning of May 20,
2018, approximately 10:00
in the morning, I awoke
from my tent with my dog.
>> Judge Judy: You got up
at 10:00 in the morning?
>> Yeah, I smelled breakfast.
>> Judge Judy: You mean the
person who was moving into the
house and you were there to help
was now cooking breakfast?
>> Yes, Your Honor.
>> Judge Judy: Okay. Go.
>> May I address the chart?
>> Judge Judy: Absolutely.
>> So, when we got
out of our tent, we started
walking up towards the house,
and we had passed
by a large tree,
and when we passed by that tree,
her pit bull lashed out
and attacked my dog,
and at that point in time,
the next five minutes
was a horror show
of her dog thrashing
around my dog by the neck.
>> Judge Judy: At the time,
Ms. Rooks, that this incident
happened, were you in the art
studio with your children?
>> No, I had just got done
finishing breakfast and walked
upstairs to get dressed.
>> Judge Judy: So you were
in the main house?
>> We were actually outside
cooking.
We were camp cooking
because their kitchen
was being remodeled.
>> Judge Judy: Go over and
show me where you were cooking.
>> There's a porch right here.
Excuse me.
There's a porch right here,
and we had a barbecue
and a grill set up,
and we were outside cooking.
So we were all hanging out
in this area,
and my dog was right here,
and obviously Mike was still
sleeping when I went upstairs.
>> Judge Judy: Okay.
>> And then I went --
I obviously was upstairs.
>> Judge Judy: Just a second.
Is your dog chained to a tree?
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: Is that
what it was?
>> Mm-hmm.
>> Judge Judy: Step back.
On how long a chain?
>> It was about 30 feet.
It was a good lead.
And there was also two entrances
to the house -- in fact three.
>> Judge Judy: I don't care
whether there were 20
entrances to the house.
Your dog was 30 feet
out of your control.
If you thought 30 feet
was a good lead, good for you.
Evidently it was too much of a
lead, because your dog injured
him, and injured his dog.