nothing wrong with that --
"that you've --" so you're
directing it to her --
"remodeled and furnished with
your donations."
Now, there's your problem.
So, what you're saying in that
part of the sentence is she has
misappropriated funds that she
collected for her 501(c)(3) and
used it for her own personal
benefit.
Prove it, and you only have a
couple of minutes, so get busy.
Get busy.
>> I don't have the proof
because she would never open up
her books for us to look at it.
>> Judge Judy: Well, so you have
no proof.
>> I mean, I have pictures of
things, but -- And she never
posted vet records.
>> Judge Judy: Well, so, then
that's something that you can't
say to her.
"She lives in a trailer that
she's remodeled and furnished."
That would have been fine.
"With your donations" is not
fine.
Got it?
"She has adopted roughly out 30
dogs with no home visit done."
How do you know that?
>> I don't.
That's what we were --
>> Judge Judy: Just a second.
You don't.
"And where is an adoption of
that adoption fee money?"
>> She charges an adoption fee
for each dog she's adopted out,
plus all of her fundraising.
>> Judge Judy: Is that against
the law?
>> No.
>> Judge Judy: "No one bully
rescue supports her."
Well, that's your opinion.
"She adopts sick bullies."
>> One needed a tail amputation.
>> Judge Judy: So what?
>> Well, you usually have them
healthy before you adopt them
out to a new home.
>> Judge Judy: She paid for the
tail amputation...
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: ...through
whatever organization it was.
>> I have another one where the
person adopted out a dog and she
refused to pay for the vet
bills.
>> Judge Judy: Bring up that
person.
>> Oh, I don't have them.
>> Judge Judy: Well, that's too
bad.
Who did you bring with you?
>> Ruthann.
She's a director of a huge
rescue.
>> Judge Judy: Oh, I don't need
somebody -- I need somebody to
address these allegations of
their factual basis for what you
wrote in here, some of which is
accusing her of a crime, some of
which just slanders her.
But if they're true, if what
you're saying is she refused to
pay for the medical bills of one
dog, I would like to hear that
person.
>> Well, I have it in writing.
>> Judge Judy: No, you don't
have it in writing unless you
have the person here.
That's hearsay.
>> Okay.
>> Judge Judy: You do understand
that anyone has the right to
look at your books and records
if you're a 501(c)(3)
organization.
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: Did the defendant
make an application to look at
your books and records of your
501(c)(3)?
>> She sent a message via
Facebook wanting to see them.
>> Judge Judy: Other than a
Facebook message that she wanted
to examine your books, did she
ever make a formal application
to examine the books and records
of your organization?
>> No, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: Did you ever make
a formal application, other than
a Facebook message, to examine
her books and records?
>> No.
Other people had sent her --
>> Judge Judy: Just a second.
Bring them here.
I'd like to hear people who had
made a formal application and
were denied that.
You were coming to court today.
That's your burden.
You know what you were being
sued for.
I don't know if she's running an
operation, and I don't know
whether she helped herself to
some of that money and remodeled
her trailer.
It's your burden to prove that
she did because you're the one
who put it in here, accusing her
of breaking the law, as a result
of which she lost a lot of
people and, according to her,
she closed down her operation.
Now, now it's up to you to show
damages 'cause I've already
determined that she has defamed
you.
>> Can I say one thing?
She made a Facebook post in her
bulldog rescue stating she was
closing down her rescue due to
her husband's cancer and not
because of the post.
>> Judge Judy: May I see it?
>> And...
>> Judge Judy: Fine.
Because as we're on the issue of
damages, and her damages is she
says that she was forced to
close down the rescue because of
you.
Oh. You say --
You thank everybody, and you say
that it's been a difficult few
months, you've made some
mistakes, you've had some
successes, you've had some
failures.
"But right now I'm letting you
know with my next year ahead
rescue is not part of my daily
schedule.
I will be closing MyDreams
rescue as of September 2nd to
focus on what really need to be,
which is my husband.
This has nothing to do with the
posts that you may have seen.
This is solely because I have
obligations ahead."
>> If you keep turning...
>> Judge Judy: Shh.
>> ...you'll find her divorce
she filed for on her sick
husband.
>> And that has what to do with
my dogs?
>> Your character.
>> Judge Jud