>> Judge Judy: Mr. Harris,
it is your claim
that the defendant,
a person who you knew,
was going to do some work
on your antique car.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: And it is
your claim
that he destroyed the car
in the process.
So you're suing him for $4,500.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: And he says
that you failed to pay him
for some work
that he did and some materials
that he purchased for the car
and has a counterclaim
for about $1,500.
May I see a picture
of the car, please?
What is the year of the car?
>> It's 1969.
>> Judge Judy: Where did you
buy it?
>> I bought it
from a former co-worker.
>> Judge Judy: When?
>> I bought it in 1992,
if I'm not mistaken.
>> Judge Judy: And what did you
pay for the car?
>> I paid $2,700 for the car.
>> Judge Judy: And did you use
it as a primary source
of getting around to work?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: So you bought
it to use.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: Okay.
And you've had the car
for over 20 years.
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: How many miles
did the car have on it?
>> I don't recall.
It's been so long.
>> Judge Judy: But I see that
the car
was beginning to rust in spots.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: And is that what
Mr. Mattox
was supposed to take care of?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: Is that right,
Mr. Mattox?
>> No, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: What were you
supposed to take care of?
>> I was supposed to paint
the car body.
>> Judge Judy: Paint it.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: Well, you can't
paint over rust.
>> Well, no.
>> Judge Judy: You weren't gonna
paint over rust.
>> Well, the -- the rust that
he's talking about
was not my job to fix.
Like, if you come to get your
car painted, like, if you go to
Maaco, Maaco don't pull your
windows out to paint your car.
They get your rust
out of your car.
Your rust is in your car.
If you pay them to take
your windows out
and put your --
you know, take the rust out,
they'll take the rust out.
>> Judge Judy: No.
I don't understand.
I don't -- I --
I'm actually not understanding.
It's like putting makeup
over a dirty face.
You don't do that.
If you have rust on a car,
what's the point in painting it?
>> The point is,
if he's not paying me to paint,
I paint --
I mean, just say, for instance,
in order for me to take the rust
and stuff out of his car,
he would have had to pay
something like $5,000
to paint it.
But he's not paying $5,000.
He's getting what
he's paying for.
So that's my point.
He's getting what he --
what he's paying for.
He's only paying $2,000.
>> Judge Judy: Well, what --
He was paying $2,000
to paint it?
>> Yes.
For the paint, paint the car.
>> Judge Judy: Well, that's
a lot of money
to paint a car over
without removing the rust.
Was that your agreement?
>> No.
>> Judge Judy: What was your
agreement?
>> I have a statement
right here that,
when my car was damaged
in his possession,
he never notified me.
And, uh...
>> Judge Judy: No. We're --
We're not talking
about that yet, sir.
>> Okay.
>> Judge Judy: We're talking
about the rust.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: Was it your
agreement
to pay him $2,000
to paint the car?
>> No, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: What was he
supposed to do for the $2,000?
>> The original agreement
was $1,500.
>> Judge Judy: To do what?
>> Do the bodywork, clean all
the rust up, and paint the car.
>> Judge Judy: Well, that sounds
more reasonable to me
than just paint over a rusted
old car.
>> Exactly.
>> Judge Judy: 'Cause that's
what this was, a rusted --
at that point,
a rusted, old car.
>> That was not in the agreement
of $1,500.
>> Judge Judy: If it doesn't
make sense,
it's usually not true.
I don't believe anybody
was gonna pay you $2,000
to paint over rust, sir.
>> Okay. Well -- Okay.
>> Judge Judy: I'm just
telling you.
>> You're right. You're right.
>> Judge Judy: I don't
believe it.
You know, I'm not a mechanic.
That's not
my primary source of income.
>> So, you do understand that
I was painting over rust, then?
>> Judge Judy: That you were
what?
>> Painting over rust.
You saying it's worth
that to paint over rust, right?
>> Judge Judy: I don't think
it's worth $2,000 to paint over
a rusted 50-year-old car.
>> But it's worth $1,500,
though.
>> Judge Judy: What?
>> But it's worth $1,500.
>> Judge Judy: No. He said
he was supposed to pay you
$1,500 to take the rust off
and to paint it.
That I can understand.
>> Okay.
>> Judge Judy: Now, I'd like
you to tell me how the car
got damaged in your possession.
>> A tree fell on the car.
I have the picture
where the tree fell
and the damage
that the tree done.
>> Judge Judy: Was it your tree?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: Was it on
your property?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: So what
did you do to fix the car?
>> I fixed the damage
in the car.
>> Judge Judy: What did you do?
>> I --
>> Judge Judy: Tell me.
>> I fixed it.
I did the bodywork on it.
I took it. I took the dent out,
the dent that's
here on the paper.
And I took the dent out,
Bondoed it, fixed it
the way it need to be fixed.
He approved it.
It was a done deal.
I have the text message
where he approved it.
>> Judge Judy: I'd like
to see it.
>> Byrd: Let me see it.
>> Here you go. Here --
here's the damage
right here, too.
There's the damage.
That's the first one.
And the glass
was also broken out.
>> Judge Judy: Just a second.
Where did he approve it?
>> Right there.
He -- I mean, he said, "Okay.
Looking good. Go ahead
and get me out the door."
He -- he knew the damage.
Everything was fine.
The thing is we proceeded past
the damage.
We did other stuff
past the damage.
The damage was done.
He saw the damage.
He approved of everything.
Everything was fine.
We was moving forward
past the damage.
Otherwise,
I never would've fixed it.
If it was a point then,
I never would've fixed it.
Your Honor, he --
>> Judge Judy: Is this
the damage
that was done on the car...
>> No. No.
>> Judge Judy: ...from the tree?
>> No. That's -- Exactly.
>> Judge Judy: What is this?
>> That's not the damage that
was done on the car
from the tree.
>> Judge Judy: What is this,
sir?
>> You tell 'em. You tell.
>> That's my back window being
busted out and my interior
being ruined from weather
and not being covered from
when the tree damaged my car.
>> Judge Judy: You mean after
the tree fell on it?
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: So this is what
happened
after the tree fell on it.
It wasn't fixed.
And water got in it.
>> Yes, ma'am.