is suing his neighbor,
Rueben Gonzales, for the death
of 50 of his chickens,
caused by a dog attack.
>> Judge Judy: Mr. Hatfield,
how far away do you live
from the Gonzales family?
>> It's approximately a half
a mile on the same street.
>> Judge Judy: And it's a rural
area?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: You raise
chickens on your property?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: How many?
>> At the time, there was 75.
>> Judge Judy: Do you do them
for your own purposes,
or do you sell the eggs,
or do you sell the chickens?
What do you do?
>> We sell the eggs
and use them,
and we raise them
for show birds.
>> Judge Judy: And who lives in
your house?
>> My girlfriend, Alexandra.
>> Judge Judy: And this
gentleman?
>> And Steve lives
on the property.
>> Judge Judy: He lives on your
property?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: His name is...?
>> Steve Gold-Smith.
>> Judge Judy: It is your claim
that Mr. Gonzales' dogs
got into your chicken coop,
killed many of your chickens,
destroyed the property.
>> Yes, Your Honor.
>> Judge Judy: Mr. Gonzales says
could have been any of his dogs,
could have been a coyote,
could have been another animal
that got in to the chickens,
but you have a witness.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: Okay.
And you don't have a witness.
>> I do have a witness.
I have my wife.
>> Judge Judy: Great. Okay.
This happened on December 29th
of last year.
>> That's correct, Your Honor.
>> Judge Judy: About what time?
>> Approximately 3:30
is when I got the call.
>> Judge Judy: From Mister...
>> From my witness, Steve.
He gave me a call
that he saw dogs.
>> Judge Judy: Mr. Gold-Smith,
could you stand up, please?
You live on the property?
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: You sort of mind
the place?
>> I kind of look over it.
>> Judge Judy: Okay.
Would you tell me what you
observed on December 29th of
last year?
>> I was outside, and I noticed
these two dogs in the backyard.
>> Judge Judy: Can you describe
the two dogs for me?
>> One was black and white,
and the other one was brown.
>> Judge Judy: How big?
>> Average size,
probably about 30, 40 pounds --
somewhere around there.
>> Judge Judy: Had you ever seen
the dogs before?
>> No.
>> Judge Judy: What were they
doing?
>> The black-and-white dog
was chasing the chickens,
and then the brown dog
would grab the chicken around
the throat and strangle it.
>> Judge Judy: Did you chase
them?
>> Yes, I did.
I chased the dogs
off the property.
Then I walked back further
into the backyard and noticed
there was a whole bunch
of chickens that died.
So, at that time,
I called James,
and I told him what happened.
And so, then, I followed
the dogs and followed them
around the street
till they went home.
>> Judge Judy: So, the dogs
were hanging around?
>> No. As soon as they
left the property,
a matter of minutes,
then I talked to James,
and then I got in my van.
And I went around the corner and
found the dogs,
and then I just followed them.
>> Judge Judy: The same two
dogs -- the black-and-white
and the brown?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: So, you just
followed them?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: And where did
they go?
>> They went in and out
of people's yards,
and then, finally,
they went to the house
that they were at.
There was a lady next door
that let the dogs --
>> Judge Judy: You mean they
went to the Gonzales house?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: And what happened
with the lady next door?
>> She let the dogs
into the fenced area.
>> Judge Judy: So, there was a
fence around the Gonzales house.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: Did you have any
conversation with this woman?
>> A little bit,
and then the wife came home,
and then I talked to her,
and I told her what happened.
>> Judge Judy: When the neighbor
opened up --
had to open the fence
to let the dogs back in...
>> The Gonzales' next-door
neighbor opened the gate
and let the two dogs
back into their property.
>> Judge Judy: And did you have
any conversation with her,
with the next-door neighbor?
>> A little bit.
I explained to her
what happened.
And then, when I was done
talking to her,
then the wife came home.
>> This lady here?
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: When you say
this lady came home,
she came home in a what?
Was she in a car?
>> She was in a car, she was
right outside the gate,
and she was on her cellphone.
>> Judge Judy: And did you
tell her what happened?
>> Yes, I did.
I told her what happened.
>> Judge Judy: Did she respond
to you?
>> Yes, she did.
>> Judge Judy: What did she say?
>> She told me that the dogs
had done this before.
They had, I guess, relatives --
the kids there,
and the dogs had attacked
their chickens and killed them
in front of the kids.
>> Judge Judy: So, they had
chickens, also.
>> Yes, at one time.
>> That's not true.
>> Judge Judy: And that's what
the wife told you?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: Go.
>> I don't believe that's true.
>> Judge Judy: Well, I don't
care what you believe.
I believe every word that came
out of this man's mouth --
I want you to understand that.
I believe every word
that came out of his mouth.
I believe that he
came upon your neighbor,
because he's not cunning enough
to make up a story that
your wife pulled up in a car,
she was on her cellphone,
she had a conversation with him,
and in that conversation,
she said that she had some
relatives over once,
and the dogs
had attacked chickens
that you used to have.
If you think that I think that
this man is cunning enough
to make up that story,
then I suggest
you get another line of work.
Now, you're not gonna be
foolish enough to call your wife
as a witness, are you?
'Cause your wife doesn't want to
fall into my mouth --
I'm telling you.
Do you want your wife to fall
into my mouth?
I'm more than happy,
'cause you weren't home.
>> Well, she is my witness.
>> Judge Judy: 'Cause you
weren't home.
So, you want to call her
as a witness?
>> I do.
>> Judge Judy: Perfect!
>> [ C