Laurie Cole has accused
her estranged mother-in-law,
Judith Cole,
of filing a false
restraining order against her.
>> Judge Judy: So she came over.
You gave it to her
in a sealed envelope?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: And she opened
the envelope in front of you.
>> No, she did not.
>> Judge Judy: She left.
>> Right.
It was in my mailbox for her.
>> Judge Judy: Oh.
So you didn't even
tell her to come in?
>> No.
>> Judge Judy: Is there any
reason why?
>> I just didn't wanna.
I didn't wanna be bothered
because it would be
complaints over money
and complaints over my son.
And it is not my job
to pay his bills.
You're going to say,
Yes, I did in August."
But the fight is between him and
her and not me.
>> Judge Judy: You're absolutely
right.
Just make sure
that you don't have blinders on.
You may have a 45-year-old son.
And you may love him.
If he does the wrong thing,
you have to say to him,
"Kenny, you're 45. I told you
when you did the wrong thing
when you were 3 and 6 and 10.
And you're doing
the wrong thing now.
You made these children.
She made these children."
It's not like she's a bum
laying in bed and eating bonbons
and saying, you know,
"You have to take care of me."
She works.
>> Right.
>> Judge Judy: You work.
And your primary responsibility
right now is,
during this transition period
with your children,
since you're not here anymore,
to make sure
that they feel secure.
And the custodial parent,
which happens
to be their mother, 'cause Kenny
doesn't want the children --
>> Ugh!
>> Judge Judy: Kenny doesn't
want the children full-time.
>> You --
>> Judge Judy: He's very happy
with a part-time -- With a
part-time --
Well, let me ask you this
question.
I won't even ask you.
Don't go like this.
Did the stipulation provide
that you share custody 50/50?
>> No. I'm the custodial parent.
He gets them every other weekend
and one day a week.
>> Judge Judy: Right.
That's what men usually want
when they're 45
because his girlfriend
don't want these children
around them all the time.
[ Laughter ]
She may say, "I wanna be their
new mother."
>> She won't allow the children
to be.
>> Judge Judy: She may say, "I
love them and I wanna be their
mother."
Not so. Not so.
"I'd rather to go to Florida."
So you have to be --
you have to take blinders off
and just look at it as it --
from a dispassionate position.
All right.
So now she comes over.
And the check is made out
for September 31st.
She comes back.
And she says,
"Do something with the check."
And she's angry.
>> Right.
>> Judge Judy: What did she
say to you?
>> She did not.
She wanted me to issue
her my own personal check.
>> No.
>> Judge Judy: Just a second.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: Just a second.
Let's say she wanted you to
issue her your own personal
check.
And you can say to the zindi
when he comes home from Florida,
"You're gonna reimburse me
$1,407
because that's what I gave
Laurie for the children
because
you wrote the check out wrong."
What's wrong with that?
>> I had Kenneth on the phone.
And he said, "Mom,
you can change the date
on the check
because there was a 9."
And it could have so easily been
made into an 8 for the date.
And Laurie would not permit me
to do it.
>> Judge Judy: Well, you know,
he's probably not a bad guy,
your son.
>> Of course not.
>> Judge Judy: Right.
Right now, his whole life
is being ruled by one organ.
And it is not above his neck. Jd
of saying, "I'm in Florida.
I don't want there to be
any trouble.
I wrote the check out wrong.
I'll reimburse you as soon
as I get back from my vacation.
Write Laurie a check out
for the kids.
I don't
want her to be aggravated."
So that's not what happened.
And there was a whole kerfuffle.
And she got aggravated.
And she got hot.
And you didn't do anything
when she got hot.
She left.
It was an unpleasant moment.
Kenny is laying around
the pool at the Fontainebleau
in Florida with his girlfriend.
Kenny called the police.
Would that be a fair statement?
>> Oh, my g--
>> Judge Judy: Just a second!
Just say a "yes" or a "no."
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: Did you call
the police or did Kenny
in Florida call the police?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: So Kenny is
layin' around the pool having a
drink with an umbrella in it.
You're there dealing
with his problem.
You don't call the police.
He does from Florida.
So the police arrive.
And you tell 'em what happened.
"She came here.
She was annoying.
She yelled at me and whatever."
And according to your answer,
the police said,
"Well, if she was that annoying,
you can file
for a protective order."
Right?
>> Right.
>> Judge Judy: So you said,
"She was nasty.
My son is in Florida.
Police said I could file for a
protective order."
You go and you file
for a protective order,
not because you called the
police and felt threatened,
but because Kenny,
drinking his margarita
around the pool, he thought
that you were threatened.
So she hires a lawyer.
And you go to court.
But she had to pay
for the lawyer
separately from the matter.
That's why we're here.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: That's why we're