jacket to go and confront him.
>> Not to confront him,
Your Honor.
To tell him that he was -- to
reiterate that he was rude
again.
>> Judge Judy: Just a second.
I think that the word you used
before was to confront him, to
reiterate that he was rude.
>> Right.
Confront doesn't always mean
physically.
>> Judge Judy: I didn't say it
was physical.
Keep going.
>> So, I walked in the
restaurant.
The young man was standing
inside the door, obviously
waiting for his table.
He was not walking out the door.
I walked up to him.
I told him he was rude again.
Again he approached me in my
face, backed me out the door.
I told him to take his hands off
me.
>> Judge Judy: Just a second.
When he backed you out the door,
where were his hands?
>> On my body.
>> Judge Judy: Where on your
body?
>> On my torso.
He's leaning over me.
This kid stands 6'3".
He's leaning over me.
He backed me up 10, 15 feet out
the door.
>> Judge Judy: Okay.
>> And I told him again to take
his hands off me.
At that point, he didn't.
He kept coming forward.
I did not punch him.
I struck him with a forearm.
That's how close he was to me.
>> Judge Judy: Whether you
punched him or not, if he put
his hands on you first, then he
deserved whatever he got.
Do you understand?
>> Yes, of course.
>> Judge Judy: Did you put your
hands on him is my question.
>> Absolutely not.
>> Judge Judy: I'd like to see
the police report.
>> Sure.
Here's the police report.
>> Judge Judy: Okay.
Did you have a medical bill,
Mr. Xue?
>> Yes, Your Honor.
>> Judge Judy: I'd like to take
a look at it.
>> Sure.
Your Honor, if I could explain
the bill.
As a result of the attack and
the punch to my face -- I was
wearing braces at the time.
>> Judge Judy: I know.
The police officer noticed a
small scratch inside your cheek.
>> Actually I have photos that
show the laceration, and the
laceration was...
>> Judge Judy: I'd like to see
it.
>> ...not what I would describe
as small.
>> Judge Judy: I suppose that
depends upon whether it's
happened to you or somebody
else.
>> Sure.
This is your problem, Mr. Pogue.
Your problem is it was all over.
I read the police report.
Have you read it?
>> I have not had a chance to
read it.
>> Judge Judy: Oh, well, I'd
like you to read it.
There was a person who was there
who was a witness, who was
interviewed by the police
because when the police came, of
course, your story was that he
put his hands on you first.
He may have gotten the short end
of the stick after a
confrontation, but he placed his
hands on you first.
My problem with your behavior,
Mr. Pogue, is that you shouldn't
have gone back into the
restaurant.
And not only shouldn't you have
gone back into the restaurant,
but you went back into the
restaurant after changing your
clothes, putting on a jacket and
a beanie -- had a jacket,
beanie, and a toothpick.
>> Your Honor, it was December.
It was 30 degrees outside.
>> Judge Judy: Your wife just
told me that the car was five
feet away from the restaurant.
That's what she just told me.
So you didn't have to get all
warmed up to go inside five
feet.
You actually walked into the
restaurant.
It didn't change that much in
temperature.
If anything, it usually gets
warmer during the day.
So when you went into the
restaurant, it was colder.
You went into the restaurant
without a jacket.
When you went back and dropped
your wife off, what you want me
to believe is the world stopped
turning on the axis the way it
usually does.
It got colder after brunch.
Now, you're a grown man,
Mr. Pogue.
If somebody calls you rude, and
you think that they are rude,
that comes under the category of
"sticks and stones will break my
bones."
You thought that you were gonna
change his impression of your
behavior, calling him rude?
Nothing that you would've said
to him was going to change.
He is very sure of himself.
I think his behavior was silly.
But your behavior was stupid.
And your behavior caused this
incident.
Judgment for the plaintiff in
the amount of $2,000.
We're done.
>> Thank you, Your Honor.
>> Byrd: Parties are excused.
You may step out.
>> I think the young man learned
a valuable lesson that day.
>> I think her decision was
excellent.
She clearly saw through this
man's intentions.
>> Look at the man.
He stands 6'3" tall.
I'm 5'9".
>> He came looking for a fight.
>> I'm a grown man.
I can take care of myself.
>> He has no excuse to hit