this is your daughter-in-law.
>> Yes, it is.
>> Judge Judy: She's married
to your son.
Would that be this gentlemen
over here?
>> Steven, yes.
>> Judge Judy: And, Mr. Mendez,
he is a person with whom your
daughter-in-law has two sons.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: Subsequent
to those two sons being born,
your daughter-in-law
married your son, and they
have one child together...
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: ...a little
girl.
At some point in October of last
year, you received a phone call
that Child Protective Services
were going to take the children
away from your daughter-in-law
and I assume your son, as
well...
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: ...because of a
drug problem.
>> Right.
>> Judge Judy: And you were
asked to step in and take
custody of the three children.
>> Right.
>> Judge Judy: Which you did
for a period of time.
>> I still have two of them.
>> Judge Judy: Which two?
>> I have the baby and the...
>> Judge Judy: Which baby?
>> Their child together.
And then I have the 8-year-old
boy, which is their child.
The 10-year-old boy became
totally unmanageable for me.
He was aggressive
to the other children.
He ended up in a behavioral
health unit for 10 days.
And in January,
I had to give him up.
He's now
in a therapeutic foster home.
>> Judge Judy: So in 2016,
the two boys were with you
October, November, and December.
When in October did they come to
you?
>> October 10th.
>> Judge Judy: And what you're
complaining about is that
Mr. Mendez claimed the two boys
on his tax returns
for the year 2016.
>> Right.
And I don't know why because
he didn't see them in that year.
He has not paid a penny --
>> Judge Judy: I don't know why
either.
Stop moving pages.
Except that you only had
the children for a little more
than 2 1/2 months
in the year 2016.
>> Right.
>> Judge Judy: I don't know
who supported them prior
to that time in 2016.
Let's find out.
>> My son and Carmela.
>> Judge Judy: Let's find out.
>> Okay.
>> Judge Judy: Where were you
working in 2016?
>> I was working as
a personal care assistant.
>> Judge Judy: Full-time
or part-time?
>> I was part-time.
>> Judge Judy: Did you receive
any welfare?
>> Food stamps, yes.
>> Judge Judy: Did you receive
any subsidized housing?
>> No.
>> Judge Judy: So only food
stamps?
For whom?
>> For me, my husband,
and the children.
>> Judge Judy: And what kind of
work did your husband do in all
of 2016?
>> He was the manager
of Valvoline Instant Oil Change.
>> Judge Judy: Prior to 2016,
who claimed the two boys
on their tax returns?
>> I did.
>> Judge Judy: Is that correct?
>> Correct.
>> Judge Judy: Now, is there
currently a child support order
that you are currently paying?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: How much?
>> $50 a week.
>> Judge Judy: And when did
that go into effect?
>> 2016.
>> Not that he's paid one penny
of it.
>> Judge Judy: Just a --
Just a second.
>> Okay.
>> Judge Judy: Right now,
part of that money is being
subsidized by the government.
>> Right.
>> Judge Judy: Do you understand
that?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: So prior to 2016,
what was your support order?
>> We didn't have one
because I had custody
of the kids prior to 2016.
>> Judge Judy: In what year
did you cease
to have custody of the children?
>> 2016.
>> Judge Judy: What month?
>> June.
>> Judge Judy: What you're
telling me is January,
February, March, April,
May, those 5 months,
the two boys lived with you.
>> The two boys didn't live
with me at that time, no,
because they were going back and
forth with court in Connecticut.
>> Judge Judy: Who did they live
with?
>> Carmela.
>> Judge Judy: So in January,
February, March,
April, and May, the boys
lived with their mother.
>> Yeah.
>> Judge Judy: That would be a
yes.
And you had no support order.
>> Correct.
>> Judge Judy: In 2015,
where did the boys live?
>> With me at my aunt's house.
>> Judge Judy: Is that
all of 2015?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: Is that correct?
>> No.
>> Judge Judy: In what months
did the two boys live
with Mr. Mendez and his aunt?
>> January 2015 to June 2015.
>> Judge Judy: So for 6 months?
>> Mm-hmm.
>> Judge Judy: And what about in
2014?
>> He had them.
>> Judge Judy: He had them
full-time?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: And when did you
and Mr. Mendez
physically separate?
>> Like, divorced, you mean?
>> Judge Judy: Physically
separate.
You never got divorced.
You were never married.
I'm trying to go back.
So 2014, Mr. Mendez had physical
custody of the children.
He had physical custody of the
children also
the first half of 2015, right?
>> Mm-hmm.
>> Judge Judy: 2013,
who did they live with?
>> Josh.
>> Judge Judy: With their
father.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: I'm beginning
to see a pattern here.