How old are you, Mr. Westerfield
>> 43.
>> Judge Judy: How do you
support yourself?
>> I'm an electrician now.
I wasn't working
at the time, though.
>> Judge Judy: And who do you
live with?
>> Uh, our mother.
>> Judge Judy: Have you always
lived with your mother?
>> Uh, no.
I was married for a long time
and just --
I probably moved back
about a year and a half ago.
She started getting bad
with pacemakers
and heart attacks and stuff.
I caregive for her.
But I've lived other places.
I mean, I just recently moved
back with her.
>> Judge Judy: And how old
are you, Ms. Olarte?
>> 42.
>> Judge Judy: How do you
support yourself?
>> Right now, I'm a student.
And I just lost my job
in August.
I get alimony and child support.
And I'm looking for a job
in the same line of work.
>> Judge Judy: What kind of work
had you been doing?
>> I was, um,
I worked with people with
developmental disabilities out
in the community,
acclimating them
to the community
and helping them.
>> Judge Judy: When did you make
this loan to your brother
for the dental work?
>> It was on April, uh, 6th,
was the dentist appointment.
>> Judge Judy: Of?
>> 2016. I'm sorry.
>> Judge Judy: And,
at that time,
your sister was or not working?
>> I'm not positive,
to be honest with you.
We don't communicate a lot.
>> Judge Judy: Well, someone
communicated with her
with regard to your teeth.
>> Oh, yeah. Yes.
My mother keeps in contact
with everybody all the time.
She's on the phone constantly.
>> Judge Judy: So was it
your mother
who told you about this?
>> No.
He came to see me in February.
I, um...
>> Judge Judy: So far, correct?
>> Yes.
>> There's a cheap airline
that flies.
And I found a really good deal.
So I paid for him to come up
to visit.
And when I saw his mouth
is when he told me about it.
And he said he couldn't work
because of the pain.
So if he could get his mouth
fixed, he would be able
to go right back to work.
So I flew down in April
and took him to the dentist.
And the dentist
just said it was the worst
he'd ever seen and said
this is what needs to be done.
He needed all his teeth pulled.
>> Judge Judy: But at
that point, he had no money.
>> He had no job at that point.
No.
>> Judge Judy: So he had no job,
no money and no --
certainly no insurance that
would cover the dental work.
>> No.
>> Judge Judy: Did you have
the cash to pay for the...
>> No.
I had to get a CareCredit One
card to pay for it.
>> Judge Judy: Were you working
at the time?
>> Yes.
At the time, I was working.
>> Judge Judy: Well, when you
went to the dentist with him,
tell me the conversation
that you had
with your brother at the --
in the dentist's office.
>> Well, what happened is
that the dentist looked at him.
And then someone
came in and said,
"This is how much it's gonna be
to pull all the teeth
and then give him dentures."
And I looked at him
and said, "That's too much."
I thought the dentist would
let him make payments
directly to the dentist.
He said,
"We don't work like that."
And I said, "Okay."
And he looked at me,
my brother did,
and said, "Please, please,
please do this for me."
And I said, "Larry,
I can't make these payments.
I still don't make
a lot of money,
even at the job I have."
I said, "I can't do it."
And he's like,
"Well, if they get fixed,
I can go right back to work
as soon as I'm healed."
And he just kept begging me.
And I said, finally,
"Okay, Larry.
But you have to promise me
you make the payments.
I'll make the first
one for you."
Because I know he --
I said, "You'll get the job,
I'll make the first one.
You heal,
and then you start making them."
And he said, "I swear, Lori.
I swear. I swear." And...
your teeth.
>> Mm-hmm.
>> Judge Judy: Did you go back
to work?
>> Yeah, but it was probably
about 2 months later,
'cause for the first month,
I was in pain.
>> Judge Judy: Okay.
So you went back
to work 2 months later.
So did you start
to make the payments in June?
>> I have given her money,
but --
>> Judge Judy: No, no, no.
Did you start
to make the payments in June?
>> As soon as I got money,
I gave her money.
>> Judge Judy: You gave her?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: Okay.
How much did you give her
and when?
>> I don't even know.
Very small amounts.
I don't make a lot of money.
>> Judge Judy: How much
do you make?
You live with your mother.
>> Well, yeah. But the --
the company I work for isn't
doing a lot of work right now.
So I'm talking, like --
There were some weeks where it
was like a 5-hour paycheck.
So I think I sent 50 bucks
the first time or something.
>> Judge Judy: Well, let me ask
you this question,
Mr. Westerfield.
Do you have children
from your marriage?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: How many?
>> Two of them.
>> Judge Judy: How old are they?
>> 19 and 23.
>> Judge Judy: Are there any
outstanding orders
for child support?
>> I owe arrears from 2008.
>> Judge Judy: Arrears?
And so you haven't paid child
support since 2008?
>> Oh, no, no, no. No.
I've paid.
I just owe -- There was, like,
a 8-month period I didn't work
because of the economy collapse.
So I owe that 8 months.
>> Judge Judy: So how much --
So how much do you owe?
>> $9,000, $10,000 or something
like that.
>> Judge Judy: And do you get
a paycheck or a 1099?
>> I get a paycheck.
>> Judge Judy: What was your
paycheck last week?
>> Uh, I think it was $420.
>> Judge Judy: How much did you
give your sister?
>> None.
>> Judge Judy: Why?
>> We got hit by a hurricane.
And we needed money
for food and water and stuff.
We still -- I don't even know
if we have power right now,
actually, to be honest with you.
>> Judge Judy: Well,
all the money in the world
isn't gonna get your power up.
>> Well, true.
They were taking cash
at the store, though.
They couldn't pump gas
or anything, though, obviously.
There's no electricity.
There's trees down,
power lines down.
We were literally ground zero
when it happened.
>> Judge Judy: What was your
paycheck the week before?
>> I think it was,
uh, $212 or something like that.
>> Judge Judy: How much did you
give to your sister?
Nothing. Okay.