how does your family know
Ms. Lorta?
>> She dated my uncle
when I was 7 for about 3 years,
I think, and she's just been
in the family since.
>> Judge Judy: Several years
ago, your brother and sister,
I assume this is your sister...
>> Correct.
>> Judge Judy: ...went to live
with Ms. Lorta,
and she became their guardian.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: And your brother
was there for a while.
He became of majority and left.
Your sister remained.
>> Correct.
>> Judge Judy: And until most
recently, when she moved in with
you, it is your claim
and your sister's
claim as her guardian
because you are now
your sister's guardian...
How old is she?
>> She's 17.
>> Judge Judy: That while your
sister was living with
Ms. Lorta, Ms. Lorta took money
out of a joint account that was
money that your sister had
earned from her after-school
job.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: That's what
your lawsuit is about.
Ms. Lorta says
that she did not take
any money out for herself.
Whatever money she took out,
she took out for things
that your sister wanted,
an iPhone or something else.
I don't remember what it was,
and whatever money
was there was used for her.
She has a counterclaim.
She's countersuing you
for something about a van
that I don't understand
and for property damage
that your sister caused
while she was living with you,
in your home.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: Well, let's deal
with that first because
that's the easiest thing.
When Ms. Greer's sister,
whose name is...
>> Kori.
>> Judge Judy: Kori.
When Kori was living with you,
the damage that she caused
to your house is your problem.
You were her guardian.
She was the minor.
You're supposed
to provide the rules.
You're supposed to provide
the structure.
You were her guardian,
not her sister.
Why would you think her sister
is responsible
for any damage that Kori caused
while she was living with you?
>> Well, she did it the night
that I made her leave my home.
>> Judge Judy: But she was in
your home.
>> Correct.
>> Judge Judy: And you were
still her legal guardian.
>> Correct.
>> Judge Judy: Well, so, that's
your problem.
Let's deal with the van,
this van which
I don't understand at all.
So we're dealing
with the counterclaim
before we get to what
this is really all about.
Let's go. Van?
>> Okay.
I have a 2006 Chrysler Town
& Country minivan
that I let Melana use.
>> Judge Judy: And?
>> Okay, and she had it
when all this started happening.
She had it towed, okay,
and would not let me know
where it was.
And I didn't even find out about
it until the beginning of April,
that it had been towed,
when I went to go get the van.
>> Judge Judy: So now you have
the van back?
>> No, I don't.
She had it towed, ma'am,
and won't tell me where it's at.
>> She parked the van at
my aunt's house,
which is where I was staying.
It didn't have tags on it.
That's probably
why it got towed,
but I had nothing to do
with that, nothing at all.
>> Judge Judy: Yeah.
I didn't think...
I thought that that was a...
I thought that that was actually
a lot of baloney because
if she had taken
a relatively new car,
you would have sued her.
>> That's what I'm doing, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: No.
You would have precipitated
the lawsuit
instead of counterpunching.
>> Your Honor, I have audio
where it proved
that they had it towed.
>> Judge Judy: I don't care
if they had it towed.
Did you park it
in the street someplace?
>> No.
I parked it in the driveway
under the -- she asked me,
if I put the tags on,
"Can I please use it,
Aunt Jodi?"
And I said yes.
>> Judge Judy: Call the police.
Tell them that your car
is stolen.
I'm not getting involved
with your van.
I don't know what it's about,
and, quite frankly,
I'm not interested
in what it's about, too messy.
Let's deal with what this case
is about.
This case is about work.
Now, so, Kori, you stand up,
and I would like you to tell me
from when to when did you work
and put money
in this joint account.
>> From the beginning of August
to the end of December.
>> Judge Judy: When did you move
out of the defendant's house?
>> The middle of January.
>> Judge Judy: And where did you
work?
>> I worked at Culver's on
Wabash in Springfield, Illinois.
>> Judge Judy: When in August
did you start working for them?
>> Around the 20th,
I want to say.
>> Judge Judy: So the end of
August?
>> Toward...yeah.
>> Judge Judy: So that's the end
of August.
So you got your first paycheck
in September.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: Great.
That's what it says here.
So September, October,
November and December.
You worked for 4 months.
>> Yes, Your Honor.
>> J