Ms. Smalley worked for you as an
accountant.
>> A bookkeeper, yes.
>> Judge Judy: Bookkeeper.
In what kind of business?
>> I buy and sell all types of
different used equipment that I
purchase.
>> Judge Judy: How long did
Ms. Smalley work for you?
>> Approximately 6 to 7 years.
>> Judge Judy: Now, there came a
time when she and her husband
came to you for a loan.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: They don't deny
that.
When was that?
>> Approximately late 2013,
2014.
I don't have the original date.
>> Judge Judy: Do you remember
when you came to him for the
loan?
>> February 2014.
>> Judge Judy: And how much
money did he loan you?
>> $1,200.
>> Judge Judy: Is that correct?
>> No.
>> Judge Judy: How much?
>> I loaned them two different
times for a total of $2,800.
>> Judge Judy: Did you give them
check or cash?
>> I gave them cash.
>> Judge Judy: And they, at some
point, started to pay you back.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: When?
>> October of 2014, I was given
a check for $2,000 which did not
go through.
At that point --
>> Judge Judy: Do you have that
check?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: I'd like to take
a look at it.
And when you say it did not go
through, it was dishonored by
the bank?
>> Yes, it was returned for
insufficient funds.
>> Judge Judy: Okay.
Now, Ms. Smalley...
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: ...Let's go back
to you.
I said, "How much did you
borrow?"
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: And you said
$1,200.
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: Then you want to
tell me why you wrote him a
check for $2,000 and, in your
handwriting, wrote, "Partial
payment"?
>> That was a loan -- a prior
loan to the one that we're
talking about.
>> Judge Judy: No, it's not.
>> Yes, it is.
>> Judge Judy: No, no, no.
>> Yes, it is.
>> Judge Judy: You mean, you
came to Mr. Batson and asked him
for money on more than one
occasion?
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: Great.
You know that I'm not buying
what you're saying to me, but
I'm gonna let you dig your hole.
You understand?
>> Okay.
>> Judge Judy: Okay.
When was the first time you came
and asked him for money?
>> Five or six years ago.
I mean, Dan would loan money all
the time, okay?
If you're an employee, if you
worked for Dan and you needed to
borrow some money till the next
payday...
>> Judge Judy: Then why did you
steal from him?
You were convicted of stealing
from him.
>> Yes, ma'am, I was convicted
of forgery.
>> Judge Judy: So, if he was a
nice guy, Ms. Smalley, and
loaned all of his employees
money when they needed it and,
according to you, loaned you
money on successive occasions,
why'd you steal from him?
>> Actually --
>> Judge Judy: You were
convicted of stealing from him.
>> Yes, ma'am, I was.
>> Judge Judy: Okay.
So, would you want to tell me
why?
No, first I asked her why.
>> I made a mistake.
>> Judge Judy: You made two
mistakes.
The second one was coming here
and telling me this story.
[ Light laughter ]
>> No, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: Because as part
of your conviction, you were
ordered to make restitution.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: Restitution is
not for a loan.
Criminal courts can not order
you to make restitution for a
loan.
>> Right.
>> Judge Judy: They can order
you to make restitution for what
you stole.
So, when the court ordered you
to make restitution, which is
your defense to this case --
that, "They ordered me to make
restitution, and I made
restitution in the amount of
$1,200" -- that covered the
loan.
>> No, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: Well, that's what
you wrote in your answer.
You said in your answer that you
swore to, "I was ordered to
payback all the money I owed
him, so I paid him $1,200."
Criminal court can't order you
to pay back a loan.
Let's start with that.
They can order you to pay back
what you stole.
And they order you to pay back
an amount certain...
>> Mm-hmm.
>> Judge Judy: ...not paying
back what I owe.
They ordered you to pay him back
$1,200 because that's what you
stole.
>> Actually, the amount in
question on that is $658 and
change.
>> Judge Judy: Well, not "in
question."
The criminal court...
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: ...ordered you to
pay back as restitution what you
stole in the amount of $1,200.
It had nothing to do with the
loan.
>> Right.
>> Judge Judy: Now you're
saying, "Right."
>> Mm-hmm
>> Judge Judy: So, how much does
she owe you?
>> $1,300.
>> Judge Judy: Did she make a --
Just a -- 'Cause I can't get a
straight answer from her.
She wouldn't know how to give a
straight answer.
She wouldn't know the truth if
it slapped her in the face.
You want to speak?
>> Yes, I do.
>> Judge Judy: Great.
Do you owe her $1,300?
>> No.
>> Judge Judy: How many times
did you ask him for money?
>> I --
>> Judge Judy: How many times
did you ask him for money?
>> One time.
>> Judge Judy: One time.
That's what he's here for, not
this baloney that your wife is
talking about over a period of
time.
You asked him -- That's what
this case is about, the one time
the two of you came to him and
asked him for money.
>> That is correct.
>> Judge Judy: Good. And --
Look at me.
And you asked him for money
because...
>> We had an incident occur
where we were having a house
problem with a large banking
institution...
>> Judge Judy: I don't --
Listen to me. I don't care.
You were having financial
trouble.
>> When we had to obtain a
lawyer for this other
incident.
So we went to him to borrow
$1,200 for a lawyer fee.
That's all we borrowed, was
$1,200.
>> Judge Judy: Just a second.
>> We took him to dinner and
borrowed $1,200 and not a penny
more.
>> Judge Judy: Listen to me.
Just a second.
So, that's $1,200.
>> Correct.
>> Judge Judy: On what date?
Month and year.
>> Ma'am, I can't even tell you
my birthday half the time.
>> Judge Judy: Very good.
Judgment for the plaintiff for
the amount of $1,300.
We're done. Bunch of scammers.
>> Byrd: Parties