the defendant
is your stepmother.
I don't know if she's
still married to your father.
Are you still legally married?
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: She's your
stepmother,
and it is your claim that
she owes you for two things --
first, balance of a loan,
and second, filing a false
restraining order against her.
Your stepmother says
she doesn't owe you
any money for this loan.
She's made payments
on more than half of it.
It was taken out in your name.
The rest of it was utilized
for you and your father.
And with regard to the
protective order,
she has a counterclaim.
She says that you filed
a frivolous lawsuit against her
for a protective order,
which caused her to have
to travel to respond to that,
which was ultimately dismissed.
Is this your father?
>> That is correct.
Yes, that's my father.
>> Judge Judy:
Would you stand up,
Mr. Franklin?
I have a couple of questions.
When were you and Mrs. Franklin
married?
>> We married in 2012.
>> Judge Judy: And in 2012, what
kind of work were you doing?
>> I was retired
because I had a stroke.
>> Judge Judy:
How did you support yourself?
>> I'm getting Social Security
Disability.
>> Judge Judy: And when did your
daughter come to live with you?
>> Exactly in 2012 also.
>> Judge Judy: And what kind of
what did she do?
>> She was working as
a counselor
at a credit card company.
>> Judge Judy: What kind of work
were you doing in 2012,
Ms. Franklin, and for whom?
>> I was working for
American Express as a collector.
>> Judge Judy:
Was that a full-time job?
>> Yes, Your Honor.
>> Judge Judy: Until when?
>> Until 2013.
>> Judge Judy: Who else
did you work for in 2013?
>> 2013, no one.
>> Judge Judy: What about 2014?
>> 2014, I was working
for Macy's.
>> Judge Judy:
From when to when?
>> Started there in January 2014
until September 2014.
>> Judge Judy: What happened
to that job?
>> I resigned
because I was moving to Florida.
>> Judge Judy: Well, Florida
is where your father lived.
>> We all was living in New York
before that.
>> Judge Judy: So you,
your father, your stepmother,
and you have children.
>> Yes, Your Honor.
>> Judge Judy:
You're all living in New York?
>> Yes, Your Honor.
>> Judge Judy:
So now you move to Florida.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: On whose income?
>> I was looking for a job
at that time.
>> Judge Judy:
Looking for a job isn't income.
On whose income were you
moving to Florida?
You father doesn't work.
You weren't working.
You have two children.
That's four people.
On whose income were you moving
to Florida?
>> My father.
>> Judge Judy: Impossible.
Now, what was your father's wife
doing in 2014?
>> She had an online business.
>> Judge Judy: And did she have
the online business,
Mr. Franklin, in 2012?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy:
So, when you married her,
she was a self-supporting woman
with an online business?
>> No.
>> Judge Judy:
When you married her,
was she working in 2012?
>> No.
>> Judge Judy: When did
she start the online business?
>> When I get in a car accident,
and I gave her $20,000
to start the business.
>> Judge Judy: What year?
>> That was in 2012.
>> Judge Judy: So you got
a settlement from a car accident
that has nothing
to do with your disability?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: And how much
was the whole settlement?
>> Twenty thousand dollars.
>> Judge Judy:
So you got your disability.
The settlement was $20,000,
which you gave to Mrs. Franklin
to start a business in 2012.
>> Yes, Your Honor.
>> Judge Judy:
And did she successfully
keep that business in 2012?
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: '13?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: '14?
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: '15?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: Okay, so that was
a pretty good investment, right?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy:
Because she helped to support
your daughter, her child
and her unborn child
from her business
because you couldn't support
them because you only received
disability, right?
>> Yes, Your Honor.
>> Judge Judy:
See how easy this is getting?
Now Mr. Franklin, I want you
to tell me about this loan.
>> Okay.
When we started the business,
the business required
more than $20,000.
So, when we came in Florida,
and she said
she needed more money
because we have to travel
from New York to Florida
and me and my daughter,
because she
didn't have no Social Security,
she cannot get a loan.
So we get to the bank,
and we cosign for the loan.
And then we...
>> Judge Judy: Just a second.
So, when you were moving
to Florida,
you couldn't afford the move,
all of you.
So far correct?
>> Yes, Your Honor.
>> Judge Judy: So the two of you
went to a bank
and cosigned for a loan...
>> Yes, your Honor.
>> Judge Judy:
...to help subsidize the move?
>> Yes, Your Honor.
>> Judge Judy: In what month
and year was that?
>> That was in 2013.
>> Judge Judy:
And did you have to rent a house
in Florida?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy:
You all lived together?
>> Yes, Your Honor.
>> Judge Judy: Did this $20,000
help pay the first month's rent
and her first month's security
on the house?
>> No.
>> Judge Judy: What was it used
for other than the move itself?
>> The move and also
to get furniture and also...
>> Judge Judy: Just a second.
Move.
>> Furniture.
>> Judge Judy: Furniture.
>> And supplies
for the business.
>> Judge Judy: And supplies
for the business
that was supporting all of you?
>> Yes, Your Honor.
>> Judge Judy:
Got where I'm going?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: And w