>> Judge Judy: Ms. Meadows, who
is this young man?
>> That's my son, Gavin.
>> Judge Judy: How old is he?
>> 17.
>> Judge Judy: This might not
get pretty, so you want to have
Gavin step outside for a while?
>> Byrd: Sure.
Come this way.
Ms. Meadows, you and
Mr. Gustafson lived together as
a couple for a long time.
At some point, according to your
complaint, and Mr. Gustafson's
answer, you decided to buy a
home -- according to you,
together.
According to Mr. Gustafson, it
was his home.
The deed to the home is in his
name alone.
Is that correct?
>> Correct.
>> Judge Judy: There's some
discrepancy as to who put down
the down payment, who paid the
bills.
I don't know.
I will find out.
But at some point, the two of
you weren't getting along.
And at that point, it looks as
if you filed for a protective
order and had Mr. Gustafson
excluded from the home.
>> Correct.
>> Judge Judy: And that lasted
almost a year...
>> Correct.
>> Judge Judy: ...while it wound
around the court system.
Now, when you got a protective
order, I am correct that there
was no hospitalization or
anything because of injuries
that you received as a result of
a fight with him or result of an
assault.
>> There was an assault but no
injuries, Your Honor.
>> Judge Judy: There were no
hospital records or any medical
records of any injury that
initially -- we're not talking
about secondarily.
You had two protective orders,
or one with a violation.
The initial one that you filed
was in what month and year,
Ms. Meadows?
>> That particular restraining
order was in February of 2016,
and we had been living in the
home approximately two months.
>> Judge Judy: And the home was
in Mr. Gustafson's name, so it
was his home, 'cause you are
unmarried.
>> We bought it together,
Your Honor.
>> Judge Judy: Doesn't matter.
The home is in his name.
You're not married.
The home is in what state?
>> Minnesota.
>> Judge Judy: Minnesota, I
assume, has the same laws as
most places, where you either
have community property or
equitable distribution, if
you're married, and nothing if
you're not, right?
Nothing.
It's his home.
It's in his name.
So, in February of 2016, you'd
been living in the home for two
months.
What kind of work were you
doing?
>> At that time, I was a
hairdresser, and I had my own
business with my leatherworks.
>> Judge Judy: Did you file tax
returns in 2016?
>> Yes, I did.
>> Judge Judy: How much did you
claim that you earned in 2016?
>> I don't recall.
>> Judge Judy: Give me a figure.
$10,000, $20,000, $30,000...
>> $20,000.
>> Judge Judy: $20,000.
And what kind of work do you do?
>> I'm a union carpenter.
>> Judge Judy: And how much did
you claim that you earned in
2016?
>> I believe it was $72,000.
>> Judge Judy: So, clearly, you
were support of the household.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: How much of a
down payment was put down on
this house?
>> $1,000.
>> Judge Judy: Is that correct?
>> Correct.
>> Judge Judy: And what was the
total purchase price of the
house?
>> $206,000.
>> Judge Judy: Whose name was on
the mortgage?
>> His name was.
>> Judge Judy: Alone.
>> Correct.
>> Judge Judy: So he is totally
responsible for the mortgage.
A $205,000 mortgage.
With a mortgage payment of how
much, sir?
>> $1,300.
>> Judge Judy: And the taxes,
which you paid.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: In February of
2016, which is the date of your
first restraining order after
you moved in to the house, I'd
like to see a copy of what you
alleged.
Because, ultimately, this is
what the case is about.
You want money owed for lost
wages and fees due to a false
restraining order.
The fact that when he finally
got back into his own home, you
claim he returned property that
was there while you were there
for the year, some of the
property was vandalized, and
punitive damages for an assault.
That's what your claim is about.
>> Judge Judy: And he says he
wants money for attorneys fees
and vandalism.
So that's why we're getting into
all this minutiae, so I would
like to see in February 2016
what allegations you made
against the defendant in order
to get him removed from his own
house.
>> Your Honor, it -- Okay --
>> Judge Judy: Don't answer me.
I want to see the allegations
that you made against
Mr. Gustafson to get him removed
from his own home.
>> That's not the restraining
order.
Pardon me, Your Honor.
That's not the restraining order
that got him removed from the