a different story about an event
that occurred a couple of years
ago, where you allege, Mr. Xue,
that you were injured by the
defendant, who you say punched
you.
>> Yes, Your Honor.
>> Judge Judy: This is what I'm
visualizing from the story, and
then I'm gonna let you pick it
up.
You were going to a restaurant.
>> Yes, Your Honor.
>> Judge Judy: What kind of
restaurant?
>> It was a breakfast-brunch
café.
>> Judge Judy: Where?
In what city?
>> In San Mateo, California.
>> Judge Judy: Who were you
there with?
>> My father, my brother, my
mother, my aunt, and my uncle.
>> Judge Judy: How many people
were you?
>> Six people total, including
me.
>> Judge Judy: And the
restaurant was busy?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: So, according to
what I read, you were waiting
outside.
>> Yes, that's correct.
>> Judge Judy: Were there other
people also waiting outside for
a table?
>> Yes, about 15 to 20 people.
>> Judge Judy: What time of the
day was it?
>> It was around noon time.
>> Judge Judy: And what day of
the week?
>> It was Sunday.
>> Judge Judy: Remember the
date?
>> It was the 20th of December,
2015.
>> Judge Judy: And you decided
that you had to use the
restroom.
>> Yes, that's correct.
>> Judge Judy: So you were going
into the restaurant.
>> Correct.
>> Judge Judy: Mr. Pogue and his
family had been having brunch
and were finished.
Is that right, sir?
>> Yes, ma'am, that's correct.
>> Judge Judy: And who were you
with?
>> I was with my wife and our
two sons, Isaiah and Alan.
>> Judge Judy: How old are they?
>> They are 8 and 9 years old.
>> Judge Judy: And you got up to
leave.
You paid your bill.
And according to what I read --
pretty consistent on both
sides -- you were holding the
door open for your wife.
>> That's correct, Your Honor.
>> Judge Judy: So that she
could -- she and the children
could leave.
>> Right.
>> Judge Judy: And the
appropriate thing is for you to
wait until -- he's not holding
the door for you.
He's holding the door for his
wife.
To wait until his wife and
children leave, then take the
door from him and go in.
Right?
>> Right.
>> Judge Judy: That's not what
you did.
What you did was scoot past them
to go into the restaurant.
Not a tragedy.
Rude.
>> Sure.
>> Judge Judy: And that's what
he said to you.
>> Correct.
>> Judge Judy: He said,
according to you, "That was
rude."
Is that what he said?
>> Yes, Your Honor.
>> Judge Judy: And what did you
say?
>> I said, "I'm not rude.
You're rude."
>> Judge Judy: Well, so, then,
you were wrong, because I'm
telling you you were rude.
>> Your Honor, he was taking a
long time when he opened the
door.
His wife was nowhere near the
door, and because he was taking
a prolonged period of time, I
decided to squeeze in first.
>> Judge Judy: You were rude.
>> Maybe so.
>> Judge Judy: Right.
And he called you out on it.
He said you were rude.
Even if you think that his wife
was taking too long, you were
still wrong because he wasn't
rude.
You think him telling you that
you were rude was why he was
rude?
>> Yes.
I felt like the tone of voice
that he said that in --
>> Judge Judy: You didn't like
his tone?
>> No.
>> Judge Judy: Did you grow up
in California?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: They talk an
awful lot about tones and
feelings here in California.
>> Sure do.
[ Laughter ]
>> Judge Judy: "My feelings are
hurt."
Grow up in Brooklyn.
You're not so interested in your
feelings.
You're interested in getting
across the street.
>> Sure.
>> Judge Judy: So you didn't
like his tone.
So his tone, you thought, was
rude.
Now, now, I think I have created
the word "picture" for people
out there.
"You're rude."
"No, you're rude."
Pick it up from there, Mr. Xue.
>> Yes, Your Honor.
After that, he left the
restaurant.
I went to the bathroom, as I had
planned to do.
And I washed my hands.
I used the toilet, and then I
headed back out to --
>> Judge Judy: In that order?
>> No, not in that order,
Your Honor.
Toilet first, then the sink.
And then I left --
>> Judge Judy: It was curious.
I mean, it wouldn't be terrible,
but I...
>> And then I went to go meet my
family, who was outside.
And as I was leaving the
restaurant, right as I
approached the front door, I saw
Mr. Pogue come into the
restaurant with a different
outfit than he had -- than I had
first seen him in, and he said,
"Hey, do you want to fight me?
You want a challenge, tough
guy?"
>> No.
>> And then I told him to back
up because he was trying to get
in my face.
You know, he was --
>> Judge Judy: Okay.
And this conversation is taking
place in the restaurant, outside
the restaurant?
>> It was immediately inside the
restaurant, right inside the
doorway.
>> Judge Judy: Is there a
vestibule?
>> No.
>> Judge Judy: So it's right at
the door, but you're inside the
restaurant.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: Okay.
Is the door open or closed?
>> Closed.
>> Judge Judy: Keep going.
>> And then I told Mr. Pogue to
back up.
I said, "Hey, back up."
You know, "back up, don't touch
me" because he was getting
really close to me.
>> Judge Judy: No, no.
So he got very close to you,
and...?
>> And I asked him to back up.
>> Judge Judy: You told me that
already.
And?
>> And he did back up, and he
turned around to leave the
restaurant, and right as he
stepped foot outside the
restaurant, I had also stepped
foot outside the restaurant, and
the door closed behind us.
And then Mr. Pogue suddenly
turned around, and he said,
"Hey, tough guy," and then he
hit me in the mouth with a
closed fist.
>> Judge Judy: Okay.
So, when you said, "Hey, get
away from me," who exited the
restaurant first?
>> Mr. Pogue did.
>> Judge Judy: Okay.
And you were going outside to
see your family?
>> Correct.
>> Judge Judy: Just for