John Yanuskiewicz is suing
Cheryl Lindsey for unpaid prize
money from a golf tournament.
>> Byrd: Order! All rise!
This is case number 214 on the
calendar in the matter of
Yanuskiewicz vs. Lindsey.
>> Judge Judy: Thank you.
>> Byrd: You're welcome.
Parties have been sworn in.
You may be seated.
Folks, have a seat.
>> Judge Judy: Mr. Yanuskiewicz,
what do you do for a living,
sir?
>> I'm a retired postal worker.
>> Judge Judy: And I would
assume that you love the game of
golf.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: You have a
dispute with Ms. Lindsey, who
has a restaurant or a bar.
>> Restaurant, full-service
restaurant.
>> Judge Judy: And, annually,
Ms. Lindsey runs a contest at
her restaurant, which is one of
your favorite restaurants, and
it's a golf contest.
I assume it's designed to
benefit a charity.
>> Yes, it is.
>> Judge Judy: Which charity?
>> For a young woman or man
going to college to major in
special needs.
It's a $5,000 scholarship to
help them with their education.
>> Judge Judy: And how long have
you been having this golf
contest?
>> I've been running a golf
tournament 35 years.
>> Judge Judy: How are the funds
raised?
Do people pay an entrance fee to
play?
>> Yes, I have the golf
registration.
>> Judge Judy: I'd like to see
that.
>> Oh, sorry.
>> Judge Judy: So, you pay $100
to register for this tournament.
>> For myself.
I also paid for four other
players.
>> Judge Judy: What is the prize
at the end of the tournament for
the winning -- is it a foursome?
>> We had a fivesome,
Your Honor.
>> Judge Judy: A fivesome. Okay.
What's the prize?
>> The prize we received in an
envelope was $400.
>> Judge Judy: Now, does it say
anywhere what the prize will be?
Is it advertised where the prize
will be?
>> No.
>> Judge Judy: So you don't
know, when you register, whether
the prize will be $400 or $300
or $600.
You have no idea what it is.
>> No.
>> Judge Judy: Do you make that
prize according to how many
people come?
>> Yes, it is.
My witness can actually -- I
don't golf, and I don't really
understand a lot of the golf
lingo, but my witness, John, can
attest to how that's broken
down.
>> Judge Judy: What I want to
know is -- Usually, if you enter
a golf tournament, there is a
prize at the end of that
tournament, even if you are
raising money for a charity.
>> Right.
>> Judge Judy: How are people
advised what the prize will be?
>> Again, I don't want to say
something I don't really
understand.
Can John explain that --
>> Judge Judy: Do you
understand?
>> I do, Your Honor.
>> Judge Judy: Could you stand
up and tell me?
Tell me your last name, sir.
>> McLaughlin. John McLaughlin.
>> Judge Judy: Do you work at
the restaurant?
>> No, Your Honor.
>> Judge Judy: You're a golfer.
>> I'm a golfer, and I volunteer
at the restaurant for this
particular golf tournament.
>> Judge Judy: That's for
charity?
>> For charity.
>> Judge Judy: Now, is this a
fund where you put the money?
Because checks are made payable
to Lindsey's Restaurant.
>> Yes, I have a nonprofit.
I have an I.D. number if you'd
like to see that.
>> Judge Judy: I'd like to see
it.
>> Okay.
And, also, there's a breakdown
of the costs for the
tournament -- what we took in
and where the money goes to.
>> Judge Judy: Okay. Fine.
Okay, so, you don't donate the
meal at the restaurant.
You charge -- paid out -- $2,430
for dinner at the restaurant.
There's 130 lunch coolers with
logo.
>> Right.
>> Judge Judy: And then there's
the food -- prime rib, seafood
medley -- $2,430.
So I'm just asking.
You don't donate the food?
'Cause I see there is labor
here, and the waiters,
waitresses, they may not donate
the time.
I'm just asking you.
The answer to the question is
you don't donate the food.
>> You're right.
You're right, Your Honor.
>> Judge Judy: Okay, so, you
took in about 12½ thousand
dollars.
And you paid out, including the
scholarship -- which was
$5,000 -- you paid out $13,000.
But that took into account your
$2,430 for food.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: So you made your
$5,000 for the charity.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: Which you did in
fact donate.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: Fine.
And you won $400 because you and
your friends came in first
place.
>> That is correct.
>> Judge Judy: But you had no
prior knowledge that that was
going to be the prize, because
there's nothing written anywhere
on the flier.
Okay, now, you want more money.
>> Yes, Your Honor.
>> Judge Judy: Explain it to me.
>> On June 6th, we played in the
tournament.
>> Judge Judy: You won first
place.
Why do you want more money?
>> It was a skin pool put on by
John.
>> Judge Judy: By you?
>> Correct.
>> Judge Judy: Okay.
So, in addition to the other
prizes here, there's a skinned
pool?
>> That's correct, Your Honor.
>> Judge Judy: Okay, let's see
if that's here.
"50/50 raffle, closest to the
hole, longest drive, food."
There's nothing here about skin
pool.
>> I believe it's on there.
>> Judge Judy: Well, only
because it says "first-prize
winner," and somebody wrote in,
"Winner $300, skins $100," which
is $400.