>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: And you sent
her $905.
>> Actually $931.65.
>> Judge Judy: And then
something happened.
And the date
of the wedding changed.
>> Yes. Correct.
>> Judge Judy: Tell me when
it changed to.
>> It changed from June 2, 2017,
to October 29, 2016.
We had experienced
a miscarriage.
So we decided to move up
the wedding to start our family.
>> Judge Judy: And you called
her?
>> I e-mailed her.
>> Judge Judy: When did you
advise her that you were moving
the date?
>> September 15th.
>> Judge Judy: And what
did you say?
>> I asked her if she would be
available the date of
October 29, 2016.
> Judge Judy: Well, that's a
short window.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: So, she wasn't
available.
>> She actually said
she would be available
but that I would have to start
the process all over again,
that my funds were
nontransferable or
nonrefundable.
>> Judge Judy: That's
ridiculous!
>> No, it's not ridiculous.
>> Judge Judy: All right.
Listen.
>> Yess, you had paid
through PayPal.
>> Yes. Correct.
>> Judge Judy: And you contacted
them and disputed the charge.
>> Correct.
>> Judge Judy: And PayPal looked
at this contract
just as I looked at this
contract, and said, "There's no
nonrefundable policy in there."
The only thing that you put
in the contract is,
because it's so far away,
more than a year away,
if you have to cancel
before a certain date, you can
get her another makeup artist
if, for some reason,
you're not available.
That's ridiculous,
absolutely ridiculous.
You didn't turn down another
appointment for that date.
>> Actually, I did turn down
a lot of appointments
for that date.
>> Judge Judy: Well, prove it.
First of all,
your contract doesn't say
that you can keep --
>> In the invoice she sent.
>> Judge Judy: No, the contract.
>> That's what I sent to her.
>> Judge Judy: The contract
that was signed doesn't say
anything about no refunds.
>> However, in the invoice that
she paid, which is also another
contract, it states that the
deposit is nonrefundable or
transferrable.
>> Judge Judy: Don't tell me
what it says.
>> Of course not.
>> Judge Judy: Show it to me.
>> Sure.
>> Judge Judy: What you are
relying on.
>> I also have the --
>> Judge Judy: Shh! Shh!
She's not gonna be successful.
>> It states right here
that the deposit is
nonrefundable or transferable.
>> Judge Judy: ...the invoice.
Okay.
I don't even have to look at it.
Listen to me carefully.
This is not a contract.
This is a contract.
This is signed
by the two of you.
You prepared the contract.
>> Correct.
Yeah, that is correct.
>> Judge Judy: She signed it.
You show me her signature here,
anywhere.
>> Well, her payment to the
contract.
>> Judge Judy: No, no, no,
no, no.
Listen to me carefully.
>> Yes, ma'am. Sure.
>> Judge Judy: You prepared
the contract.
Let me give you a brief primer
as to what the law is.
>> Sure.
>> Judge Judy: The person
who prepares the contract,
if there is a dispute,
since you actually
created the contract,
the courts look at that contract
most favorably to
the other side.
>> Correct.
>> Judge Judy: Because you
prepared the contract.
Your contract doesn't say
nonrefundable, period.
>> I have a question.
>> Judge Judy: But if you can
demonstrate to me with names,
phone numbers, addresses,
contracts that you gave up on
that date, I may be sympathetic
with you because,
even though it was not written,
she did not give you adequate
notice.
And you actually
had an out-of-pocket loss.
>> I have a question.
>> Judge Judy: But I guarantee
you, you cannot prove to me
today that you had an
out-of-pocket loss.
I said, I guarantee you,
you cannot prove an
out-of-pocket loss for a period
of time -- September, October,
November, December, January,
February, March, April,
May, June, 10 months away.
I guarantee it.udy: If you're ad
makeup artist, in 10 months
you can find somebody else
to do a June wedding!
>> Correct.
>> Judge Judy: Okay.
She gets her money back,
$931.65.
She's got it back? You have it?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: You don't get it
'cause it was taken out of your
PayPal.
>> Well, that doesn't make sense
to me only because the invoice
that was paid,
it was an understanding
through her because it states --
>> Judge Judy: Just a second.
Don't tell me
what she understood.
You're trying to ask me to view
the operation of her mind.
I don't have to do that.
You have a contract.
It's a written contract.
>> Mm-hmm.
>> Judge Judy: It sets the terms
of this agreement.
Nowhere in the agreement
does it say the contract
has a nonrefundable deposit
on the day that it's paid.
She paid you
and then got an invoice.
You lose.
You don't get the money back.
Redo your contract.
Put it in your contract
that somebody signs that this is
a nonrefundable deposit
for this particular day.
And if, at any time, you cancel,
you lose your deposit.
>> That's what's said in the
contract part of the invoice.
>> Judge Judy: This is not
a contract!
>> It says contract.
It says policies on the invoice.
>> Judge Judy: I don't care what
it says, your policy.
I don't care if it says this is
your religion.
I don't care if it says that
this is what your mother taught
you or your father taught you.
This is your contract.
This is not.
>> Okay.
>> Judge Judy: Good.
>> That's a receipt?
>> Judge Judy: Good.
You don't get your money.
Bye!