in the matter of Medellin vs.
Wilkerson, step forward.
>> Announcer: Celeste Medellin
is suing motorist
Uronda Wilkerson for
losing control of her vehicle
and crashing into her house.
>> Judge Judy: Ms. Medellin,
the defendant's car
crashed into your house --
>> Right.
>> Judge Judy: Caused severe
damage to your house.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: And that's
really not, I don't think,
an issue that I have to address.
Your car crashed into her house.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: You have
a defense,
which I'm dying to hear.
But I'm gonna start with you.gen
what date this happened.
>> This happened on August 1
last year, like,
around 8:00, 9:00 at night.
I was in my room, sleeping --
watching TV with my kids.
All of a sudden, I just
hear a big old boom.
And there's smoke.
There's the gas smell.
And then the bricks
started falling off.
That's whenever I --
At -- at first, I was in shock.
So then, I went ahead
and got my kids out the house.
And my husband went outside.
That's when he went over
with Ms. Uronda.
And he was like,
"Ma'am, ma'am, ma'am."
She would not respond to him.
She kept pressing on the gas.
And she kept driving
like she was driving the car.
And he would -- kept saying,
"Ma'am."
So if -- She would not respond.
She was, like, stopped.
>> Judge Judy: You saw this?
>> I did 'cause
I went outside after
he was already talking to her.
But she would not respond.
So that's whenever he grabbed
and took out --
took away her keys and turned
off the ignition 'cause
she kept pressing on the gas.
He was like, "You're gonna
go more inside the house."
And she didn't -- She kept
doing this and pressing.
>> Judge Judy: Can I see
the pictures of the house --
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: And the car?
Are you an owner
or a renter of this house?
>> My mom owns the house.
But I pay the bills.
>> Judge Judy: Okay.
Did
you have insurance on the house?
Did they --
>> I do have the insurance
on the house.
>> Judge Judy: And the insurance
paid for the repair?
>> We're not using the insurance
'cause
it's gonna triple my insurance.
>> Judge Judy: Well,
how are you gonna fix the house?
>> We're fixing it
out of pocket, little by little.
I have the estimate
in the police report also
with the damages she made,
she cost.
>> Judge Judy: Whose truck
is this?
>> Mine.
>> Judge Judy: Where were you
coming from that night?
>> I was coming from home.
>> Judge Judy: Coming from home,
going where?
>> To visit a friend.
>> Judge Judy: What's the name
of the friend
you were going to visit?
>> Allison.
>> Judge Judy: Can
I see the police report, please?
>> Mm-hmm.
Whenever we --
>> Judge Judy: What kind of work
do you do?
>> I'm a postal worker.
>> Judge Judy: Who is your
insurance carrier?
>> United Automobile
Insurance Agen-- Service.
>> Judge Judy: What's
Old American Country Mutual?
>> That's through the
United Automobile Insurance.
>> Judge Judy: Was that policy
in effect
when you went through the house?
>> Uh --
>> Judge Judy: Don't give me
an "uh."
Was the policy in effect
when you went through the house?
>> I thought it was, Your Honor.
>> Judge Judy: I don't care
what you thought.
>> I found out later it was not.
>> Judge Judy: Was the policy
in effect
when you went through the house?
>> Yes, I found out it was not.
>> Judge Judy: So that's
why we're here.
So then, when the police took
your information, you told them
that you were insured with
Old American Country Mutual.
But that turned out to be not
correct.
>> Correct.
>> Judge Judy: How much prior
to August 1st of 2015
did your police expire?
>> A month, one month.
>> Judge Judy: How many months?
>> Three.
>> Judge Judy: Three months.
>> Mm.
>> Judge Judy: You wanna restate
that?
How many months
prior to having this accident
did your insurance expire?
>> Well, I thought it was
one month, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: But now,
you know better.ing around
without insurance for?
>> It was not on purpose, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: Well, it was on
purpose
if you didn't pay the bill.
>> Well, I didn't have
the -- I didn't have the money.
>> Judge Judy: Then you don't
drive
to visit your friend Allison.
You're a postal worker.
How long
have you been a postal worker?
>> Seventeen years.
>> Judge Judy: Then you had
the money for insurance
unless you're spending it
on something else.
>> Mm.
>> Judge Judy: Driving around in
a car, then you pay insurance.
Anything
else you want to tell me?
>> Yes.
Whenever I went to her house
prior,
when I went and talked to her
and told her about the damages
she had caused, she told me
she wasn't working, that she had
10 months without a job.
She told me she wasn't gonna
pay for the damages.
And I told her, "Okay.
So I'm gonna go ahead and do
the -- this the legal way."
She was like, "Well, go for it.
I'm not paying you.
I don't have the money.
Other people pay my bills."
She never said she had a job.
>> Judge Judy: Do you work
for the post office or not?
>> Yes, I do.
But I have not been at work in,
like
she said, in about 10 months.
>> Judge Judy: Why?
>> Due to injury.
>> Judge Judy: Do you collect
disability,
workman's compensation?
>> At the time when she came,
no, ma'am.
>> She said she did.
>> Judge Judy: If you weren't
working, what were you doing
driving around in a car?
Because you can't work
in the post office,
what are you doing driving
around, visiting Allison
at 9:00 at night?
>> I was going
to visit my friend to see
if I could borrow some money.
>> Judge Judy: Judgment
for the plaintiff
in the amount of $5,000.
We're done here.
Irresponsible.
>> Byrd: Parti