in the matter of Beard vs.
Britton, step forward.
>> Announcer: Kimberly Beard
is suing her former friend,
Eric Britton,
for damaging her car
while he was borrowing it.
>> Judge Judy: Ms. Beard,
the defendant is your former
husband's roommate.
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy:
Is this your former husband?
>> The one in the wheelchair.
>> Judge Judy: Yes.
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> How long were you married?
>> A couple months.
>> Judge Judy: When?
>> 2013.
>> Judge Judy: How long
did you know each other?
>> About 10 years.
>> Judge Judy: Ten years
before you got married?
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: Did you date?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy:
But the marriage didn't last,
but you remained friends,
according to what I gather
from the complaint.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy:
And you had an old car,
a 17-year-old,
I think, 17 years old,
convertible that you stored
in the garage
where they live...
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy:
...in the wintertime
because you didn't want
to leave it outside.
How many years
have you been doing that?
>> Probably 5, 6 years.
>> Judge Judy:
And you store it all winter.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: How far do you
live from each other?
>> About 7, 8 miles.
>> Judge Judy: And how often
do you go to visit
with your ex-husband?
>> A couple times a week.
I'm his caregiver, also.
>> Judge Judy: What do you mean,
you're his caregiver?
>> I do grocery shopping,
give his medicine,
pay his bills, things like that.
>> Judge Judy:
You don't get paid for that.
>> No.
>> Judge Judy:
You do it because you like him.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: The car was
parked there
this past year,
a year ago, in October...
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy:
...according to your complaint,
and according to you, you would
start it periodically
because they have a garage,
but then you went away
for a while.
Where did you go?
>> I went to Florida for 5 days.
>> Judge Judy: And when you were
in Florida for 5 days,
the car remained in your garage.
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: Who was your
former husband's caregiver
when you were in Florida?
>> Don't look oddly. to me, "I'y
former husband's caregiver,
detail his medicines,
take him grocery shopping,
get what he needs."
>> I took care of that
before I left.
>> Judge Judy:
Well, 5 days is a long time.
If there was an emergency,
who was to take care of him?
>> Eric.
>> Judge Judy: The defendant.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: This is what
your claim is about.
It is your claim that
the defendant drove your car
without your permission.
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: And the car died,
and you want him to pay you
$2,000 for this car
because you had, miraculously,
a buyer for the car for $2,200,
and all you were able to get
for the car was scrap for $200,
and you want him
to pay you the other 2,000.
So I have a few questions.
Mr. Britton,
listen to me very carefully.
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: How long have you
and the plaintiff's
former husband been roommates?
>> We've been roommates
approximately 4 to 5 years.
>> Judge Judy: Do you work?
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy:
How do you get to work?
>> My boss picks me up
on his way to work.
>> Judge Judy:
You don't have a car?
>> Yes, I do, but I do not
drive it right now.
It is down.
>> Judge Judy:
When did it go down?
>> It's been down all winter.
>> Judge Judy:
Have you ever driven...
Because you acknowledge
that you drove this car
while she was away
on this Florida trip.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: She claims
there was damage to the car,
that the engine stopped working
or the engine was blown.
Prior to this trip in February
when she was away, did you ever
drive her car before?
>> No, ma'am, I did not.
>> Judge Judy: Then, why did you
drive it this time?
>> Because my roommate was
in need of groceries
and some computer repair...
>> Judge Judy: And?
>> ...and asked me
to take care of it.
>> Judge Judy:
And your car was down.
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: Before
Ms. Beard left,
had you had a discussion
with her about taking care
of her former husband?
>> Not really a discussion,
per se.
I took it upon myself
that she was taking care
of anything that was needed.
She was gone, so I was
taking care of anything
that was needed by Mr. Beard.
>> Judge Judy: Okay.
And did you have any discussion
with her about using her car?
>> No.
>> Judge Judy: Then, in effect,
you used her car
without her permission?
>> You could say that, sure.
>> Judge Judy:
No, I'm not saying that.
I'm asking you a question.
So you used her car
without her permission?
>> You are correct.
>> Judge Judy: I'm trying to be
as fair as possible here.
>> Right.
>> Judge Judy:
I mean, if you were taking care
of her husband,
if your car was down,
and you had had that discussion
with her, and she said,
"Use my car," that's one thing.
You were honest with me.
You said, "I did not have that
discussion with her."
>> Correct.
>> Judge Judy: Okay.
And the car is totaled,
and you got $200 for the car.
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy:
Byrd, would you tell me
what a 2001 Chrysler
Sebring convertible is?
>> Byrd: Suggested retail,
2,625.
>> Judge Judy:
You got $200 for it.
That's $2,400.
You're only suing for $2,000.
You used her car
without permission.
Mr. Britton, you can't do that.
Judgment for the plaintiff
in the amount of $2,000,
we're finished.
>> Thank you.
>> Byrd: Parties are excused.
You may step out.
>> Well, I guess she was fair
and impartial.
>> I think the verdict
was very fair.
>> I just did what I had to do.
>> It was fine
when we parked it.
>> She's still my friend.
>> Let bygones be bygones.