for the return of the dog
or the value of the dog?
>> Just the dog.
>> Judge Judy: What kind of dog
is it?
>> Cane Corso-pit bull mix.
>> Judge Judy: And from whom
did you purchase the dog?
>> I received the dog
from my son, Jason.
>> Judge Judy: Did you breed
the dog?
>> Not yet. No.
>> Judge Judy: Stand up.
>> I have not.
>> Judge Judy: What do you mean,
you received the dog
from your son, Jason?
>> He bought the dog
from a friend of his.
>> Judge Judy: And gave it
to you as a gift?
>> No.
He no longer could care for him.
>> Judge Judy: When did you buy
the dog from your friend?
In what month and year?
>> It was June of 2011.
>> Judge Judy: And how long
did you have the dog?
>> About three months.
>> Judge Judy: And then what
did you do with the dog?
>> I gave him to my dad.
>> Judge Judy: Where was he
living at the time?
>> In Madisonville,
in Cincinnati.
>> Judge Judy: Who was
he living with?
>> Himself.
>> Judge Judy: So you gave him
the dog somewhere
around September of 2011?
>> That's correct.
>> Judge Judy: And when,
Mr. Bennett,
did you and Mrs. Bennett marry?
>> August of 2013.
>> Judge Judy: Prior to
marrying,
did you live together?
>> Never. Out of two years --
>> Judge Judy: Prior?
>> Out of two years of marriage,
we never lived together.
>> Judge Judy: You never
lived together?
>> Never.
>> Judge Judy: You are
a truck driver?
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy:
Long-distance trucking?
>> Yes. Over the road.
>> Judge Judy: Between September
of 2011
and August of 2013, when you
and Ms. Bennett married,
who took care of the dog
when you were on the road?
>> A lot of the times, most of
the times, he was with me.
>> Judge Judy: No. No. I took c.
>> Judge Judy: So is what you're
telling me, when you would
go cross-country --
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy:
The dog was with you?
>> Correct.
>> Judge Judy: Is that what
you're saying to me?
>> Yes, Your Honor.
I would have to say
most of the time.
Sometimes I left him home.
>> Judge Judy: With whom?
>> My son, Jason.
>> Judge Judy: Who else?
>> There were times
that she kept him,
when she was not with me.
>> Judge Judy: I'm talking about
before her.
>> Oh, before her?
>> Judge Judy: Before her.
You had the dog --
>> He was --
>> Judge Judy: You had the dog
for at least
a year, year and a half.
>> He was with me or my son's.
>> Judge Judy: So the answer is,
you did not take him
on the road most of the time.
>> Most of the times when
I didn't take him on the road,
I left him at home with my son.
>> Judge Judy: Okay. Fine.g hasw
since when?
What month and year?
>> October of 2015.
That's when Mary Jo began
to take care of him,
for two months.
>> Judge Judy: Now why would she
take care of him for two months?
>> I had gotten with a new
trucking company.
>> Judge Judy: Just a second.
When were you divorced?
>> In August of 2015.
>> Judge Judy: So after
you were divorced --
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: You asked her
to take care
of your dog for several months?
>> She asked me.
>> Judge Judy: Oh.
Well, you just started
to tell me you were
with a new trucking company.
>> She asked me if she could
take care of the dog.
I have it right here
on my cellphone.
>> Judge Judy: I'd like to take
a look at it.w, when you say, M,
you never lived together --
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: Even when
you were married --
>> Correct.
>> Judge Judy: Is that because
you were traveling?
>> No. Sometimes she would go
on the road with me.
Sometimes just for a couple
of weeks at a time.
But when I'd come home,
she would be at different
people's houses.
She would not come to my home.
She would never come.
She went from place to place,
doing drugs.
>> Judge Judy: What is this?
>> That's a printout.
>> Judge Judy: Of what?
>> Of all the text messages
that I have from Mary Jo.
That's from my phone.
And when I printed it out,
it wouldn't leave her name
or her number.
I have all of the text messages
from Mary Jo
on this phone right here.
>> Judge Judy: Well, this
text message says, from you,
"You ought to just let him
stay here.
I feel safer at night
with him here, too.
Think about it
before you say no.
We got a good place
for him here.
He can still be your dog.
Anytime you get settled,
you can come and get him.
But until then,
he can stay here."
That's what you said.
>> Well, yeah. Yeah.
There was more to that than --
>> Judge Judy: Shh.
You're still working
as a trucker.
Is that correct?
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: Now, when you're
on the road, Mr. Bennett,
who is going
to take care of this dog?
>> He can go with me.
We have a pet policy
with the company that I'm with.
I also --
>> Judge Judy: Really?
>> I also --
>> Judge Judy: Just a second.
Just a second.
You have a pet policy?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: And the company
permits you on long-distance
trucking
to take your dog with you?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: And which of
your supervisors
can I call to confirm that?
>> Which one?
I have to look in the --
I'm not sure which one.
>> Judge Judy: Well, who is
the president of your company?
What is the name
of your company?
>> Celadon.
>> Judge Judy: And where
are they located?
>> Indianapolis.
>> Judge Judy: Now I'd like
you not to waste my time,
Mr. Bennett --
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: Because I can
either continue this case
in 15 minutes.
The people back there
will get me a phone number.
The president of the company
will speak to me on the phone.
Am I wasting my time?
Are they going to tell me
that they have a policy
where you,
as a long-distance trucker,
are allowed to take
a pit bull mix
in the cab of a truck with you?
Are they gonna tell me
that they have that policy?
>> Probably not.
>> Judge Judy: Probably not.
Right.
So I'm glad
you didn't waste my time.
>> Rig