and her daughters,
Sarah and Brandy,
are suing their former landlord,
David Risset, and his wife,
Eleanor Coverubious,
for meter fraud,
a false restraining order
and harassment.
>> Judge Judy: I'm gonna make
this case very simple,
although you folks have tried
to make it far more complicated.
You rented a property
from the defendant.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: And you rented
that property for how long?
>> The lease was one year.
>> Judge Judy: And did you stay
for the full year?
>> Yes, I did.
>> Judge Judy: All right.
And now that the year is up,
you're complaining that
while you were living there,
the electricity bill
that you were paying covered
more than just your property.
It covered property
that was used in part
by the defendant as a workshop
and another rental property?
>> There was a trailer there.
>> Judge Judy: A trailer.
So there's only one meter,
and you were getting the bill
for that meter.
>> Yes, I was.
>> Judge Judy: Now, the
defendant
doesn't seem to deny the fact
that there was only one meter.
What he says is that
that was explained to you,
and the rent was reduced by $50
in consideration
of that use by him in his shed
and by the other people
in the trailer
of any electricity.
Is that your defense, sir?
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: Now, do you
have a written lease?
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Yes, we do.
>> Judge Judy: Well, I'd like
to take a look at it
because that will make it very,
very simple
because that piece would have
to be in the written lease,
that $50 is being deducted
because the one meter covers
more than just
the plaintiff's property.to poie
were you wrote in the lease --
>> Um --
>> Judge Judy: That you were
discounting the lease?
I don't see it anywhere here.
>> This was after the lease,
after she signed the lease.
Uh, there was another agreement.
>> Judge Judy: Oh, then I'll --
I'll take a look at that,
if it was written.
>> Um -- Oh, you're kidding me.
>> There was never another
agreement after.
>> Judge Judy: Shh, shh.
>> It was a, uh,
verbal agreement.
>> Judge Judy: Well,
you can't tell me --
you can't tell me
what is was, sir.
And it can't be
a verbal agreement
modifying the terms
of the lease.
>> I believe it's in
the other paperwork
that I did not bring with me,
Your Honor.
>> Judge Judy: Okay, fine.
Now, if what you say
is that you were giving them
a credit of $50
a month on the electricity,
and they were there for one
year, that means you owe them
$600 for electricity.
Now, I'm not entertaining
anything else
about your alleged harassment
by him of dumping cat's food
over or your dog's food over.
It's nonsense.
If you don't like a place,
you move out.
You're entitled to $600.
The $600 is for the electricity,
unless you can prove to me,
and I don't see how you can,
that the amount owed
for electricity
is more than $600.
Do you have any proof
that the electricity is --
>> I have a -- a bill --
the -- the bill.
But the case is mainly because
he filed a restraining order
against my daughter
and would not let her come
on the property
from the very beginning day.
And they forged the lease
and took my daughter's name off
the lease after we signed it.
You can see where the lease
has been whited out
with their names.
>> Judge Judy: Listen to me.
Then don't stay.
You don't wait until
after you move out and have
all kinds of complaints --
>> Your Honor --
>> Judge Judy: About harassment
or anything else.
Now, what I want to know
from you is your main complaint
in your answer
was not about the plaintiff,
but about her daughter
and her daughter's conduct
and the boyfriend's conduct
around the house.
That was your main complaint.
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy:
I'm not entertaining
your counterclaim with regard
to harassment, either.
They're gone from the property.
But what I do want to know
is what property do you allege
that they took from the house
that didn't belong to them?r Ho,
there was a door in the washroom
that belonged
to a customer of mine.
>> Judge Judy: A door?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: What kind of --
>> A pre-hung door for --
interior door for --
>> Judge Judy: And it belonged
to somebody else?
>> Yes, ma'am.
I'm a handyman by trade.
And I keep materials
on the property for jobs
that I'm getting ready to do.
>> Judge Judy: Oh, so there was
a door --
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy:
That was not hanging up.
It was just there.
>> Correct.
>> Judge Judy: And how do
you know
that they took that door?
>> After they had left and gone,
I was checking my camera --
>> Judge Judy: Date when
they were --
>> Uh, that would be
October 4, 2014.
I was checking my cameras.
And, uh, on the camera was
a photo of the daughter's
boyfriend carrying a door.
>> Judge Judy: And you saw
this in October of 2014?
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy:
I'm not interested in it.
We're now in 2016.
The reason she says
she didn't file anything
with regard to the meter was
because she said she had to wait
in order to get something
from the local government
before she could file
with regard to the meter.
That's an excuse
for not filing in two years.
So judgment for the plaintiff
in the amount of $600.
Are we finished?
Good. Thank you.
>> Byrd: Parties are excus