Ms. Thompson, how long did you
and the defendant live together?
>> Three years.
>> Judge Judy: Never married?
>> No, ma'am. We had a...
>> Judge Judy: You had a what?
>> We had a wedding, but we
never turned the paperwork in on
the wedding, so we were never
legally --
>> Judge Judy: Sit.
I didn't ask you anything.
Just curious.
Whose idea was it not to turn
the paperwork in?
>> There was never a marriage
license.
>> Judge Judy: Oh, there was
never a license issued?
It was just somebody had a party
and got a little drunk and
decided to do a ceremony?
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> No, Your Honor, there was a
license.
>> Judge Judy: Hey, hey.
Listen to me.
If there was a license, I'd like
to see it.
>> I didn't bring that license.
>> Judge Judy: Okay. Fine.
>> There was never a license.
She did not want to lose her
disability.
>> Judge Judy: Her disability?
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> There was never a license,
Your Honor, because he was
married twice.
>> Judge Judy: I've been nice.
Now you could please put her
out.
Let's go.
>> Get up?
>> Judge Judy: Go, go.
>> Oh, go?
>> Judge Judy: Go.
>> Oh, I have to go?
>> Judge Judy: You have to go.
Yes, you have to go.
You shouted out twice.
I tried to be kind to you.
Now you have to leave.
>> [ Sighs ]
>> Judge Judy: Okay, so, now we
have two people who were almost
married, never quite married,
and who decided to live together
for whatever reason.
Probably, the reason is, as you
indicated, that -- Do you
collect Social Security
disability?
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: Yeah, that's --
Well, then that's not a made-up
reason why not to be legally
married because -- Do you work?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: Yeah, okay.
So, this is the problem now.
Each of you claim that, during
the course of this nonmarriage,
you acquired a lot of
property -- nonmarried people
acquiring a lot of property
together -- and now you bring
your junk to the court and
expect us to sort it out.
And the problem is that we have
courts for people who were
married.
There is equitable distribution.
There's community property.
Some states have different laws
with regard to that, but it's a
very easy process.
You take everything, you divide
it in half -- half belongs to
you, half belongs to you, in a
community-property state.
What state do you live in?
>> Louisiana.
>> Judge Judy: And is Louisiana
a community-property state?
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: Okay.
So then everything you had would
be divided in half and I would
send you on your way if you were
married.
Now you're not married, and each
of you acquired all this
property when you were living
together.
You were collecting
Social Security disability.
That's income.
You work. That's income.
Your monies were flowing between
each other?
You were living in the same
residence?
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: Is that correct?
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: Who was paying
the rent?
>> She owns the --
>> I own the property.
It was inherited from my mother
and my father passing -- and so
was all the money that he liked
blowing.
>> Judge Judy: All right, that's
not my problem.
That would be your problem.
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: So I'm gonna let
you pick the top two items that
you're claiming belong to you,
that you purchased solely.
Gonna do the same with you.
And I'm gonna entertain those
unless they're ridiculous, and
then I'm gonna send you both on
your way.
And then, if you want a union
where the state recognizes it
and then you can come in and a
judge can say, "Half belongs to
you, and half belongs to you,"
then we know where we are.
I'm gonna shout out again --
when you live together, don't
buy property together.
Don't buy anything together.
It's annoying.
Pick your top two things,
Ms. Thompson.
What is it that you think he
owes you for?
First thing?
>> He owes me for the loan that
was taken out to be his to pay
for the trailer.
I purchased the land.
>> Judge Judy: Just a second.
Who lived in the trailer?
>> No one.
>> Judge Judy: Who has the
trailer?
>> It's still in both of our
names.
>> Judge Judy: Who's using the
trailer?
On whose property is the
trailer?
>> It was purchased to be income
property.
>> Judge Judy: Oh, I don't care.
Sell it, and divide whatever it
is.
>> The problem is, is he was
supposed to fix it.
I purchased all of those items.
>> Judge Judy: It's not
happening.
>> And I have pictures that he
will not upkeep it.
>> Judge Judy: It's not
happening.
I'm not getting involved in
that.
Courts are not getting involved
in this nonsense, in this
complicated nonsense.
Is the trailer on your property?
>> Yes, ma'am.
It's in both of our names.
>> Judge Judy: What's in both of
your names, the property?
>> The property.
>> I have the deed, Your Honor.
>> Judge Judy: Just a second.
Do you want me to deal with the
trailer and the property?
That's two things you want me to
deal with -- trailer and
property.
Those are your two items?
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: Okay.
Who spent money for the land?
Shh, shh!
[ Shushing ]
Mr. Benniefiel, let's -- You
know I'm a fair person.
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: Who spent money
for the land?
>> We both did, Your Honor.
>> Judge Judy: How much did you
spend?
>> We both put in $3,7-- It was
$3,700 for the property, and we
both went out of both of our
accounts and paid.
>> Judge Judy: What do you mean
out of both of your accounts?
Was it a joint account or --
>> We had a joint account, and
she has her own separate
account.
>> Judge Judy: And what about
you?
Did you have a separate account?
>> No, ma'am.