you were living
with your mother.
Is that right?
>> That's correct.
>> Judge Judy: You have a child.
>> Right.
>> Judge Judy: And the defendant
is close friend of yours.
She also has a child.
>> Correct.
>> Judge Judy:
And the two of you,
alone with children,
decided to move in together.
>> Right.
>> Judge Judy:
Because, Ms. Escobar,
according to what I read
in the papers,
for some reason,
whoever you were
living with asked you to leave.
Is that right?
>> No.
>> Judge Judy: Who were you
living with?
>> I was living
at my parents' house.
>> Judge Judy: You were living
at your parents' house.
And were you working?
>> I was.
>> Judge Judy: And who was
watching your baby?
>> I pay a day care
to watch her.
>> Judge Judy: So why did you
leave your parents' house?
>> My dad had had a really bad
heart attack.
And it was time for me to leave
so that my mom
and the house could be readily
available for him.
>> Judge Judy:
Is that what she told you?
>> No.
>> Judge Judy: Okay.
What did she tell you?
>> She told me that her sister
was going to take pictures
of all of her paraphernalia
and alcohol
and send those pictures to DCFS.
And so she wanted to get out
before that had happened.
>> Judge Judy: So what happens?
The two of you rented
an apartment together,
on what date?
>> It was March 17th
that we moved in.
>> Judge Judy:
And shortly after that,
the defendant wanted to move
a boyfriend into the apartment.
>> Correct.
>> Judge Judy:
Are you the boyfriend?
>> I am.
>> Judge Judy:
So you wanted to move him in.
And then there was sort of
a kerfuffle because
according to both of you,
you wanted
the master bedroom with him.
She was in the master bedroom
already with her child.
It was an argument.
Things began to get
a little dicey around the house.
In any event, Ms. Early left.
And she wants
her security deposit back.
>> Right.
>> Judge Judy: Okay.
Judy: Did she pay
the entire security deposit?
>> No.
She just paid half.
>> Judge Judy: Half.
And how much did she pay?
She paid $1,400.
>> Judge Judy: On what date
did she move out, Ms. Escobar?
>> She moved out May 5th.
>> Judge Judy:
Where were you living May 5th?
>> Chelsey's house.
>> Judge Judy: Very good.
So now you have a roommate.
>> Right.
>> Judge Judy: Between
March 17th
and May 5th, Ms. Escobar,
do you allege that Ms. Early
did any damage to the apartment?
Look at me.
That's either a yes or a no.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: Do you have
photographs of that damage?
>> I do.
>> Judge Judy: I would like
to see the photographs
of the damage.
>> Okay.
You just have to scroll down.
>> Judge Judy: Don't tell me
what I have to do.
>> I apologize.
>> Judge Judy: Those are boxes.
That's not damage.
Well, you hit the back button
and then it will open up
more of them.
And you can see the rest
of the pictures.
>> Judge Judy: You're talking
to me about trash.
I don't see any damage.
>> So in the bathroom,
like, the floors are stained.
The carpet on the inside,
she had thrown up on the carpet.
And so there was a stain
on the carpet
in the front and in the hall.
>> Judge Judy: You have to
return
her security deposit, $1,400.
That's to start with because
if you and your boyfriend
do damage to the apartment,
that's your problem.
Money owed for rent.
What rent?
>> So she moved out May 5th.
And then she
also didn't give me...
>> Judge Judy: Just a second.
And did she pay
for the five days in May?
>> No.
>> Judge Judy: Is that correct?
>> That is correct because
I was supposed to pay on May 5th
because I got paid on May 5th.
She told me that was all right.
>> Judge Judy: I don't care when
you're supposed to get paid.
That's irrelevant.
>> Right, and she texted me
on that morning.
>> Judge Judy: You lived...
Your behind was in the house
until five days of May.
>> Right.
That's correct.
>> Judge Judy: Correct.
And your share of the rent
was how much?
>> It was 800 because I was
paying 100 extra for the master.
>> Judge Judy: Just answer
my question, will you please?
>> $130
is what you owe, so it's $130
so far that I'm deducting
from your security deposit.
Do you understand?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: $1,270.
Property
taken without permission.
That's your counterclaim.
What property did she take
of yours without permission?
>> I had a Samsung tablet S-A.
And that --
>> Judge Judy: Just a second.
Did you take her computer?
>> No.
>> Judge Judy: Did you file
a police report
about the computer?
>> I didn't.
>> Judge Judy: Good.
Utilities.
What utilities?
For what date?
>> She didn't pay for utilities
the entire time she lived there.
>> Judge Judy: Okay.
From March to April,
did you pay any utilities
for that period of time?
>> No because I grocery shopped
three times,
and that money was supposed
to cover the utilities.
>> Judge Judy: Is that
the agreement
that you made with her,
or is that
what you're making up now?
>> It was just a verbal
agreement.
>> Judge Judy: That you would
do grocery shopping,
and she would pay for utilities.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: Did you make
that agreement with her?
>> No, ma'am. I did not.
>> Judge Judy: It sounds
ridiculous.
It doesn't make sense.
Do you have the receipts
for the groceries?
>> No, I left them
on the counter.
>> Judge Judy: Okay.
And for the month
between March and April,
what were the utilities?
>> About 400.
>> Judge Judy: Not about 400.
Just look at your paper
and tell me how much you paid.
>> It was $461 is what
I paid total for utilities.
>> Judge Judy: Until when?
>> That was until
May 22nd is when I paid those.
>> Judge Judy:
She's not responsible
to May 22nd.
>> No, she is not.
>> Judge Judy: All right.
I'm not dealing
with the utilities.
Okay.
You have to return her security
deposit
less the five days' rent in May
when she stayed there.
So judgment for the plaintiff
in the amount of $1,270.
We're done.
Thank you very much.