your daughter.
It is your claim she stole
$10,000 from you.
>> That's correct.
>> Judge Judy: I'm listening.
>> Back in October of 2015, I
received a disability settlement
in the amount of $18,000.
I have a copy of the check right
here.
Also --
>> Judge Judy: Just a second.
What's the nature of your
disability?
>> I have COPD and asthma.
>> Judge Judy: What kind of work
did you do prior to 2015?
And for whom did you work?
>> I worked for
Great Lakes Management.
I managed commercial real
estate.
>> Judge Judy: For how long?
From when to when?
>> Wow, it's many years ago,
Your Honor.
>> Judge Judy: Well, but I want
to know what you did just prior
to 2015.
>> Basically, I did nothing.
I have no employment from
2000 --
>> Judge Judy: Who supported
you?
>> The county.
>> Judge Judy: So, you were on
welfare.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: What prompted you
to go off welfare and on
disability?
Whose suggestion was that?
>> Mine.
I couldn't physically do a job.
>> Judge Judy: Well, you hadn't
been working before.
Do you understand what my
question is to you?
What prompted you to move from
welfare to disability?
>> Because I couldn't do
anything.
I couldn't breathe.
>> Judge Judy: You weren't doing
anything -- No, you're not
following my question.
>> No, I'm not.
>> Judge Judy: You weren't
working before.
>> No, I wasn't.
>> Judge Judy: And you were
receiving welfare.
Then you went and applied for
disability.
And initially you were clearly
turned down for your disability.
>> Everyone is. Yes.
>> Judge Judy: No, no, that's
not true.
I know that factually.
Not everyone is turned down, but
you were turned down.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: And then you
hired a lawyer.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: And you appealed
that determination.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: And when they
appealed that determination, an
administrative law judge with
the Social Security
Administration issued an award
in your judgment, and you got
the back money...
>> Correct.
>> Judge Judy: ...which was
$18,000.
I know what I'm talking about.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: My question to
you is, what prompted you to go
off welfare and seek disability
instead?
Did a lawyer suggest it to you?
Did you watch an ad on
television?
>> No, I just decided myself.
I didn't want to be on welfare
anymore.
>> Judge Judy: Well, what do you
think...
>> Disability is not welfare.
>> Judge Judy: Mm. Okay.
[ Chuckles ]
It is if you don't work.
>> I worked all my life.
>> Judge Judy: Okay.
All right, let's go.
So, you got $18,000.
You got an $18,000 check.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: And at the time
you got an $18,000 check, Tell
me what you did with it.
>> Well, I called my daughter
and said, "I want you to come
and take the check.
I received this check.
Please come and take it from me
because I don't trust myself."
>> Judge Judy: Why?
>> Because I had prior -- poor
choices prior to this.
>> Judge Judy: You have to
explain that to me.
Why would a mature woman whose
only problem is that they have
COPD and asthma let her child
take charge of $18,000 rather
than putting it in a bank and
monitoring it yourself?
>> Because I have a history of
alcoholism.
>> Judge Judy: Since when?
>> Since all my life.
>> Judge Judy: Okay.
Now, that was in 2015.
From 2015 until June of 2016,
were you in rehab?
>> I was in rehab the whole
month of May in 2016.
>> Judge Judy: What about prior
to May -- January, February,
March, and April?
>> I was not.
>> Judge Judy: Was not.
In 2015, after you received the
check, were you in rehab?
>> No.
>> Judge Judy: So, from October
of 2015 until May of 2016, you
were not in rehab.
>> I was in rehab for 28 days of
May in the 2016.
>> Judge Judy: Prior to that,
when were you in rehab?
>> On and off every year I was
in rehab.
I've been trying to stop
drinking for many years.
>> Judge Judy: So, when you say
you were in rehab, was this a
private rehab facility, or was
it paid for by --
>> It was paid for by the
county.
>> Judge Judy: By the county.
That was in May It was paid for
by the county.
>> That's correct.
>> Judge Judy: Even though you
had all this money.
>> That's correct.
>> Judge Judy: So, if you had
had this money in the bank,
would the county still pay your
rehab?
>> Well, yeah, because the money
in the bank is for my
retirement.
>> Judge Judy: [ Laughs ]
The money in the bank is to take
care of you, not for your
retirement.
The $18,000 was to pay you back
for the months that you had been
denied disability while your
appeal was pending.
It's not your retirement.