how long were you
and the defendant a couple?
>> A little over six years.
>> Judge Judy:
You bought a camper together.
>> Yes, we did.
>> Judge Judy:
When did you buy the camper?
>> In October of 2014.
>> Judge Judy:
And when did you break up?
>> January of 2017.
>> Judge Judy: And between 2014
and January of 2017,
you made joint payments
on this camper.
Is that correct?
>> It was only about a year
that he was able to make
payments on or assist me
with making payments
on the trailer because he had
another financial obligation.
>> Judge Judy: How long did you
make payments on the trailer?
>> 13 payments, 13 months.
>> Judge Judy: In what amount?
>> $130 a month.
>> Judge Judy: And when did you
stop making payments?
>> Last June, I believe.
>> Judge Judy: Okay.
So you made $1,690
in payments...
>> Mm-hmm.
>> Judge Judy:
...$1,690 in payments.
And it is your claim,
Ms. Mugrace,
that he owes you for a loan
that you extended to him to buy
a laptop at about the same time
as you bought the trailer.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: Gre
How much did you pay
for the computer?
>> $3,260.52.
>> Judge Judy:
Three thousand, two hundred
and...?
>> $60.52.
>> Judge Judy: And between 2014,
when you bought this laptop,
and the time you separated
in January 2017,
how many payments
did he make on the laptop?
>> He didn't make
any on the laptop.
>> Judge Judy:
That's absolutely right.
He didn't make
any on the laptop,
and you never sued him
for the laptop
because he made no payments.
He made payments on the camper.
>> He made payments on --
>> Judge Judy:
He made payments on the camper.
But he made no payments
on the laptop,
and never did you say,
"This is a loan,
and I'm going to sue you."
Did you use the camper
together in 2015?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: Did you use
the camper together in 2016?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: Great.
And all during that time,
there was no claim
of a loan for a computer.
>> There was a claim of a loan
for the computer.
He was going to start paying me
an additional amount
after he had
the garnishment finished.
He had said, "Once I" --
>> Judge Judy:
Do you have the camper now?
>> I do have the camper now.
>> Judge Judy: Great.
Are you using it?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: Great.
And he doesn't have the benefit
of his $1,690
that he put into the camper.
>> Not --
>> Judge Judy: That's what
happens when you're a couple.
>> Right.
>> Judge Judy: Right.
>> But he used it for two years,
yes.
>> Judge Judy: Laptop.
You want to give me your side
of the story on the laptop?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: I'm going
to give you a couple of minutes.
I don't get overexcited with
a 3 1/2-year-old alleged loan.
>> We were sharing a camp
together,
and our camper,
her camper, was in disrepair.
I was always maintaining --
>> Judge Judy: Wait.
Just a second.
This is a half-hour program.
[ Laughter ]
I just
want to hear about the laptop.
>> Sure.
The agreement was for
the camper, not the laptop.
I made payments on the camper,
not the laptop.
And she said that, you know,
if I helped pay
for the camper, she would
buy the laptop, and she did.
>> Judge Judy: That was in 2014?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: And you agreed
to help pay for the camper?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: But she wasn't
saying "helping."
You were supposed to split
the cost of the camper.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: But you didn't
split the cost of the camper
while you were using it
if you made only 13 payments
in 2 1/2 years.
>> Right.
>> Judge Judy: Is that right?
>> Right.
>> Judge Judy: So that you
reneged on the deal.
If the deal was,
she was going to buy...
Let's say I believe you,
that she was going to buy you
a laptop if you agreed
because the camper was about
$20,000, something like that.
>> Mm-hmm.
>> Judge Judy: If you agreed
to pay for half the camper
because she figured
you were going to be together,
and you would pay for half
the camper.
When she took out money from her
401(k),
she would take out some extra
money and buy you the laptop.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: And you said,
"That sounds reasonable."
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy:
But then you broke the deal.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: Then you got
to pay for the laptop, right?
>> Well, I was paying
on the camper.
And I actually --
>> Judge Judy: Well, but that
was the deal.
You were supposed to pay on the
camper, but you
stopped paying on the camper.
>> She told me that I could stop
paying on the camper
while I was paying
on my previous loan.
>> Judge Judy: Well, you know,
you know the little violin,
the mouse and the violin?
how can I do this?
You know, I got my wages
garnished for this,
and now I have the camper.
And now I have this,
and I still want
to be your boyfriend.
And we can still
go camping together."
So she said, "Okay. As soon
as this is over, then
you can start paying it again."
What were her choices?
>> Those were the only choices
she had.
>> Judge Judy: [ Laughing ]
Right.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: So you broke
the deal.
You still have the laptop?
>> Yes, I do.
>> Judge Judy: Great.
You got to pay for it
because you broke the deal.
I don't even think it's a loan.
I think that the contract
that she made with you
and that you agreed to
was that she would buy you
the laptop
as a gift in exchange for you
assuming half the responsibility
of the camper.
And while you were together,
you did not assume
your responsibility
for half of the camper.
Therefore, you breached
the contract.
And if you breach the contract,
then you got to pay
for the laptop
or give it back to her.
What's your pleasure?
>> I'd rather call it
even and call it a day.
I put...
>> Judge Judy: Well, you can't
call it even
and call it a day, sir.
Either you have to pay her for
the laptop
or give it back to her.
What's your choice?
>> I'll pay for the laptop.
>> Judge Judy: $3,260.
Thanks, all.