Sean Starnes, never completed
the job he paid him to do.
>> Judge Judy: Okay.
When did you buy this property?
>> I bought it on August 2015.
>> Judge Judy: What kind
of property is it?
>> It's a small house,
and when I got it,
it was all tore down,
and I was doing
the whole remodel work on it.
>> Judge Judy: Show me a picture
of the house.
>> Here is one of it,
and the front of the house,
and the back.
>> Judge Judy: How much
did you pay for the house?
>> $18,000.
>> Judge Judy: With the land?
>> Uh, yes.
Oh, sorry.
Uh, 22 total.
It was 22 with the land.
>> Judge Judy: So, what he was
supposed to do is make this shed
into a place for you to live?
>> Yeah.
He supposed to be --
to do a good job finish --
finish the whole remodeling.
New walls, new floor,
new bathroom, new kitchen,
and he didn't do anything.
He didn't do anything.
We have an agreement for
$6,800.
Here is the contract.
With his name and his signature
here, where this states the
total, the labor and the work
is $6,800, and I give him a
deposit of $3,400.
>> Judge Judy: Did you give it
to him in a check?
>> Yes.
I have here the receipt --
>> Judge Judy: May I see it?
>> Of the check where it states
his name and my name.
I have both here.
His signature, my signature,
the -- the contract.
After I gave him --
>> Judge Judy: Shh.
>> Okay.
>> Judge Judy: Okay.
So, Mr. Starnes,
he gave you $3,400.
>> That is correct.
>> Judge Judy: That's where
we started, and this is what I'm
reading, 'cause this looks like
a contract to me.
>> Yes, right.
>> Judge Judy: It may not have
the formality of a contract,
but this is what it says
that you were going to do.
Buy and install the windows.
>> Mm-hmm.
>> Judge Judy: Did you do that?
>> No, ma'am, there was
structural --
>> Judge Judy: Just a second,
I didn't ask you for an
explanation, I said --
>> Okay.
>> Judge Judy: Did you buy and
install the windows?
>> They were bought,
but they wasn't installed.
>> Judge Judy: Where are
the windows?
>> He got the windows, 'cause
I called and told him --
>> Judge Judy: Did you get
the windows?
>> Yes, I did.
>> Judge Judy: Just a second.
>> Yes, mm-hmm.
>> Judge Judy: You got
the windows.
So, they were purchased.
How much were the windows?
>> Uh...
>> Judge Judy: You have a
receipt.
>> I don't have the receipt.
I gave it to him.
>> Judge Judy: How much were
the windows?
>> Total was $700 for it.
>> Judge Judy: Okay.
Windows, $700, which you
also got.
All drywalls and textures.
Did you do all that?
>> No, ma'am, it wasn't
completed.
>> Judge Judy: Okay.
Tub, toilet, tile.
Did you do that?
>> Uh --
>> Judge Judy: It's a yes or no.
>> No.
>> Judge Judy: All the wiring.
Did you do that?
>> Uh, almost all of it, yes.
>> Judge Judy: Almost.
>> Yes, ma'am, 99%
>> Judge Judy: Shh.
Did you do all the plumbing?
>> 80% done.
>> Judge Judy: Did you
do all the painting,
interior and exterior?
>> No, ma'am.
Uh, exterior -- primer coat.
>> Judge Judy: You didn't do all
the painting and all the
painting interior and exterior?
>> No.
>> Judge Judy: Did you do
all the flooring?
>> Nope.
>> Judge Judy: No, okay.
So, what you did was you did
almost all the wiring...
>> Yup.
>> Judge Judy: And 80% of
the plumbing.
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: Shh.
And then, for whatever reason,
you did not finish the job.
>> No, ma'am.
Sure didn't.
>> Judge Judy: And yet,
having completed -- there are
seven things that you're
supposed to do here.
>> Right.
>> Judge Judy: Now --
>> There's a lot more to it
than just, you know...
>> Judge Judy: There's not
much more to it, sir.
>> Well, you know, you're making
it sound like I didn't do
nothing, which I did.
>> Judge Judy: Well, no!
Listen to me.
Don't say I made it sound
like you did nothing.
I went through your contract,
one through seven.
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: I asked you
what you did.
You answered me what you did.
>> Right.
>> Judge Judy: And what you
didn't do.
And what you didn't do,
pursuant to the contract,
was a lot more than
what you did do,
and yet, you got half the money.
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: You didn't do
half the work.
>> No, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: So, how much
money are you gonna give back
to the plaintiff?
>> None.
>> Judge Judy: Oh, yes, you are.
Oh, yes, you are.
>> Okay.e job --
>> We had a verbal agreement
also.
>> Judge Judy: No, you can't
have a verbal agreement.
>> Oh, we can't?
>> Judge Judy: No.
>> Oh, okay.
>> Judge Judy: No.
And if you're a contractor,
and if you're in business
for a long time, you should know
that you can't have
a written contract...
>> And if a man
is as good as his word,
he would follow through it.
Yes, ma'am.
I'm not gonna argue with you.
>> Judge Judy: You can't have
a written contract which this
is, and also have a verbal one.
>> Right.
>> Judge Judy: Your contract
with him is the four corners
of this document.
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: You signed it.
He signed it.
You list exactly what you're
gonna do.
You want to alter it,
you alter it right here.
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: So that the
person who has to decide whether
you're entitled to that money...
>> Yes, ma'am -- but before
you make your ruling,
he did get a brand new tub,
brand new toilet,
all the wiring, all the wood,
all the, uh -- uh -- uh --
overlay for the tile.
He's got all that.
It's bought, paid for.
See, there's a lot more to it.
>> Judge Judy: Just a second.
Did you return any of
these items to him?
>> No, ma'am.
I just returned the
$500 worth of tile.
>> Judge Judy: Oh.
>> The rest was left on the job.
The paint also.
>> Judge Judy: Now, I want you
to show me the receipts for --
>> I don't have the receipts,
ma'am, the bookkeepers --
>> Judge Judy: Just a second.
Where did you think you were
coming, you were coming
to the beach today?
>> Thought I was working.
>> Judge Judy: You're the
contractor, you knew what you
were coming here for.
>> Yes, ma'am, but I do --
>> Judge Judy: Just show me the
receipts -- just show me the
receipts of what you say.
>> I don't have it, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: You don't have
it, good.
Judging for the plaintiff in
the amount of $3,400.
We're done.
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Judge