The People’s Court Podcast

First, the plaintiff says she rented her apartment to the defendant, her daughter and her fiancé, to give them a nice place to raise her grandchildren. She claims they have been disrespectful and stopped paying rent, so she is suing for the money owed. The defendants say the apartment was infested with rats and that the plaintiff did nothing to resolve it. They are countersuing for breach of a ver...

First, the plaintiff says he bought what he believed was an authentic Gibson Les Paul guitar from the defendant’s pawn shop, but a few days later discovered it was a knockoff. When he confronted the defendant, the defendant didn’t seem to care and refused to refund his money. The plaintiff is suing for a refund. The defendant says he never told the plaintiff the guitar was a Les Paul and insists h...

First, the plaintiff says the defendant, her landlord, entered her apartment without permission and took her TV and some prescription bottles. Two days later, she moved out and is suing for her security deposit and rent. The defendant denies taking anything and says the plaintiff breached her one-year lease by moving out early. He is countersuing for unpaid rent. Then, the plaintiff says she was v...

First, the plaintiff says the defendant, her best friend, wanted a new car, so she agreed to take over the payments on his old one. He assured her he was current on the loan, but when she assumed the payments, the finance company told her he was two months behind. She is suing for the money owed. The defendant says the deal never went through because the finance company refused to add the plaintif...

First, the plaintiffs say they rented an apartment from the defendant, who promised it would be ready, but when they arrived, the unit was infested with cockroaches and had no working toilet. They told the defendant they wouldn’t be moving in, but he refused to return their money. They’re suing to get it back. The defendant says one of the plaintiffs’ roommates backed out, and when the other two r...

First, the plaintiffs say they rented an apartment from the defendant, but were never informed she owned a large German shepherd. They say they felt unsafe and asked to leave, and now they’re suing for the return of their security deposit. The defendant claims the plaintiffs broke their lease and are using the dog as an excuse, adding that they left the apartment filthy. Then, the plaintiff says s...

First, the plaintiff says the defendant hired her band to perform at a venue and signed a contract but then refused to provide a copy or pay the agreed performance fee. She is suing for the promised amount. The defendant says the booking was made through a large corporation and contract processing takes time. She claims the plaintiff simply lost patience and overreacted. Then, the plaintiff says s...

First, the plaintiff says she and the defendant were in a relationship, and she opened a Home Depot credit card in her name to help him. He charged up a $3,000 balance, began paying it off, then stopped. She is suing for the amount owed. The defendant says the plaintiff agreed to contribute toward the bills while he renovated his apartment, where she spent a significant amount of time. They even g...

First, the plaintiff says he paid for a cruise for the defendant, his longtime friend, and now she refuses to reimburse him for the expenses he covered. He believes she effectively stole from him and is suing to recover the money he’s owed. The defendant says the plaintiff gave her a charge card to the cabin and told her it was no big deal whether she paid him back or not. She claims the plaintiff...

First, the plaintiff says the defendant hired him after Hurricane Sandy to help build modular homes but shorted him on his pay. He’s suing for the remaining wages. The defendant claims the plaintiff was verbally abusive, struggled with roofing tasks, and required additional training. He also says the plaintiff agreed to a set price but is now demanding more. Then, the plaintiff says she and the de...

First, the plaintiff says he tried to help a woman who was being attacked by a dog, but when he intervened, he fell and the dog bit him. He had to be taken to the hospital by ambulance and is now suing the defendant, whom he believes owns the dog, for medical bills. The defendant insists it wasn’t her dog that bit the plaintiff. Then, the plaintiff says she was driving through the parking lot of a...

First, the plaintiff says she went to the defendant’s salon for hair extensions, and after six and a half hours in the chair, her hair looked like a mullet and the extensions didn’t even match her natural color. She is suing for a refund. The defendant, who says she has 12 years of experience, claims she installed 140 extensions as requested. When the plaintiff asked for even more to make her hair...

First, the plaintiff says he moved into a home owned by the defendant and soon discovered it was infested with roaches that ruined his belongings. He’s suing for replacement costs. The defendant says the plaintiff had trouble paying rent, and when eviction proceedings began, the plaintiff fabricated the roach complaint. Then, the plaintiff says he bought a car from the defendant, insured it, and w...

First, the plaintiff says he and his girlfriend rented an apartment from the defendant, who promised to clean the place and make repairs before they moved in, but she did not. They claim the apartment was infested with bugs and that the defendant ignored their requests for a refund. They are suing for the money they are owed. The defendant says she worked hard to accommodate the plaintiffs and spe...

The plaintiff says the defendant, his coworker and roommate, owes him six months’ rent. He is suing for the unpaid amount. The defendant claims the plaintiff was a belligerent drunk and made the living situation intolerable. He says he doesn’t owe a cent. The plaintiff says he was driving his wife to work when the defendant rear-ended them. His son had to be taken to the hospital, and the defendan...

First, the plaintiff says the defendant, his former friend, stole his phone from him. He has since filed a criminal case against the defendant and is suing him now for the cost of the phone. The defendant says he told the plaintiff where his phone was so he wouldn’t forget it, then the next day, he accused him of stealing it. Then, the plaintiff says she rented an apartment from the defendant, but...

First, the plaintiff says her friend found a stray dog out in the cold on Christmas Eve and gave it to her to care for until the rightful owner came forward. After confirming the dog had no microchip, she decided to keep it rather than take it to a shelter. Weeks later, a young man approached her husband while he was walking the dog and claimed it was his, then took the dog without providing any p...

First, the plaintiff says he’s been a sneaker collector for years and owns several rare and valuable pairs. He claims the defendant, his sister, stole some of his most expensive sneakers. He’s suing for the value of the stolen items. The defendant says she and her older brother have never been close, but denies stealing his shoes. She’s countersuing for slander and defamation of character. Then, t...

First, the plaintiff says the defendant, an old friend, brokered a car sale on his behalf but pulled a switcheroo at the last minute. He believed he was buying a 1998 Pontiac, but when he received the title, it turned out to be a 1994. The defendant refuses to return the money, so the plaintiff is suing for a refund. Then, the plaintiff says the defendant, her former landlord, abruptly told her to...

First, the plaintiff says he was driving his dump truck when it died in the middle of the road. The police called the defendant to tow the vehicle, and he later presented the plaintiff with a $750 bill. The plaintiff says the tow was only 10 miles and is suing for lost wages and legal fees. The defendant says his driver charged $200 for the emergency tow, but the plaintiff offered only $100. When...

First, the plaintiff says she hired the defendant to repair her refrigerator, but he failed to fix it and left two large holes in her kitchen. She’s suing for the cost of repairs. The defendant says he advised her to replace the refrigerator entirely, but she insisted on a repair. He claims she agreed to let him cut holes in the wall to vent a new compressor. Then, one of the plaintiffs says she w...

First, the plaintiff says he was hired as a dishwasher at the defendant’s restaurant and was never paid. He’s suing for unpaid wages. The defendant, the shop manager, claims he paid the plaintiff in cash, but the plaintiff threw the money in his face. Then, the plaintiff says the defendant, a dog groomer, cut her dog so deeply that it required stitches at the vet. She claims the defendant blamed h...

First, the plaintiff says he’s known the defendant since birth and believed in his musical talent. He claims he built a home studio and signed the defendant to a recording deal, but the defendant skipped sessions and acted unprofessionally. He’s suing to recoup his investment. The defendant says the plaintiff was his manager and failed to promote him properly. He claims the sessions were poorly ma...

First, the plaintiff says the defendant, his ex-mother-in-law, stole jewelry from his dresser. Two days later, his ex-wife allegedly cleaned out the house, taking TVs and couches. He’s suing for the value of the stolen items. The defendant says the couple had a toxic relationship and the final straw was a police raid looking for drugs. She claims she arrived to a ransacked home and grabbed what sh...

First, the plaintiff loaned his TV to the defendant and claims he broke it and refuses to pay for it. He is suing for the damages. Confused, the defendant says he paid for the TV, and the reason he is being sued is because he refused to lend the plaintiff money for a tattoo. Then, the plaintiffs purchased a puppy from the defendants but returned her a few days later when she became sick. They are...