The People’s Court Podcast

The plaintiff parked her car at her boyfriend’s house, and one night during a rainstorm, a branch fell on her vehicle and damaged it. The tree is half on her boyfriend’s property and half on the defendant’s land, so she’s suing the defendant for half of the insurance deductible. The defendant thinks the plaintiff is trying to extort her because she didn’t say anything to her until five months late...

The plaintiff was hired by the defendant to put her dog’s logo and picture on a jacket and shirts. She says the plaintiff was happy with the work, but now refuses to pay for the work, so she’s suing. The defendant thinks the plaintiff did a terrible job. She claims she got a receipt that the money went through, so she doesn’t owe anything else. The plaintiff, a real estate agent, found the defenda...

The plaintiff was hired by the defendant to revamp his business site. He argues the defendant stopped paying, so he’s suing for what he’s owed. The defendant says the plaintiff is charging him a monthly maintenance fee, which he never agreed to pay. He doesn’t think he owes anything. He’s countersuing for the money he originally paid the plaintiff. The plaintiff, a handyman, was hired by the defen...

The plaintiff says he rented the defendant’s townhouse sight unseen. Even though he moved out, the defendant won’t return what he’s owed, so he’s suing. The defendant says the plaintiff bounced a check and broke the lease. He’s countersuing for additional repairs The plaintiff says he watched the defendant’s dog, but now she’s stiffing him on his pay. He’s suing for what he’s owed. The defendant s...

The plaintiff says the defendant is a friend, but his kid scratched up her car and she needs to be compensated. She’s suing for the repair cost. The defendant says his kid never admitted to scratching it, but he offered to pay to have it buffed out. The plaintiff says the defendant let her dog roam the streets and attack her dog so badly that her pet needed emergency care to survive. She’s suing f...

First, the plaintiff says he brought he car to the defendant’s car wash, but he hit a huge pothole in the parking lot and it destroyed his tire. Since the defendant won’t cover the cost, he’s suing him. The defendant says he has no clue how the tire was punctured, and he’s not responsible. Then, the plaintiff says she hired the defendant to renovate countertops at her salon, but she did a bad job...

First, the plaintiff says she bought a camper from the defendant. When she went to the DMV to register it, they informed her the camper had never been registered before, so the defendant needed to fix that before she could get the title. The defendant is refusing to do so, so the plaintiff is suing for a refund. The defendant insists she told the plaintiff the camper had never been on the road, an...

First, the plaintiff says he bought a motorcycle from the defendant, but it died 70 miles later. He claims the defendant used glue on the carburetor to cover up a defect, so he’s suing the man for repair costs. The defendant says the plaintiff only complained about the bike 10 months after he bought. He’s countersuing for defamation and harassment. Then, the plaintiff says the defendant’s mortuary...

First, the plaintiff says he’s done the defendant’s taxes for years. He claims he used his own money to pay for an adjustment, but the defendant hasn’t repaid him and he’s suing. The defendant says the plaintiff messed up her taxes and the government took money directly out of her bank account. She refuses to repay a thing. Then, the plaintiff says she bought a bed for her mother, but the defendan...

First, the plaintiff says the defendant hired her to babysit her three kids, but she crossed a line with her behavior. The plaintiff claims the defendant would call her in the middle of the night to talk about sexual exploits. The plaintiff is suing for wages she’s still owed. The defendant says the plaintiff didn’t do a good job, and she’s not paying her any more. Then, the plaintiff says the def...

First, the plaintiff says the defendant hung heavy artwork on her wall and smashed her marble table. Then another piece fell, causing damage, so she’s suing for the costs. The defendant owns a framing company and agreed to hang the art, but he says the plaintiff could have knocked it off the wall. He’s countersuing for unpaid framing work. Then, the plaintiff says she bought a car from the defenda...

First, the plaintiff says the defendant towed his pickup truck and damaged it. He claims the defendant won’t take responsibility for it, so he’s suing him for damages. The defendant says the plaintiff blocked someone’s driveway, so the flatbed tow was warranted. He insists the plaintiff inspected the truck when he retrieved it and all was fine. Then, the plaintiff says he bought a PlayStation 5 fr...

First, the plaintiff says she hired the defendant to edit a book she wrote about her life, but the woman changed it so much it was almost unrecognizable. She also claims the defendant put the book on Amazon so the money goes to her account. She’s suing for all she’s out, plus emotional distress. The defendant says she published the book on Amazon, which splits the profits with the author, not her....

First, the plaintiff says the defendant’s dog leaped at him and bit his testicle when he walked into a store, then the man threw him out. EMTs brought him to several doctors and he was in pain for months. He’s suing for medical bills and pain and suffering. The defendant says the plaintiff was arguing loudly with a woman in front of his store and then came into his store. He says his dog was frien...

First, the plaintiff says she and the defendant share a grandson. She offered to sell the defendant a truck she had, but the plaintiff still owes the balance, so she’s suing her. The defendant says she and the plaintiff are now enemies over the state of the truck. She’s countersuing for the money she has had to put into the vehicle. Then, the plaintiff says the defendant is his ex-wife. They remai...

First, the plaintiff says he brought his laptop to the defendant for repair, but he’s had nothing but trouble since. Now it won’t even turn on and he’s lost all his data, so he’s suing for the state maximum. The defendant says the plaintiff doesn’t understand basics about software updates, and he claims the man is simply rude. He denies owing anything. Then, the plaintiff says she rented a room in...

First, the plaintiff says the defendant filed false accusations against her and it put her job in jeopardy. She says you can’t just go around making things up, so she’s suing the defendant for $5,000. The defendant says she and the plaintiff grew up together. She alleges the plaintiff is harassing her and making her life miserable, so she’s countersuing for $8,000. Then, the plaintiff says the def...

First, the plaintiff says he bought a condo in the defendant’s building and put down a deposit to use the freight elevator. The defendant is accusing him of scratching the brass door frame and won’t return the deposit, so the plaintiff is suing. The defendant says the plaintiff renovated the condo and violated multiple rules and caused damages, so he’s not getting the deposit back. He’s countersui...

First, the plaintiff says she gave the defendant money for a trip for her granddaughter, and she asked about trip insurance in case her passport didn’t arrive. Sure enough, there was a snag at the passport office, but the defendant didn’t buy the insurance, so she’s suing her for a full refund. The defendant says she got an airline credit and is still chasing the hotel. She blames the plaintiff fo...

First, the plaintiff says he rented a room in his house to the defendant, but the man fell behind on rent and ended up in rehab for a drinking problem. The plaintiff doesn’t know what to do with the defendant’s abandoned possessions and needs the rent that’s owed, so he’s suing. The defendant says he went to rehab and moved in with his girlfriend, so he denies owing anything. He’s countersuing for...

First, the plaintiff says she met the defendant on a dating site and they hit it off. She thought they were the real deal, so she rented him a car, bought him airline ticket, and sent him money, but now he won’t pay her back. She’s suing for what she’s owed. The defendant says the plaintiff bought the plane ticket because he caught COVID and she felt bad for him. He denies owing anything. Then, th...

First, the plaintiff says she paid the defendant to train her in CPR certification so she could be an instructor, but he failed her. She claims he told her she could retake the course for free, but now he won’t return her calls. She’s suing for the cost of the class and textbooks. The defendant says he didn’t fail the plaintiff, and he claims he’s gone out of his way to help her. Then, the plainti...

The plaintiff says she was hired to style the defendant’s office and bedroom. She claims the job was 95% complete when the defendant hired someone else to finish the job. She’s suing for what she’s still owed. The defendant says the plaintiff botched the job and splattered paint everywhere. She’s countersuing for the amount she paid to have the job corrected. The plaintiff says the defendant’s dog...

The plaintiff says he rented out space in his garage for the defendant to park his scooter, but he didn’t pay for five months. He then agreed to buy the defendant’s scooter, but it was junk and didn’t work. He’s suing for what he’s owed. The defendant says he paid the plaintiff $100 a month and then put the scooter up for sale. He claims it always worked fine when he had it. The plaintiffs say the...

First, the plaintiff says he put down a deposit on a male Bengal kitten from the defendant, but the cat turned out to be female. The plaintiff says he specifically wanted a male, so he’s suing for his money back. The defendant says the plaintiff picked out a male, but the kitten unfortunately died. He claims he referred the plaintiff to another breeder. Plus, the plaintiff says he hired the defend...