The People’s Court Podcast

First, the plaintiff says that when his brother borrowed his car, damage appeared that matched the shape and size of the plaintiff’s trailer hitch. When the cops arrived, the defendant refused to back his car up to see if the damage matched. The plaintiff is suing for the cost of repairs. The defendant claims there were plenty of trucks with trailers around that could have caused the damage, and h...

First, the plaintiff says her father and stepmother stole her car and won’t give it back. In fact, she says they’re even trying to sell it. She says she saved up money for a car, which she eventually bought at a yard sale. The defendants claim they purchased the car for the plaintiff, so they didn’t steal anything. They also say she started dating a much older man as a teenager and moved out becau...

First, the plaintiff is a former law enforcement officer who has a seven-unit rooming house. The defendant rented from him for a while, smoked marijuana, and shortchanged the defendant on rent. The plaintiff is suing him for unpaid rent plus interest. The defendant argues the renting house was terrible to live in, as it had a bad smell, was infested with flies, and was covered in stains. When he c...

First, the plaintiff runs a kids soccer team the defendant’s daughter played on the previous year. He says the defendants still have not paid him for some of the soccer events while she was playing and is suing them for that money. The defendants argue they didn’t want to purchase a warm-up suit for their daughter, and because of that the plaintiff started singling out their daughter. This made th...

First, the plaintiff claims he hired the defendant to film a commercial for him, but he disappeared with the money without completing the job. The plaintiff is suing to have his money returned. The defendant argues the plaintiff kept changing his mind on what he wanted the commercial to be, and the defendant eventually got fed up with it. He believes he deserves to be paid for his wasted time. The...

First, the plaintiff claims the defendant’s dog attacked her small dog out of nowhere one day and is suing for $5,000, the cost of vet bills. The defendant claims the plaintiff had allowed a toddler to walk her dog, and the attack happened when the defendant’s dog felt unsafe by its personal space being invaded. She says even the cops believe the child should not have been walking the plaintiff’s...

First, the plaintiff has been friends with the defendant for 20 years and didn’t hesitate to lend him a car when he needed one. Three weeks later, he agreed to sell the defendant the car, but the defendant hasn’t paid him for it and has even threatened to file a restraining order against the plaintiff! The plaintiff is suing for the money he is owed. The defendant claims he paid the plaintiff for...

First, the plaintiff says that he and the defendant dated for several months. After they broke up, he agreed to care for her apartment and animals while she was incarcerated. The defendant agreed to pay the plaintiff back, but hasn’t, and now he’s suing her. The defendant claims the plaintiff became obsessed with her, even proposing at one point. She did get arrested at one point by accident. When...

First, the plaintiff says the defendant was a bartender he employed at his restaurant who served alcohol to a minor. That minor got into a car accident and the employee was fired. However, the restaurant was fined $3,000 for providing the alcohol, and the plaintiff is suing the defendant for the cost of that fee. The defendant claims the minor was a regular who was given drinks by all the bartende...

First, after an eight-year relationship gone nowhere, the plaintiff decided to break up with and kick the unambitious defendant out of her home. She claims he still owes her for rent and a cell phone and is suing him. The defendant claims they had a rocky relationship where the plaintiff threatened him occasionally. He argues he is the one who ended things and had never made any promises to repay...

First, the plaintiff claims that when she bought a car from the defendant, he illegally forged her name on some bank documents, and she reported him to the department of consumer affairs. Because the terms of the loan are wrong, she wants out of the deal and wants her deposit back. The defendant says the plaintiff returned the car to the bank, who she took out the loan with for the car, so he has...

First, the plaintiff is the founder of a ladies social club that gets together and does things for the community. New members are required to pay dues and an initiation fee. The defendant ended up leaving the social club but still has a due balance to pay, and the plaintiff is suing for that. The defendant claims the club doesn’t even exist to begin with, so she couldn’t possibly owe the bitter pl...

First, the plaintiff claims the defendant, his great-granddaughter, has a camera and some money of his that she refuses to return. As much as he doesn’t want to, he is suing her for what he is owed. The defendant says her great grandfather is sue-happy and has even sued a restaurant for age discrimination. She claims the money he’s suing her for was a loan given to her now deceased mother, and as...

First, the defendant allowed the plaintiff to park her car in their driveway for two years for a minor fee. However, when the defendant’s daughter moved back in, they asked the plaintiff to move her car out of their driveway. The plaintiff claims that she paid for two months in advance, but the defendant now refuses to refund her for those two months. The plaintiff is now suing for those parking f...

First, the plaintiff argues that she went to the defendant for a hair straightening treatment but left with hair as curly as when she arrived. When she returned several days later for the same treatment, it failed a second time. When she demanded her money back, the defendant refused to do so, and even called the police on the plaintiff. She’s suing for her money back. The defendant argues that th...

First, the plaintiff claims he was hired by the defendant to do four days of landscaping with his bulldozer, but the defendant now refuses to pay him for his work. He soon learned the defendant has a history of not paying people for their work. The defendant claims the plaintiff got verbally abusive on the job, tried to go against plans, and even demanded to be paid in cash under the table. Since...

First, after dating for several months, the plaintiff discovered the defendant was seeing someone else. She left him and now claims he’s stiffing her for an expensive phone bill. She is suing him for these bills. The defendant claims they were only ever friends with benefits, and he paid his phone bills in full. Then, the plaintiff, a cop, says his police car was parked in the employee lot at his...

First, the plaintiff claims he was driving his mother’s car when he made a right turn and the defendant darted out in front of him, smashing into his car. He argues the defendant didn’t stop until farther down the street and is arguing the plaintiff is at fault. No police were called for the accident. The plaintiff is suing for damages to the car. The defendant claims he was making a legal right t...

First, the plaintiff hired the defendant’s company to provide a photographer, videographer, and DJ for her wedding but claims they didn’t do their jobs right on the big day. She says the photographer didn’t know how to use a camera, the DJ was dressed inappropriately, and the videographer only had one arm. She is suing for the cost of services. The defendant says the plaintiff purchased the cheape...

First, the plaintiff boarded two horses at the defendant’s farm, but the defendant completely neglected them. She claims her beloved animals were underfed and treated terribly. She’s suing for a refund. The defendant argues he took great care of the horses. He’s countersuing for feeding costs and unpaid boarding fees. Then, the plaintiff ordered firewood from the defendant after he lost power due...

First, the plaintiff was sitting in her car in a parking lot when someone at the store lost control of a bunch of shopping carts. The carts crashed into her vehicle and dented it. The plaintiff thinks an employee lost control of the carts because they were drunk. She’s suing for car damages. The defendant, the store manager, argues the plaintiff was illegally parked when the incident occurred, and...

First, the plaintiff works with the defendant, who asked her if she had any jewelry she wanted to sell. She gave him some, but she claims the defendant ended up pawning off her belongings. She’s suing for the value of a gold watch and bracelet. The defendant argues the plaintiff offered him the jewelry as a gift. He says he used the money from the jewelry to pay off his mortgage. Then, the plainti...

First, the plaintiffs rented an apartment from the defendant. They claim the heater in their home never worked, so it was absolutely freezing. The plaintiffs’ son got sick due to the cold, and when they confronted the defendant about it, he said they could just move out. They’re suing for their security deposit, moving costs, and the deposit on a new apartment. The defendant argues the plaintiffs...

First, the plaintiff was out walking his dog one day when the defendant’s Great Dane attacked his canine. When he told the defendant to pay for the bills, she flashed him and grabbed her groin. He’s suing for vet bills and pain and suffering. The defendant thinks the plaintiff is trying to take advantage of her. Then, the plaintiff hired the defendant to repair his roof and chimney. He says the de...

First, the plaintiff was once a member of the defendant’s motorcycle club and gave him a deposit to rent the defendant’s venue for a Halloween party. Several days before the event was to happen, the defendant reportedly got fined and shut down by the police for several violations, including not having a liquor permit. The plaintiff couldn’t find another location for his event and is suing the defe...