The People’s Court Podcast

First, the plaintiff bought the defendant a new phone. She claims the defendant promised to pay her back, but then he took out more phone lines without telling her and never paid. She’s suing for the cost of the bills and cancellation charges. The defendant argues the plaintiff had a crush on him and that she added the phone lines, not him. He’s countersuing for loss of income and mental stress. T...

First, the plaintiff brings his neighbors to court. He says the defendant’s tree crashed through his fence onto his property, which is the third time it has happened. He’s suing for damages. The defendant argues the tree came down during Hurricane Sandy. He called insurance, but there was a delay because of the storm. He’s countersuing for lost wages. Then, the plaintiff says her stepdaughter call...

First, the plaintiff says he gave the defendant a first-generation iPod to repair for him. When he went to pick it up, however, the defendant was hiding from him, and the iPod was broken and all his songs were gone. He is suing for the price of a new iPod and all the songs he lost. The defendant claims he was paid to run a diagnostics test on the iPod, and when he discovered the damages, he was to...

First, the plaintiff used to employ the defendant as a doorman at his bar and grill, then the guy got arrested. The plaintiff posted his bail to get him out but hasn’t seen the money repaid. It wasn’t a gift, and he’s suing to get the money back. The defendant says he got arrested after breaking up a fight, and one of the individuals attacked him instead. He wasn’t even a bouncer and he was just d...

First, the plaintiff says the defendant cabled two trees together that were on her property, which eventually caused one of the trees to split. Now, she’s being forced to cut the tree down because her neighbor complained to the city about it. She believes the defendant should pay for it and is suing for the cost of cutting down the tree. The defendant says he did the job he was hired to do, and th...

First, the plaintiff has known the defendant since high school. The plaintiff gave the defendant $100 to help her move out of her apartment. Instead, the defendant allegedly used the money to run her own personal errands. The plaintiff asked for her money back, but the defendant blocked her calls, so she's suing. The defendant insists the money was a gift. Then, the plaintiff hired the defendant t...

First, the plaintiff hired the defendant to reupholster her couch, but she botched the job, so the plaintiff is suing for a refund. The defendant insists she offered to redo the couch, but the plaintiff refused and stopped payment on the check. Besides, the defendant believes the piece of furniture looks great. Then, the plaintiff hired the defendant's moving company. However, many of his items we...

First, the plaintiff claims his daughter owes him for an outstanding phone bill, so he's suing. The defendant argues her mother offered to help her out by opening an account for a phone. Everything was fine until her father flipped out one day out of the blue. The plaintiff says her daughter married the defendant's son after only three months of dating. The marriage lasted three weeks. The plainti...

First, the plaintiff wrote a book and often googles herself. The plaintiff claims the defendant ripped off some of her work and posted it online, so she's suing for copyright infringement. The defendant says he cited the plaintiff every time he posted her writings. Then, the plaintiff took his Jeep to the defendant's shop for a paint job. However, it turned out terrible, so the plaintiff is suing...

First, the plaintiffs say they helped managed the defendant with his music career, but he hasn't yet paid them, so the plaintiffs are suing. The defendant argues the plaintiffs upped their prices in the middle of their work and didn't deliver. Then, the plaintiff was driving when the defendant threw a piece of wood that hit her car. The plaintiff is suing the defendant for damages caused during th...

First, the plaintiff used to date the defendant, and they lived together. The plaintiff claims the defendant up and moved out of the home, abandoning her portion of rent, so the plaintiff is suing. The defendant insists she had to move out because the plaintiff had a naked woman in the apartment. Then, the plaintiff purchased a television from the defendant's website, but it arrived with a crack,...

First, the plaintiff took her vehicle to the defendant's shop for a paint job, but it turned out to be the wrong color, so the plaintiff is suing. The defendant says the plaintiff's insurance company paid to paint the panel, not blend it in. He was just contracted to do what he did. Then, the plaintiff gave the defendant, a bail bondsman, money to get her boyfriend out of jail. However, the defend...

First, the plaintiff says she hired the defendant to handle a roach infestation in her home, and while he showed up three or four times, the problem wasn’t fixed. He reportedly stopped answering her calls and now her home is infested again. She is suing him for the money she paid to put it toward another company to fix the problem. The defendant says he was ready and willing to fulfil their contra...

First, the plaintiffs rented a house from the defendant and soon had the defendant’s family wandering in and out as if they lived there. The plaintiffs moved and have yet to be given their security deposit back, much less a reason why it’s been withheld. They are suing for the return of their security. The defendants say they had painted the unit with the understanding the plaintiffs would be stay...

First, the plaintiff says she had agreed to rent an apartment from the defendant, who promised the current tenant had been evicted and the place was ready on January 1. When the plaintiff went to pick up her keys at the end of December, she found the previous tenant was still there and refusing to leave. The plaintiff is standing up for her rights and suing for the return of the rent she paid. The...

First, the plaintiff was driving home in a camper when the defendant slammed into her. The defendant sped off, so the plaintiff is suing for damages. The defendant insists the plaintiff is the one who caused the accident. The defendant is countersuing for damages. Then, the plaintiff rented an apartment from the defendant, but he hasn't returned her security, so she's suing. The defendant says the...

First, the plaintiffs say the defendants threw brush over their fence and into their yard, so they're suing because they hired someone to clean up the mess. The defendants argue the plaintiffs threatened them. They're countersuing for lost wages and time spent gathering evidence for court. Then, the plaintiff, a real estate broker, brought clients to see the defendant's apartment. The defendant ke...

First, the plaintiff purchased a kitten from the defendant, but it had a bunch of health issues, so the plaintiff is suing for vet bills. The defendant argues he has already given the plaintiff $1,000 and even offered to treat the kitten at his own vet. Then, the plaintiff says he hired the defendant to retile a bathroom, but he messed up the shower enclosure, so the plaintiff is suing. The defend...

First, the plaintiff says she purchased an airplane ticket for the defendant, but he didn't go on the trip or pay it back, so the plaintiff is suing. The defendant argues the plaintiff bought him the ticket as a gift only because she has the hots for him. Then, the plaintiff hired the defendant, a real estate broker, to find her an apartment. She paid him, but when the plaintiff went to her new ap...

First, the plaintiff says the defendant fell on hard times and moved in with her. However, the defendant never paid one of the electric bills she was responsible for, so the plaintiff is suing. The defendant insists the plaintiff was supposed to pay the electric bills. Then, the plaintiff says she and the defendant dated for a while. However, the defendant owes money for multiple loans, so the pla...

First, the plaintiff used to be in a relationship with the defendant, and they moved in together. The plaintiff claims her ex-boyfriend won’t return a television and air conditioning unit, so she’s suing for the cost of the items. The defendant argues his ex-girlfriend used his money to buy the TV and air conditioner, so he doesn’t think he owes. Then, the plaintiff brought his car to the defendan...

First, the plaintiff’s 19-year-old boyfriend has a son with the defendant, and the plaintiff, 34, is also pregnant with her boyfriend’s child. She claims the defendant keyed her car because she was angry when she found out the plaintiff was pregnant. She’s suing for car damages. The defendant admits she got upset, but claims she never keyed the plaintiff’s car. She thinks the plaintiff did it hers...

First, the plaintiff and defendant used to be in a relationship, and they lived together. The plaintiff says she bought a car and her ex-boyfriend took it after a few weeks. He sped over train tracks and the car went flying, causing the car to break down. She says the defendant refuses to pay her, so she’s suing for damages. The defendant argues they bought the car together. He claims the plaintif...

First, the plaintiff is a cab driver who took the defendant home one night. He says the defendant was drunk and didn’t pay when he got out. The plaintiff kept the defendant’s phone as collateral and ran after him, but then the defendant beat him up. He’s suing for the cost of new teeth, lost wages, and emotional distress. The defendant argues he tried to pay with a credit card, but the driver dema...

First, the plaintiff is a voiceover actress. She says the defendant used her voice in an ad, but he never paid her, so she’s suing. The defendant admits he asked the plaintiff to be in his commercial. He says he told the defendant he couldn’t pay her for this commercial, but he would pay her for the next one. Then, the plaintiff purchased an English bulldog puppy from the defendant’s shop. She say...