(no subject)

[which_chick]

So I get home from work today, did some yard work. Tasha called to say that two of her welsh colt babies hit the ground today so I went to go look at them. (There were also fried morels for dinner at Tasha's house. They were tasty.) I have half-welsh colt pictures but they're still on the camera yet. I suck.


When I got home from that, my machine had a message on it. It was some dude claiming he worked for the Judge Judy show. Buh?

So I called the number (answering machine system said it was Judge Judy and had voicemail and stuff. If it was a prank, it was a thorough and nicely-done prank.) and left a message for the guy (he was away from his desk). The guy called me back about an hour later. He wanted to hear about my case and stuff, but I asked how he got my number in the first place, concerned that maybe Bad Payer was an ass and called Judge Judy in order to stir up some shit.

The guy said that the Judge Judy Show keeps an eye on the small claims court filings around the country (probably the better to get a wide, racially and culturally diverse selection of plaintiff and defendant pairings) and their people call up the plaintiffs/defendants on the court docket and chat 'em up to see if they'd make good television fodder. Okay, whatever. That's plausible. Small claims court filings are public record and I have a listed telephone number. I'll buy that explanation.

So I told the guy the deal, which is that Bad Payer borrowed money from me and ain't be paying me fuck-all for six months and so I be filing on his ass to secure a judgment against him renewable for twenty years so that he will either pay the fuck up or suffer the slings and arrows of not having any fucking credit. The guy asked for some more details and stuff, like if I had the loan in writing (Totally, dude. Totally.) and he was like, "Well, since you have a promissory note, your case is very strong and you are probably going to win in small claims court." (D'oh.) "However, we are looking for cases where there's a possible defense so that there can be some argument over the facts and stuff." (Yep. I don't make very good television.)

If I'd loaned the guy the money on a smile and a handshake, then Judge Judy (I'm rather familiar with the show as Grandma is a fan) would be able to make fun of me for loaning money without putting it in writing. If I'd loaned the money contingent on something like him being my boyfriend (AS IF!!!), then Judge Judy could make it into television drama. However, it's nothing personal, just business, and I have a note. There is no drama available here and I'm totally going to win and it's not even going to be good television while I do it.

Also during the phone conversation, the very nice guy revealed that the Judge Judy Show is binding arbitration, not a real court. Therefore, cases settled on Judge Judy cannot be taken BACK to court (that's what "binding" means in arbitration) if you're unhappy with how it turns out. Also, a case that goes to Judge Judy won't have any court record. I want there to be a court record and a judgment. I do.

Anyway. I'm not going to be on Judge Judy. I'm going to be in small claims court in BFE, two states away, in the middle of June. Not so much with the drama, more with the securing-a-judgment. :)

Comments

[not-your-real.livejournal.com]

You are again getting the random weird in your life. It was about time for it to come around again...

The bit about it not being a recorded judgment would turn me off too, but I'd have cut him off long before he got to that part - TV? Nope! Bye!

[which-chick.livejournal.com]

Cousin Heather, who kindly listened to the answering machine message, felt I should at least call and see what the deal was. Perhaps, she suggested, they would *pay* me to appear on television. If they do, the guy didn't say. The Judge Judy show does guarantee payment of claims within twenty days or so, though, and you get a free trip to Hollywood to be on the show.