- 4 hours ago
Category
📺
TVTranscript
00:00Your mother forged your name to a lease.
00:03Yes, Your Honor.
00:04And then you breached the lease.
00:06Yeah.
00:07There was also property damage.
00:09But that's because of the vandalism.
00:12Did you vandalize the property?
00:14I was stressed out.
00:15You're an adult.
00:16The whole thing is kind of outrageous.
00:18This is Judy Justice.
00:40You're an adult.
01:00Mr. Jones, this is your mother.
01:01Yes.
01:02It is your claim that your mother forged your name to a lease.
01:06Yes, Your Honor.
01:06And then breached the lease.
01:08And you're stuck with a bill.
01:11And your credit score has been negatively impacted.
01:14Yes, Your Honor.
01:15That you had no knowledge of this lease.
01:18That you were signatory to the lease.
01:20Yes.
01:21And that you want to be able to clear this from your credit score.
01:25Yes, Your Honor.
01:25Great.
01:26You're now...
01:2721.
01:28This lease was signed when you were how old?
01:3017 years old.
01:31And how do you know that?
01:32When I went to check my credit report, it had the date, which was around 2021, edging
01:38into 2022, the end of 2021.
01:40You went and checked your credit score.
01:42Where were you living when you were 17?
01:45I was actually staying with my witness, my brother.
01:48Okay.
01:48So you were living with your brother?
01:50Yes.
01:51How old were you when you went to live with your brother?
01:5317.
01:54How long did you live with your brother?
01:56It was over the course of a year.
01:57But I was in and out of his house, a friend's, and my aunt's for about a year.
02:01So...
02:01Where do you get your mail?
02:03Usually most of my mail gets sent to the old address that I previously lived at with
02:07her.
02:07Most of the time I'd have to pick it up from like UPS or a carrier.
02:11If...
02:11If it gets sent to your mother's address where you were living, where the lease was...
02:16Yeah.
02:16You had to go there to pick up your mail.
02:19Right.
02:19Because it would get...
02:19Just a second.
02:20Sorry.
02:20You had to go there to pick up your mail.
02:23Okay.
02:23Okay.
02:24Now, at some point, Mr. Jones, you were notified, not by checking your score, but you were notified
02:32that this judgment was against you.
02:34How were you notified?
02:36Let me see the letter.
02:37I never got a letter of a notification.
02:39I wasn't notified of the judgment until I checked my credit.
02:44I had no inclination.
02:45Okay.
02:46Let me see the letter that you received.
02:47Yeah.
02:50This would be the entire...
02:53No, don't.
02:55Sorry.
02:55You know how old I am.
02:57I can't...
02:58Just show me what I asked for.
02:59Okay.
03:00The letter that you got indicating how much money you owed after you checked your credit
03:05score.
03:06Okay.
03:07These two pages would be it.
03:20Okay.
03:21Now, do you have a copy of the lease?
03:24That's a simple thing.
03:25That's what you should have.
03:26A copy of the lease.
03:27No.
03:28Do you have a copy of the lease?
03:29Yes.
03:29Did you get a copy of the lease?
03:30I'd like to see it, please.
03:31Here's the lease.
03:41What's your date of birth, sir?
03:442003.
03:45This lease began December 1st, 2022.
03:49Oh, okay.
03:51Okay.
03:51Let's start with, it's true that you were living in this address, and you were living there
03:58shortly after you were released from prison.
04:00Yes.
04:01How long were you in prison?
04:03Eight years.
04:04In what month and year were you released?
04:082021, July 2021.
04:11Where did you live immediately after your release?
04:14Were you in a halfway house?
04:16Yeah, for a couple months.
04:18I want you to tell me the circumstances.
04:20You tell me the circumstances surrounding your son signing this lease, because that's
04:25what you allege.
04:26Yeah.
04:27Look at me.
04:28Don't look there.
04:29Okay.
04:29Right here.
04:32So, um...
04:33We're in prison for eight years.
04:35Your children took care of themselves.
04:37He was a young teenager when you went to prison.
04:39You get out of prison, you go to a halfway house.
04:43You probably had some sort of a job, because you're supposed to have some sort of a job.
04:47Yeah, and I save money to get an apartment.
04:50Great.
04:51I want you to look at me and tell me the circumstances surrounding your son signing the lease.
04:58So, I asked him to help me, because I couldn't do it on my own.
05:02How old was he when you asked him to help you?
05:04He was going on 18 or 18.
05:07Well, was he 17 or 18?
05:09Um, I think he was 17.
05:1117 or 18?
05:12Okay, he was 17.
05:13And I asked him if he would help me, because, um...
05:15Okay, you understand that at 17, he cannot sign a contract.
05:21You were 17 at the time.
05:22Yes, ma'am.
05:23And I asked him if he would help me, because, considering I raised him and three children
05:28on my own prior...
05:29You didn't raise him.
05:29You were in jail for eight years.
05:31If you got out when he was 17, you went into jail when he was nine years old.
05:35Who raised him?
05:36My sister.
05:37Okay, well, that's your sister raised him.
05:40So, I asked him to help me, and he said he would.
05:43And so, because I couldn't do it on my own, and he said he would help me...
05:47Well, you have an older son.
05:48Why didn't you ask your older son?
05:49Because we didn't get along.
05:51Because I didn't raise him, so...
05:53You didn't raise him either, but he was a kid.
05:55He was only 17.
05:56He can't even enter into a contract.
05:59Sorrell got along with me better when I got out than the other two.
06:04So?
06:04So, I asked him to help me.
06:06He said he would help.
06:07You knew he was 17.
06:08Yeah.
06:09I mean, everybody knows that you can't sign a contract when you're 17 that's binding.
06:17It says that you pled guilty telephonically, which means somebody called you because it
06:22was probably during COVID or whatever, and they were doing these things telephonically,
06:27and it was easy.
06:28You said, I plead guilty.
06:29Yeah, and so...
06:30Great.
06:31How much money did you pay them back?
06:34Pay who?
06:45Surell Jones claims his mother, Lakeisha Williams, forged his name to an apartment lease, ruining
06:52his credit, and defamed him.
06:54Now, you showed him a driver's license.
06:56Whose driver's license?
06:58I showed him mine, and then they sent me the lease over, like, electronic, and I signed
07:04it with my name, and then I asked him to sign it with his name, and he signed it.
07:09Electronically how?
07:10Um, because...
07:12Let's go.
07:13Electronically how?
07:14It came to you on your tablet or whatever, and you do that sign thing that she helps me
07:21with because I'm unable to do it myself, and he was there, and he signed it electronically.
07:29You know, you can't even tell me that story with a straight face.
07:33In any event, so now you have a 17-year-old son who you haven't raised, who you've gotten
07:40involved in a scam, and then you breach the lease, and as a result of breaching the lease,
07:46you were served with a copy of the default judgment because it says you were.
07:51It says that you pled guilty telephonically, which means somebody called you because it
07:56was probably during COVID or whatever, and they were doing these things telephonically,
08:01and it was easy.
08:02You said, I plead guilty.
08:03Yeah, and so...
08:04Great.
08:05How much money did you pay them back?
08:07Pay who?
08:09The landlord.
08:10No, I already paid rent up to 11 months, and then on the last month, I couldn't
08:16pay it because I didn't have the funds, and so then I had talked to the judge, and I asked
08:23the judge if he could give me a little time, but it wasn't enough time, and so I left from
08:28there, and that's what happened.
08:29Why don't you have a seat for a moment, please?
08:33You have your driver's license with you?
08:35Yes.
08:35May I have it, please?
08:36Yes.
08:37Well, I should say something because, like, I keep all my children's information and
08:42things like that, and so I might have used it when I was, like, filling out the application,
08:49just some copies, so I just wanted to say that.
08:53I understand that.
08:54But with his permission, though.
08:55It doesn't make any difference.
08:57Yeah.
08:57If he was 17 years old, my dear, if he was 17 years old, he is unable...
09:02He is unable to sign a contract, a binding contract.
09:08He knew I was having a hard time in, like, doing eight years in prison.
09:11I don't care what he knew.
09:13If he's 17 years old, he's unable to sign a contract.
09:17Yeah.
09:17I'm going to go and see if I can save you some trouble, sir.
09:20See if I can have a conversation with this law firm.
09:26Have them look at the papers.
09:27I got into it with the law firm because they were trying to say that about his age, and
09:33I was telling them that...
09:35I knew this was going to get better.
09:37So you called the law firm and you said, he can't be held responsible.
09:42He was only 17.
09:43Yeah, and I said, then you need to take him off.
09:46And?
09:47And they didn't do it.
09:48And I said, but that's not right, that I should only be responsible.
09:52So you did have a conversation with someone at the law firm?
09:55I did.
09:55Tell me who you had a conversation with.
09:58With the guy that's over the law firm, that runs the law firm.
10:00Name.
10:01I can't remember his name, but I know he's the one.
10:04I said, Sorrell allowed me to do it and that his name needs to come off of there.
10:10Because he was only 17.
10:12Yes.
10:12Okay, good.
10:13Could you stand up?
10:14Yeah.
10:15Okay.
10:16The judgment, $3,805.
10:20Is that correct?
10:21The judgment on my credit?
10:23Yeah.
10:23No, the judgment should have been for $9,980.
10:30Can I see that, please?
10:31Because all I have here is...
10:32Do you think that's the non-payment of rent?
10:34Yes, because there was also property damage.
10:36I don't see that.
10:38Well, I have pictures.
10:39No, no, I don't want to see pictures.
10:41This is the only letter that I have.
10:42Okay.
10:43That indicates that the amount of $3,805 was entered as a judgment.
10:49Do you have any other documentation that the judgment was more extensive than that?
10:54Yes.
10:54I have the credit check with the judgment on there.
11:03This doesn't do anything for me.
11:05Okay.
11:06This doesn't do anything for me.
11:08This is the only thing that says that this is what this law firm is trying to collect from you
11:13on this matter, which is $3,805.
11:17I don't know what else you have with your mother.
11:19This is the balance that they put with all the entire judgment with this.
11:24Did you negotiate a lower rate with them?
11:27No.
11:28Well, I tried to, but I couldn't pay it, so...
11:33Okay.
11:33Sarah, call them and tell them they're going to be happy because on behalf of their client, they're going to
11:40get this amount.
11:41Just want to make sure that that's the amount of the judgment.
11:44Would you do that for me?
11:44Sure. Can I see his driver's license, too?
11:46Hmm? Yeah.
11:49While Sarah's making that call, when did you decide to start getting involved and start doing the right thing with
11:55regard to your child?
11:57After this whole situation.
11:58Well, when? What whole situation?
12:01I don't know what you mean.
12:02Well, you moved out of the apartment, and you didn't pay the last month's rent, and the landlord must have
12:08sent you communication, which you received.
12:11And when the case went to court, you called in telephonically...
12:17Yeah, because I was...
12:17...and pled guilty.
12:19Yeah.
12:19To what?
12:20Owing the money.
12:22Owing what money?
12:23That was from the apartment.
12:25How much?
12:26It was $9,000-something dollars, but that's because of the vandalism.
12:31Did you vandalize the property?
12:33We both did.
12:34Why?
12:35Because I was stressed out.
12:36Well, if you were stressed out, then you vandalized the property.
12:39No, I mean, we did it.
12:41But I was stressed out because of everything that was going on.
12:44Me and the property management didn't get along, and...
12:49Did you live there with your mother?
12:49No, I didn't vandalize any property.
12:52I don't know where we is coming from, but...
12:55Your brother talked to your mother?
12:57He's had conversations with her.
12:59Happy conversations?
13:00Had conversations with her about...
13:05Tell me your name.
13:06Xavier Williams.
13:07I'm the brother of Sorrell.
13:09How old are you?
13:09I'm 24.
13:10When your mother was living in this apartment, where was your brother living?
13:13He was actually bouncing out of my house sometimes maybe a month into, I believe, one of his friends, and
13:19I know my aunt for sure.
13:21But I didn't actually want to pressure him or question him too much on the matter.
13:26I just kind of heard what I heard and kind of, like, just very disappointing and, like, just sad in
13:34a total.
13:35But Sorrell is, like, a good stand-up guy.
13:38It's never been, like, this type of person, even all the vandalism and the stuff I've seen is just insane.
13:44I would never see that from him, so even hearing that again is just kind of outrageous, so...
13:50Yeah, the whole thing is kind of outrageous.
13:52Yeah.
13:52Great, thank you so much.
13:53Can I have a seat?
13:54Yes, ma'am.
13:54Okay.
13:55Well, people go through things and they get emotional, and everyone makes mistakes, though.
14:00I don't think anyone is perfect.
14:01Well, I don't think anyone's perfect, Miss Williams.
14:08Your son, who's just starting his life, is starting his life with a mark that's going to be very, very
14:15difficult for him.
14:16But that wasn't my intention.
14:17Whether it's your intention or not, you have the capacity to fix it.
14:21You're an adult.
14:21You work.
14:32Surrell Jones is accusing his mother, Lakeisha Williams, of forging his name to an apartment lease that ruined his credit.
14:41I know no one is perfect, but what parents try to do is usually shield their children from trouble.
14:48They don't try to inflict problems on their children and try to excuse their behavior because they were stressed.
14:56The one thing that you try not to do is impose that stress on your children.
14:59That's why I called the law firm and asked them to take him off of it.
15:03Why don't you stop paying them?
15:05It was only one month.
15:06Why don't you start paying the law firm?
15:09No, because...
15:09That would satisfy...
15:10You pled guilty to the judgment.
15:13That's what you did.
15:14You acknowledged that it says so in the documentation.
15:18That telephonically, you pled guilty to breaching your lease.
15:23So my question to you is, if you work, why don't you say to the law firm, or didn't you
15:30say to them a year or more ago when this whole thing happened,
15:34I will pay you $50 a month.
15:37I'll pay you $100 a month until all of this is paid off.
15:42Can we come up with a figure?
15:44Instead, you just ignored it.
15:46And because you just ignored it, your son, who's just starting his life, is starting his life with a mark
15:54that's going to be very, very difficult for him.
15:56But that wasn't my intention.
15:57Whether it's your intention or not, you have the capacity to fix it.
16:00You're an adult.
16:01You work.
16:02I don't make good money at my job.
16:04So I make enough to pay my bills.
16:06Like, I don't have extra money for that.
16:08Well, do you have an apartment?
16:10Yeah, and I have...
16:11Just a second.
16:12You pay rent to your apartment?
16:13Yes.
16:14What kind of work do you do?
16:15A call center.
16:17You work on a call center.
16:18Do you have to travel to get to work?
16:20Yes.
16:21How do you get there?
16:22Sometimes I catch an Uber.
16:23Sometimes I share a ride with a co-worker.
16:25So you have money to pay an Uber to get you to work.
16:28Yeah, because I have to work in order to pay bills.
16:31Public transportation is not an option for you.
16:34Well, I don't know what that look means.
16:36I don't know what that look means.
16:38You have Uber and you have public transportation.
16:40What I'm saying to you is you didn't make an effort to say to the company, I will pay you.
16:47I don't care what I do.
16:49I'll get an extra job at night for the next year so that I don't encumber my son's credit since
16:56he's just starting out in life.
16:59Does that make sense to you?
17:00Definitely.
17:00What kind of work do you do, Mr. Jones?
17:02I'm a custom control panel builder, so I build control panels for fans for, like, big car washes.
17:08How were you skilled in that job?
17:10Yeah, I went to college at Carrington College in Arizona and did an undergrad for him.
17:14Yeah, and I helped him through college.
17:16I helped pay for his college.
17:18I did an undergrad program at Carrington College, and I graduated, got my certification, and then got hired through Carrington.
17:24Good for you.
17:25Yeah, thank you.
17:25Did they attach your wages?
17:27No, I don't think so.
17:28It's not taken out.
17:29Yeah, I don't...
17:29Not yet.
17:30Okay.
17:30We'll see if we can forestall that happening.
17:34Yes.
17:35Great.
17:36Thank you so much for all your help.
17:37I really appreciate it.
17:38Have a good day.
17:39Bye.
17:47Okay, so he said the 3805 listed in this letter was the initial judgment for the eviction, and that was
17:56the judgment.
17:56But after that, there was the legal and late fees, the cleaning, and they had not inspected the property yet.
18:02So any damages, which there were, is how we got to the $9,931.60, which is what he's on
18:09the hook for, and his credit is going to be affected if that is not paid.
18:12There was a collection fee that was, in addition, a collection fee.
18:16I asked him to break down what that $9,931 entailed from the lease.
18:22In the lease agreement, there's a fee for if it has to go to collections, it's a set fee.
18:26$2,837 and change was the collection fee, in addition to the 3805.
18:32That was just the initial number of what they were charging her for the eviction, which got increased after they
18:36did the walkthrough of the apartment and saw damage, cleaning, repairs, legal, and late fee.
18:42So all in, it's $9,931.60.
18:46And if that gets paid, plaintiff is clear in his credit.
18:51And we can pay that directly to this firm.
18:54I did not ask that question.
18:55Well, let's find out.
18:56Okay.
18:57Be right back.
19:01Sort of outrageous problem, Mr. Jones, is that I really don't think it's appropriate for me, for the court, or
19:09even my clerk, to negotiate with the collection agency,
19:13because you can usually negotiate with them to reduce the amount if you pay it up front.
19:18Right.
19:18But I don't think it's appropriate for me to do that.
19:21If the amount that would be satisfied by the judgment is $9,931, the court will issue the check directly
19:28to them on your behalf.
19:29Do you understand that?
19:30Yes, Your Honor.
19:31Okay, is that satisfactory to you?
19:33Just go back and check for me, will you?
19:35That was $9,931.60?
19:39Yep.
19:39She's pretty persuasive, Sarah.
19:41Yes.
19:44So what did you work out, Ms. Rose?
19:47You can either send a check directly to this address at the bottom, or they could do a card or
19:52check by phone.
19:54931.60 will clear their...
19:56360 will clear his credit.
19:57Will clear his credit.
19:58Yes.
19:58And it'll be wiped from his history.
20:00Judgment for the plaintiff.
20:01We'll take care of your credit.
20:03Okay.
20:04You're welcome.
20:05This court is adjourned.
20:08I think it was a really fair decision.
20:10For them to bring me and sue me when he agreed to help me.
20:16I'm very excited about it being removed off my credit.
20:19You know, how much I've done for them and how ungrateful they are for what I've done for them.
20:24She just came in later and used me for the situation to try to get a leg up.
20:29It's divided our family.
20:31Eventually, maybe I'll be able to admit it, but I don't think so.
20:34I want to get my family back.
20:36Thank you, Judy Justice.
20:39So, I don't think debt collection offices get calls very often of, I'd like to pay this in full.
20:44He was very helpful.
20:46And when I said, this is Sarah Rose, I'm a law clerk for Judge Judy Scheinlin, he goes, the Judge
20:51Judy?
20:51As in, this is going to be on TV?
20:53This is awesome.
20:54And I'm going to get paid?
20:55This is the best day ever.
20:57And so, he was having a great day.
20:59So, I'm just glad.
21:00I did feel bad for the plaintiff.
21:02You know, your own mother takes advantage of you and your credit is forever affected.
21:07And at 21, that's a tough thing.
21:09And he works?
21:10And he went to school?
21:10Yeah, seems like an upstanding guy.
21:12And so, I'm glad we were able to clear the debt.
21:14And I also confirmed that once this gets paid, it'll be taken off his record.
21:17It won't be a lingering factor in his life any longer.
21:20Yeah, so, the right thing.
21:22Great.
21:24Are you having a family dispute?
21:26Go to judyjustice.tv.
21:54Go to judyjustice.tv, go to judyjustice.tv, go to judyjustice.tv, go to judyjustice.tv, go to judyjustice.tv,
21:59go to judyjustice.tv, go to judyjustice.tv, go to judyjustice.tv, go to judyjustice.tv, go to judyjustice.tv,
22:00go to judyjustice.tv, go to judyjustice.tv, go to judyjustice.tv, go to judyjustice.tv, go to judyjustice.tv,
22:02go to judyjustice.tv, go to judyjustice.tv, go to judyjustice.tv, go to judyjustice.tv, go to judyjustice.tv,
22:04go to judyjustice.tv, go to judyjustice.tv, go to judyjustice.tv, go to judyjustice.tv, go to judyjust
Comments