FULL VIDEO AT THE END OF THE POST
The Search for Roommates
The plaintiff, a young woman, found herself in need of new roommates.
Her ex-boyfriend, with whom she had been sharing a house, moved out in early November.
They had both been on the lease for about six months.
The plaintiff wanted to remain in her home.
All her belongings were there.
She sought help with the rent.
The rent for the house was $650 plus utilities.
She was working at the time.
She placed an advertisement to find new roommates.
The two defendants responded to her ad.
Initially, the plaintiff was looking for someone to take over the lease entirely.
The defendants, however, suggested that she stay.
They proposed that all three of them split the rent.
This arrangement was made in November.
Signing the New Lease
A new lease agreement was drawn up.
The landlord prepared this new lease.
The plaintiff presented this document to Judge Judy.
It was a six-month lease.
This lease covered the remainder of her original 12-month lease.
The defendants were added to the lease.
The plaintiff's ex-boyfriend was removed from the lease.
The new lease officially began on December 1.
Each roommate's portion of the rent was $217.
The plaintiff confirmed that she paid her share of the rent for December.
She also paid January's rent.
She provided a receipt from her landlord.
The receipt showed the payment was made on January 2, 2017.
Holiday Travel and a Party
The plaintiff planned to travel out of town for the holidays.
She left the house on December 28.
Her sister accompanied her.
While the plaintiff was away, the defendants hosted a party.
The party included underage drinkers.
Beer pong was played on the plaintiff's dining table.
This event occurred on December 28 or 29.
Roommate Agreement and Its Violation
The plaintiff had anticipated the possibility of parties.
She had the defendants sign a roommate agreement.
This agreement stipulated that permission from all residents was required before any party could be held.
The defendants did not obtain this permission.
Judge Judy noted that the defendants invited 25 people over.
The plaintiff returned home on January 4.
She discovered beer cans and cigarette butts.
She also noticed damage to her dining table.
The Unauthorized Pet
The plaintiff also raised concerns about animals.
She had agreed to a Yorkie, which belonged to one of the defendants.
She was told the Yorkie was potty-trained.
However, in mid-December, the defendants brought a pit bull into the house.
This was done without the plaintiff's permission.
The pit bull was acquired on December 23 from a lady in a neighboring town.
The defendants initially claimed the pit bull was housebroken.
They later admitted it was not.
The pit bull caused damage to a coffee table on Christmas Eve.
The plaintiff stated this incident ruined Christmas for both of them.
She tried to discuss it with the defendants.
They told her she was ruining their Christmas.
Discovering the Damaged Table
Upon her return on January 4, the plaintiff observed water damage on her dining table.
She described "tons of bubbles" all over the table.
Later in mid-January, she attempted to move her dining table out of the house.
During this process, she discovered a massive crack underneath it.
She had a photograph of this damage.
The dining table was a housewarming gift from her grandmother.
She possessed the receipt for the table.
The plaintiff sought reimbursement for the damage to the table.
She also sought reimbursement for a portion of January's rent.
She claimed she was forced to move out of the house.