FULL VIDEO AT THE END OF THE POST
The Incident at the Gate
Ms. Griggs, the plaintiff, worked at a facility for disabled adults.
On December 18th of last year, she was walking with one of her patients.
They were passing the defendant's house.
The defendant's house had gates.
The defendant pulled up in front of her gates in her car.
The gates opened automatically with a button from inside the car.
Ms. Griggs stated they were walking on the opposite side of the driveway.
She clarified they were past the driveway when the dogs came out.
She heard the car approaching from behind her.
The defendant confirmed she used a clicker to open the gate.
She also stated she passed them on the road.
The defendant claimed they were walking next to her fence.
Ms. Griggs maintained they were walking in the road.
The defendant owned two dogs.
One dog was a mix, and the other was a German Shepherd.
These dogs were outside, behind the gate, on her property.
The Alleged Attack
Ms. Griggs testified that the dogs came out of the gate.
She said one dog attacked her client.
The other dog bit her on her thigh.
She started screaming for the defendant to get her dogs.
Ms. Griggs claimed the defendant told her to stop yelling.
She also alleged the defendant told her client to "shut up" and "be quiet."
The defendant offered to clean what she called a "small scratch."
Ms. Griggs stated the defendant told her she was fine.
The defendant denied these statements.
Medical Evidence Presented
Ms. Griggs presented her medical report.
The report was from Dr. Vue.
It detailed two puncture wounds in her thigh.
She also received a tetanus shot.
The doctor's impression was a "left anterior thigh dog bite."
The wounds were cleansed using a standard method.
They were described as small in size.
The wounds were left open to heal secondarily.
Judge Judy reviewed the medical report.
She confirmed that Ms. Griggs was bitten on the thigh.
Judge Judy Questions the Defendant's Claims
Judge Judy directly questioned the defendant.
She asked if the defendant thought Ms. Griggs bit herself.
The defendant responded, "I don't know."
Judge Judy warned the defendant not to "sound stupid."
She asked if the defendant thought Ms. Griggs found another dog to bite her.
Judge Judy emphasized that the defendant lived behind a gated house.
She noted the defendant was smart enough to have a gate and a button to open it.
Judge Judy stated that Ms. Griggs was bitten by the defendant's dog.
She added that the dog was not under the defendant's control.
Defendant's Version of Events
The defendant claimed she did not know about the incident until last week.
She stated that Ms. Griggs told her at the time that she was fine.
The defendant recalled asking Ms. Griggs if she was okay.
She said Ms. Griggs replied, "no, we're OK."
The defendant also claimed she asked if Ms. Griggs needed anything.
She said Ms. Griggs responded, "no, we're fine."
The defendant asserted that nothing was said to her until last week.
Animal Control Involvement
Judge Judy stated there was no question that the facility reported the matter to animal control.
She also believed animal control made an attempt to contact the defendant.
The defendant admitted that animal control left a note on her gate.
She contacted animal control after receiving this note.
The defendant claimed she told animal control that nobody was injured.
She described the claim as a "scam."
The defendant reiterated that Ms. Griggs said she was fine.
Judge Judy's Assessment of the Defendant's Credibility
Judge Judy found the defendant's story unbelievable.
She did not believe Ms. Griggs bit herself or found another dog.
She also did not believe Ms. Griggs took an ice pick to create the wounds.
Judge Judy emphasized the medical report from a doctor with "no skin in the game."
The doctor confirmed puncture wounds on Ms. Griggs' thigh.
Judge Judy suggested the defendant ignored initial attempts by animal control.
She inferred that animal control left a second, more urgent notice.
Responsibility for the Dogs
Judge Judy addressed the defendant's defense regarding her property.
She dismissed the "on my property" argument.
She stated that the incident was on the defendant's driveway.
Judge Judy explained that people keep dogs like German Shepherds to protect their houses.
She noted that the dogs were patrolling behind a gate for a reason.
She acknowledged that this is not a terrible reason.
However, she stated that if dogs lose control and injure someone, the owner is responsible.
Judge Judy called this responsibility "period."
Avoiding Accountability
Judge Judy suggested the defendant tried to deflect responsibility.
She believed this was because the defendant loved her dogs.
She noted that animal control might quarantine the dogs if they bit two people.
Quarantining a dog for at least 10 days is something an owner would want to avoid.
Judge Judy inferred the defendant did not answer the door for animal control.
She believed the defendant only contacted them after a more insistent notice.
The defendant's claim that Ms. Griggs was fine was deemed a lie by Judge Judy.
The Verdict
Judge Judy ruled in favor of the plaintiff, Ms. Griggs.
She found the defendant responsible for the dog bite.
The defendant was ordered to pay Ms. Griggs $3,000.