FULL VIDEO AT THE END OF THE POST
The Fireworks Incident
Wayne Holman filed a lawsuit against Rita Anderson and her son, Mark Anderson.
Mr. Holman claimed that the defendants, his neighbors, damaged his car.
The incident occurred on July 4th of this year.
Mark Anderson was launching fireworks from his property.
Debris from these fireworks allegedly damaged Mr. Holman's Mercedes car.
The Defendant's Admission
Mark Anderson admitted to lighting the fireworks.
He is 36 years old.
He lives with his mother, father, and little sister.
Mark Anderson stated he is a truck driver and is only home on weekends.
He also claimed he does his own laundry.
Judge Judy noted that some debris from the fireworks got on Mr. Holman's car.
The car was an old Mercedes, which Judge Judy observed appeared to be in good condition.
Initial Response and Cleaning
Mr. Holman had his car cleaned after the incident.
He presented photographs of the car to the court.
Some photos showed the car after the incident.
Other photos were taken after the car was cleaned.
Mr. Holman noted that the post-cleaning photos were difficult to see due to sun reflection.
Judge Judy requested to see all the photographs.
Ongoing Damage
Mr. Holman brought the actual car to court.
He showed the car to Judge Judy after it had been washed.
Judge Judy observed that damage was still present on the car.
This validated Mr. Holman's claim that the car remained damaged despite cleaning.
The Repair Estimate
Mr. Holman took his car to a Cadillac dealership.
He sought an estimate for the repairs.
The estimate was for $1,358.
This amount was for re-sanding and applying a new clear coat to the car.
Mr. Holman presented this bill to Mark Anderson.
Mark Anderson's Reaction to the Estimate
Mark Anderson admitted that he offered $100 for buffing the car.
He thought the $1,358 estimate was "way too much."
He stated that Mr. Holman kept insisting on taking the car to a dealership.
Mark Anderson mentioned that Mr. Holman called him two or three weeks later.
He walked across the street to see the bill.
Mark Anderson questioned what the dealership did for that amount.
He believed it was just for an estimate to re-sand and clear coat the car.
Mark Anderson did not seek other estimates.
He stated Mr. Holman said he would "take it to another level."
Rita Anderson's Interjections
Rita Anderson, Mark's mother, attempted to interject during the proceedings.
She questioned the validity of Mr. Holman's car's license plate.
She stated, "He doesn't even have a valid plate on the vehicle."
She added, "I don't know how he drove the vehicle."
Rita Anderson mentioned they had pictures of the plates.
She also suggested Mr. Holman should have filed an insurance claim.
Mr. Holman responded that he should not have to file an insurance claim.
He also stated it was not about insurance.
Judge Judy's Scrutiny of Rita Anderson
Judge Judy questioned Rita Anderson's attempts to deflect blame.
She asked why Rita Anderson was putting the claim on anyone else but herself.
Judge Judy found this fascinating.
She asked why Rita Anderson did not try to keep her son from lighting fireworks.
Judge Judy directly linked Rita Anderson's behavior to her son's living situation.
She stated, "That's why your 36-year-old son's still living home."
Judge Judy added, "'Cause he's got you for a mother."
She accused Rita Anderson of making excuses for her son.
The Mother's Role
Judge Judy contrasted Rita Anderson's reaction with that of a hypothetical wife.
She suggested a wife would question the "stupid thing" of lighting fireworks.
A wife would point out the danger of embers landing on children or pets.
Judge Judy implied a mother like Rita Anderson would say, "Oh, maybe it was somebody else who did it."
She added, "It's not his fault. He's only 36."
This statement was met with laughter in the courtroom.
The Judge's View on Responsibility
Judge Judy emphasized that playing with fireworks carries inherent risks.
She stated there is always a risk of property damage.
She noted that if it is one's own property, the damage might not matter as much.
However, she stressed that Mr. Holman's car was not their property.
She described Mr. Holman's car as being in "pristine condition."
Judge Judy concluded that the damage was due to "some stupid thing" Mark Anderson did.
The Verdict
Judge Judy ruled in favor of the plaintiff, Wayne Holman.
The Outcome
The defendants were ordered to pay $1,300 to Wayne Holman.