FULL VIDEO AT THE END OF THE POST
The Plaintiffs' Complaint
Edgar and Michelle Boyer, the plaintiffs, brought a case against their neighbor, Mia Lord.
They alleged that Ms. Lord played loud radio and car alarm-like noises.
This disturbance, they claimed, occurred all night long.
The Boyers lived across the street from Ms. Lord.
Mr. Boyer stated they had contacted various authorities.
These included the mayor, the police, and the city council.
They had asked Ms. Lord to stop the noise, but she refused.
Defendant Admits to Noise
Ms. Lord, the defendant, did not deny playing the noise.
She acknowledged her actions in her answer to the complaint.
Judge Judy noted this admission.
Ms. Lord explained her reason for the noise.
She stated it was a protest against her direct neighbor, Burgos Vibat.
Mr. Vibat lived right next door to her.
Ms. Lord claimed Mr. Vibat made excessive noise that she heard constantly.
She believed this noise caused her to suffer.
The Protest Strategy
Judge Judy sought to clarify Ms. Lord's strategy.
"So let me see if I got it right," Judge Judy began.
"You're playing this noise to make everybody else in the neighborhood suffer a little bit so that they'll all get on his back."
Ms. Lord confirmed this understanding.
"Right," she responded.
The Boyers were among those suffering from Ms. Lord's protest.
A History of Noise
The Boyers moved into their house in 1980.
Ms. Lord bought her home in 1982.
Mr. Vibat purchased his home in 1987.
Before Mr. Vibat bought his house, Ms. Lord had placed signs in her windows.
These signs warned potential buyers about an impact noise problem.
Ms. Lord claimed these signs were still in place until the day before the court hearing.
She believed Mr. Vibat knew about a code violation when he bought his home.
Attempts to Resolve
Michelle Boyer had called Ms. Lord to ask her to turn down the volume.
Ms. Lord sent a letter in response.
This letter stated her refusal to stop the noise.
She wrote that she would continue to play noise all night.
She also indicated she might play it during the day.
This letter became a key piece of evidence.
Ms. Lord's Legal Action
Judge Judy asked Ms. Lord why she didn't take action against Mr. Vibat directly.
Ms. Lord explained that she had taken action.
She stated that Mr. Boyer's lawsuit against her gave her an idea.
"I immediately filed suit against Mr. Vibat for $5,000," she said.
She explained that she "powered his example."
Judge Judy suggested she should have done that earlier.
Ms. Lord replied it hadn't occurred to her.
She claimed she had been trying everything else.
The Signs in the Window
Ms. Lord described the signs she placed in her windows.
One sign read, "I am awakened all night by bangs down by the Vibat."
It continued, "So please ask them to stop banging down on me."
The sign also included her phone number.
Judge Judy commented on the inclusion of her phone number.
"You should never put your phone number in," Judge Judy stated.
Ms. Lord claimed nobody ever called her.
The Impact of the Summons
Ms. Lord testified about the effect of her lawsuit against Mr. Vibat.
"As soon as the sheriff served the summons on Mr. Beebot," she stated.
"The noise, with rare exceptions, stopped."
She described this outcome as "wonderful."
Judge Judy then asked Ms. Lord if she stopped making noise.
Ms. Lord replied, "Only when he made noise, I made a noise as a protest."
Judge Judy concluded that Ms. Lord's noise was deliberate.