FULL VIDEO AT THE END OF THIS POST
THIS CASE HAD JUDGE JUDY QUESTIONING EVERYTHING!
A Moving Disaster Lands in Court
Imagine hiring movers and then claiming they damaged your property.
Now imagine those movers saying your packing was the real problem.
That is exactly what happened in Judge Judy's courtroom.
The Plaintiff's Claim
Colleen Mahoney is the plaintiff.
She hired Joseph Bukalari, the defendant, to move her belongings.
She claims he damaged and lost her property.
The Defendant's Defense
Joseph Bukalari denies taking anything.
He claims any damage was due to improper packing.
He also states that food was packed, which attracted rats in storage.
Judge Judy Investigates the Plaintiff's Living Situation
Judge Judy starts by asking Miss Mahoney about her move.
She asks if Miss Mahoney was being evicted.
Miss Mahoney confirms she was evicted from her apartment.
She states she moved out on January 18th.
Judge Judy notes that Miss Mahoney initially said February.
Miss Mahoney apologizes for the discrepancy.
Financial Questions Arise
Judge Judy asks about rent payments.
Miss Mahoney states social services paid her December rent.
This was to help her save for a security deposit and first and last month's rent for a new apartment.
She admits she did not pay January's rent.
Miss Mahoney explains she is not working due to an accident.
She is applying for Social Security Disability.
Her current support comes from a trust fund from her deceased mother.
The Damaged Items
Judge Judy asks Miss Mahoney what was damaged.
Miss Mahoney says "pretty much everything."
Judge Judy asks for specifics.
Miss Mahoney presents pictures of the damage.
She shows broken pieces of furniture.
Judge Judy asks how the items were packed.
Miss Mahoney says they were packed in boxes with newspaper.
She shows pictures of broken items taken out of boxes.
Missing Furniture Parts
Miss Mahoney points to a piece of furniture.
She says the glass shelves for it are missing.
Judge Judy asks if she has pictures with the shelves in place.
Miss Mahoney does not.
Next, Miss Mahoney shows a picture of her kitchen table and nightstands.
She claims the marble tops for these went missing.
The Mover's Perspective on Packing
Judge Judy asks the defendant, Joseph Bukalari, about the missing table tops.
He states he does not know where they are.
He then tells Judge Judy that nothing the plaintiff had was packaged properly.
Judge Judy agrees, stating she could see that from the boxes.
Mr. Bukalari says he does not remember if the table tops were there.
He insists that if they were brought to storage, they would have been returned.
He states his company does not want customer items.
More Damage Claims
Miss Mahoney shows a picture of a scratched table.
She then shows a picture of a shattered coffee table.
She denies shattering it herself.
Who Paid for the Move?
Judge Judy asks Mr. Bukalari if Miss Mahoney paid him when he brought her things to her new residence.
He says no.
He explains that social services uses a two-bid system.
They choose the lowest bid from moving companies.
Judge Judy clarifies if social services paid for the move.
Mr. Bukalari confirms they did.
Judge Judy notes this was not previously mentioned.
Plaintiff's Financial Situation Revisited
Judge Judy asks Miss Mahoney why she did not pay for the move.
Miss Mahoney states she could not afford it.
She reiterates her trust fund is her only income.
She has not worked since February of 2017.
The Mover Describes the Packing Process
Judge Judy asks Mr. Bukalari about the packing.
He states he told Miss Mahoney that if items were not packaged properly, they would do their best.
However, he warned that any damage would be on her.
He explains that many boxes were not sealed.
He claims Miss Mahoney was more concerned with watching a movie than packing.
He describes shoes and other items poking through plastic bags.
Many boxes were not taped.
He emphasizes the need for proper packing for safe transport.
Storage and Food Items
Judge Judy asks about the cost of the move and storage.
Mr. Bukalari states social services paid for the move.
He also confirms social services paid for the storage.
The property was in storage from January 18th or 19th until March 3rd, 2019.
Judge Judy asks if he has proof of food in the boxes.
Mr. Bukalari presents photographs.
The pictures show open boxes containing food.
He confirms these boxes were already open when taken into storage.
He states almost all of the plaintiff's boxes were open.
Final Complaints and Dismissal
Miss Mahoney mentions hiring another moving company.
She claims the defendant's movers "dumped" her belongings.
She says her house was a mess and she couldn't see past the doorway.
Judge Judy suggests she should have asked her son for help.
Judge Judy then declares, "We're done."
She dismisses the case.
Her final advice to Miss Mahoney is to pack more carefully.
Watch the Full Judge Judy Case Below
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FULL VIDEO
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClXHUSOxgW8
