My daughter: Invited to present her court case on TV!

[Mallory]

Revenge and punishment aren't really the goal with this, recovering the money is. I'm sure the other girl has suffered enough with just the original suit being filed and being served at school.

 

[Lookingglassman]

Tell her to go for it!

 

[Kail]

So, what's up with this?

 

[Mallory]

It looks like it's not going to happen. She's pretty much opposed to doing it but hasn't completely closed the door on the possibility. Personally, I think that's a decision that she's going to regret in a few years, but it's her life not mine.

She also received a similar letter from the Judge Judy show which leads me to believe that they're both using the same research firm to dig up these cases. I wish she'd let me act as her agent, with two shows looking to have her on there's got to be a little extra money to be made.

 

[ancientone51]

I'd go with Judge Judy.

Better track record.

 

[Kail]

Definetely go with Judge Judy. I can give plenty of advise how to get along with her and what to avoid.

 

[Scout101]

That's kinda dumb, honestly. She's got an opportunity staring her in the face to get all of her money back, plus an apperance fee, plus a paid vacation, and she's saying no? To 2 offers?

Why bother to sue in the first place, if she's turning down an easy chance at the money (and enforced payment)?

 

[JimCasy]

One of my friends was just on Joe Brown last week. Seemed the experience was pretty decent.

 

[Mallory]

That's kinda dumb, honestly. She's got an opportunity staring her in the face to get all of her money back, plus an apperance fee, plus a paid vacation, and she's saying no? To 2 offers?

I agree with you. And that's pretty much been my line of reasoning all along. But she's an adult now and entitled to make her own decisions, wrong though this one may be in my opinion.

Why bother to sue in the first place, if she's turning down an easy chance at the money (and enforced payment)?

I don't know why. Could be school, work, boyfriend issues, stage fright or something else. She really didn't want to discuss it and I didn't press the issue with her. As a parent you have to pick and choose the hills on which to take a stand and this one isn't worth it.

 

[Lookingglassman]

Dont the other chick have to agree to appear also? If she says no then your daughter wont be able to appear.

 

[Mallory]

There would be no financial reason for her not to. Even if she loses she still gets the trip plus the appearance fee, which would lessen the damage to her finances.

 

[John Picard]

I'd go with Judge Judy.

Better track record.

Plus, when she rips someone a new one, it can be very entertaining.

 

[Noname Given]

About a year ago, my youngest daughter plunked down a bunch of money to pay for her share of the security deposit and six months rent on a house that she and some friends were going to share off-campus. Then she went to Australia for her semester abroad. When she returned she found out that the other women had rented her room to someone else, so she asked for her money back. Well, the young woman in charge of the finances for the house refused to give her back her money. After a couple of fruitless negotiating sessions over coffee, my daughter finally filed a case against her in small claims court. The trial date here is still a couple of months away.

Today she got a letter from one of the producers of the Judge Joe Brown reality television show saying researchers had recommended her case to him and she's been invited to try her case on the TV show if she'd like. In addition to receiving her money back (should she win) she'll also be paid an appearance fee and all travel expenses to Hollywood California for herself and any witnesses she may need.

Do you guys think she should do it? Or just stick with the real court system here in Oregon?

She probably has a better chance of getting money from the TV court case. Realize that the way a small claims case works is this:

EVEN IF you get a monetary judgement in your favor; afterwords, it's up to YOU to collect the money from the other person - it's just on any future credit report, the losing person is listed as having an unpaid judgement against them. So, to actually get your money it means turning the case it over to a collection company; and they basically take a portion of the judgement as a 'fee' and they pay you the rest up front.

So, unless your daughter has an issue with being taped and shown on TV (and remember, they'll edit the proceedings to make it more dramatic and present the 'tone' of the case the editor and production staff want to present); or hates California, I'd say take them up on it. At worst, she gets a free trip to L.A.; and probnably a small appearance fee regardless of the final judgement; and (most likely) the show will in some way pay her the judgement (if she wins) as well.

 

[Kail]

I'd go with Judge Judy.

Better track record.

Plus, when she rips someone a new one, it can be very entertaining.

Yeah, I love that too. She gets to say to losers what we'd all like to say but can't.