Heartwarming / Judge Judy

• Judge Judy once told a defendant, who was accused of bullying, that she believed the plaintiff because a kid wouldn't go in front of a bunch of people and embarrass herself by saying that someone was calling her 'stupid' and other nasty names if it didn't happen. Also, in two separate cases, she told off the bullies and their guardians, said that they needed to be taught right from wrong, and that they should treat others like they would like to be treated. If you think Judge Judy is intimidating enough at regular strength, you do not want to see her in Mama Bear mode — and you will if she thinks you have abused or are abusing a weaker person than yourself.
  • Really, any time that Judy shows compassion to someone who has been victimized. She goes full Mama Bear mode on whomever caused it and is gentle with the people who've been wronged.
• In one case, the defendant was a heroin addict and clearly suffering from the effects in the courtroom. Rather than reprimand him, Judge Judy told him to get help and offered her assistance if he needed it.
• There was one case in which a mother was suing her adult son for loans she used to help him. She helped buy a car for him (that was later repossessed) and pay back for money that he was accused of stealing at work. He was a 25 year old who dropped out of High School and kept changing jobs every month. He would make excuses for why he didn't have to pay the stuff back (car was gone so he didn't have to pay anymore or he didn't ask her to help). The mother was clearly broken up over having to do this and Judge Judy gave the son a tongue lashing about how he is an adult and should act like one. While the case was pretty typical, it was the end where they were interviewing the two outside of court. The mother was crying and wished that she just had her son back, the two hugged and the son admitted that he will try to be a better person.
• A case from 2019 in which an older sister was suing her younger sister for stolen identity and payment on a ticket from 2016. The younger sister gave the officer the name and information of her older sister. The younger sister had a history of drug abuse and giving false names. The defendant was issued a DUI and possession of drugs under the plaintiffs name. The defendant claims that she was in jail during the time, as she admitted that in 2016 she was in jail the whole year but a little history showed that it was during the time she wasn't in jail (a few weeks in the middle of the year). The plaintiff had plenty of evidence to show it was the defendant driving the car and that the plaintiff was in school at the time. When Judge Judy asked the older sister why she hadn't paid the ticket yet, the plaintiff starts getting a bit teary eye that she wasn't the one driving and the ticket has messed up her choices in life and wrecked her credit as she was studying to become a police officer. Judge Judy smiled at her and said "Let's try to help you clean up the mess" and awarded her $5,000.00. Judge Judy also praised the defendant for staying sober for 3 years and trying to get her life back together but said that she still needs to take responsibility for her actions.
• A case from 2010 where the plaintiff was suing the defendant for the return of his dog after his dog was lost. The defendant claimed it wasn't his dog after she found the dog and wouldn't return it to the plaintiff. Judge Judy had an experiment where she asked the defendant to bring the dog into court. As soon as the dog was on the ground, he ran right to the plaintiff and was jumping happy to see him. The plaintiff was crying over how happy the dog was and Judge Judy smiled then dismissed the case with the dog going back to the plaintiff.
• 2017, the plaintiff was suing the defendant for funeral costs after the defendant's son was murdered. The plaintiff was a funeral business owner who was suing her as he said he understood the pain with the defendant was going though but said he had to protect his business. After Judge Judy ruled on the case, the plaintiff came over to the defendant's side and hugged her. During the interview, both said they had no ill feelings towards each other and the two hugged again.
• A 2019 case in which the plaintiff was suing for the return of her cat from the defendant, her former landlord. The woman lived in a rental house and was thrown out of the house after getting into a fight with the landlord. While she was suing for other things, the only thing Judge Judy was going to rule on was ownership of the cat. The plaintiff had gotten the cat 3 years ago and had only lived in the rental house for less than 1 year. When the landlord kicked the plaintiff out, the landlord took ownership of the cat, claiming the cat was abandoned and the plaintiff gave ownership to the defendant by the veterinarian. The only proof the defendant had was a license in her name by the city (with no date of when she got the license) and the veterinarian information saying that she was an emergency contact but Judge Judy clearly saw that the vet information did not include her as an owner. Judge Judy said that normally she doesn't give animals back to someone because it bonds with the other party after time, but the plaintiff sued for the return of the cat within days of leaving the house and had been with the cat for years before the defendant took ownership. She ruled in favor for the plaintiff. The interview had the plaintiff hugging the cat and crying that was she was so happy for having her cat back while the defendant was more interested in the money she lost taking care of the cat than the cat itself.
• A 2001 case involved two boys getting suspended from school for fighting, with both of their mothers representing them as litigants. At the very end of the show, during the interviews, the two boys shook hands and apologized to each other, laughing it off.