TV Classic: Judge Judy Rules in Bar Mitzvah Disc Jockey Case

Judge Judith Sheindlin presides as Judge Judy in the longest running TV court show, adjudicating small claims disputes since 1996. It's now in its 18th season and has been renewed through 2014.

Sheindlin, in the role of Judge Judy, is a retired Manhattan Family Court judge. She's known for her tough talk to litigants and also funny asides as she passes judgement on her cases.

We discovered a case that made us chuckle and we wanted to share it with you. It involves a Bar Mitzvah celebration in Las Vegas in which the parents of the Bar Mitzvah paid a disc jockey $1150 for his performance at the event. They were unhappy about the quality of his performance and stopped payment on the check.

The DJ sued to collect payment for his services. The parents countersued him for defamation of character because he wrote letters to four rabbis and the local newspaper saying that they stiffed him.

The parents claimed that their guests emailed them the next day with complaints about how horrible the Bar Mitzvah was, but instead of presenting copies of the emails, gave the judge copies of letters that were solicited six months after the event. That really got Judge Judy mad. 

Choice quotes from the judge during the trial:
"On your best day you're not as smart as I am on my worst day."
"I've been to more Bar Mitzvahs in my day than you have and I've made more."
"No guest at a Jewish Bar Mitzvah tells their host or hostess what a terrible time they've had."

So who was right and who was wrong? Watch the rest of the video and find out.

Enjoy!

(A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO IS NOT VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.)