Judge Judy Disappoints

I was disappointed to hear Judge Judy yesterday. I was in someone else's living room where the program was airing, and I remember finding her funny so I sat down to watch.  Who can resist the author of Don't Pee on My Leg and Tell Me it's Raining? 

Well, Judge Judy happened to be berating a 19-year-old tenant who was sexually harassed in Huntington Beach by her landlord. The young woman was seeking her last month's rent back after she moved out. Her landlord allegedly turned off her electricity when she complained about the harassment, which included the man's uncle watching pornography whenever she was coming up (there were no window shades); asking her why she minds pornography--"Why, are you a virgin?"--and asking if the young woman was going to have "sexual relations" with her (girl) friend who stayed over night.   

I am no certainly no legal expert, and it could be that Judge Judy was right that she couldn't legally break the lease based on this behavior alone. There was some question about whether the electricity stoppage was due to an accident or was malicious (although I'm inclined to guess the latter). But the way Judge Judy spoke to her, she was basically castigating this young woman for being overly sensitive, saying things like she needed to go to school to know how to respond to these characters; that "the fact that you didn't like the chatter, is not sufficient basis to break the lease."  To me, the situation sounded like a bit more than mere "chatter."

Then Judge Judy advised her to rent from  a "little old lady" next time, and asked her once again, to great comic effect, if she was currently renting "from a little old lady?"  I felt it was unnecessary to repeatedly make fun of someone who had already endured harassment. (Indeed, it encouraged the landord himself to laugh at the young woman's face in the courtroom, which seemed highly inappropriate.)

Now, the grizzly-looking man did not escape her ridicule either--Judge Judy referred to him sarcastically as "God's gift."  But I guess I've grown weary of adults telling young women that their instincts are bad.

The law is one thing, but if anyone deserved to be castigated, it was the man for his crude behavior, not this young woman for being too sensitive.  Thoughts?

To my amusement, while outside the courtroom, the young woman told a reporter that she had drawn her own lesson from the incident:  "Don't rent from weirdos on Craig's List," she concluded.

Comments

[Anna S]

Wendy,

While I do think it's better to rent from a lady, and this would be my first priority, it's not always possible.

What this man said and did wasn't a mere joke. It's harassment. It's rude. It would make any decent young woman sick. And the tragedy is that not everyone even realize 'what's the big deal'.

[Lori]

Lawyers have to go by the law. I'm not a lawyer, but I'm pretty sure that a landlord being a jerk and a creep doesn't constitute sexual harrassment. It might have been harassment if he'd threatened to evict her or shut off her utilities if she didn't give him sexual favors. It doesn't sound like that was proved in court.

Lots of people don't like their landlords. It doesn't mean they get their rent back.

[KS]

I'm an attorney who happens to live near Huntington Beach. I don't practice landlord-tenant law, but my understanding is that California law is considered to be very pro-tenant. The young woman probably wishes that she had resolved this matter in small claims court instead.

[Liz Neville]

I too enjoy listening to JJ when she's on the side of the angels and berating some clueless jerk. She does relish her role. But even if the law didn't support the young lady's contention, the judge should have been more sympathetic to her dignity.

[Dusty Brahlek]

This reminds me of a bit different situation that I decided not to act on. My friend and I were checking into an Inn and when we pulled up I stayed in the car for the check-in process. When I looked up I could see the TV in the "break" area and there was hard core adult "entertainment" showing. when my friend got in the car again I was told I was too sensitive so I did not call and complain. However, I feel that it is not too much to ask not to see this type of thing when sitting in the car even at 2AM or so.

[Paul]

WHo cares what junk-TV says? Do these people actually have (or deserve) any credibility? It's like complaining that Aunt Abby gave the "wrong" advice on how to return ugly gifts. Who CARES??????????

Caring about drivel like this is reducing your blog to the same level of Geraldo-like carnival show

[not-Paul]

Wait, so you care about our caring when we should be not-caring, and it's Ok for you to care about our caring when we should be not-caring, but it's not OK for us to care about the messages young women are getting? I get it, NOT!

[DBURD]

iF jUDGE JUDY IS GOING TO PRACTICE LAW ON TELEVISION THAN SHE NEEDS T ACT LIKE A JUDGE AND LAWYER AND STOPY BARKING AT PEOPLE. IT IS TIME THAT SHE STOP TALKING AND START LISTENING MORE- SHE TALKS TO MUCH. BUT I GUESS THAT IS WHY SHE GETS PAID 20 MILLION DOLLARS TO SHOUT AT PEOPLE.
MY ADVICE, SO DO NOT USE TV COURT- SHE IS ONLY PAID TO HUMINLATE YOU NOT TO HELP YOU---GOING TO COURT IS TO HELP YOU TO RESOLVE ISSUES, NOT CREATE BIGGER PROBLES. AND HER STAFF- YOU GOT A SHAKING TO GO THROUGH - YOU HAD DONE SOMETHING ILLEGAL- WATCH IT AGAIN