{"id":653,"date":"2026-09-21T05:07:03","date_gmt":"2026-09-21T05:07:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/?p=653"},"modified":"2026-09-21T05:07:04","modified_gmt":"2026-09-21T05:07:04","slug":"judge-judy-cases-a-hidden-pool-defect-and-a-thanksgiving-driveway-crash","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/?p=653","title":{"rendered":"Judge Judy Cases: A Hidden Pool Defect and a Thanksgiving Driveway Crash"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The first dispute turned on a single answer written on a home-sale form: there were no known defects in the pool. The second began after Thanksgiving dinner, a card game, and a disputed collision in a driveway. In both cases, Judge Judith Scheindlin focused less on emotion than on the details people had put on paper\u2014and the details their stories could not explain.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot_137.png\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Case One : The pool disclosure dispute<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">When George and Kimberly Bonham bought a home in Ponca City, Oklahoma, they believed they were purchasing a property whose above-ground pool had no known defects. The former owner, Buffy Deibler, had completed a seller\u2019s disclosure form in September 2015. The form asked whether the property had known problems with the pool. Her answer, according to the testimony, was no.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"895\" height=\"667\" src=\"https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot_139.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-655\" srcset=\"https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot_139.png 895w, https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot_139-300x224.png 300w, https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot_139-768x572.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 895px) 100vw, 895px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">The house did not sell immediately. It remained on the market through 2015 and 2016 before the Bonhams purchased it in December 2017. That timing became central to the case. By the time the buyers could fully examine the pool, the weather had affected what they could see. After the pool thawed, they found a deep cut in the liner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">What followed was not simply a disagreement about the cost of a repair. It was a dispute about knowledge, timing, and whether a seller\u2019s earlier statement had remained accurate by the time the sale closed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"886\" height=\"667\" src=\"https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot_140.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-656\" srcset=\"https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot_140.png 886w, https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot_140-768x578.png 768w, https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot_140-300x226.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 886px) 100vw, 886px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What happened before the sale<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Deibler told Judge Judy that she and her family had used the pool during the summer of 2015 and that it had been fine. She also said the pool had already been at the house when she moved in during May 2005. In her account, the liner was fading, but there was no known damage when she completed the disclosure form.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">The questioning became sharper when Judge Judy asked when Deibler had contacted a pool company about a replacement liner. Deibler initially denied calling about a defect. She then acknowledged that she had asked about the cost of a new liner. Her answer about the date shifted during the exchange. The transcript records an answer of August 2001, followed by the court\u2019s clarification that the relevant year was August 2015, before the home was listed for sale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Deibler explained that the liner was fading and that she had simply inquired about the price, comparing the inquiry to looking at a purse without necessarily buying it. Judge Judy challenged that explanation. Her point was practical: a person normally does not call a pool company to ask about the cost of a new liner unless there is a reason to consider replacing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"894\" height=\"671\" src=\"https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot_141-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-658\" srcset=\"https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot_141-1.png 894w, https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot_141-1-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot_141-1-767x576.png 767w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 894px) 100vw, 894px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">The buyers\u2019 evidence supplied a later date. The transcript identifies March 14, 2016, when Deibler\u2019s husband, Brad, contacted Quality Pools and Spas. The proposal concerned a 24-foot round beaded liner, new white goods, a face plate and eyeball, new foam and cove, the removal of dirt, and installation of a new liner. The quoted total was $2,152.81. The work was not completed at that time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">That proposal mattered because it came after the house had been listed and before the eventual sale. It suggested that the pool was no longer merely a cosmetic concern. Judge Judy reasoned that the inquiry was evidence of a problem with the pool, even though Deibler maintained that there had been no damage when she completed the earlier form.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"889\" height=\"667\" src=\"https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot_142.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-659\" srcset=\"https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot_142.png 889w, https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot_142-768x576.png 768w, https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot_142-300x225.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 889px) 100vw, 889px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The evidence that changed the case<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">The Bonhams said they discovered the deep cut after the pool thawed. Their account placed the discovery after the December 2017 purchase, while the repair proposal showed that the former owners had already sought a price for a new liner in March 2016.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">The courtroom also confronted an important distinction: a disclosure can be accurate when it is made and become inaccurate later. Judge Judy used a septic-tank example to explain the principle. If a seller states that a septic system is in good working order and it later collapses, the seller may have an obligation to update the statement before the sale. The same reasoning applied to a pool defect that could not be readily inspected because of snow, sleet, ice, or other conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"895\" height=\"666\" src=\"https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot_143.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-660\" srcset=\"https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot_143.png 895w, https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot_143-300x223.png 300w, https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot_143-767x571.png 767w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 895px) 100vw, 895px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">The defense argued that the buyers had opportunities to inspect the property and had signed paperwork purchasing the house \u201cas is.\u201d That argument did not end the dispute. The court focused on the separate obligation to disclose known conditions and to update a statement when circumstances change before closing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">The testimony also revealed a significant change in Deibler\u2019s position. At first, the questioning concerned whether she knew about damage. Later, she maintained that there had been no damage when the form was completed, while also acknowledging that a replacement-liner inquiry had been made. Judge Judy treated the written proposal and the timing of the inquiry as more persuasive than the attempt to characterize the call as a casual price check.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"891\" height=\"664\" src=\"https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot_144.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-661\" srcset=\"https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot_144.png 891w, https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot_144-300x224.png 300w, https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot_144-768x572.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 891px) 100vw, 891px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Bonham v. Deibler: the judgment<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">After reviewing the paperwork, Judge Judy confirmed that the signature on the November 2017 statement belonged to Brad. She then issued judgment for the Bonhams in the amount of $2,152.81, matching the repair proposal discussed in court.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">The first case therefore turned on a sequence of dates: the home was listed in September 2015; a pool-company inquiry occurred in March 2016; the house was sold to George and Kimberly Bonham in December 2017; and the buyers later identified a deep cut in the liner. The ruling reflected the court\u2019s conclusion that the sellers\u2019 disclosure did not adequately account for the known pool problem before the sale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">The case was not presented as a criminal prosecution. It was a civil dispute over a property condition and the cost associated with it. The court\u2019s reasoning centered on the reliability of a seller\u2019s representation when a buyer must depend on information that cannot be fully inspected at the moment of purchase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"892\" height=\"669\" src=\"https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot_145.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-662\" srcset=\"https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot_145.png 892w, https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot_145-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot_145-768x576.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 892px) 100vw, 892px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Case Two : The Thanksgiving driveway collision<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">The second case involved former friends and a damaged vehicle. Lindsay Dowdell sued Clarence Mitchell and his girlfriend, Rebecca Adams, after a collision at or near her home on November 24, 2017. The evening had begun at Dowdell\u2019s mother\u2019s house, where the group ate Thanksgiving dinner and played cards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Judge Judy began by asking who had been drinking that night. The testimony established that Mitchell, Adams, and others had consumed alcohol. Dowdell said she had not. Adams disputed that point and remembered Dowdell having a drink while they played cards. Dowdell explained that she had been cooking, moving between several locations, caring for four children, and expected to work the next day. She said she did not want to drink.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"887\" height=\"669\" src=\"https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot_147.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-664\" srcset=\"https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot_147.png 887w, https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot_147-300x226.png 300w, https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot_147-768x579.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 887px) 100vw, 887px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Another detail immediately complicated the account. Dowdell\u2019s husband had been drinking and drove home approximately ten minutes before the others left. Judge Judy criticized that decision, but the case before her concerned the later damage to Dowdell\u2019s truck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Dowdell testified that she gathered leftovers and her children before getting into her truck. Mitchell and Adams got into their truck. As Dowdell began moving up and around the turnaround, Mitchell followed behind. She said he drove through the grass in the middle of the turnaround, failed to pay attention, and struck the side of her vehicle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Photographs showed damage on the passenger side of Dowdell\u2019s truck. Judge Judy described the marks as a dent and an indentation rather than a simple scrape. The damage supported the conclusion that one vehicle had hit the other, but the court still had to decide which driver caused the impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"893\" height=\"668\" src=\"https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot_146.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-663\" srcset=\"https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot_146.png 893w, https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot_146-300x224.png 300w, https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot_146-767x574.png 767w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 893px) 100vw, 893px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Two versions of the impact<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Mitchell offered a different account. He said Dowdell pulled in first and he parked behind her because he and Adams planned to stop briefly so Adams could retrieve her purse and then return home to drop off her daughter. In his description, Dowdell got out, could not enter the house with her keys, returned to her vehicle, and pulled away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Mitchell claimed that Dowdell\u2019s vehicle moved into his truck. When Judge Judy asked whether he meant that Dowdell had slid into him from the side, he agreed. He said the front left portion of his truck had also been hit and that his photographs showed the contact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"881\" height=\"668\" src=\"https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot_148.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-665\" srcset=\"https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot_148.png 881w, https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot_148-300x227.png 300w, https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot_148-768x582.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 881px) 100vw, 881px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Dowdell rejected that version. She said photographs taken that night showed Mitchell\u2019s truck in her grass, with gravel beside the vehicle. In her view, the position of the truck indicated that it had left the driveway and entered the yard before hitting her vehicle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">The court then examined the practical consequences of the competing stories. Mitchell\u2019s insurance company had denied Dowdell\u2019s claim. Dowdell had also filed a claim against the other insurance, but it was denied after the insurer heard a different account of the collision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"886\" height=\"666\" src=\"https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot_149.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-666\" srcset=\"https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot_149.png 886w, https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot_149-300x226.png 300w, https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot_149-768x577.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 886px) 100vw, 886px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Adams had not obtained a daylight photograph of the alleged damage to her vehicle. She said she was not concerned about that damage and had not had the vehicle repaired. She also explained that, although her 2011 Denali had full coverage, using her policy would have required a $1,000 deductible and could have increased her insurance rates. She said she did not believe she should bear those consequences for an accident she attributed to Mitchell\u2019s responsibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Judge Judy did not accept the claim that Dowdell\u2019s vehicle had slid into Mitchell\u2019s. The vehicle positions, the visible damage to Dowdell\u2019s truck, and the lack of persuasive documentation for the defense account led the court to rule for Dowdell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"887\" height=\"662\" src=\"https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot_152.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-670\" srcset=\"https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot_152.png 887w, https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot_152-300x224.png 300w, https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot_152-768x573.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 887px) 100vw, 887px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Dowdell v. Mitchell and Adams: the judgment<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Judge Judy entered judgment for the plaintiff in the amount of $1,000. The parties were excused after the ruling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">The decision resolved a sharply disputed driveway collision, but it also exposed how quickly a social gathering can become a civil claim. The testimony moved from Thanksgiving dinner and card games to questions about alcohol, vehicle movement, photographs, insurance claims, deductibles, and conflicting descriptions of the same moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">As in the pool case, the central issue was not simply who felt wronged. It was which account was supported by the evidence. The court gave greater weight to the physical damage and the surrounding circumstances than to the explanation that Dowdell\u2019s vehicle had slid into the defendants\u2019 truck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"887\" height=\"662\" src=\"https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot_152.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-670\" srcset=\"https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot_152.png 887w, https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot_152-300x224.png 300w, https:\/\/realcrime.rcdbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot_152-768x573.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 887px) 100vw, 887px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What these cases reveal<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">The two disputes involved very different settings, but Judge Judy approached both through the same discipline: establish the timeline, test the written record, and compare each explanation with the physical evidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">In the pool case, the crucial questions were when the disclosure was signed, when the pool-company inquiry occurred, and whether the seller had a duty to update the information before the sale. In the driveway case, the court examined where each vehicle was positioned, what the damage looked like, and whether the competing story fit the photographs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Neither case was decided by the loudest accusation. The Bonhams prevailed because the repair proposal and the disclosure timeline undercut the claim that the pool problem was unknown. Dowdell prevailed because the vehicle damage and the disputed positions made the defendants\u2019 explanation unpersuasive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">The episode also shows why civil disputes often depend on ordinary records. A disclosure form, a dated proposal, a photograph, an insurance claim, or the absence of a repair estimate can become decisive when memories conflict. The court\u2019s task was to separate what the parties believed from what the evidence could support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">FAQ<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What was Bonham v. Deibler about?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">George and Kimberly Bonham sued Buffy Deibler over an alleged failure to disclose damage to the home\u2019s above-ground pool. The case focused on the pool liner, the seller\u2019s disclosure form, and a later replacement proposal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How much did the Bonhams receive?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Judge Judy awarded the Bonhams $2,152.81, the amount associated with the pool-liner proposal discussed in court.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When was the pool problem discussed with a pool company?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The transcript identifies March 14, 2016, when Brad, Deibler\u2019s husband, obtained a proposal from Quality Pools and Spas for replacement work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What happened in the Dowdell case?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lindsay Dowdell said Clarence Mitchell drove through the grass in a turnaround and hit her truck. Mitchell said Dowdell\u2019s vehicle slid into his truck. Judge Judy ruled for Dowdell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How much was the judgment in Dowdell v. Mitchell and Adams?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Judge Judy awarded the plaintiff $1,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Did the cases involve criminal charges?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No. The SRT presents both matters as civil courtroom disputes involving property damage, disclosure, and liability.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The first dispute turned on a single answer written on a home-sale form: there were no known defects in the pool. The second began after Thanksgiving dinner, a card game, and a disputed collision in a driveway. In both cases, Judge Judith Scheindlin focused less on emotion than on the details people had put on&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":669,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29,35],"tags":[94,100,99,98,95,26,97,96],"class_list":["post-653","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-crime","category-family-relationship-disputes","tag-bonham-v-deibler","tag-civil-court-disputes","tag-dowdell-v-mitchell","tag-driveway-car-accident","tag-hidden-pool-damage","tag-judge-judy-cases","tag-judge-judy-verdicts","tag-rebecca-adams"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Judge Judy Cases: A Hidden Pool Defect and a Thanksgiving Driveway Crash - RCDBS<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Judge Judy Cases: A Hidden Pool Defect and a Thanksgiving Driveway Crash - RCDBS\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The first dispute turned on a single answer written on a home-sale form: there were no known defects in the pool. The second began after Thanksgiving dinner, a card game, and a disputed collision in a driveway. 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