Ep 246. Widower with Special Needs Child; I Only Smoke Pot Now!

In Judge Judy season 22 episode 246, titled "Widower with Special Needs Child; I Only Smoke Pot Now!", a widower with a special needs child takes his ex-girlfriend to court for not returning his son's personal belongings. The plaintiff, a man named John, explains that his ex-girlfriend, the defendant named Jenny, picked up their son for a visit but failed to bring him back along with his clothes and medication. John's son has special needs and requires constant care, so he is worried about his son's well-being. Jenny argues that she did not keep the belongings intentionally and that she was simply forgetful.

Judge Judy listens attentively to their arguments and presses them for evidence to back up their claims. She grows increasingly frustrated with both parties as they seem to contradict themselves and dodge her questions. For example, Jenny claims that she didn't keep the belongings intentionally, but then says that she left them in her car for a few days because she was too busy to return them. Judge Judy scolds her for being irresponsible and not taking her son's needs seriously.

To complicate matters, John reveals that Jenny has a history of drug abuse and has previously lost custody of another child. Jenny admits to smoking weed but insists that she is now clean and sober. Judge Judy is skeptical and orders her to take a drug test to verify her claims. She also points out that even if Jenny has overcome her addiction, she still has a legal obligation to return the child's belongings.

As the case unfolds, Judge Judy becomes increasingly sympathetic towards John's plight as a single parent and expresses her admiration for his dedication to his son. She repeatedly reminds Jenny that her priority should be the child's welfare, not her own convenience or forgetfulness. She also criticizes Jenny for putting John through the emotional stress of a court case, which could have been avoided if she had simply returned the belongings.

Ultimately, Judge Judy rules in favor of John, ordering Jenny to return all of his son's belongings and pay him $500 in damages for the emotional distress she caused him. She also warns Jenny that she needs to take her responsibilities seriously and take care of herself if she wants to regain custody of her other child in the future. The episode ends with John expressing his gratitude to Judge Judy and his relief that justice has been served.