Walking into Judge Judy’s courtroom, Krystle Davidson knew she was in for a fight. She was there to reclaim what was rightfully hers: her security deposit and her last month’s rent. She had spent months living in a basement apartment owned by the defendants, but when life called her elsewhere, the simple act of moving out turned into a legal headache.

A Tangled Beginning
The trouble started with the math. When Judge Judy peered over her glasses to inquire about the lease, Krystle had to admit there wasn’t one—only a verbal agreement and a handful of messy, handwritten receipts.

“I moved in on March 26,” Krystle explained. “The rent was $575 total, split between me and my roommate.”

But there was a catch. The roommate was still living with the defendants. In the eyes of the court, this was a “big problem.” If only one person moves out of a shared unit, who gets the money back? Krystle insisted she had paid the lion’s share upfront—$1,175 to cover the deposit, first, and last month’s rent—because her roommate hadn’t arrived from Denver yet.

The “Headache” Case
As the defendants tried to argue their side, Judge Judy felt a familiar sensation. “I’m getting a headache from this case,” she remarked, much to the amusement of the gallery. She cut through the noise with surgical precision: “How much of her money do you actually have?”

The defendant, Chris, sheepishly admitted they were holding $150 of the security deposit and $285 for the last month’s rent.

The crux of the argument was June 26th. Krystle had sent a polite, professional text message giving her 30-day notice. She informed Chris that she would be moving out in July and requested that her pre-paid “last month’s rent” be applied to her final 30 days.

The Logic of the Law
The defendants weren’t happy. They claimed that because Krystle physically moved her boxes out on July 1st, she hadn’t “fulfilled” her end of the deal. They even tried to claim there was a verbal agreement that she had to find a replacement tenant to get her money back.

Judge Judy wasn’t having any of it.

“She paid you for July,” Judy leveled at the defendants. “She doesn’t have to pay twice. If she wants to leave her apartment empty for the month she already paid for, that’s her business!”

The text message was the smoking gun. Krystle had done everything by the book: she gave notice, she was clear about the funds, and she remained respectful. The defendants’ attempt to “double dip” on the rent was hitting a brick wall made of black robes and common sense.

Key Takeaway
In the world of rentals, paper trails are everything. Krystle’s saved text messages and receipts—even the handwritten ones—were the only things standing between her and a total financial loss.