This courtroom drama unfolds like a classic case of a friendship gone south, where a “good deed” turns into a web of half-truths. The dispute between Jonathan Merida and Mr. Osorio centered on a 10-year-old car, but the real issue was whose version of reality would hold up under the piercing gaze of Judge Judy.

The “Good Samaritan” vs. The Secret Buyer

Jonathan Merida walked into court playing the role of the generous friend. He claimed that out of the “goodness of his heart,” he let Mr. Osorio borrow his old car for errands. But when the car was impounded because Osorio was driving with a suspended license, the friendship hit a wall. Merida was suing for over $1,500 in impound fees and alleged “dog damage” to the interior.

However, as the trial began, Merida’s story started to leak like an old radiator.

The $1,200 Clue

Mr. Osorio’s defense was entirely different. He wasn’t just “borrowing” the car; he was buying it. He claimed they had a verbal agreement for a $4,000 sale. To prove it, Osorio pointed out that he had already spent $1,200 of his own money on mechanical repairs and had even given Merida $700 for insurance.

Judge Judy, known for her “baloney detector,” immediately saw the hole in Merida’s story.

“Why would he spend $1,200 on a car unless he was planning to buy it?” she asked.

When Merida admitted the car had been to a mechanic under Osorio’s name, his “just borrowing it” narrative collapsed. People don’t pay massive repair bills for a car they are only using for the weekend.

The 30-Day Impound Trap

The climax of the case focused on the August 14th impound. Because Osorio was driving on a suspended license (due to multiple traffic violations), the police placed a mandatory 30-day hold on the vehicle. This skyrocketed the storage fees to $1,504.

Osorio tried to argue that he had the money to pay Merida back immediately after the 30 days were up, but that Merida was “too busy” to go get the car. Judge Judy wasn’t interested in the excuses or the dying phone batteries Osorio mentioned in his text messages.

The Verdict: No Fantasy, Just Facts

Judge Judy dismissed Merida’s claims for cleaning and “dog damage,” noting that Osorio wouldn’t vandalize a car he intended to own. However, the law was clear on the impound: Osorio was the one behind the wheel without a valid license, making him legally responsible for the costs.

“One of you is clearly in a fantasy world,” Judy remarked, before siding with the math.

The Judge awarded Merida $1,504.50 for the impound fees. Merida got his money, Osorio lost his deposit and the car, and a two-year friendship ended in a cold, hard judgment.