In the high-stakes theater of Judge Judy’s courtroom, 18-year-old Ms. Hanson thought she had a simple out. She had purchased a car from her boyfriend’s mother, Ms. Schulz, for $2,000 when she was only 17. In her mind, the car was a “piece of junk,” the relationship with the son was over, and because she was a minor when she signed the deal, the debt should simply vanish into thin air.

But the law has a way of catching up with those who think they’ve found a loophole.

The Legal Trap

Judge Judy, with her signature no-nonsense flair, immediately identified the crux of the case. While it is true that a 17-year-old cannot legally be bound to a contract, there is a concept called ratification.

Ms. Hanson had turned 18 in February. Had she stopped paying then, she might have walked away scot-free. However, Ms. Schulz produced a meticulous payment schedule showing a final payment made on April 23rd. By making that one payment as an adult, Ms. Hanson had “ratified” the contract—essentially telling the law, “I am an adult now, and I agree to this deal.”

A “He Said, She Said” Showdown

With the contract now legally binding, Ms. Hanson pivoted to her next defense: a “secret agreement.” She claimed that in May, while sitting in Ms. Schulz’s home, the two had agreed to wipe the debt clean because the car required too many expensive repairs.

“She said that’s fair,” Hanson insisted.

The response from Ms. Schulz was swift and logical. Why, she argued, would she pay $260 for a repair on the car in May—as a favor to the girl—if she knew she was never going to receive another dime in payments? The logic was airtight. Ms. Schulz wasn’t just a disgruntled ex-mother-in-law figure; she was a woman with receipts and a timeline that made sense.

The Verdict

Ms. Hanson’s excuses—the repair costs, the insurance, the “unfairness” of the car’s quality—fell on deaf ears. In Judge Judy’s world, a deal is a deal, and adulthood starts the moment you sign that check after your 18th birthday.

With a groan of frustration at the young woman’s entitlement, Judge Judy delivered the final blow: “You owe her $913. Judgment for the plaintiff.”

Ms. Hanson walked out of the courtroom with a much lighter wallet and a very expensive lesson: The law doesn’t care if your car is a junker or your boyfriend is history—once you pay as an adult, you’re in for the long haul.