In a quiet neighborhood, Steve Voight was a man known for his skills. A mechanic by trade, he didn’t need a fancy garage; he operated right out of his yard, surrounded by the tools of his life’s work. When a young man named Dougie Smith moved in next door, Steve welcomed him with a friendly “Hi, how are you.” Little did Steve know, this greeting would lead to a $2,000 legal battle.

The “Friendly” Deal

Dougie had a problem: a 2000 Dodge Ram that was more of a headache than a truck. Having seen Steve’s car ramps next door, Dougie approached him for help. Steve agreed to a “two-part” job: drilling and tapping the manifolds for $400, and fixing the front-end hub assemblies.

However, as soon as Steve tore the truck apart, the reality of the situation hit. The truck was a disaster. To make matters worse, Dougie couldn’t produce the money for the parts. With a dismantled vehicle sitting in his yard, Steve made a fateful decision: he bought the parts himself, spending over $1,200 out of his own pocket.

A Web of Lies

When the work was done, the bill totaled $2,009. But the money never came.

In Judge Judy’s courtroom, the tension was palpable. Dougie Smith, only 26 and collecting disability, tried every trick in the book to avoid paying. First, he claimed he had paid Steve in full with cash—four payments of $75. “I don’t believe you for a second,” Judge Judy snapped.

Then, Dougie’s story took a bizarre turn. In his sworn statement, he changed his defense entirely. He claimed Steve had offered to do the work for free as a “neighborly gift.” “Steve said he could absolutely accept nothing from me,” Dougie wrote. The contradiction was glaring: How could he have made “cash payments” if the work was supposed to be a gift?

The Boiling Point

The dispute turned toxic. Steve, frustrated by the lack of payment, allegedly confronted Dougie’s family, leading to police reports and restraining orders. Dougie even filed a counterclaim, audaciously suggesting that Steve’s “harassment” forced him to move houses.

But Judge Judy saw through the smoke and mirrors. She pointed out a startling fact: the truck was only worth about $2,300, yet the repairs cost $2,009. “Why would you spend more than it’s worth?” she asked. Dougie admitted he had “jumped compulsively” and was “over his head.”

The Final Verdict

Judge Judy’s conclusion was swift. She dismissed Dougie’s counterclaim with a sharp remark: “If you paid him his money, you wouldn’t have to move.”

She awarded Steve Voight the full $2,009. Steve finally got justice for his labor and the parts he bought, while Dougie learned a costly lesson: in the courtroom of life, neighborly kindness isn’t a license to steal.