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Friday, March 29, 2024 | Back issues
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Divorcee Sues Judge Judy|to Get Pricey China Back

LOS ANGELES (CN) - A woman sued TV's "Judge Judy" (Judith Sheindlin), claiming her ex-husband sold silverware and bone china community property worth $500,000 to the TV judge for one-tenth of its value - and that Judge Judy knew the sale was bogus.

Patric Jones sued Judith Sheindlin in Superior Court.

She claims that Sheindlin "unlawfully acquired and failed to return on demand plaintiff's community property ... Christofle Pavilion Renaissance Silver Flatware and Christofle Pavilion Marly Bone china."

Jones claims she acquired the property during her former marriage to Randall Douthit, who produces the "Judge Judy" show.

She claims that "Douthit conspired with defendant Sheindlin by entering into a scheme whereby she agreed to purchase plaintiff's community property in a fraudulent sale for $50,000, which was 1/10th of the actual fair market value of the community property."

Jones claims the actual value of the flatware and china was $514,421.14, according to the invoice, which she attached as an exhibit.

She claims that Sheindlin, as a family law judge, knew that she needed written consent from both spouses to buy community property, so that her purchase, "coupled by the fact that the sales price was substantially below fair market value, was voidable."

She claims that Sheindlin knew Jones "was involved in an acrimonious dissolution matter," her divorce from Douthit, and took advantage of it, not just by glomming onto her property, "but also entered into a new profit participation contract with Douthit that fraudulently reduced Douthit's profit participation in the show so that plaintiff would receive a lower percentage of her division of the community property. Furthermore, defendant Sheindlin had actual knowledge of a court order rendered in the dissolution matter requiring Douthit to return to plaintiff the Christofle flatware and china."

Jones seeks return of the property with writ of possession, or $524,421,14, and damages and punitive damages of not less than $500,000, for conversion, plus costs.

She is represented by Perry Wander, of Beverly Hills.

Christofle is a French company formed around 1830, known for its high quality and prices.

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