Coffee Cash Out & Vanishing Vanity | Equal Justice with Judge Eboni K. Williams

Added: 2026-05-12

[00:00:00]Can you read to me the name plate?

[00:00:01]>> Judge Ebony K. Williams.

[00:00:02]>> So, the only thing that matters in this particular courtroom is how I see it. I am from North Carolina by way of Louisiana with some West Coast cool and a New York edge. Do we have a problem, ma'am?

[00:00:12]>> No, I don't, your honor.

[00:00:13]>> Equal justice is all about the most important values of our country.

[00:00:17]Freedom, integrity, and those are the things that I'm striving for. Ma'am, you run your household. This man gets to run his. I decided to become an attorney and pursue the law. I wanted to be a voice for the voiceless. This court cannot hold this woman accountable.

[00:00:31]>> People from all sectors of life, black, white, purple, gay, straight, queer, and that's what equal justice with Judge Ebony K. Williams is all about.

[00:00:42]>> Billy Roberts claims his former employer stole the points that he earned making office coffee runs during his lunch hour. Mike Smith says the points belong to the company, so he used them to throw a staff party.

[00:00:54]>> Gentlemen, I see I've got Billy Roberts here as my pliff. and Mike Smith as my defendant.

[00:01:00]>> Correct.

[00:01:01]>> Mr. Roberts, I see you are suing Mr. Smith for $500.

[00:01:05]You say there's a thief among us. What brings you to court, sir?

[00:01:08]>> Yes, I'm seeking $500 from my former boss, Mike Smith, over here because he unfairly stole and cashed out on my accumulated $500 worth of coffee reward points.

[00:01:20]>> So, he stole some coffee points?

[00:01:22]>> He stole some coffee points.

[00:01:23]>> Okay. And they were valued at $500.

[00:01:25]>> $500.

[00:01:26]>> That's what you're suing him for today?

[00:01:27]Yes, ma'am.

[00:01:28]>> Okay. Uh, talk to me. You said former boss. What was the employer employee relationship?

[00:01:33]>> I was a barely paid intern.

[00:01:36]>> You said barely paid.

[00:01:37]>> Barely paid intern.

[00:01:38]>> Oh, did you say fairly paid?

[00:01:39]>> I did not say fairly paid.

[00:01:41]>> Okay. I couldn't I couldn't hear what you said. Okay.

[00:01:43]>> Yeah. Um, and I was employed with him.

[00:01:46]Okay.

[00:01:47]>> And for about 11 months.

[00:01:49]>> Okay. What was the nature of uh his business?

[00:01:51]>> Hillrest Insurance.

[00:01:52]>> Okay. So, so this he um Mr. Smith, you own an insurance company. So it's it's more like an umbrella. It's fire, earthquake.

[00:02:00]>> Okay. Mr. Smith, um Mrs. Smith, you own an insurance company.

[00:02:05]>> Yes.

[00:02:05]>> Okay. Thank you, sir. So you own an insurance company and you hired this young man as um an intern.

[00:02:11]>> Yes, I did.

[00:02:12]>> And what were his duties?

[00:02:13]>> He technically got coffee and he stocked the the break room with supplies, which is actually kind of funny because he actually I Yeah.

[00:02:21]>> You think he stole something?

[00:02:22]>> Well, I don't know. It's questionable, but he definitely did have a lot of responsibilities. They weren't like come in and do, you know, a specific thing every day. It was just kind of as needed.

[00:02:32]>> Okay. Was he kind of like general assistant type of things?

[00:02:36]>> Type of assistant. Yeah. Some people would need, you know, technical help.

[00:02:39]Some people would need like help with like a finance issue, which he has a finance background.

[00:02:44]>> Okay. So, he was general assisting in the office. Is that fair to say? And what did cuz he said he was unfairly paid. What were you paying him? He was paid $17 an hour.

[00:02:54]>> $17 an hour. That's not actually that bad, sir.

[00:02:57]>> It's not.

[00:02:59]>> I mean, I don't know. It's been a minute since I've been in the intern game. It Does that sound bad to y'all? Raise your hand if you think $17 an hour is bad for an intern. You think that's bad? He should more >> Oh, okay. So, >> factor in that you're getting bullied all day by your staff and your boss.

[00:03:15]>> Okay.

[00:03:15]>> Yeah.

[00:03:15]>> And what was the term of your employment, sir? How long were you there?

[00:03:18]>> I was there for 11 months. It was a one-year term.

[00:03:21]>> Okay. So, you had a one-year contract.

[00:03:22]>> Yes.

[00:03:23]>> And you fell shy just one month. You quit.

[00:03:25]>> Yes.

[00:03:25]>> And why did you quit?

[00:03:26]>> Well, every day from this the day I started, I would go get myself coffee on my unpaid lunch break. Second day of being employed.

[00:03:34]>> Okay. Now, you I just want to clock for the court that you said unpaid lunch break. Like, that's remarkable. Most of us don't get paid for lunch breaks.

[00:03:40]Correct.

[00:03:41]>> No. Correct. No one gets paid. Just making sure.

[00:03:43]>> No one gets paid for lunch breaks.

[00:03:45]>> Okay. Okay. Go ahead. My my point is that since you are unpaid on a lunch break, you're not expected to do work.

[00:03:51]>> Yes, that is true.

[00:03:52]>> So then when my boss over here is like, "Hey, would you want to go grab me a coffee?"

[00:03:57]>> Me being a nice intern trying to get a permanent position in the company is like, "Sure." Because I'm trying to impress my brand new boss.

[00:04:05]>> Mhm.

[00:04:06]>> So I go, "Sure."

[00:04:07]>> So now you're taking on work duties during your unpaid lunch break.

[00:04:11]>> Exactly.

[00:04:11]>> I see how I put it together.

[00:04:13]>> You got it.

[00:04:13]>> Yeah, I got it. Okay. All right. So you do this for how long? The entire duration of your employment for 11 months.

[00:04:19]>> Entire duration.

[00:04:20]>> Okay. So you're doing coffee runs on the unpaid lunch break. Yes.

[00:04:24]>> And is this where I'm hearing about these coffee points coming into play?

[00:04:27]>> It is. But then you have nine other employees come into play at the same time because after day three of getting my boss's coffee, the rest of the office wants their coffee as well.

[00:04:37]>> Oh, so now you're doing the office coffee run.

[00:04:39]>> Exactly. On my unpaid lunch break. Thank you so much.

[00:04:43]>> Okay. Yes, Mr. Mr. Smith, >> I don't actually drink coffee. So, it's it's kind of funny cuz we're talking about matcha. I drink matcha.

[00:04:49]>> Okay, Mr. Smith, here you go again. Uh, here you go again with these what we're going to call red herrings. These inordinate details that don't matter to the case. How were the points acred on this card because this is ultimately the $500 we're in court to talk about.

[00:05:04]>> Correct. We all at the company get our own personal phones and the only person who knows all of our numbers is our boss. So, I at the coffee shop was asked, "Would you like to sign up for our new reward program?"

[00:05:16]>> I just used the phone in my pocket, which was the work number.

[00:05:19]>> That's how they accumulate all the time.

[00:05:21]>> Okay. Do you have some uh evidence to show me? Oh, yes. Give the whole folder to Elijah.

[00:05:28]>> Lord have mercy. This coffee business is serious business, Elijah. Okay. I'm seeing it's saying, "Welcome back, Billy." So, this is under your name.

[00:05:35]>> Exactly. But the phone number used to acrue the points was the company phone number that you paid for that phone.

[00:05:42]>> Correct.

[00:05:43]>> Okay. See how I I put that together, too.

[00:05:45]>> Coming up on Equal Justice, >> the several coffees purchased by your co-workers. If it was just you purchasing coffee, you wouldn't have $500, would you?

[00:05:57]>> You're right.

[00:05:58]>> And later, >> how long have you been doing makeup?

[00:06:00]>> I've been doing makeup for about 3 years. Did you feel excited when you were invited to work in the plain salon?

[00:06:07]>> I've only heard extremely highly of her.

[00:06:09]Well, before.

[00:06:10]>> If you'll be in the Los Angeles area and want to bring your case to court, call 1888-552-6878.

[00:06:22]This is Equal Justice. Equal Justice is back with the case of Billy Roberts who's accusing Mike Smith of stealing his coffee points.

[00:06:32]>> Now, do you have any evidence for the court?

[00:06:34]>> Oh, I've got a lot of evidence. A >> lot of evidence. Okay.

[00:06:37]>> Elijah, please get Mr. Smith's lot of evidence.

[00:06:41]>> Lord have mercy. Thank you, dear.

[00:06:45]>> And we do see some receipts. What am I looking at here, sir? I'm looking at $23. Well, you're going to notice on that receipt that I spent $23 of my own money on that holiday party that I threw.

[00:06:56]>> Well, how kind of you >> for the office.

[00:06:58]>> Okay, so just so everybody knows what this is, this ultimately came down to $5231.

[00:07:05]This is for a holiday party.

[00:07:07]>> Correct. We at the beginning of December wanted to, you know, just celebrate and, you know, just kind of lift the office morale. the, you know, the plaintiff had been a little, you know, he was depressed.

[00:07:19]>> A little, a little drag.

[00:07:20]>> A little drag. Um, I think his phone got disconnected at one point. Uh, >> like, you know, his personal phone.

[00:07:25]>> His personal phone.

[00:07:26]>> Okay.

[00:07:27]>> Um, so yeah. So, you know, I just wanted to do something nice. I sent a group text. It didn't include the intern because, you know, he's an intern.

[00:07:33]>> Was he still there at the time of the party?

[00:07:36]>> Well, yes.

[00:07:36]>> Okay. He he had not quit yet.

[00:07:38]>> He had not quit yet. He had a chocolate donut. Oh, he >> So he came and he part partake in the festivities.

[00:07:46]>> He did the chocolate.

[00:07:47]>> You clocked him eating the chocolate donut.

[00:07:49]>> Oh, I clocked him because I knew I knew.

[00:07:51]>> What did you know?

[00:07:52]>> I knew.

[00:07:53]>> Yeah.

[00:07:54]>> Well, you know, I knew a couple things, but what I did know is that he had acrewed because I had a dentist appointment, so I had to go in late that day and we wear a uniform. And so I go into the coffee shop and I approach the barista who recognized, you know, me with my my badge, my my brand. the rest was history. She said, "Let's get your phone number." And I entered my phone number >> and that you found out that the $500 had even been acred.

[00:08:18]>> Correct. Because it was tied to the number >> starting to make sense. Just so everybody's following here, >> right?

[00:08:23]>> One could argue, Mr. Roberts, that you kind of had a what could be construed as a secret account where you were acrewing cash dollars in the amount of $500 on this company phone line, but the man who owned the company and thus the phone number attached to the points had no idea until the day of when he walks into the coffee shop and finds out, oh, I'm sitting on $500 worth of availability. Yeah.

[00:08:50]>> So then you make a decision about how to spend the $500 that has been acred by your company phone number.

[00:08:57]>> Correct. And I thought it was diplomatic. You know, I wanted to just kind of do something not for myself.

[00:09:01]>> You wanted to do what was fair.

[00:09:02]>> What was fair? Cuz to to be fair, it was our comm it was our community >> money.

[00:09:09]>> All right. So you're shaking your head.

[00:09:10]No. Why? Because if I were to go on my way to the coffee shop and I stumbled upon a $100 bill on the ground, am I now licensed to split that with the entire office because I found the $100 bill?

[00:09:23]>> That's a false equivalency, sir. It has nothing to do with the argument being made in court today. You would have had nowhere near $500 accumulated on your your coffee points, but for the several coffees purchased by your co-workers. If it was just you purchasing coffee, you wouldn't have had $500, would you?

[00:09:43]>> You're right.

[00:09:44]>> I know. I know. Okay, let's get to this other piece of bill. So, I do see here, sir, that you're saying you spent the entire $500 accumulated and you spread it around so that everybody in the office could have a piece, including him and his chocolate donut.

[00:09:58]>> Well, he had his chocolate donut. We got pastries. We got muffins. It was a whole thing.

[00:10:04]>> Yes, I see here. And then you ran over the $500 uh benchmark and it was an additional $23 that you paid for.

[00:10:11]>> Correct. And it wasn't an issue. You know, $23.

[00:10:13]>> I hope it wasn't. Sorry. I hope $23 wasn't an issue. Not since you own the business. Now, some could question, why were you the only person with access to the funds?

[00:10:21]>> I'm the only person doing the coffee runs. I don't think they even know where the coffee shop is.

[00:10:25]>> But that's a part of your job, right?

[00:10:26]>> It's not a part of my job. And even if it was, it's not part of my unpaid lunch break.

[00:10:31]>> Well, I I don't disagree with you, Mr. Roberts. But um and I'm actually ready to make my ruling. So, thank you, gentlemen, for your evidence and your testimony.

[00:10:38]>> Here's what I'm going to say to you, Mr. Roberts. I don't think it was wise, smart, or businesssavvy, for you to be making unpaid coffee runs during your unpaid lunch break. You already and and actually to my surprise, the court agreed with you were a bit underpaid per the market. But you did it. You did it for your own reasons. And actually, you told the court in your testimony why you did it. Do you remember why you said you did it? Of course I do. I'm trying to make a good impression on my boss and get a permanent position.

[00:11:07]>> Right. Okay. So, listen. I can't debate your why. If you felt that was a good use of your unpaid hour to earn favor and curry up goodwill with your boss to I'm making my ruling, Mr. Smith, then that's your prerogative. But what we know is it didn't work out. So then this makes my ruling very simple. Uh the court does rule in favor of the defendant. Uh, I do feel that you did what a business owner should do when you found out that there was $500 accumulated through your business telephone line. You spread it out and you spread the the merry, if you will, for the holiday festivities and joy.

[00:11:43]Everybody, including you, sir, we got to partake in it. And I think next time, Mr. Roberts, when you're not paid well and you're already overworked, don't add to your own workload. I rule in favor of the defendant. Plaintiff's case is dismissed.

[00:11:57]All rise.

[00:11:58]>> Judge Evity has ruled in favor of the defendant. The plaintiff's case is dismissed.

[00:12:04]>> Just be grateful for what you have.

[00:12:06]Okay, >> sir.

[00:12:07]>> My final thought is don't go above and beyond for people who don't appreciate you.

[00:12:11]>> Okay, you've had your day in court.

[00:12:12]Please grab your belongings. Follow me.

[00:12:14]>> Coming up on Equal Justice.

[00:12:16]>> Did you end up doing said client?

[00:12:18]>> Yes, I was actually practically done.

[00:12:20]And she claims that she's super professional. all of this. She scrambles in, grabs all her makeup, kicks everybody out, and I didn't even get the chance to put the makeup back.

[00:12:33]>> This is Equal Justice.

[00:12:36]Jasmine Daniels claims thousands in cosmetics went missing after she hired the defendant to work in her makeup studio. Sophia Menddees says she didn't get a chance to put the makeup back because the plaintiff showed up unexpectedly and took it herself. I've got Jasmine Daniels here as my plaintiff and Sophia Mendes as my defendant. Miss Daniels, you are suing the defendant for $4,134.

[00:13:01]You do claim some stolen property. What brings you to court, ma'am?

[00:13:04]>> I'm suing in court today in regards to helping a fellow mentee um into my makeup artist studio. I've been working professional. took very long to establish the clientele that I have and currently just unprofessional conduct and just trusting her with specific items um that just look mishandled and just very unprofessional etiquette in regards to my studio around clients.

[00:13:30]>> Okay. And how did you meet Miss Mendes?

[00:13:33]>> Through a mutual referral. Um just actually they overseed it for her, spoke high in her regard and I said come work in our studio. Um >> so you gave her a job? Yes, your honor.

[00:13:43]>> Okay. So, she was an employee.

[00:13:45]>> Yes.

[00:13:45]>> Now, you're asking for uh $4,134.

[00:13:48]You say stolen property. Uh do you have receipts for the items?

[00:13:51]>> I do have a list of missing items.

[00:13:53]>> Okay. Go ahead and give your whole folder, please, to Elijah.

[00:13:57]Thank you, ma'am.

[00:14:00]And let's see what type of items you are alleging. This is representation of your kit previous.

[00:14:06]>> Yes, your honor. And then you're saying after Miss Menddees got a hold of the kit, this photo representing what it looked like after. Oh, >> yeah. So, that was an audible. Okay.

[00:14:16]That's a that's a that's a significant uh gap there. So, let's bring you into this, Miss Mendes.

[00:14:22]>> Um, how long have you been doing makeup?

[00:14:23]>> I've been doing makeup for about three years now.

[00:14:26]>> Okay. So, you are a little newer in the industry. Did you feel excited when you were invited to work in uh the Planiff Salon? Honestly, I've only heard extremely highly of her. Well, before.

[00:14:38]>> Coming up on Equal Justice.

[00:14:40]>> Were y'all double booked? Is that the >> No, no, no. Um, we switched days.

[00:14:44]Originally, she would come on, uh, I believe Saturdays, and I let her come in on a Sunday.

[00:14:52]>> This is Equal Justice.

[00:14:55]Equal Justice is back with a dispute between Jasmine Daniels and Sophia Mendez over missing makeup. So, how did you get this big client?

[00:15:03]>> So, I do a lot of social media and she reach she reached out to me. She's a really big influencer. So, this was a huge deal for me.

[00:15:10]>> Okay. So, first of all, let's go back to the kit itself. You're saying uh we saw the visual difference, but you do have an itemized list here with the missing inventory. And this is everything from 24 different shades of foundations.

[00:15:22]We're missing some very high-end eyeshadow palettes. You had about $3,94 worth of missing inventory from your kit is what you're telling the court. Yes, your honor. Um, this isn't the first time I've given someone a kit. Yeah.

[00:15:35]>> But this is the first time I received my kit back in this type of >> condition.

[00:15:39]>> Yes.

[00:15:39]>> Okay. And I see what did you buy replacement items to the tune of $1,200 or what is this $1,200 receipt?

[00:15:46]>> Yes, your honor. Um, that receipt is just because I had previous clients booked because I couldn't take them off of the books as well just because >> No, that's more money lost. Okay. So, how about it, Miss uh Mendes? You you booked this uh great client. Mhm.

[00:16:00]>> Uh, did you end up doing said client?

[00:16:02]>> Yes, I did. I was actually practically done. And she claims that she's super professional. All of this, mind you, when she gets here, she scrambles in, grabs all her makeup, kicks everybody out, and I didn't even get the chance to put the makeup back. Like, she put the makeup back.

[00:16:18]>> And I I do not want to act like I did not because I want to. Yes. As I should.

[00:16:23]So, it's my I own the building.

[00:16:25]>> I want to understand this, ma'am. Were y'all double booked? Is that the issue?

[00:16:27]>> No. No. Um, we switched days.

[00:16:29]Originally, she would come on, uh, I believe Saturdays, and I let her come in on a Sunday, and I booked my work, so we were altering days. Okay.

[00:16:38]>> She was on my day essentially. She wasn't supposed to be there. Okay.

[00:16:41]>> Her schedule must have gotten switched on Saturday.

[00:16:45]>> Judge Ebanese's verdict when Equal Justice returns.

[00:16:52]>> This is Equal Justice.

[00:16:56]Sounds like there was a failure of communication because this woman says that she had no idea you were even going to be in her place of business on this day. Why is that the case? Did you communicate this to her?

[00:17:06]>> I did not. And I take full accountability for that for sure. Yes.

[00:17:09]But I'm saying that we're talking about the makeup kit. She's making this a big deal about the makeup kit.

[00:17:14]>> I'm I'm I'm making a big deal of all of it, Miss uh Menddees. So, I need to understand the miscommunication. You've taken accountability. Now, we're going to get to the kit. Where are the items, ma'am?

[00:17:24]>> I don't know. I didn't get the chance to put anything back.

[00:17:27]>> When you received the kit, did it look like this?

[00:17:29]>> Yes.

[00:17:30]>> Um, I do appreciate your honesty, young lady. If someone is generous enough to allow you to use their tools of the trade, you then have the responsibility, young lady, of being a good steward of that loan. You failed to communicate.

[00:17:43]You failed to be a good steward of the responsibility of your duty for reasonable care of a high-end makeup kit. You are responsible and accountable. ruling for the plane of $4,134.

[00:17:55]>> Thank you, honor. It's my ruling.

[00:17:56]>> All the lies.

[00:17:58]>> Jebony has ruled in favor of the plane.

[00:18:00]The defendant is ordered to pay $4,134.

[00:18:04]>> Any final statements?

[00:18:06]>> Um, I completely disagree with the way this went along. I know my truth. I don't really care.

[00:18:12]>> Any final remarks?

[00:18:13]>> Just know like the the judge stated, you know, do better by people who stick their necks out for you.

[00:18:18]>> You've had your day in court. Please grab your belongings and follow me.

[00:18:51]This has been a production of Allen Media Group.