Top 10 Most Hilarious Cases on The People's Court

A mistake with the bakery led to the wrong cake being made for a birthday party. Naturally, the plaintiff is suing for the whole of her grown daughter’s entire party, including DJ fees and the cost of the venue. Well, why not ask for the value of the presents too, while she’s at it? Even the audience can’t keep it together during the summary of the case. Is this woman really suing a baker for $1,000 over a $35 cake? The daughter had the good sense not to show up, but the plaintiff’s seriousness is as unbelievable as the lawsuit. The frivolity really makes this one a must-see, especially with Judge Milian’s sarcastic tirade and her demands to know what’s in red velvet.

Judge Milian had no reason to think anyone in her audience could play the busted accordion at the center of this case. Since none of the litigants can demonstrate how to play it, who can say if it’s actually defective or not? Lo and behold, a wild accordion player enters the chat. It’s a rare treat to see an audience member say anything, let alone put on a small concert for the room. We get to hear a little bit about how she learned to play and let’s just say the judge’s retort is best enjoyed by people who know their post-World War II history. If you’re curious, the plaintiff won the case and got his money back for the broken accordion.

When they first started seeing each other, the plaintiff spent quite a lot of money on the defendant, and she would eventually find out that he at one point dated her niece. Once she reached the $1000 mark, she warned him that anything more she spent on him would be considered a loan. In court, she maintained that he was using her the whole time. Judge Milian can’t quite believe she’s got two people with this much life experience in court over something like this. But that’s what makes it so fun. It’s a high drama playing out right in the courtroom, full of revenge, graphic sexting, and the most dramatic reactions ever seen on this side of a telenovela.

The plaintiff, a model, sustained cuts on her finger during a visit to a nail salon. She now wants compensation for missing out on casting calls that she just didn’t show up for because of these cuts. The judge sniffs out exactly what’s going on here. When the plaintiff’s mother keeps trying to coach her, even making her sit down isn’t enough to keep her from interfering. The entitlement on display is truly mind blowing. Even in the aftermath, the mother can’t keep herself from speaking for her daughter. Beyond that, it doesn’t take a law degree to see that their suit is nonsense. And we thank them for the entertainment.

Plaintiff Theresia Harpster clearly has a passion for flowers, and heaven help anyone who gets in her way. She plays cool and collected as she tells her story of a savage flower massacre by the defendant’s landscaping company. But, once the defendant shows the receipts of Harpster’s behavior, which includes some light assault and a torrent of obscene language, her look of phony shock is almost comical. It’s also kind of frightening. The longer it goes on, the less she can contain her frustration. Despite her insistence that everyone is lying about her, her temper only becomes more evident. Her last words to the defendant are as unhinged as they are hilarious.

He paid for the thick crust. He got thin crust. This is his brave story. The incredibly serious plaintiff would probably be a standout litigant in any case, but the fact that he’s suing over a $3 slice of pizza makes this the least serious case ever. And that just makes it so much better. Meanwhile, the restaurant owners seem to have indulged in this for a bit of free promo more than anything else. Then again, with the way it’s described, maybe this pizza really is worth all the trouble. Even the plaintiff can’t help but give a rave review to the restaurant he just sued.

Even as she admits (with a smile) to driving for decades without a license, Sharon Stevens is one of the most charming guests “The People’s Court” has ever seen. The show starts as soon as she walks in, when she clearly takes issue with the announcer’s description of her case. Throughout the case, she’s honest to a fault. She explains, demonstrating with sound effects, how the car she was driving got damaged. While she may be a little lost, it’s clear her moral compass is strong. After some slight confusion as to whether she won or not, Stevens clearly felt bad about what had happened. It was all worth it to be on “The People’s Court,” though.

Who could have predicted this relationship would turn sour? Well, probably a lot of people. And certainly Judge Milian. In fact, she has these two and their special arrangement pegged from the start. Although it’s hard to feel bad for anyone in the case, the judge almost respects the defendant’s hustle. After all, a 59-year-old man should probably know better than to give his 27-year-old girlfriend money for a friend who might not even exist… and after they’ve only been dating a few months! The judge had no sympathy for the plaintiff’s position, and had some pretty damning advice for him.

This one is so crazy, even the bailiff can’t keep a straight face as he hands the judge the case paperwork. Yeah, the case is about a vicious dog bite, but a particularly goofy defendant makes it one for the books. Pitbull-owner Dorothy Henze is clearly confused by the plaintiff’s identity, as she thought this was about another case where her dog bit another jogger. So, her interesting defense doesn’t hold much water. Henze’s airheaded answers are funny as long as you don’t remember that this woman is responsible for a pitbull.

The litigants in this all-time classic case entered into a loose contract with expectations that just weren’t physiologically possible. Plaintiffs Khandi Moore and Sha wanted to become pregnant at the same time, so they signed a contract with defendant Oakdan Dragt to provide daily donations to that end. Well, for various reasons, this did not go well. Judge Milian, the renowned champion of ocular health, has to ask the tough questions. She even has to educate the plaintiffs on the rigorous process of trying to get pregnant, and so graciously shares some of her own experiences. The most hilarious thing is how, due to this being aired on daytime television, they are all forced to dance around the more explicit terminology.