I also want to make something very clear. Judge Millan is in fact a judge and once you step away from the bench you do not lose that title, you keep it whether you are presiding as a judge or an arbitrator. In this case even though her purpose is an arbitrator and that is what all parties have agreed to, she in fact is ruling as a judge and following the laws of the state and the city, which is her job, her right and prerogative as the arbitrator.
As I stated before, she caught something early on which many of you seemed not to and that was the fact that Heidi adamantly stated that she owned only two pieces one wig and one fall. But she kept referring to the ruined piece as a “wig”. That in itself sent up some red flags. The fact that she would bring in only one receipt and not “all” the receipts was also a give-away. If you are coming to court, you come prepared. “Look your honor, a wig costs this much, a fall costs this much, etc.” After all, you are teaching the judge something she would otherwise have no knowledge about. And since you are on TV you are teaching thousands of people as well. Why should anyone believe you at your word. In addition, wouldn’t you want to look your best not only in appearance? Wouldn’t you want to show your smarts as a Jew? Why didn’t they bring in proof from a professional that the wig was ruined? After all they were relating their story to thousands of people.
To Bob, Any Rav would recognize the validity of the LAW and would see right through this couple’s story. It would not stand up in a beis din either. The judge did everything appropriate and a Rav would have asked the same questions. That is why the RAV would have stood by the Judge’s decision. To remark that a Rav would not stand by a goyish Judge’s decision against a Jew is foolhardy and disrespectful to any honest and respectable Rav. Why should a Rav trust a fellow Jew who lied and tried to cheat honest people out of money because of a mistake they made. And Jews who chose to go on TV because they wanted their 15 minutes of fame. Maybe you should reconsider that.