Bad dates happen. Horrible times in life happen. But if you've ever had a bad date happen during a horrible time in your life, you understand the sheer rage and sense that nothing is fair or right.
QaShontae Hosomla Short-Brundidge was going through arguably the worst time in her life when her mom passed away. She was raw and vulnerable, but thought she may be able to find solace with Richard Jordan after the pair set up a date.
For reasons that are never fully explained, but may have something to do with Ms. Short having a history of frivolous lawsuits and an explosive temper, Mr. Jordan decided it would be best not to show up.
That date was set for the night of Ms. Short's mothers birthday - the mother Short had recently lost. Getting stood up on her recently-deceased mother's birthday was just too much for her, so QaShontae Short decided she would make Mr. Jordan pay.
She sued him - for ten thousand dollars.
Initially filed in 2020, the lawsuit recently made it's way in front of district judge Herman Marable, Jr. who couldn't help Short - which set her off.
The courts job isn't necessarily to decide whether something is right or wrong, rather to decide if something is legally someone's responsibility - and if so, what can be done to redress that situation. Some courts handle criminal instances, others handle smaller dollar amounts, family issues etc.
The court that handles "emotional distress" isn't district court, where she filed her claim.
Judge Marable, during a zoom hearing with Ms. Short and Mr. Jordan, tells Short that her claim of emotional distress is:
"not something that's justiceable in district court. That has to be brought in circuit court."
The judge, attempting to orient himself to the situation, then asks Mr. Jordan if he is planning on representing himself in whichever court this ends up in.
Jordans response is to tell his side of the story briefly:
"Uh ... I ... to be honest with you, Sir, I thought this was just going to be thrown out. It was ... we had a date. One date. And nothing else after that, and now I'm being sued for ten thousand dollars. There was .. I don't really see how this is gonna go any further, I think it's a waste of your time."
For pretty much the rest of the video, Jordan sits in silence with his face in his hands. It's not that there isn't much for him to say or that he's feeling some deep shame or anything.
It's that he can't get a word in edgewise because Ms. Short ... well ... we'll get there.
Just know that for everything you're about to read, Mr. Jordan was basically just sitting there like:
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The judge then gets to talking about what, exactly, Mr. Jordan is being sued for - at which point QaShontae explains that she initially wasn't suing for that much, but in his response to her initial lawsuit he wrote some things she didn't like or agree with, so she wants to add "perjury" to the list.
The judge tries to explain that it doesn't work that way, but QaSontae loudly insists that it does and her documents will prove he was lying. Judge Marable tries a different approach, asking her if she understands what the legal term "perjury" means, as most people misunderstand it.
QaShontae insists perjury just means a lie and her documents will prove Jordan is lying. Regardless of how much Judge Marable attempts to explain that perjury means lying under oath and there was no oath here, QaShontae insists, often yelling at the judge in her explanation.
Still, Judge Marable and the court of law operate according to the law, not what Ms. Short likes and doesn't like. Lying in a relationship isn't perjury, Mr. Jordan was never under oath, and a defendant has a right to tell their side of the story in the response documents.
Her reaction to Judge Marable not being immediately and fully #TeamQaSontae is several minutes worth of unloading at the judge and proceedings. The hearing was being recorded, so you can watch her response yourself here.
Also, Ms. Short was in an airport in a public setting with no headphones, so everyone around her got to watch the show, too!
It's ... a lot.
QaShontae Hosomla Short-Brundidge sues Richard Jordan for a bad date - argues with judgewww.youtube.com
Arguing about perjury wasn't getting her anywhere, which she realized in the middle of the Judge again explaining that perjury means under oath and Mr. Jordan wasn't under oath.
So she snapped at the judge and cut him off:
"Bottom line is, you said this was a criminal offense so I will send it to circuit court. Are we done here?"
Judge Marable wasn't about to let her go waste another courts time, so he tried again:
"No no, you don't understand, ma'am. You don't understand. Perjury is a false statement made under oath ..."
The judge keeps trying, QaShontae keeps yelling, and Richard keeps on just sitting in silence watching this all go down.
And Twitter ... well Twitter isn't fully and immediately #TeamQaShontae either...
Having seen the clip of this court appearance, what are your thoughts on QaShontae's take? The date in general? Do you think we can expect to see this case in circuit court?
Sound off in the comments ... just maybe not as loudly as QaShontae did.
@GregAbbott_TX/X
