Judge Judy Being Sued for Cheaping Out on Someone’s Wildly Overpriced China

When Judith Sheindlin -- aka TV's 'Judge Judy' -- bought some used china from her producer, she probably didn't think it would end in a ridiculous lawsuit. After all, who would try to sue a woman who's been a judge for more than three decades and is known for her take-no-prisoners approach to life?

But that's exactly what happened -- Judy is the defendant in a $514,000 lawsuit over what must be the plates from which Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette ate on their wedding day.

The story goes that Judge Judy's producer Randy Douthit is going through a messy divorce from his wife Patric Jones -- a divorce which only got messier when Douthit sold their used Christofle tableware to Judy for $50,000.

Now Jones is suing Judy, claiming the judge and Randy schemed to steal the china out from under Jones' nose without her consent when it's actually worth over $500,000. The lawsuit also claims Randy tried to reduced his “profit participation” from the 'Judge Judy' show so he wouldn't have to pay more money during their divorce settlement.

Jones either wants her table settings back or she wants Judy to pay the full “worth” of the set which was apparently taken into space during the first moon landing. (After Marie Antoinette's cake crumbs were dusted off, of course.)

However, according to divorce documents that TMZ got its hands on, the china was only worth $100,000 when it was purchased in 2003, and it was appraised by a judge for $125,000 in 2012. At the time, the judge ordered Douthit to pay Jones half that value.

A lawyer for Jones claims that this decision was “tentative” and he plans to change the judge's mind before the end of the trial -- or, if the ruling stands, to file an appeal.

As for Judy herself, she had a characteristically acerbic response to the whole mess: "I have not seen any complaint by the former Mrs. Douthit, however, I don't owe this lady a cent.  And if this 50-year-old woman would spend her time more productively at trying to find a job, instead of abusing the judicial system with frivolous lawsuits, we would all be a lot better off."