SAN FRANCISCO—The first trial over the status of “gig economy” workers drew to a close here, as a man who worked for GrubHub for several months seeks to prove that he should have been classified as an employee, not an independent contractor.

Shannon Liss-Riordan, representing plaintiff Raef Lawson, didn’t get 20 minutes into her closing argument when US Magistrate Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley interrupted her to say that her client was untruthful, and that her decision would reflect that. He produced a “fabricated resume,” and lied on an application to GrubHub that he submitted after filing the lawsuit.

Despite her harsh assessment of the plaintiff in the case, it’s not at all clear that GrubHub will prevail. On almost every point that would prove that he’s an independent contractor, Corley had tough questions for GrubHub lawyers.