Please be seated. Hello, Your Honor. Hello. This is the case of<i>
Fayne v. Geeter.</i> Thank you, Jerome.
Good day everyone. AUDIENCE: Good day. Ms. Fayne, you have opened
two cases against
your estranged husband today. The first is to prove that
he fathered your four-year-old
son An'twan Geeter and the second
is to prove he fathered your two-year-old son,
Kingstin Geeter. You testify,
that you may not have
been a faithful wife, but you were a careful one, and you are positive
he is the father
of both children. Is that correct? Yes, Your Honor. Mr. Geeter,
you are 100% certain you did not father
either one of her sons. You say your wife is sneaky and is pinning
these babies on you only because you are still
legally married. Is that correct? Yes, Your Honor. So Ms. Fayne,
how difficult has it been
raising these boys alone? It's been really difficult. My life been cut off,
my car been taken due to him not helping me
watch the kids. JUDGE LAKE:
You know that she needs help? Yes, ma'am. But you refuse to help? It's not so much as I refuse, I just don't want to be
that guy taking care
of someone else's kids. And you truly don't believe
these children are yours? I truly do not believe it. But you are
still legally married? FAYNE: Yes, we are. How did you meet?
Take me back. AUDIENCE: Aw. We met back in 2010. We did meet over the chat line. You start dating... FAYNE: Mmm-hmm. ...and then you are
in a committed relationship,
end up getting married. Got married
after my daughter
was four months old. JUDGE LAKE: Okay. And then somewhere
along the line,
paternity questions. FAYNE: Yes. He was looking
through my phone,
checking my messages and, um... And upset
that I was cheating
with another guy. Mr. Geeter, what did you find?
How did you find out? Phone rung,
and it said her sister. And I know her sister's number,
it had a different number,
so I answered the phone, and the guy, you know,
whoever he was,
they didn't say anything, they got quiet,
so I politely
handed her the phone. (AUDIENCE EXCLAIMING) She is always very honest
when she gets caught. So, she went ahead
and came clean. So, Ms. Fayne,
you were cheating
on your husband... Yes, I was. Why? Pretty much,
I got married early and I just wasn't interested
and true anymore, so I started cheating. And so, Mr. Geeter,
is this the only time
you caught your wife cheating? No, it's not. (AUDIENCE EXCLAIMING) No, it's not! JUDGE LAKE: What happened? All right. This was the... Second time, and you know,
the first time is very
eerily similar to the second. You know, I answer the phone,
and you know, the same thing. I took her the phone and she told truth about it. You know, we our had
argument or whatever
you want to call it. You know, she told the truth. And you know,
we worked past it. JUDGE LAKE:
So you worked past it? GEETER: Yes, ma'am. And then this happens again. The phone rings
and there is the silence. Oh, yes, ma'am. JUDGE LAKE:
So this time, she moves out. Yes, ma'am And now you all are separated? GEETER: Yes, ma'am. How soon after that
did you find out
she was pregnant? Um... Couple of weeks
to a month. (AUDIENCE EXCLAIMING) JUDGE LAKE: Mmm-hmm. So, take me to that day
when you found out
she was pregnant. When she called and told me,
that, you know,
she was pregnant, my only response was,
"DNA test," you know. I don't want to take care of...
I don't want to take care of
nobody else's child. I'm sorry. I don't... But we was having sex. Unprotectedly. Unprotected. But you also had the affair
during that time too, right? Yes. Protected. I was protected. JUDGE LAKE: So, how many
different affairs did you have? Two. JUDGE LAKE: Two of them? And during the window
of conception? It was around that time. Did you tell the other men
you were pregnant? No. (AUDIENCE EXCLAIMING) What did you do at that point? Did you stay around
and help through
the pregnancy and birth? Well, you know,
I had to hear
the truth on it. I had tried to be there
for the pregnancy, you know, go to doctor's visits
and do whatever I could, but this lady right here,
she is very, very sneaky. She likes to do stuff
by herself... Okay. I didn't need him to go
to the doctor appointments
with me. JUDGE LAKE: And why is that
if he is the father? I just was like that.
I didn't want him to come. But he is
the father of my kids. And why wouldn't you want him
to come when he's the father? Oh, I just didn't
want him to come. And are you sure
it was not because there was some level
of guilt within you that
this may not be his child? No, it never did come. And this was
not just your boyfriend,
this was your husband. Husband. Yes! Yes. FAYNE: Yeah. Your husband who was going
to be named the father legally because the children
are gonna be born
within the marriage. Yes. And is gonna be responsible
for child support. GEETER: Yes. I mean, this is the person
that's pretty much on the hook
for these children, but he can't come
to the doctor? Okay, I'm gonna move on.
I'm trying to make it
make sense, but it makes
absolutely no sense to me. No sense. And that right there
put more doubt in my head the way that she acted
around like just simple
as going to the doctor's. She acted like that.
That just put even more
doubt in my head. If you want more episodes
of Paternity Court Make sure to subscribe
and click on
the notification bell. We separated. I moved back Memphis. Once this second
incident happened,
I took my butt back home. You know. JUDGE LAKE: So An'twan is four. Have you developed
a relationship with him? Do you have
a relationship with him? I will be honest about that. FAYNE: No, Your Honor. No, I really don't have
a relationship with him. FAYNE: Not at all. FAYNE: He's acting out. He don't listen,
he don't have a father figure
in his life. And he needs his dad. JUDGE LAKE: And so you say
An'twan has really
been suffering. Do you tell him and his brother
that this is their dad? FAYNE: Uh-huh.
He knows his dad. <i> He calls him DJ.
That's his nickname.</i> He never sees him.
He never come around.
Anything. JUDGE LAKE: And doesn't call? FAYNE: Don't call at all. FAYNE: Not even on a holiday.
Not on his birthday. For four years? He treats them different. As far as my daughter,
he'll come pick her up. He won't get the boys. The boys ask to go with Dad. Maybe next time. He don't come back,
he don't get them at all. Really? Mr. Geeter,
you leave the boys behind, and you come get your daughter? FAYNE: Yes, Your Honor. Yes, I'm not going to shirk.
Yes, I do. Simply because
I don't want to get
that bond with them. And it's not mine. I think
that's more devastating. You know... Is it gonna be
more devastating
than if they end up yours and you are the father
and you've missed four years
of connecting with them and the child is acting out
because he has no father figure and he thinks you're his daddy,
but he thinks you only come
for his sister and not for him? Well, I mean,
it is not fair,
but, you know, it's just the hand
I was dealt right now. All right, so, Ms. Fayne,
you didn't open just one case
today, you have two. Yes Your Honor. You also have a son
named Kingstin. Yes, Your Honor. And you say that Mr. Geeter,
your husband, is Kingstin's
biological father. FAYNE:<i> Yes, Your Honor.</i> JUDGE LAKE:<i>
And Kingstin is two.</i> Yes, Your Honor. But wait a minute, Mr. Geeter.
You said you all separated
four years ago, so how could you be
a possible father
of Kingstin, who's two? If you left
going back home to Memphis... Well, see, what had
happened was... (ALL LAUGHING) JUDGE LAKE:
"What had happened was." Don't lie to her. JUDGE LAKE: What had happened? Um, I was still making
those trips up the road.
That's what happened. If I gotta
tell you the truth. JUDGE LAKE:
So wait a minute. You brought
your girlfriend with you. She's sitting here
supporting you. She's been with you
for four years. But you got a two-year-old son,
potentially, with your wife. GEETER: Yeah. Now what kind of mess is this? You're right. (CHUCKLES) I mean, hey, it was
a hot mess. (CHUCKLES)
I agree. You know? So, Mr. Geeter,
I think this is
a good opportunity and a good time to hear
from your girlfriend. (ALL LAUGHING) GEETER: Uh-oh. Ma'am, please step up
to the podium. (AUDIENCE CLAPPING) State your name for the court. I am Amanda Askew,
and I have been dating
the defendant for four years. Four years? ASKEW: Yes, ma'am. So, when's the first time
you heard about him
still going back, and visiting his wife
and sleeping with her? Today. (AUDIENCE EXCLAIMING) Yes, ma'am. So, Mr. Geeter,
you had not told
your girlfriend in four years that you were
still sexually active
with your wife? And want his family back. (AUDIENCE EXCLAIMING) JUDGE LAKE:
That's what he was saying? And from my understanding,
he's been denying this family. But from your understanding
as well, he wasn't
sleeping with her. And then, you obviously
were sleeping with her during the window of time
that Kingstin was conceived, which was a little over
two years ago. Yes, ma'am. Dirty, dirty, dirty, dirty. If I gotta tell the truth.
I was. Yes, ma'am. But that's why we're here.
We're here to tell the truth 'cause this gonna come out
one way or the other. Yes, it is. Yes, ma'am. And my granny saying,
"The wash or in the dry," but it's coming out. Yes, ma'am. JUDGE LAKE: And so, when you
found out you were pregnant
the second time with Kingstin, <i> Ms. Fayne,
did you tell your husband?</i> Yes, I did call him
over the phone and let him know
that I was pregnant again. JUDGE LAKE: Were you sleeping
with anybody else at that time? Yes, I was and
that was protect... (AUDIENCE EXCLAIMING) That was protected. It's kinda hard to believe,
ain't it? FAYNE: 'Cause from my... Well, you sure ain't the one
that need to be talking about
what's hard to believe now. (ALL CLAPPING AND LAUGHING) GEETER: Yes, ma'am. Cheating on your girlfriend
with your wife. I don't even know if that...
Can you do that? How do you
have time to do that? You supposed to be working
ten hours a day,
seven day a week. Well, obviously
we weren't doing that. JUDGE LAKE:
He had some extra shifts. At home. So you find out
you're pregnant,
you tell Mr. Geeter. Do you tell
the other man,
"I'm pregnant"? FAYNE:<i> I did not,</i> <i> 'cause I was sure
that Geeter was the...
Andrew was the father.</i> So when you had the baby,
when you had Kingstin,
who was with you? The other guy. And he signed
the birth certificate,
Your Honor. JUDGE LAKE: And he signed
the birth certificate? He did not sign
the birth certificate. JUDGE LAKE: Do you have
a copy of Kingstin's
birth certificate? Yes.
We submitted it
to the court. You submitted it to the court. Yes. JUDGE LAKE: So this is
the certification of birth. And no father listed. I was under the impression,
too, that he signed
the birth certificate. Well, you know why he can't?
'Cause you're the husband. FAYNE: Right. He been asking for a divorce. They could have been going
half on it together. They was going half.
They were going half,
Ms. Askew. They were going half
on the bed, but they weren't
going half on no divorce. Okay, you took it
out of my mouth. If he want a divorce,
he need to pay for it. How 'bout both
of y'all pay for it? It just don't
fall up on him. He can pay for it. He can pay for it
'cause I'm not. (BOTH TALKING OVER ONE ANOTHER) Hold on, hold on, hold on.
Hold on, hold on, hold on.
Hold on, hold on. When is the last time
you had sex
with your husband? It's been probably a year ago. Just about a year ago? FAYNE: Yeah. So you all
were still having sex
after Kingstin was born? Yes, Your Honor. (AUDIENCE EXCLAIMING) All right. Well, we here now.
We can't turn around. Yes, we are.
(CHUCKLES) So, there are
two children here whose paternity
is truly on the line. And Mr. Geeter,
even though you may
have cause to believe you may not be the children's
biological father, you still do really
have cause to believe that you could be
these children's
biological father. Yes, Your Honor. That's real.
That's the real truth. Yes, ma'am. JUDGE LAKE:<i> Now, I know
you have not spent
a lot of time with An'twan.</i> But have you
spent time with Kingstin?
He's two. No, ma'am. No. Not at all. JUDGE LAKE:<i> But you see
the effects of not having
a father figure,</i> and the way
the children behave,
especially An'twan. An'twan.
He's acting out to date. JUDGE LAKE: I'm sorry? He needs his father. So what are your hopes today?
'Cause I see...
I see the hurt in your eyes. What are you hoping for? Hoping to get these results
so he can start being there
for his kids and take care of his kids
like he's supposed to
and it's not all about money. He can come get them.
It's not about the money. I don't have
a problem with that. He can spend time with them. I just want to get
these results today... Help me watch them. Because I don't want
to watch another man's kids. I don't want to raise
another man's kids. She can have 20 more kids
and they're going to follow me? FAYNE: My tubes are tied. I don't want that.
No, I want a divorce. All right,
I'm ready for the results. (AUDIENCE CLAPPING) These results were prepared
by DNA Diagnostics and
they read as follows. This result is for An'twan. In the case of<i> Fayne v. Geeter,</i> when it comes to
four-year-old An'twan Geeter, it has been determined
by this court, Mr. Geeter, you... You... ...are the father. (AUDIENCE CLAPPING
AND CHEERING) FAYNE: Told you. I already knew. JUDGE LAKE:
You are the father of An'twan. What do you have to say? Now I'm hoping
he can be in his son's life. JUDGE LAKE:
Do you want to be there
for your son, Mr. Geeter? Yes, I do want. I'm not one
to turn my back on
my responsibilities, you know. I welcome them
with open arms.
I'm gonna step up. 'Cause I see
the acting out myself. And this is all basically what
I wanted to know for sure. I'm ready
for Kingstin's results. Jerome. These results were prepared
by DNA Diagnostics as well, and they read as follows. In the case of<i> Fayne v. Geeter,</i> when it comes
to two-year-old Kingstin, it has been determined
by this court, Mr. Geeter, you... Are not the father. (AUDIENCE EXCLAIMING) Ooh! Ms. Fayne, do you know
who Kingstin's
biological father is? Yes, Your Honor.
It's the other guy. But you said you were sure because you only had
unprotected sex
with your husband. Yes, but that's
the only other person. Has he ever met his father? Yes, Your Honor. He denied him also. So now he's probably
gonna need a test
to prove it to him. Yes, Your Honor. Well, I say we're
here for children, and this court room is here
if he needs to have a test, <i>get the certainty he deserves.
This baby deserves to know.</i> Y'all got to get
this mess cleaned up. I'm sending you
to Dr. Jeff right now. You all have emotional issues
you need to work out, legal issues
with respect to the marriage. Child support, 'cause you're on
child support for the baby too. I'm on child support
for all of them. Right. So now you all got to go
back to your home state
and work that out. So this is something you
all need to start figuring out
and start working on, and you need help,
and we have it, and I want you all
to take advantage of it. All right?
If you need this courtroom,
we will be here. I wish you all the very best.
Court is adjourned. (GAVEL BANGS) (AUDIENCE CLAPPING)
