[suspenseful music playing] Please be seated. -Hello, Your Honor.
-Hello. This is the case of Wallace
versus Wallace. Thank you, Jerome.
Good day, everyone. [audience] Good day. Ms. Wallace, you summoned
your ex-husband and his new wife to court to prove he fathered
your two-year-old daughter, Arae'lynn. You say he is too busy
playing daddy to his new family and has neglected your daughter
for far too long, and that ends today.
Is that correct? -Yes, Your Honor.
-Mr. Wallace? -[Ryan] Yes, Your Honor.
-You say, your ex-wife was so busy "doing her"
that she lost track of who she was doing. And you say you have no problem
taking care of your kids, but you have serious doubt
that you fathered the plaintiff's daughter,
is that correct? -Yes, Your Honor.
-So, Ms. Wallace, why do you feel your ex-husband
is denying your daughter? -Because of his new wife.
-[audience exclaiming] Clearly, it's a problem
that me and Ryan has been honest with each other
in the past. I know exactly
how many kids Ryan has, I'm not sure if she knows, I'm not sure
why when he ran off with her that all of a sudden
it was a problem. He was there when I told him
I was pregnant and if he was at home
being a husband, then we wouldn't be here
in DNA court because I don't sleep around
with people's husbands. I don't have time to be like,
worrying about a DNA test. -This is ridiculous.
-Okay. Let me-- let me make sure I understand where we are. What you're saying
is you have an older child and you had that child
in your marriage. -Yes. And he was there.
-[Judge Lake] And then -there's Arae'lynn.
-[Raeshawn] Arae'lynn. And he's not there
because of Bree. [Breshanda]<i> Mm-hmm.</i> And you're saying that he was
out running around. -Chasing cats in the street.
-[Breshanda] No. Mm-hmm. Oh. Mm-hmm. Mr. Wallace, did you
abandon your family? -[Ryan] No, Your Honor.
-[Raeshawn] Tell the truth. We separated. After so many years
we separated. She was doing her thing
and I was doing my thing and it was just a spur
of the moment. So, why--
if that's the case, why treat our daughters
different? [Judge Lake]
Okay, so, let me get to... the conception window. I wanna understand you
all are husband and wife, you separated,
you're out dating other people*# What happens this night when you get--
take me to that night -when you have sex.
-[Raeshawn] I could tell-- We had sex because I tell him
the story about this-- these people who's married,
and I'm telling him, "Why would I sleep
with a married man when I got my own husband?"
I got my own husband. I could sleep with you,
if that's the case. So, I'm like,
"Can I have what's mine? Can I have some?"
"Oh, Rae, we ain't did it in a long time."
I said, "So, is it mine or not?" He, like, "Yeah.
Let me go cut off the car." So, he go cut off the car,
he come back in, and he took me all the way
to Orion's Belt, I saw the moon,
and the stars, and the sun, and Orion's Belt, I knew
oh, yeah, that's mine. [audience laughing] That's mine at that time.
Not now, that's hers now. But what I'm saying
at that time, it was mine, so, I'm like, "I'll go to work." You know,
but that's what brung-- that's what brung
the sex into it. And why would I sleep
with somebody else's husband? And Orion's Belt,
that's his belt. Oh, yeah, took me there. -[Judge Lake]
So, you went there...
-Sun, moon, stars. -Sun, moon, and stars.
-I saw it. [Judge Lake]
So, that's the night you feel like you got pregnant
with Arae'lynn. That is the night
I got pregnant with Arae'lynn. All right, do you remember
taking her on this trip to Orion's Belt,
Mr. Wallace? -I can't recall, Your Honor.
-You can't recall? -It was only one time, Rae.
-You remember -that one time, though.
-After three or four years. Okay. He remembers it though. -[Judge Lake] So...
-I did-- never denied it. ...how soon after you went--
actually, you got back from the sun, the moon,
and the stars. -You went, came back.
-[Raeshawn] Came back. [Judge Lake] How long
after that did you find out you were pregnant? I felt it immediately,
but three weeks later. -Up there at the sun?
-[Raeshawn] I felt it as soon as I got back down and I woke up and came back to reality.
Like, "Oh, I just had sex with my husband." Oh, and you said,
"I think I'm pregnant," or you just knew it
was a possibility? I thought I was pregnant. [Judge Lake] Mr. Wallace,
I wanna hear from you. What was your reaction
when your wife-- 'Cause at that time,
you're still legally married. -[Raeshawn] His wife.
-So, your wife says to you, "You know what,
I think I am pregnant." I tell her we got to do--
I have to do what I have to do to take care of the baby. -[Raeshawn] Thank you.
-I told her if-- [Judge Lake]
So, you didn't deny? I did not deny it until
she tell me months later. 'Til she tell me
she almost four months old, tell me that it might be
a possibility. That's not true. Oh, what did she say,
Mr. Wallace? [Ryan] Right after I signed
the birth certificate, she told me that it might be
another guy. -[audience exclaiming]
-[Judge Lake] Oh... -let's get to that part.
-[audience laughing] Ms. Wallace, did you
or did you not have sex with somebody else
while your husband had kind of moved on? -[Raeshawn] Yes.
-You did. -Yeah.
-[Judge Lake] Did you have -unprotected sex with someone?
-Yes. Did you have unprotected sex
with anybody during the window of time
when Arae'lynn... -[Raeshawn] No.
-...was conceived? -No.
-[Judge Lake] You say
you did not. -I say I did not.
-[Judge Lake] And that's why you feel like
you know for certain at that time your husband
was her biological father. [Raeshawn] Yes, yes. So, why, when Arae'lynn's
four months old does Mr. Wallace remember
you saying, "You not the dad"? Because he always
wanna try to say, "Oh, she look more
and more like me." I said, "I don't know
who she look like." 'Cause she's light-skinned. So, if she's light-skinned,
I'm not gonna just be like, "Oh, she look like you
and she got your toe, and she got your eyebrows." I'm not 'bout to go
through all of that. All I said was people say that
because we so dark she shouldn't have
been light at all. Well, you know it doesn't have
anything to do with like... -[Raeshawn] But that was...
-...light, and dark, and brown. I mean, we sit up in here
and hear too much testimony about what color
a baby skin was. It's about the DNA,
that's what it's about. If you want more episodes
of Paternity Court Make sure to subscribe
and click on
the notification bell. What I wanna know is the timing. -Timing, yeah.
-[Judge Lake] You're telling me that during the window
of conception, you only slept with Mr. Wallace. [Raeshawn]
That's true, Your Honor. So, when was this, Mr. Wallace,
when did this happen? -December 27, 28, Your Honor.
-[Judge Lake] Oh. So, around December 27, 28,
you say you had sex -with your then wife.
-Yes. [Judge Lake]
When was Arae'lynn born? -Let me get my conception
calculator out.
-September 22nd. -[Judge Lake] When?
-September 22nd, Your Honor. September 22nd of what year? You don't know? -She's talking to you.
-2017. [Judge Lake] All right.
I'mma put that birthdate in my conception calculator
and press calculate. <i> The probable conception dates</i> <i> are December 28th
to January 2nd.</i> Well, it says that this falls right in the window of time
you just outlined. So, that adds up
with her testimony that you
are the biological father. Were you intimate, Ms. Wallace,
with any other person slightly before
or after this estimated window? I don't think
it was that window, but I was with somebody
about five days before him. [audience exclaiming] You do understand that
all of these things -are estimations.
-Yes, I do. When you think about that... the fact that you're having sex
with somebody else in December is definitely reason that
someone may have some doubt. [Raeshawn] I mean,
he could've had some doubt if that's how he felt
but he should've voiced that opinion, though.
He should've said, "Hey, Rae, you know,
I ain't been home in months, you know, I got
this girlfriend out here and I ain't been home in months. Are you sleeping with anybody?" Or-- he already knew
what I was doing though because why would I have
the conversation about sleeping with somebody else's husband,
and I got my own husband, if he didn't know
I was sleeping somebody else? Y'all trying to make it seem
like I'm lying about something but I'm not. He's trying -to make it seem like I'm lying.
-[Judge Lake] No, we're not trying to make you
seem like you lying. We're trying to make
you understand that the truth
that you are testifying to, -your truth...
-Five days before. ...only then gives more
credibility to his doubt. Raeshawn, you know
she doesn't have my eyebrows. -What? He talking
about these eyebrows.
-[Ryan] All my other kids, all the seven kids
have my arch eyebrows. -[Raeshawn] I understand, Ryan.
-Arae'lynn, Arae'lynn eyebrows are straight. Are we talking about eyebrows? [Raeshawn] We talking
about eyebrows. We talking about real eyebrows. [Judge Lake] Okay. Let me look -my court papers.
-I submitted the evidence. Oh, and you even submitted
a chart to the court. -I see it now.
-[audience laughing] How in the world did I skip
over the eyebrow chart? Let's get to it. So, Mr. Wallace, you submitted
this chart to the court because you say
all of your children -have a distinct feature.
-[Ryan] Yes. [Judge Lake]
Tell the court about that. See, I have this strong
arch of eyebrow. Of all my other kids,
my son have them, my daughter have them,
Arae'lynn doesn't have <i> -my strong arch eyebrows.</i>
-[Raeshawn]<i> Good.</i> [audience laughing] [chuckles]
That's not gonna change the DNA results. You know, I don't know why you feel like she's not yours
because of the eyebrows. I felt like she was yours
because of what we did in the timeframe that we did it
and how you acted after I told you I was pregnant. He never said,
"No, that ain't my baby." I asked him,
"What are we gonna do?" "Well, let me know when you go
to the doctors, let me know this,
let me know that." Like I said, he was there
the whole-- He took off work, he was there. [Judge Lake]
All right, all right. So, what I do understand
is you are very clear on that Mr. Wallace
didn't doubt you. But you're saying it
was because of this relationship his new wife, his new girlfriend
that he pretty much -has neglected Arae'lynn.
-[Raeshawn] I think so. I saw you with your hand raised,
Ms. Johnson. Before I go to the results,
is there anything you'd like to add? My thing is that she call, "When you gonna send
Arae'lynn some diapers? When you gonna send her
some Pampers, -when you gonna send..."
-[Raeshawn]
I shouldn't have to call. And that's about it. And
I asked her what was going on. Okay. I wanna ask you this. Are you the reason
that he doubts? Because it sounds
like you doubt. Yeah. I'm doubting
because he-- -She don't have the eyebrows.
-[Judge Lake] Okay. So, see, this is starting
to make sense now. You know, so, you are really
doubtful about this baby. And you're reinforcing
this doubt in your husband. And you're also telling her,
she doesn't have to call and ask for different things. But if she doesn't have him
and the baby needs him -and...
-[Ryan] I automatic sends it. -[Breshanda] He--
-[Raeshawn] How? I automatic sends it. [Judge Lake] You're saying
you already have a plan how you send it
where there's no need -for her to call.
-[Ryan] Exactly. So, you believe the calls
are just trying -to disrupt your marriage.
-[Breshanda] Yes. [Judge Lake]
So, you're resentful of that? -Yeah.
-[Judge Lake] So do you see how there are a whole bunch
of different dynamics at work here? None of which serve Arae'lynn... And if eyebrows
could determine paternity, then we wouldn't need
to be here, with her precious
little cute self. [Raeshawn] She is upset. I'm upset, too. [Raeshawn] Can I say this,
Your Honor? He's the one that runs off
and goes to different states, and create some real babies
and fake families. He's the one that does that.
[sobs] My baby two years old,
he didn't even call my baby <i> on her birthday. Yeah.
I don't celebrate</i> <i> -but, so, what? Call her.</i>
-[Ryan]<i> I called,</i> -I respected you
because I knew it.
-No, no, you didn't. -Ain't no respect to it.
-I called to her.
Did I call her? Can I say this?
If it's about the baby, -why are they worried about me?
-We video call her. And at the end of the day,
I only call him when I want something. -I video call her.
-And it got everything to do with money. 'Cause guess what, I don't want
nothing else that he got. I don't want his lies, I don't want his time,
I don't want none of that. If he not gonna be there
for our daughters, he can go on. She-- he can take care her kids
and it ain't gonna make no never mind
because guess what, my door is open
from when you want your kids the ones that you claim, and you know it. -I'm always there for my kids.
-So, I'm gonna-- I'm gonna pull myself together
because he got me messed up. [Judge Lake] We know that. -We know that.
-[Raeshawn]
And I ain't never lied to him. All the stuff I done
found in your phone, and how long have you all been
in this relationship? And how long was we married? Y'all's whole
relationship is false. It's not about that,
it's about the baby. -Yeah. It is about that.
-[Judge Lake] Listen, listen, -listen.
-[Ryan] It's all about the baby. It's about the baby
and she's denying my baby, -that's what I'm saying.
-[Judge Lake] Listen, -listen...
-She never denied her... -...Mr. Wallace...
-...she just wants the truth. I just need the DNA result. [Judge Lake]
Don't try to get loud now. -[Breshanda] Mm-hmm.
-No sense in getting loud. We've already heard
this saga play out. So, this is complicated. And the only way
we gonna figure out how to get out of this
or get on with this is to get the truth. Jerome, let me have
the envelope, please. -[audience applauding]
-Woo! These results were prepared
by DNA Diagnostics and they read as follows. In the case of Wallace
versus Wallace. When it comes to two-year-old... Arae'lynn Wallace. It has been determined
by this court... Mr. Wallace... you... -are not the father.
-[audience exclaiming] [Breshanda] It's okay.
[shushing] -[Judge Lake] You all right?
-It's okay. -[Judge Lake] Mr. Wallace?
-Come here. [shushing] Mr. Wallace,
what are you feeling? What ha--
You really thought you were? Yes. [Raeshawn] I thought he was too. I fathered her
for two years, oh, man. [sniffles] I feel bad for him. -If he really feel like that--
-Good-- girl, no, be quiet. -[Raeshawn] I do.
-Be quiet. -[Raeshawn] I'm just saying...
-Feel bad for somebody now. -Be quiet.
-[Raeshawn] I do. Mr. Wallace. You took me
through everything, Rae. [Raeshawn]
I took you through everything? -Boy, please.
-You took me through everything. We gonna go talk
to somebody about that -because if he was home--
-[Judge Lake] Hold on, hold on. We don't need to talk
about nothing, it's just... -Okay. So, it is what it is.
-It just went--
it is what it is, right? It is what it is. [Judge Lake] So, Ms. Wallace... your mouth has run
a marathon today. I'm serious. And I kept listening
and I kept trying to understand where you were at
and why would you do this, and you had a reason
for everything and you were adamant... you were convinced
your ex-husband was your child's
biological father... but he's not. -Do you know who is?
-[Raeshawn chuckles] I would say no. It's no reason for me
to look for anybody else. That's not... what I asked. Listen, I'm only here
for Arae'lynn, if you wanna walk out
this courtroom and be like, "Oh, if you wanna hear me
say this, I'm not gonna look for other father,"
you go ahead and be that mother. -No, not like that, Your Honor.
-[Judge Lake] No, no, no. You talked all day,
I'm talking now. You go ahead and be that mother
and you hear me today, on this day,
and don't you forget, you will suffer the consequence
in your life. When everybody's daddy
walks they baby to school. When everybody's daddy shows up
to the father-daughter dance. And she ask you the question,
"Where's mine?" [audience exclaiming] I seen too many mothers
stand up here and wanna climb up
on rickety old soapbox that can't hold nobody steady. Not you, and not no babies. I ain't sitting up here
playing no violin for you, we ain't got no harp music
up in here. We making people. -Now I keep it real up in here.
-Yeah. [Judge Lake]
We do this every day. It's gonna come out the wash,
it's gonna come out in the dry. We in the wash cycle now,
get it clean. -Court is adjourned.
-[gavel bangs]
