You may be seated. Hello, Your Honor. Hello. This is the case of<i>
Harrison v. Grant.</i> <i> Thank you, Jerome.
Good day everyone.</i> AUDIENCE: <i> Good day.</i> JUDGE LAKE: Mr. Harrison,
you are suing the defendant,
Ms. Grant, for paternity fraud. You've also
petitioned the court
to remove your name from the acknowledgment
of paternity document for four-year-old
Alea Harrison because you claim, you signed it under
false pretenses. Yes, Your Honor. JUDGE LAKE:
Ms. Grant, you claim, you may have lied about
your ongoing affair, but you did not lie about
Mr. Harrison being your daughter's
biological father. Absolutely, Your Honor.
Yes, ma'am. So, Mr. Harrison, explain. Why are you suing
for fraud? Well, Your Honor,
I signed my acknowledgment
for paternity for my daughter. And I've done
everything for her
since the day she's been born. <i> I've had several people
come to me
through Facebook</i> <i> and through text messaging
on my phone,</i> saying that, you know,
Alea is not your daughter. I don't care
what Ms. Grant is saying, she is not your daughter. Are they explaining
what they base
this assertion on? Well, apparently,
it's through several of
her friends, you know, that maybe she's had... They're not any kind of friends of mine,
Your Honor, if they're
talking behind my back. (AUDIENCE CLAPS) Well, see... HARRISON:
I have to say that the person,
that gave me these accusations had no reason
other than the fact
that they had, you know, had an argument, and she felt like she had to
get a little bit of revenge
on her. You know, and started
telling me things... JUDGE LAKE: Okay. Such as.
But, also said, you know, "This child does not look
anything like you, "you need to start doing
a little bit
of investigation." GRANT: Well, she's biracial,
Your Honor. What is she
supposed to look like? She looks like herself. She doesn't... (AUDIENCE LAUGHING
AND APPLAUDING) She doesn't look like
she has any... JUDGE LAKE: So, Ms. Grant... You do admit you cheated.
Is that correct? Yes. I had had
a relationship with a man, that I had met
when I was very young. I had met him
when I was 18 years old. Um, he was a good friend
to me. Mr. Harrison, when did you
find out about this? Your Honor, I... When he went snooping
through my phone. I have to say. She had this affair
with this person for 15 years. I've only been with her
for eight. So this goes way before we were ever even together
in the first place. So, after eight years
with her, and a previous child
before the one in question, we've already
had a child together. So, she has been
cheating on me literally, the entire
eight year span
that we were together, including the time
of our first child. (AUDIENCE GASPS) So just take me to the day
when you found out. How... What happened? HARRISON: Okay,
I found out... I found out when I... I was bringing home
like a dryer,
or something like that, and I asked her
to help me out
bringing it in, and she wasn't helping me
the way I needed to be helped, getting it through the door. And I started getting
maybe a little bit upset. You know, just trying to
bring a big washer in, and I needed help
guiding it through. She got upset
and she said, you know, "I just don't wanna
do this anymore. "I just don't wanna
do it anymore." GRANT:
I didn't wanna have to
keep lying to him, Your Honor. I got tired of, you know, being dishonest
and being disrespectful
in my relationship. And I gave him
every option to, you know,
decide what he wanted to do. And so I decided that
instead of letting
somebody else blackmail me,
like my so-called friend
had done... How about honesty?
How about honesty
seven years ago? How about, you know, honesty at the very beginning? JUDGE LAKE: Well,
and I wanna understand... What happened that day? So, out of the blue, "Help me move the washer,"
turns into,
"I just don't wanna do this." Well, it turns into him getting frustrated... HARRISON: I got
a little bit upset. And fussing and cursing. And I said, you know what, I can't do this anymore
with you. And so, Ms. Grant, who is this person? What... This person
was a friend of mine. Um, I had met his person
when I was 18 years old. I was a single parent of a two-year-old daughter
at the time. <i> Um, he helped me with her.</i> He helped me financially.
He has bought cars. He has paid rent,
he has paid bills. AUDIENCE MEMBER: Wow. Okay. Um, when I met Mr. Harrison,
and I told my friend, "I'm in love
and we're gonna have a baby." And he wished me
the best. He said,
"I'm gonna bow out
gracefully. "I know you'd like
to get married." And, you know,
that wasn't his intention
for me. And, so, you know,
like a real friend, he just wanted to know
how I was doing. Was this strictly platonic? Or was this
a sexual relationsip? At times it was sexual, but, for the most part, it was platonic, while I was with Mr. Harrison. But this whole time she was... JUDGE LAKE:
And how did you... JUDGE LAKE:
How did you manage to do this for
15 years, but eight years,
while you were
with Mr. Harrison? How did you
pull this off? This... GRANT: Lies. Non-stop.
The entire time. 'Cause I've asker her... Just lies. Several times throughout this
entire eight-year relationship if she's ever cheated. "Absolutely not.
I would never cheat on you." JUDGE LAKE: Ms. Grant, Mr. Harrison is suing you... GRANT: Yes, ma'am. For paternity fraud. GRANT: Yes, ma'am. Because he says he signed the acknowledgment
of paternity <i> under false pretenses</i> <i> because he feels
like you misled him,</i> lied... GRANT: Yes. But, I didn't lie
about the paternity. I lied about
whether or not I was seeing somebody, but, like I said,
the person wasn't even
in our area at the time. So, you're saying
you were not sleeping
with this person. GRANT:
Not at that time, no. During the time
Alea was conceived. HARRISON:
But, how am I supposed
to ever believe that after an entire
eight-year relationship? Alea is only four now. You see
what I'm saying?
That's a long time to supposedly not just be... Absolutely,
that's a long time. You know, with them. But, that's why we're
here now. JUDGE LAKE:
Your point is,
how do I belive that... Well, she sat there
and told me when she admitted
up to all this. She told me,
"Yes, it's been going on
the whole time." But I also...
When I came clean, I gave you the option
whether or not
you wanted to stay. Whether or not
you wanted to go ahead
and call it quits, for good, forever... Yes, you're right. Or if you wanted
to go ahead and, you know,
lay it out all out on the line. Because I'm not
a deadbeat and actually wanna
be around my children
if they're mine. You know,
I'm not gonna sit there... He's cheated on me. I'm not gonna sit there.
I told her
time and time again. I said, I don't care
how bad at times
our relationship is, let's wait until
the kids get older, so that they can understand
a little bit better than dad just leaving
at four and seven years old. <i> But, the thing is,
I love her to death.</i> <i> She's my best friend,
you know, and...</i> JUDGE LAKE: <i> Love...
Look. Look.</i> HARRISON: <i> And she
really is. I mean like</i> I could spend 100 hours
straight with her... JUDGE LAKE: There are a lot of people out here
that love people, but don't trust them. HARRISON: It's the lies. HARRISON: It's the lies.
That's all it boils down to. GRANT: Absolutely. It's the lies.
That's it. It's just the lies.
I feel like she will lie for no reason whatsoever. Ms. Grant, when were you
last intimate
with this other guy? Um, December. JUDGE LAKE:
In December? Before, um, Mr. Harrison and
I decided to try
and reconcile, um, we have been living apart
for almost 10 months. HARRISON: Almost,
almost 10 months. JUDGE LAKE:
And so, this is just
months ago. JUDGE LAKE: Two months ago... She... Let me... JUDGE LAKE: That you really... I'll say this.
I had major ankle surgery. HARRISON: In February
of 2014. She decided that
that was the time
she wanted to break up. And while I'm immobile... I can't even get up
from the couch, after major ankle surgery... She was dolling up
and darting out the door while I had to watch the kids
on crutches, couldn't even
get off the couch. And despite this,
you still wanted
to be with her? HARRISON:
Absolutely. I tried. And it wasn't...
I love her, and I love my kids
so much. You know that I was willing
to bend over backwards and forgive her
for all of her misdeeds.
All of 'em. Every single one of 'em! What about your misdeeds?
Don't sit there and act like you haven't cheated on me. I'm not saying that... GRANT:
He's cheated on me with someone who is...
He's an indie pro-wrestler. He's cheated on me
with someone who
they call Ring Rats. They call 'em Ring Rats
for a reason, Your Honor. JUDGE LAKE: Okay. The relationship
is definitely torn. <i> In turmoil.</i> GRANT: <i> Yes. Yes.</i> <i> And now I was ready
to lay it all out on the line.</i> JUDGE LAKE: <i> And, now,
the paternity, though,</i> of this beautiful
young child is in question. I'm to the point where,
you know, we laid
everything out... JUDGE LAKE: But
you feel like it was all
false pretenses. That she lied
the entire time
and set you up for this. That's what
paternity fraud is. GRANT: Yeah. I did lie. I admit to lying
about being... HARRISON: How am I to know? With somebody else... HARRISON:
How am I to know? Here and there. So, do you also admit,
Ms. Grant, to basically defrauding him?
Basically saying, this is your child? <i> When you knew, for certain,
that it was not his child?</i> <i> Did you do that?</i> GRANT: <i> No, ma'am.
No, ma'am.</i> GRANT: <i> I knew 100%</i> that she was his child, because she was conceived
during a blizzard. What does snow on the ground
have to do
with a child's paternity? Because the other person
doesn't like the cold weather and he went to Florida. She feels like
she can sit there and name
the day of conception. I can. And I don't see how... JUDGE LAKE: Hold on, hold on,
hold on. Let me... I have a conception
calculator here. I wanna understand this. So, what day was Alea born? GRANT:
Her birthday is
September 15 of 2010. JUDGE LAKE:<i>
September 15th, 2010.</i> <i> If her birthdate
is September 15,</i> the dates of conception
would be somewhere between December 19th
to December 27th. GRANT: Yes, ma'am. GRANT: <i> Her birthday
is September 15th.</i> JUDGE LAKE: <i> Let me...</i> <i> You say this is a blizzard.</i> This is how you know
it could not be
the other man's child. It's because this man
doesn't like the cold. GRANT: He took off. JUDGE LAKE:
And so he was not there. JUDGE LAKE: He was gone. Yeah, he took off. All right.
So, let me pull up
the weather. (LAUGHTER IN THE AUDIENCE) It doesn't make much sense,
Your Honor, cause this person doesn't have the time... GRANT: I'm sorry,
it makes sense to me. That person has the time
and the money to do
whatever he wants. It says here, "Snowfall, drifts
several feet deep." MS. GRANT: <i> Hmm. Imagine that.</i> HARRISON: <i> It was a bad year.</i> And it was a bad year
the year before as well. I mean we had ice storms
that almost buried... JUDGE LAKE: So,
the bottom line is... Is the weather
that Ms. Grant is describing
is in fact true. That it was
very snowy weather. And her recollection is,
this gentleman, that she has had this
15-year-long affair, does not like the snow,
so he was gone. Do you believe that
assertion or not? (CHUCKLING)
No, no I don't. That's what I wanted
to understand. No, I don't. I don't expect him
to believe it.
I expect him to believe cold hard facts. And your results. Everything in me
wants to believe
everything she said. I've been with eight years.
Almost nine. I wanna believe everything... Off and on.
Not straight through. Because there has been times
he hasn't even been in the same timezone as me. JUDGE LAKE: But,
Ms. Grant. JUDGE LAKE: Ms. Grant,
you do understand... GRANT: Yes, ma'am. Based your testimony, and what you've admitted to
in your relationship, that, <i> at this point,
he just doesn't believe</i> <i> anything you say.</i> GRANT: I don't expect for him
to believe anything but, he also... You know, we're at the point
where we don't believe
each other about anything except for what time it is
and if it's sunny outside
or not. I cannot go any further
in the relationship as far as marrying her, moving back into the house
with her, until I get
something in concrete
about Alea. And my kids keep coming
to me and asking me, when he comes to visit, "Where's daddy going?" I have to also sit there
and say... And I have to explain that to a seven-year-old
and a four-year old. She has three other kids. She has three other kids,
other than mine, I don't know. HARRISON:
That I have also taken in. So the truth is
the stakes are very high. And it's not just
this relationship on the line. There's an entire family... HARRISON: Five people. HARRISON: <i> Five people
inside the house right now are
affected by what's going on.</i> GRANT:<i>
More than five people.</i> JUDGE LAKE: <i> And you...</i> I have people right now
telling me that I ought to be
ashamed of myself for even being here to prove to this man,
who I am in love with
at this very moment, even though he is accusing me
of not knowing who the father
of my child is. That I ought to be
ashamed of myself
for coming in front of you and prove it to him
and the rest of the world that yes I've done wrong,
but, I'm willing to admit that and I'm willing to
right those wrongs. (AUDIENCE APPLAUDS) For my children. JUDGE LAKE:
But, Ms. Grant, as you stand there and I see
how emotional you are
when you speak. GRANT: Yes, ma'am. You do understand that much of this
you've caused by this... Yes, ma'am. 15-year long affair... And the secrets. Pure dishonesty.
Yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am.
And I'm willing
to admit that. JUDGE LAKE:
You're ready now
to just step up to the plate, admit what
you've done wrong? GRANT: Because
he has the right to know. When we got into it... I was willing
to lay it all out there. So that he could be
there for the kids
if he wanted to be. If he doesn't believe
that she's his,
that's his problem. And, so,
if Alea is not
your biological daughter, what are you gonna do?
Are you leaving the family? Are you gonna
try to work this out? HARRISON: <i> I just think,
after all the lies,</i> I just don't think
I could bring myself to reconcile again with her. Her friend, that had hit me up
on Facebook and texted... She's not any kind of friend. She apparently
told her friend,
that I was not her dad. So that's exactly... What? No.
She wasn't there with us. Apparently you told her. No, I didn't. She... I don't know. I don't know. Mmm, okay. JUDGE LAKE:
Her friend told you,
that Ms. Grant said that you're not the father? Yes. I never said that. JUDGE LAKE: You state, and you are suing,
because you believe,
Mr. Harrison, that Ms. Grant, purposefully, with intention,
lied to you about the fact that
you were Alea's
biological father. HARRISON:<i>
I just don't think...
I don't think it's a question</i> <i> of her trapping me
or whatnot,</i> I think it was more or less...
It was the time and when she found out
she was pregnant we both kind of found out
at the same time, and I was supposed to be
the only one around, and with her, not...
Her wanting to
break up with me just on spite,
'cause she didn't wanna
come clean and tell the truth. JUDGE LAKE: Sir,
I undersad that. But, you have to understand
that there is a difference. As you talk about
a legal cause
for paternity fraud. There is a difference between
not wanting to tell
my partner, my mate, that I've also
had an affair, to purposefully,
with intention, defrauding him, telling him, "You are the father
of this child..." But I would never do that. "When I know for certain
that somebody else is." And making you sign
an acknowledgment
of paternity. Those are two
completely different things. And even though,
the lie she told, the lie she lived, was morally wrong
on every level, the legal foundation
for paternity fraud has just not been presented
here, in this courtroom today. And, you know,
as I look to the law
in your home state, even though,
you're able to sue
for paternity fraud, there is a statute
of limitations. It's non-contestable
after 24 months,
Your Honor. He is the daddy. JUDGE LAKE:
You know Alea is four now? HARRISON: <i> Yes.</i> JUDGE LAKE: <i> You would
have had two years.</i> <i> And you have
a lot on the line here.</i> Yes, morally,
wrong on every level. Legally,
not paternity fraud. GRANT: He doesn't believe
that she's his
because of the... JUDGE LAKE: I think it's time
for the results.
Are we ready? Yes. HARRISON:
Yes, Your Honor. These results were prepared
by DNA Diagnostics
and they read as follows. JUDGE LAKE: In the case of<i>
Harrison v. Grant...</i> until I get
something in concrete
about Alea. When it comes to
four-year-old Alea Harrison, tt has been determined
by this court, Mr. Harrison, you are her father. I told you. Wow. Wow. I'm happy. JUDGE LAKE: Good, good. JUDGE LAKE:
How do you feel, Ms. Grant? I feel vindicated,
Your Honor. Absolutely. I may have lied
about my affair, but I know
who the father of my child is. Are you all gonna
try to work this thing out? GRANT: I hope we can. HARRISON:
I would like to. HARRISON: I really would.
I forgave her for everything. I hope we can. When she and I sat down
and had this talk,
we hashed it all out. JUDGE LAKE: Let me say this
to you both, and we have resources for you
in counseling, and I want you to take
advantage of that. Can you
get back to the basics and figure out how to grow,
again? I think,
with some assistance... JUDGE LAKE: In a healthy way. Or, or are you gonna
keep rehashing the same lies
over and over again? You choose in life
what you grow. You can grow the lie
or you can grow the love. Yes, ma'am. JUDGE LAKE:
That's your choice. Understand? GRANT: Yes, ma'am. I wish you all
the very best of luck. You're such
a beautiful family. GRANT: Thank you. JUDGE LAKE:
And I hope you find a way
to come together. I hope we will too. HARRISON: Thank you. Court is adjourned. GRANT: Thank you. When Judge Lauren Lake
revealed the results I couldn't be
any happier. I'm really hoping
that we'll be able
to move forward and we'll be able
to get married and do the things
that we have always
talked about doing. This is
the last little question
I ever had.
