You may be seated. Hello, Your Honor. Hello. This is the case of<i>
Billingsley v. Broadnax.</i> Thank you, Jerome.
Good day, everyone. AUDIENCE: Good day! Ms. Billingsley,
you claim you alone have shouldered
the burden of more than $10,000 in childcare expenses, all because the defendant denies paternity
of your daughter and refuses
to help support her. Yes, Your Honor. JUDGE LAKE:
You're suing Mr. Broadnax for half of those costs, in the amount of $5000 and claim today's
paternity results will prove you right. Yes, Your Honor. Mr. Broadnax, you agree you've not done
a single thing... Yes, Your Honor. JUDGE LAKE:
...for one-year-old Bailey. You argue that
it's only because
Ms. Billingsley cheated on you,
and you don't believe you are her
daughter's father. Yes, Your Honor. JUDGE LAKE:
So Ms. Billingsley, please explain
your lawsuit. Yes, ma'am, Your Honor. So my daughter
is now 21 months, and I've been taking care
of her since day one. For example,
for her first birthday, um, me and Mr. Broadnax
had decided that we were going
to do her birthday party, and I had decided
that we were going to...
(VOICE BREAKING) I'm sorry.
Just seeing her
breaks my heart. Um, I'd decided that I was
gonna take her to the zoo and customize her cake, customize her outfit,
everything for her. Go all out
and beyond for her. Um, when it came
down to the date of ordering those things, Mr. Broadnax went MIA. I couldn't find him.
I couldn't get ahold of him. Um... Messages on Facebook... Everything you could
possibly think of to try to get
ahold of him... BROADNAX: Your Honor. Tell her... BILLINGSLEY: To go ahead... You should tell her
what I have done. Your Honor... What he has done for me, Your Honor, is in the beginning
of my pregnancy... BROADNAX: I'm not gonna
take care of a child that might not be mine,
Your Honor. My first trimester, was very difficult. BROADNAX: I'm not
a deadbeat. I bought her a house... When she told me
that she was pregnant I'd got her a house. I got her a car
and everything. BILLINGSLEY: He did. And that was the hardest
thing for me, because I've
always worked. I've always
supported myself, and when he would
tell me those things, I thought he was
going to do it, and he did. He did it.
In the first trimester
of my pregnancy, it became very difficult. I was almost
unable to walk. It almost felt like
I was paralyzed. He did everything for me. He served me... BROADNAX: I would
rub her feet, I'd rub her stomach. BILLINGSLEY: He did. He did. I talked to the baby
through the stomach. I'd do everything,
Your Honor. BILLINGSLEY:
He did. Absolutely. We planned this baby.
She was planned. When it came down to... When it came down... Your Honor.
She skipped town with, uh...
With my baby... I did. ...supposedly my child... I did. ...and she's so
quick to skip town. I did. I did,
because of the fact that, one,
there was suspicion that he was
cheating on me BROADNAX: There was
suspicion she was cheating. Two... Not me.
There was suspicion
she was cheating. That's why the baby
might not ... JUDGE LAKE: So wait. I'm hearing all these stories about you two planning this baby, and being together during
the pregnancy. What exactly happened
that changed it? There were rumors of cheating? BILLINGSLEY: There were
rumors of cheating. I was three weeks
pregnant when I found out
I was pregnant. It was very early
in my pregnancy. I found out.
I was excited. The first person
I called was Mr. Broadnax
to share the news. Because I couldn't
have been more happy that I was about to
have my family. And then,
it came down to him moving back
and choosing to party constantly. It was constant. No, Your Honor. And when I realized how constant it
had become, I requested it to stop or I was going to leave. (AUDIENCE APPLAUDING) Mr. Broadnax. Yes, Your Honor. Did you hear
her testimony? BROADNAX: Yes. Is that true?
What happened? No, Your Honor. Okay, okay. I'm gonna start
from the beginning, okay? All right, we met
and it was... It was just
a quick process. We met, started talking, and then, she told me
she was pregnant. Just like that,
it happened. Just like that. So when she told me
she was pregnant, I was... I was, uh... I wanted to man up. Be the father or... Know what I'm saying?
Just man up. And then, what made
me start doubting, is I see text messages... And once I had
the baby, he didn't
do anything. I see text messages... He didn't do anything
for her after that. Because it might not
be my child. I'm not paying for
another man's baby. Look at that baby. Look at that baby. Are you gonna tell me
she's not yours? But there are days
that he will deny her, and there's days
that he'll claim her. When did you
start doubting? Because if you're getting
houses and cars, and going to
doctor's appointments, what changed everything? I started doubting,
Your Honor, when I... I was just... Just chilling at
the house, just... And then I heard
her phone go off. So I picked up her phone,
and she was messaging her
ex-boyfriend. I'd seen a message,
"Hey, hey"
and a "I miss you." That's as far as it went,
but "I miss you." If you're missing
your ex, who else you missing? And then, and then, okay. My friend went to college,
the same college that she went to,
the same school. That's all I told her,
"Go to school." And my friend said
he'd seen her in a circle with like 3 or 4 dudes,
all bubbly, laughing,
"Ha! Ha! Ha!" Having a good time. I'm sorry, I didn't
know that colleges... But then... But then... ...only consisted
of females. BROADNAX: But then...
But then... Okay. But she's all bubbly in front of males
and everything, and then when
she sees my friend, she's just straight face... Am I not allowed to have... ...and walks away. Okay. ...friends that are male? Bubbly in front of males. BROADNAX: Okay, but if...
But if... I need more doubt than
that, Mr. Broadnax. BROADNAX: No,
if she's texting... Bubbly in front of
males is not gonna... I'm bubbly. I'm bubbly. If she's texting her ex
and texting her ex, missing her ex,
being flirtatious in
front of other dudes, who else is
she being... BILLINGSLEY: An ex that I... Who else is
she talking to? So, did you ever
hear a rumor that she was actually
sleeping with someone else? No... No, Your Honor.
Just my doubt. Was she with anyone else,
to your knowledge, during the time
of conception? Yes. Yes. JUDGE LAKE: Really? It was... It was
just earlier. JUDGE LAKE: What is
your proof of that? I have evidence
right here, Your Honor, stating the conception date... JUDGE LAKE: Jerome, can I
see that evidence, please. Conception dates,
mind you, Your Honor, that are estimated. These are estimated. As you can see,
her window of
conception was between early April, mid-April, from the 10th
to the 18th, I believe. And then, that's
my work schedule I was out of town from
the 6th to the 19th. You were away for almost two weeks. BROADNAX: Two weeks. Okay. So when you started
having doubts, you went to
a conception app. Yes. And so you entered
Bailey's birthday which is January 5, 2013... BROADNAX: Yes. ...and then when
you generated a estimated conception date, it came up as April 10th through the 18th which was... When I was out of town,
Your Honor. JUDGE LAKE: ...the exact
time you were out of town. Yes, ma'am. BILLINGSLEY: These dates
are estimated, Your Honor. BROADNAX: Not only
that, Your Honor... Okay, so,
we were together... I've got her a house,
as I said, about 3, 4 months,
it started getting rocky. We started arguing a lot. Her claiming
I was cheating, me feeling
she was cheating. Uh, DNA test,
when I brought that up, she would always, uh... That is a lie,
Your Honor. BROADNAX: She would
always get defensive just like right now. BILLINGSLEY: That is a lie. BROADNAX: You see
it right now. When he would request... BROADNAX: She'd always
get defensive. No. When he would request the DNA test, I told him, "Absolutely, there's
no doubt in my mind. "Let's go. Let's do it." BROADNAX: That's a lie,
Your Honor. She's always refused. BILLINGSLEY: You wanna
have DNA test? I'd be more than
happy to prove. So Bailey's almost
a year and a half. Why haven't you had a DNA test? So when I told him... When I told him
to go ahead and request the DNA, uh, the DNA testing
in court, he wouldn't do it. He wouldn't follow through. So why was it that I, if you're the one
who wants the DNA test, why don't you
go request it? I know who
my baby's dad is. I know who the father
of my child is. I don't need a DNA test. So if you're requesting it,
why didn't you go? When he didn't... Why didn't you go,
Mr. Broadnax? No, Your Honor.
She was out of state, and I always told her... She never wanted
to do a DNA test. I'd always tell her,
she'd get defensive. I have been doing this
on my own from the beginning. BROADNAX: While you do
this, you haven't even... I have proof,
Your Honor, that shows... BROADNAX: Because I have
doubts, Your Honor... I have spent over...
Almost $10,000 on this child alone
being 21 months. That's almost
$500 a month. I'm 21 years old
and a single mother. And you say
he's done nothing. BILLINGSLEY:
He's done nothing. BROADNAX: But I have. When he said
he would do it, it was his mom paying. So your testimony
is he's done absolutely nothing
for this child. No. I have proof, Your Honor.
I've submitted pictures to the court... JUDGE LAKE: Let me
see your evidence. ...showing a few
basic items BROADNAX: Okay. ...that I have
purchased for her. Thank you. BILLINGSLEY: These are
only a few photos of the items
I have sent. <i> I have submitted
to the court</i> <i> over 75 pictures</i> <i> of proof of the items</i> <i> that I have
provided to her.</i> She told me on
numerous occasions that the baby
is not mine. That is a lie. You have never
told me the baby wasn't mine? I never told you that. Ms. Billingsley, you've never
ever in anger, anything... You've never told him
this is not your child? No. BROADNAX: She's lying,
Your Honor. I have
a relationship now, and that's when
she really wanted... You have
a relationship, but you sure didn't... Yeah, I've been... He sure didn't
have a problem laying me down
the other night, did you? She's lying,
Your Honor. (AUDIENCE EXCLAIMING) I'm lying? JUDGE LAKE: Um... So you're in
a relationship,
Mr. Broadnax? BROADNAX:
Yes, Your Honor. But you were intimate with Ms. Billingsley
the other night? No, Your Honor. No, Your Honor.
She just... I'd guess its jealousy.
I don't know what it is,
Your Honor. (AUDIENCE EXCLAIMING) JUDGE LAKE: Ms. Billingsley,
was he intimate with you? Oh, I will... I will
take a lie detector
test on that one. If she's... (AUDIENCE APPLAUDING) If she's my baby,
Your Honor, I'm not a deadbeat.
I will man up... Jerome, you think I should send him
back for a lie detector test? (AUDIENCE CHEERING) The "Ayes" say yes. JUDGE LAKE: Well, all right. BILLINGSLEY:
Perfect. Good. (SCATTERED LAUGHTER) If Bailey is your
biological daughter do you want to try to
work things out
with Ms. Billingsley? BROADNAX: Man,
Your Honor, that... That's hard 'cause... (SCOFFS) ...I know we have
past conflicts, but... If it is my child, I would
want to build a family with... With this woman. (SOBBING) (AUDIENCE EXCLAIMING) (AUDIENCE CLAPPING) JUDGE LAKE: Does your
girlfriend know this? (AUDIENCE LAUGHING) BROADNAX: No, Your Honor. Well, Jerome, I don't think we need
a lie detector test now,
do we? (AUDIENCE CLAPPING) (AUDIENCE EXCLAIMING) BROADNAX: Man. You can put that
in the bank and cash it. I can see it
in his eyes. Yeah. (JEROME LAUGHING) JUDGE LAKE: How do you feel? (SOBBING) Hurt. Lied to. And not trustworthy. I don't trust him. Knowing that he can sit there and have sex with me while he's in a relationship
with another woman. But did you know he was
in a relationship with the other woman
when you had sex with him? I did. JUDGE LAKE:
Well, then that... BROADNAX: Come on,
Your Honor. BILLINGSLEY: I did. You know, truth, honesty, they're two-way streets. Oh, I know. Absolutely. JUDGE LAKE: Trust... Absolutely. But if he's willing
to do that to her, why doesn't it make me
believe that he would
do it to me. That he's standing
here saying that... Your Honor... ...he wants
to be a family... Then start doing
something for your
daughter. BROADNAX: If we could work
out our conflicts... If we could work out
our conflicts, so once we get this
DNA test back... What are our conflicts other than the fact
that you won't take care
of your child? I want the DNA test. I wanna know 100% sure. BILLINGSLEY: And that's
what I'm saying. That's what we're
here for, Your Honor. Other than that
what conflict is there? The only way to get past all of these doubts
is to get the results. (AUDIENCE APPLAUDING) (BILLINGSLEY SOBBING) Mr. Broadnax, you have a relationship
on the line right now. Yes, Your Honor. JUDGE LAKE: And you
may, in fact, find out you have
a beautiful daughter. Yes, Your Honor. Ms. Billingsley... BILLINGSLEY: (SOBBING)
Yes, Your Honor. You gave Bailey
his last name. I did. (SNIFFLING) I did. JUDGE LAKE: And is he on
the birth certificate? Did he sign
the birth certificate? No, Your Honor.
I've submitted a picture of the birth certificate showing that he's not... BROADNAX: I wasn't able to see
her get born or none of that. Because he wasn't
there for the birth. JUDGE LAKE: <i> Ms. Billingsley,</i> if he's not her
biological father will you change her name? Yes. So is there a chance
he's not her... (AUDIENCE APPLAUDING) ...biological father? Since we're in court,
we might as well go on ahead and tell truth
and shame the devil, that's what I say. BILLINGSLEY:
Absolutely, Your Honor. JUDGE LAKE:
So there is a chance? There's...
I had doubt at first due to the fact that... (AUDIENCE EXCLAIMING) WOMAN: What's happening? Due to the fact that when he was
out of town and we were
constantly fighting... AUDIENCE: Oh. I did call somebody, and one thing
led to another. It was not meant to happen,
but it was not in any time frame of the conception date. When I had her,
there was no doubt. There is no doubt at all that that child is not his. They look alike. She has traits
that he does... But when he was
presenting his calendar of when he worked versus when the conception
dates were, I see you said... Your testimony was,
"And that's just
an estimation." BILLINGSLEY: Mmm-hmm. So when you say you weren't intimate
with someone during the window
of conception is that an estimation? (AUDIENCE APPLAUDING) That's an honest question. No. It's not an estimation. It's... It would have
been too far... Too farther ahead to have had her in January. BROADNAX: Your Honor,
she only calls for money. I just want these DNA results. She only calls for money. As again... She's the liar. BILLINGSLEY: I only call
for money for you to... Hold on, Mr. Broadnax, before you get up on your soapbox and start
pontificating. BILLINGSLEY:
You ain't innocent. You just said you want
to be with her if the
baby was yours. So you just leave
well enough alone... BROADNAX: No, if we could
work out our problems... ...and get these results, which I have for you. Are we ready? BROADNAX: Yes, Your Honor. JUDGE LAKE: These
results were prepared
by DNA Diagnostics and they read as follows. In the case of<i>
Billingsley v. Broadnax,</i> pertaining to whether Arthur Broadnax is the father
of one-year-old Bailey Broadnax. It has been determined
by this court, Mr. Broadnax, you... ...are the father. (AUDIENCE APPLAUDING) Okay, Your Honor,
with that being said, I'll man up,
step up to the plate... BILLINGSLEY: Step up. ...and start taking
care of my daughter. She needs her father. But I need
time with her. Not just money.
You need to let her
stay with me for... For time,
not just send money. (AUDIENCE CLAPPING) JUDGE LAKE: Listen. Before we get to where we go from here. You submitted expenses, childcare expenses
to the court that total $10,444, this court finds that Ms. Billingsley
is, in fact, entitled to half of those childcare expenses. However, the maximum
this court can order is $5000. So with that said,
judgment for the plaintiff for $5000. (AUDIENCE APPLAUDING) Now that we've
gotten the money out of the way, let's talk about our bigger picture. You all have
some work to do. 'Cause just because
we got the result today and it's
a favorable result, it doesn't mean that the hurt's
gonna go away, the mistrust's gonna
go away overnight. That doesn't
happen overnight. You create your
own happy ending. Right? And you write
your own story. And for
Bailey's sake, I want you to
make the effort to write
a positive story. A story that may have ups, downs,
obstacles, issues, and yet when
two parents continue and commit to working together
for the sake of a beautiful
little girl, her story has the happy
ending it deserves. Do we understand?
This court is adjourned. (AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
