You may be seated. Good morning,
Your Honor. Good Morning. This is the case of<i>
Dansby v. Simpson.</i> Thank you, Jerome.
Good day, everyone. AUDIENCE: Good day. Mr. Dansby, you're petitioning
the court for a DNA test to prove the defendant,
Ms. Simpson has been lying in her claim
that you are the father of her 3-year-old son,
Ta'norris. Now Ms. Simpson, you
are counter suing Mr. Dansby for child rearing expenses
in the sum of $3,361.56, which is half of the money
you claim to have spent
on Ta'norris. Yes, Your Honor. So Mr. Dansby, why is it, it's taking you
three years to petition
the court for a DNA test? Good Morning, Your Honor...
Um... JUDGE LAKE: Good Morning. The reason why I took
three years Ma'am,
is because Ms. Simpson she, uh, she had been
lying to me. She had been.
It was somewhat shady. She had another dude
who she was dealing with. I mean, it was one
particular morning... Really, no... What it was that... I've been trying to get
you to do a DNA test but you chose to run. You didn't want to go
to the child support place
to do the DNA test so... JUDGE LAKE: Is that true,
Mr. Dansby? DANSBY: Ma'am, that's not
true. Ms. Simpson, she had
been lying, I had doubts
about this kid, Ta'norris... If this so much is my son,
she have not let me see... I have...
I don't even know the kid. But how... How can
I let you see him
when I can't find you? You knew where I was... SIMPSON: I don't know
where you at. You don't stay in one spot,
so therefore how
can I find you? You got in contacted me
through Facebook
with one of my family members. JUDGE LAKE: Mr. Dansby,
let me ask you this though. Ma'am. What efforts have you made to
try to get the DNA test done? DANSBY: I, well, well, uh... Your Honor, it was times where
I had reached out
to Ms. Simpson. I had got in contact
with Ms. Simpson
through phone. If he was so much as my son,
why, uh... Why haven't you brought
the kid around me? The kid carry another man... SIMPSON: All right,
why should I... So, look, I want to understand
this relationship more and I can see right now... Nobody made enough
of an effort to get a DNA test but that's why
you're here today. DANSBY: Yes. Um, so take me back. (AUDIENCE APPLAUDING) DANSBY: All right. This relationship... How did it start? DANSBY: Ma'am, we met through
a mutual friend. She moved me into her home
where she was staying with
her other two kids. Ms. Simpson had another man
who she was dealing with. When you met her? Explain. Okay, what happened was,
it was one particular
school morning... I was getting her kids ready
for school, okay. I got them on the school bus. Ms. Simpson was taking
a shower that morning. I just so happened to catch
the phone call,
it was another dude. He was shocked to hear me... I don't recall
any phone call... I don't recall it. DANSBY: Later on, I had... I had talked to Ms. Simpson
about this strange phone call and she told me that was
the dude paying
her phone bill. No, no, no. DANSBY: So I'm lying on you? Yes, you are lying. DANSBY: I caught
the phone call. DANSBY: You told me
about the dude. Like I said, you're lying. You told me about the dude. JUDGE LAKE: Well... Well... Ms. Simpson, how do you know
he's lying if you don't remember
the conversation. That's how I know he's lying
because I don't recall of it. If it was the truth,
I would remember it. That man told me
that you were his lady.
Point blank. And I asked you about it. SIMPSON: How can I
be his lady... You were staying
with me. If that's the case
why would I have you... Mr. Dansby, the man told you
that she was his lady? Yes. JUDGE LAKE: And then
what did you say? No. I spoke with her about it. I thought he heard my voice... JUDGE LAKE: So you all
just hung up. After that you hung up and
that's when you had
the conversation with her. DANSBY: Yes, yes, yes. All right. So from... At that point you were on notice
there was... DANSBY: Another man. Another man, you knew there
was some man in the picture in your mind.
Okay so... DANSBY: Exactly. How, how does this translate as it moves forward and find
out she's pregnant? Are you... DANSBY: Okay, after
the strange phone call she... We went to visit her dad
in her hometown. Well, he's from
which is Vidalia, Georgia. Okay, we went down there and she said she was feeling
sick that particular day. And I was. So I went to the pharmacy, she wanted to...
She wanted to take
a pregnancy test. SIMPSON: Yes. Okay, and then after that she said she came
out to find out
that she was pregnant. Did you immediately assume... DANSBY: I had my doubts. I immediately assumed... JUDGE LAKE: Right from
the beginning? So if you had a doubt,
if you didn't think this baby
was yours... Why did you so called
put on like
you were happy? Because I did not want
to rain on nobody's parade,
Ms. Simpson. On my parade?
I mean rain on my parade? DANSBY: You had, you had me
around your... Rain on my parade. Ms. Simpson, you had me around
all your family members. Because when... I don't want you giving me
this energy that you're happy
about this child when you're not happy
about this child. So you all were a couple
having a baby? Right. DANSBY: She told me that this
was not my child. Like he went on and told... JUDGE LAKE: Wait a minute,
she what? She, Ma'am, this...
Ms. Simpson stated over the phone that Ta'norris
was none of my child. When did she say this? SIMPSON: Okay, that came... This was while, uh,
this was in... Three months before
he was even born. It was not three months.
It was not three months. DANSBY: I had... Hold on, hold on,
I want to understand this. Get me to this conversation
three months before
the baby was even born where you say she told you,
the baby wasn't even yours. I asked... We were,
we were talking over the phone
and, uh... She somewhere
got an attitude with me. About the situation,
about Ta'norris. Yes, I did. I did, I sure did. You know what I'm saying. She had told me one time
that he wasn't my child. Who wants to deal with... So you got into an argument. DANSBY: We got
into an argument about it. And she said... She said that Ta'norris
was none of my child. JUDGE LAKE: And did you say
that Ms. Simpson? Yes, I did. JUDGE LAKE: Why did you
say that? Because... I don't want to deal with that
child issue with him. I would rather sit here
and go through it by myself than being stressed out about whether or not he's gonna play
a part in my child's life. You had another man. I mean... SIMPSON: You keep bringing up
another man... Ms. Simpson did you...
Were you with anyone else? Were you sleeping
with anyone else? It was a possibility
of someone else, so... (AUDIENCE EXCLAIMING) So you admit
there was another man? SIMPSON: Yes. Your Honor. At what point
did you admit to Mr. Dansby
that there was another man? It was maybe three months
into the pregnancy. JUDGE LAKE: So that
is the conversation
he's speaking about when you said that
this is not even your child? Yes. Why is it you don't believe
anything she says? Okay, the reason why I have
my, my doubts
about Ms. Simpson because she's
a compulsive liar. This is my timeline... JUDGE LAKE: Outlines
all of the lies. JUDGE LAKE: Walk me
through this, I want
to understand everything. We met through a friend...
okay. JUDGE LAKE: Huh-uh. JUDGE LAKE: In November 2011, <i> that's when you got
the "Old Man" phone call.</i> DANSBY: Yes, I got a phone
call from an old dude. And he was shocked to hear
me like I was shocked
to hear from him. JUDGE LAKE: All right...
and then moving forward... Okay. JUDGE LAKE: <i> She announces
the pregnancy.</i> DANSBY: <i> Yes, she announced
that, she told everyone
she was pregnant.</i> I had my doubts about it.
About her being pregnant. JUDGE LAKE:
So you were doubtful again
anf felt like there was something shady going on
then too. Yes. It was a lot of shady goin' on
with Ms. Simpson. JUDGE LAKE:
Move forward to April 2012,
that's when she told you. DANSBY: <i> That's when she told
me that I wasn't the father.</i> JUDGE LAKE: <i> So now
you're really questioning.</i> I'm questioning, Your Honor,
like (SIGHS)
one behind the other... I'm trying to find out whether
she... Where's the truth. JUDGE LAKE: Okay. Is she lying to me or not? JUDGE LAKE: So now,
July 2012, <i> Ta'norris is born.</i> DANSBY: <i> Yes, he was born
and she... I was trying to...</i> I hadn't got any contact
with me, so I'm saying I was trying to find out
whether he was my son
or not, and she told me... JUDGE LAKE: Because you
weren't there at the hospital
when he was born? No, I wasn't.
It was another man there
while she was in the hospital. (AUDIENCE EXCLAIMING) JUDGE LAKE: There was? Yes, there was. Was there?
Oh, Ms. Simpson, there was? Who was this man? SIMPSON: It was the guy that I had been
dealing with for a while,
and then we broke it off
and that's when I started
dealing with Mr. Dansby. And then me and this guy
started back daily. So therefore,
he stepped up to the plate and he helped me
with my child. JUDGE LAKE: All right, so let
me jump ahead in this timeline <i> to October, 2014.</i> DANSBY: <i> I, uh, I...</i> JUDGE LAKE: <i> When you say
it's the first time
you met Ta'norris.</i> <i> What was shady about that?</i> That was my first time
ever seeing Ta'norris. But I'm feeling like,
this so... If she's saying...
If she's so confident about this is my son,
why it's so tough
for me to ask... Why it took three years
for me to see Ta'norris? SIMPSON: Okay. But I got evidence that you put on Facebook. DANSBY: Okay,
we did take a pic. What is that evidence, Ma'am? SIMPSON: It is a picture
of him and Ta'norris where he said that... DANSBY: I took the picture. Jerome, will you hand
that to me please? This is a picture of... DANSBY: Of me
and Ta'norris. Mr. Dansby and Ta'norris. DANSBY: That was my first time
ever seeing Ta'norris. That same day,
my family members,
they'd seen Ta'norris... SIMPSON: <i> If you didn't think
he was yours,
why would you say,</i> <i> "Like father, like son"?</i> I shouldn't have to drive
an hour and a half just for him to meet
my child. Yeah, it's true, no,
you might not had a car but at the same time,
you could've found a way
to come and see this child. You know where I stay. DANSBY: Your Honor... You could've reached out
through Facebook or... JUDGE LAKE: You felt like he
wasn't making enough effort. SIMPSON: Yes, Your Honor. Your Honor, there had been
several occasions several times I had tried
to reach out to Ms. Simpson, as far as
me and her getting together, sitting down
and talking like grown people
about Ta'norris. She, she...
It was all talk and no action
with Ms. Simpson. And so in a year though,
Mr. Dansby, you couldn't, you couldn't get
a ride for an hour and a half, or a bus... Judge, Your Honor,
there had been times
when I had people I had rides lined up to take me to visit
Ms. Simpson and Ta'norris and her other two kids. JUDGE LAKE:
And what would happen? But did you call?
Did you try to reach
out to me? Did you call?
Did you try to reach me? I... There had been plenty
of times I had called you,
Ms. Simpson. But you didn't say
you wanted to see this child. I would call you,
that's the only reason
I would call you for. So Mr. Dansby,
you think she was dodging you? Yes, yes. I really do feel
deep down that she
was dodging me, Ma'am. Dodge you for what? Why? Why would I want to dodge you? There was an innocent child... DANSBY: 'Cause you had been
lying to me. That need a father. So why would I dodge you
when my child need a father? Can I, can I...
My Daddy wasn't there for me
when I was a kid. So I take this very,
like, deep. I, I do want Ta'norris
to know that who his
father is. I do want to be his father. Yes. 'Cause you don't want
that cycle. (AUDIENCE APPLAUDING) 'Cause I got three kids
of my own. I got three girls,
I take care of all of my kids. She know that.
I don't understand why... I don't know nothing
because mine
ain't took care of. Since this picture
and you've met Ta'norris have you stepped up
to help support him? I mean, yes, I've been
supporting Ta'norris, yes. Yes. SIMPSON: How? Child support? Yeah, child support. SIMPSON: Okay. And that just started, like,
a month ago. DANSBY: It's not about the money. I need to bond
with him, I need to bond
with him if he's my son. Okay, and I understand that. DANSBY: So, you need
to understand that. JUDGE LAKE: But have you
bonded with him? No, I haven't had
the oppurtunity to bond
with Ta'norris. I only seen him
one time, Ma'am.
That's it. In your life? DANSBY: In my life. I've only seen him once
and that was only
for, like, two hours. He don't even know me...
He don't know me. JUDGE LAKE: So... The man is saying he wanted
to bond with the child, he wanted to be more active
in the child's life. It just doesn't seem
to add up. Well, I mean, I understand. But I feel like he needs
to put as much effort into it to get me to bring my child. Because... The reason why
because you were lying to me. You should never
have told me... JUDGE LAKE: So... I heard that. As it relates to your suit, you have evidence
outlining the expenses you've incurred thus far,
I'd like to see that. Jerome, will you hand
it to me please? Please explain to me,
Ms. Simpson, the expenses that you've
outlined here. Of course, food, bottles. JUDGE LAKE: What else have you
bought for the child? Um... Clothes, diapers... They total $6,723.12. Which is why you are suing
for half that amount. 'Cause you feel like
that is what's owed to you? Yes. Because that's what
he should have contributed. Now you understand,
I can't rule
on your suit until it is determined
whether or not Mr. Dansby is in fact
Ta'norris's biological father. Because he would have
no legal responsibility to care for the child
financially if in fact it is not
his biological child. SIMPSON: Yes, Your Honor. Mr. Dansby, have you made
any contribution to the upbringing
of this child financially? I know you haven't seen
him a lot. I mean, they, uh, they been
taking money out of my cheque, every time I get paid
for Ta'norris. JUDGE LAKE: How much
have they taken out? They've been taking
a hundred... They once
took, like, about $360 from me already. $240. $240... $360. $240. $240,
they once took... That's all I have received
is $240. So they took $360 but you've received $240,
ma'am. Okay. Yes. This is my child,
why you haven't
brought this man... Let me meet the kid,
let me bond with the kid if you know for a fact
he's my child. And when we get these results and... DANSBY: You keep
talking about results... When we get these results
and it's in print that Ta'norris is yours,
you can have all the time that you want with your child
because my child
deserve a father. (AUDIENCE APPLAUDING) DANSBY: He didn't ask
for none of this. I feel as though,
I feel as though... Until then,
you will not get a minute until I get in print
that he's yours. But you say,
this is my son for sure. Yes, he's yours,
he's yours. You're very confident
about it? Very confident he's yours. Why you won't let me take...
You won't let me... JUDGE LAKE: Ms. Simpson,
let me ask you this before I go to these results. Are there any other men
that we need to know about that you've left
out of the conversation? Mr. Dansby has been
very clear... Very clear. That your facts
are sometimes a little shady. And all the facts
aren't always there
when you tell a story. Let's just say that. SIMPSON: No, Your Honor. Is there anything you'd like
to say in this courtroom today before I go to the results? Once we get these results I need for you to step up
and be a father to my son. DANSBY: No problem. I have no problem
with doing that Ms. Simpson. I would've been there
had you just kept it
real with me. You see what I'm saying.
Don't lie to me.
Don't do that. So, Ms. Simpson, Ms. Simpson, what you're
saying is that there's no way, no how and no chance
that anybody else could be Ta'norris's father
beside Mr. Dansby? No, Your Honor. All right, Jerome, I'm
ready for the envelope. Thank you. These results were prepared by
DNA Diagnostics. And they read as follows... These results were prepared by
DNA Diagnostics. And they read as follows... In the case of<i>
Dansby v. Simpson...</i> Pertaining to 3-year-old
Ta'norris, it has been determined
by this court, Mr. Dansby, you... Are Ta'norris's father. (LAUGHING) SIMPSON: Thank you, thank you. (AUDIENCE APPLAUDS) SIMPSON: Thank you. I've sat at this bench
many days and I've asked, uh, men to enumerate. Tell me what your doubt
is and what it's based on. And there are sometimes,
you know, when men
just get in their heads that they're not the father,
they can't be the father
but they can't talk about and really
explain why they're doubtful. In this case...
Mr. Dansby, you had a right
to be doubtful. I know, Ma'am... JUDGE LAKE: You did. JUDGE LAKE: And ultimately,
Ms. Simpson admitted that. But now we have the truth. I feel... I feel good
about the results. I'm sorry for all the
trouble I've put you through. So now can we start over
for a better start
for our child. Sure, no problem. Yes, yes. I love that. I love that. DANSBY: True. Good for you Ms. Simpson,
because that's what
this courtroom is all about. Now in light of today's
results that in fact Ta'norris is Mr. Dansby's
biological child, Ms. Simpson you are entitled to half of the amount of money that you've spent, thus far, raising Ta'norris. Now you came to Court
suing for $3,361.56, is that correct? SIMPSON: Yes, Your honor. You do acknowledge
you've received $240 thus far from Mr. Dansby, right? Yes, Your Honor. So for that reason,
the court can award you $3,121.56 in child rearing expenses. Mr. Dansby,
you are responsible for that. This is your child... Pay it. Yeah. And keep paying. DANSBY: That's my son. Because he needs
your support, all right? Judgment for the defendant.
Court is adjourned. (AUDIENCE APPLAUDS)
