Please be seated. -Good morning, Your Honor.
-Good morning. This is a case of<i>
Foster v. Jackson.</i> Thank you, Jerome.
Good day, everyone. [audience] Good day. Ms. Foster, you claim
you and your ex-boyfriend planned your pregnancy only to have him
abandon you and deny paternity. You are here to prove that he is your daughter
Jakyah's biological father. You want him to step up
and take care of his daughter. -Is that correct?
-Yes, Your Honor. Mr. Jackson,
you say Ms. Foster cheated on you multiple times
during your relationship, and there is no way you are Jakyah's father. -Is that correct?
-Yes, Your Honor. Ms. Foster, tell us,
why do you need to
open your case? [Foster] I'm opening this case
today, because, Your Honor, I have a one-year-old child
who we planned on having. <i> She looks like him.</i> -[Judge Lake]<i> Beautiful.
-She acts like him.</i> He doesn't step
up to nothing. I mean, he's posted
pictures on social media. That's not my baby. He just gives me nothing. She don't even post
the baby on social media. So, you admit
you haven't been stepping up. I'm not talking
about social media. I'm talking about
real parenting. I can't say
I admitted
to anything, because I always say,
"I'll do this,"
and "I'll do that." How did this
relationship even start? Ma'am, Your Honor,
this relationship started
through social media. -We found each other--
-Oh, social media. I should've known. No wonder we talking
about social media. -Okay, go ahead.
-[audience laughing] We found each other
through social media.
So, we had a mutual friend. They vouched for him,
said he was a good person. So, we jumped
into a relationship. I had my first child, and he did come bring us
to his mother's house. But, he was claiming
my first child knowing she
wasn't his baby. But, then, when we
planned a baby, he doesn't deny
this child at all. -[Judge Lake] Wait, wait, wait.
-We didn't plan it. [Judge Lake] I want
to understand this. So, this first baby
was not his biological child. -[Foster] Correct.
-But he took you to home
to his mother like, "Look at my girlfriend
and our baby." -[Foster] Correct.
-[Judge Lake] Then,
what happens? [Foster]<i> And then,
in the midst of
us staying together.</i> <i> He'd tell me I was going
to be his baby's mother.</i> 'Cause I'm the best
mother in the world. That's why he said it. -Actually--
-[Foster] Fact. -[Jackson] No.
-Facts, Your Honor. I am the best mother
in the world. He can't say anything 'cause he hasn't even
stepped up to be
even a stepdad. The man that she had
dropping her off at my house claiming was her brother was
the dude she was sleeping with. -[Foster] Correct, Your Honor.
-[audience exclaiming] It definitely was. [Jackson] And basically,
what the story was, she already came
to my house pregnant
by her so-called brother. You feel me? And it was like I
mentioned it to her.
You feel me? -She used me
for a place to stay.
-I object, Your Honor. I can't come
nowhere pregnant
if I just had a baby. And it's January,
and I wasn't pregnant. [Judge Lake] So, wait.
You're in this relationship. So, why you callin' me-- [Judge Lake] No.
Wait a minute. You're in a relationship
living at his mother's house. [Foster] With him, yes. He thinks you all are
boyfriend and girlfriend. No, Your Honor.
He doesn't think. He had a whole
'nother girlfriend
out of town. He wanted to play house
here and there, and have us in
a polygamous relationship, which he don't
got it like that. -Actually, I wasn't
playing house.
-Actually, he was. [Judge Lake] Then,
at some point, you all, you find out
you're pregnant again. Yes, Your Honor.
After he left
out of town again. -[audience exclaiming]
-[Judge Lake] So,
what happened? [Foster] I was talking
in a relationship with him, and when I found out
he was in a relationship
with the other female, I went to go
continue doing me with the Marquise gentleman, that could be
the alleged father, as well. I was sleeping
with both guys. And, I mean, you had
two girlfriends, why can't
I have two boyfriends? [Jackson] No, I called... -[audience exclaiming]
-No, I called-- [Judge Lake] Oh. And you said,
"It's my brother." -Sure did. Yes, Your Honor.
-[Jackson] Right. I used to
call him my friend,
but... -Well...
-[Jackson] First,
they denied it. I'm like, you know
what I'm saying?
"Kick him out." Wait.
So, you think you're
in a relationship, but she's sleeping
with your friend? -Yes, in my momma house.
-[Foster] No, Your Honor. No, Your Honor.
We were not together
when he left. We were not together. But, you still
in my momma house
when I left, though. -You feel me?
-That is pointless. That matters nothing to me. How many times I was like,
you know, "kick her out"? You brought me here. You left to go be
with somebody else.
Me and my baby stayed. That's just what it was. [Judge Lake]<i> So, Ms. Foster.</i> <i> I want you to
take me to the day</i> you found out
you were pregnant. I fell to the floor,
I did three rolls around the floor
in the doctor's office. 'Cause I wasn't
having no kids if I'm finna being
a single mother to two children
by myself. I'm 20.
It's not happening. So, at that point, I told Marquise,
because Marquise was there. Physically, he was
gone out of sight,
wasn't worried about him. Marquise is the brother
who wasn't a brother? [Foster] Yeah. The brother
who wasn't a brother. -Okay.
-Yes, Your Honor. So, I told him,
"I'm pregnant. You could be the father.
It's either you or Shawn." Off-deck, I told them. I slept with Shawn
around the same time
in the same week. She never said that. When did you
tell Mr. Jackson? A month later. [Judge Lake]
So, you waited
a whole month? -'Cause we weren't speaking.
-[Jackson] No. After he left
for Chicago-- [Judge Lake] So, Mr. Jackson. Do you remember
when she told you,
"I'm pregnant"? The baby, that she...
Jakyah, that she was
pregnant with. The man Marquise
is already on the phone talking about
that was his child. She came to
my house pregnant. I didn't hear from her
after I came to Chicago until she had the baby. She was six-months
when I first heard about her. [Judge Lake]<i>
Aww, look at that.</i> <i> Ms. Foster, I do
have to ask you this.</i> If you know you
sleeping with two guys, why are you just bringing
Mr. Jackson to court? [Foster] I went to
the doctor's office and they gave me
the conception calendar. I got pregnant
February 21st. That's the same day you left. So, that week
and that week before, I had a menstrual period. We're sleeping together
the entire time while I'm on,
in the shower,
every night, every day. Three times a day.
Lunch, breakfast and dinner. We was only
together for two weeks. What are you talking...
We were together
for two weeks. [Foster] It takes seven days
to get pregnant, baby. You're not
shooting blanks. I'm not the only one that's
shooting, huh? -Okay, so...
-Right. My conception date
said, "February 21st is when you were fertilized." You was still there, so... [Judge Lake] But,
didn't you also admit you were having sex
with both guys? Because if he could have
two girlfriends, you could
have two boyfriends? [Foster] I've been
going to medical school, I kind of know what
I'm talking about, as far as the female
productive system. [Judge Lake] Oh, okay. -Okay. Yes, ma'am.
-Oh, okay. I wish you would've known
so much about what
you was talking about that you would've known
your child's father was. -[Foster] I mean--
-Okay. So...
But, go ahead. But, go ahead, honey. School us. School us. School us. You had two girlfriends.
Why can't I have
two boyfriends? [Judge Lake] You told me
you had two boyfriends, because he had
two girlfriends, and you were
sleeping with them at the same time. What I'm asking is, were you having
a sexual relationship with the other guy at the same time you were
having with Mr. Jackson? Not the exact same time. No, Your Honor. I was not. [Judge Lake] So,
it is your testimony, that during the window
of conception, you only slept
with Mr. Jackson? Yes, Your Honor. Your Honor, this is not right. -But, you say that's not true.
-[Jackson] That's not right. [Judge Lake] Mr. Jackson,
I want to hear from you. [Foster] Me, too. [Judge Lake]
Jakyah is 15-months old. Right. What kind of a relationship
do you have with her? [Foster] None. [Jackson] Because I
don't talk to her
through the phone. Lies. Me and you don't even click.
We get on the phone and argue. Me, you and
my girl every time. You feel me? So, what's the point
if I keep calling her
if me and my girl-- [Judge Lake] So,
is that the long way of saying you ain't spending
no time with her? -[Foster] Yes, ma'am!
-I'm like four hours away. I asked her. You feel me? "I can go
and get Jakyah." [mimicking Foster] "Oh, no.
You're not bringing
her up..." My girl ain't got
nothing to do with that. -[Foster] This girl of his--
-If this is my daughter.
You feel me? Then why can't I
be around her? -So you think--
-Who even said I had to come
back to Chicago with her? So, your point is,
"I've tried, but she
doesn't want the baby around my new girl." -So, we haven't been
able to establish...
-[Jackson] Basically. -...a relationship.
-They're on the phone,
best friends. Then, the next day,
she wanna bash her. [Judge Lake] So, you have never
seen this baby in person? -No.
-[Judge Lake] In your life? -No.
-[audience exclaiming] Never hugged her,
never... -Nothing?
-Nothing. -Not yet. No.
-[Judge Lake] 15 months? [audience exclaiming] [Judge Lake]<i> This is the part
that drives me crazy.</i> Everybody know
how to meet halfway
to make a baby. But, don't nobody know
how to meet halfway to come see the baby
and establish a relationship
with the parents. None of my family
know about the baby. [Judge Lake] No,
that's not my point. That's not my point. This happens too often. Everybody knows
how to get together
to make the baby. Where we gonna meet up,
where we gonna have sex? [Jackson] I said that before-- Don't talk when I'm talking. Y'all made
all the plans
in the world when it was time
to get to the good part. Making the baby. "This my baby,
it ain't your baby,"
moved her into the house. you got sex right
under your roof... Y'all doing all that. Then, I ask a question, why in 15 months... Fifteen. ...y'all couldn't come
together to figure out how does he meet
the baby you say is his? Why haven't you
said to yourself, "Girlfriend,
I love you to death. But, I got a beautiful
little baby girl over here. And I'm supposed
to be the daddy. <i> I got to go make a way
and meet this girl halfway,</i> <i> and see my child."</i> -[Jackson]<i> Your Honor--
-Why is that not possible?</i> [Jackson] I been said
we could meet.
You feel me? I did. -But, you're saying--
-She said she was
gonna go buy a car. She said she was
gonna buy a car.
We can meet halfway. The next thing you know, her excuse was her friend
stole all her money. [Judge Lake] So,
it's your testimony. You make a plan,
but then Ms. Foster
don't show up. [Jackson] I did make a plan,
'cause I had to go and get my little brother
from St. Louis. -So, it was like that.
-Your Honor. Okay, look, Your Honor,
at exactly
why he said that. He just like
a month ago came down to St. Louis
to go pick up his brother. His girlfriend
texted my phone. "We would like
to see Jakyah." I said, "That's fine. You guys cannot
take her out, but you guys
can meet her." I waited at my house
for a whole weekend for them. No show. "Oh, child, I was getting ready
to bring her some diapers." No show. But, I'm communicating
with your girlfriend,
'cause you won't talk to me. Okay, cool. -But, anyways, Your Honor--
-[Judge Lake] Wait, wait, wait. [Judge Lake] So,
I want to give him
a chance to respond. Because it sounds
like to me you had the opportunity
to see this baby. -[Foster] Plenty!
-First of all, we had
this conversation-- Why didn't you go? Whatever my girlfriend
says to her, I didn't
know nothing about that. [Judge Lake] Why didn't you go? [Jackson] I didn't know
nothing about this! I don't know
where she at.
You feel me? [Judge Lake] Oh, so, you're
saying your girlfriend
and her are talking, but you ain't in this? That's what I'm saying.
I don't be on the phone
talking to them. [Judge Lake] Okay. -I'm starting to get it.
-[Foster] Get it? -[Judge Lake] I am.
-[Foster] What
you get, Your Honor? Your girlfriend is
not your advocate. She doesn't
have to be that. You should already
have Jakyah on your mind, if this is a possibility
that this child is yours. But, I see what's
happening here. Just like I told you before,
both of y'all. Y'all can talk, talk, talk,
talk, talk, talk, talk. And I...
I mean, look.
It's entertaining. The problem is, a baby's life ain't no show. [Foster]<i> Okay.</i> [Judge Lake]<i> It's a real life.</i> [audience applauding] And I'm looking
at you, Ms. Foster, and every time the picture
goes up, I see you. -I know you love your baby.
-With everything in my heart. And I know you've
been through a lot. So, I can see a lot of times
when you're talking and you're fighting
and you're feisty, it comes from a place
of having to protect yourself. My children. [Judge Lake] And your children. <i> And I know you don't
want this cycle repeated</i> <i> for your children.</i> [Foster]<i>
I'm a strong
woman myself,</i> so I really don't
need a man to do anything
for me or my children. However, it's
not fair to her to grow up with only
one parent in the household
when she has two. I didn't make her
by myself. We made her together. So, therefore, step up. I don't care what
you got going in your life, because she
didn't ask to be here. We asked
for her to be here,
and it's not fair. I grew up in foster care.
He did, too. So, we both know
exactly how it is. It's not fair to her, and I'm not gonna
keep accepting it at all. I mean, when
this test come back
saying he is the father, he is going to step up. So, did you grow up
without your father? [Foster] I grew up
without my mother and father. -[audience exclaiming]
-Both. So, I mean,
I'm not too... [Jackson clears throat] ...soft when it comes
to stuff like this, because I raised myself
since I was 12. And I did
a really good job at it, and I'm doing
a very good job
of being a mother. -I need help!
-[Judge Lake] Yes. It's okay. Now, that's it. That's the real Ms. Foster. -Hmm?
-Tell the truth. I used to
have a pride thing, where I didn't
like asking for help. It's just time. -[Jackson clears throat]
-[audience applauding] And that was important for you to be honest about. [Foster] Yes, Your Honor. [Judge Lake]
And I just want... I'm looking at you
and I can see in your eyes how strong
you're trying to be. [Foster chuckles softly] And how strong you have
to be to be a mother. So, Mr. Jackson. Do you plan to step up if Jakyah is
your biological child? -Yes.
-[Judge Lake] And that's
why we're here. 'Cause we want better
for these children. -Right?
-[Foster] Yes, Your Honor. [audience applauding] [Judge Lake] Jerome. I'm ready for the results. -Thank you.
-You're welcome. These results
were prepared by DNA Diagnostics. And they read... as follows. In the case of<i>
Foster v. Jackson,</i> when it comes to Jakyah, it has been determined
by this Court... Mr. Jackson... you... are not the father. -[audience exclaiming]
-[Foster laughing] [Jackson sighs in relief] What's funny? I heard that. It was
kind of like...
[mimicking shock] That's why I laughed. You took us to school.
Let me take you there. [Foster chuckles] You're just performing now? -[Foster] I'm--
-Like I said. You want your baby
to be a stage show,
that's on you. Keep performing. But, if you're going
to be a mother to a real human being, and a beautiful
little girl like that, sometimes, you just
gotta say like, "You know, there ain't
no shame in my game
no more." I did what I did
what I did
when I did it." I ain't ashamed-- [Judge Lake] And now,
I do need to think about who my child's
father really is. -[Foster] I'm--
-Look at me. Look at me when I'm
talking to you, Ms. Foster. That's okay to do. Nobody lives a perfect life. And you have been
through a lot. And that's why I'm spending
this much time with you. You need a woman
in your life to say to you you are worth... it. There's not an experience
you've been through, there is not an obstacle, there is not a feeling
of abandonment, or less than, or anything in this world that makes you
any less worth it. [woman in audience] Mmm-hmm. Limitless possibilities
for your life. -You see me?
-I see you. You grew up in foster care, still there are limitless
possibilities for your life. You don't have your daddy... [audience applauding] ...there are still
limitless possibilities
for your life. You got it wrong, and you said Mr. Jackson
is the father of your child,
but, he ain't. There's still limitless
possibilities for your life. You don't know really who
is the father of your child? There's still limitless
possibilities for your life. You can't take 'em away. So, walk in it. Live it. Own it. Be it. -You see it?
-[Foster] I see it. -You see me?
-I see you. -I see you.
-[Jackson chuckles softly] And I wish you the very best.
Go talk to Dr. Jeff. Don't you clown. Don't you start clowning
when you get back home. And if potentially,
this friend could be
the child's father, then you do what you can
to encourage him
to come in here, so we can
get this answer
for this baby. He ain't never get
to see daylight again. [Foster] Never in life. -[audience exclaiming]
-He gone. Oh, God. I'm gonna make sure
my team talks to y'all. <i> Paternity Court,</i> we, uh... Nothing is impossible for us. -We will figure it
out, all right?
-Thank you. I wish you the very best.
Court is adjourned.
