You may be seated. Hello, Your Honor. Hello. This is the case of<i>
Parker v. Morton.</i> Thank you Jerome.
Good day, everyone. AUDIENCE: Good day. Ms. Parker,
in your suit, you claim Mr. Morton fathered
your 7-month-old son, Erin, while in a relationship
with his current girlfriend. Yes, Your Honor. JUDGE LAKE: You say the only
reason he denies paternity is because his girlfriend
turned him against you, because she's been unable
to conceive a child with him. Yes, Your Honor. In addition to
the paternity test, you're suing for $2,047
in back child expenses. Yes, Your Honor. Mr. Morton, you say, the timing of Ms. Parker's
pregnancy doesn't add up, and when today's
DNA results come in, you will win the case
because you're not the father. Yes, Your Honor. So, Ms. Parker,
how did you end up
having sex with Mr. Morton, if he has
a girlfriend? First of all,
Your Honor, that's
my baby's father. Anytime I wanna have sex
with him, I'm gonna
have sex with him. (AUDIENCE MURMURING) You understand? I was vulnerable,
he called me, so, you know,
we did what we did. So, hold on.
You have a child
with Mr. Morton? Yes, I have
a 5-year-old son. And he's not
the child in question? No, Erin is. But you also
still continued
a sexual relationship... Yes, with
the both of them. Both of them?
You were having
sex with... I have sex with
both of them. JUDGE LAKE:
With Mr. Morton... EBONY: And Mrs. Lemon. And his girlfriend? (AUDIENCE EXCLAIMING) Yes, Your Honor.
Yes. Oh! So, a threesome
at the same time, or you have two
separate relationships? Oh, threesome
at the same time,
separate relationship... If I don't wanna have sex
with her, and I wanna
have sex with him, that's what happens. (AUDIENCE EXCLAIMING) Oh, okay. It just got interesting. Um... (AUDIENCE APPLAUDING) SHONNEISE:
Well, the only reason,
Your Honor, the only reason why she was
able to have sex with us is because I asked my
boyfriend to have sex with her
because she was lonely. My desires, me and
my little freakiness... I said, my boyfriend, "Can you have sex
with your pregnant baby mother
because she's in need?" Pause, Your Honor. SHONNEISE: How would she know? Pause, Your Honor. You Honor,
that is not true. Before I even left
to go anywhere, before I was gone
for a while, we was having sex
before then. She wanted to have sex
with me. Your Honor. She didn't ask
her boyfriend nothing. Her boyfriend
'bout it all, anyway, he had two girlfriends
from the beginning. So, that's, um,
consensual? Consensual or not, if I wanna
have sex with my baby's
father, Your Honor, it goes down. Try it now. It goes down. Try it now. It goes down. I don't
wanna try it now. I'm good, I'm good. When was the last time
you did it? When we did it,
right? No. So, ultimately, Ms. Parker, Ms. Lemon,
Mr. Morton, you all agree that you were
all in a sexual relationship? Yes, ma'am. EBONY: Yes,
Your Honor. And so, you also
are in an agreement that there's a possibility
that this could be your child? It cannot be my child
because the timing
is not right at all. I'm not trippin' off of that.
I know that that's
my son's father. I know. He looks exactly
like my other son. JUDGE LAKE: <i> And so, you're
doubtful, Mr. Morton,</i> <i> because you say
there's a timing issue.</i> ERIC: <i> Yes. She supposedly</i> got pregnant in May. So, I wanna understand
your doubt. But, from my understanding,
that would be only
seven months if she had my son. I never said I got pregnant
in May, Your Honor. JUDGE LAKE: Okay, hold on.
Let me get my calendar so I can just understand
what's going on exactly. When were you intimate
with Ms. Parker? During the window... ERIC: The week
of Mother's Day. May 11th, I believe? JUDGE LAKE: <i> You're intimate
that day?</i> EBONY: <i> The only intimacy
we had on Mother's Day
was oral sex, Your Honor.</i> How you gonna get pregnant
off oral sex, Your Honor? SHONNEISE: Judge, Judge... When was Erin born? December 5th. JUDGE LAKE:
So, December 5th... ERIC: <i> It only adds up
to about seven months.</i> <i> Her boyfriend's been
locked up since February,
and that's the guy</i> that she said could've
been the father. JUDGE LAKE: The baby... ...was born December 5th? So, your doubt is that
it's only seven months from when baby Erin
was born to when you were
having sex with her, and that doesn't
add up to you? Yes, ma'am. And, Ms. Parker, when was
the last time you were
intimate with someone else before that May 11th
period when you were
intimate with... The only person,
Your Honor,
I lie to you not, the only person that
I had unprotected sex
with was my baby's father. Was Mr. Morton. SHONNEISE: Your Honor,
that's a lie. EBONY: Your Honor... SHONNEISE: That's a lie. EBONY: She's clocking my... SHONNEISE: Yeah,
I'm clocking it. You can't clock it, baby. SHONNEISE: Just like
you clock mine. You can't. You can't clock it. SHONNEISE:
We downtown. The guy walks
up to her. They talking
and everything, and he swears
up and down Erin is his. She had to keep
reminding him that, "It's not yours, boy,
it's not yours. "I had sex with you
after he was already
in my stomach." Exactly! I said... What did I just say? But you told us
you had sex with nobody after you got pregnant. I said I didn't have
unprotected sex. That's a lie... She all over the place,
that's what it is. EBONY: Your Honor,
that's a lie. Okay, let's get some... Let's get some
control, let's... I wanna understand
this story. Your testimony,
Ms. Parker, is that you weren't intimate
with anyone else
during that time? I did not have
unprotected... JUDGE LAKE: Unprotected? That's what I said. She don't use condoms,
Your Honor. Were you having sex
with anyone... EBONY: Are you serious? You Honor, I... Listen.
I do what I do. I'm not... I love me.
You understand me? I don't have
unprotected sex with nobody but
the ones that I trust. I trust this man,
so, yeah, every time I have sex
with him, it's unprotected. You think of me so bad,
so you trust me too, right? Every time. You think of me so bad,
you yelling at me, but you
had sex with me, too, so you like me, right? Yeah! Yeah! You like me, right? I like the way
you, um, do your thing.
That's what I like. Okay, yeah. I know. I like the way
you do your thing, baby. That's fine. EBONY: That's all. SHONNEISE: I know. I know. You trippin'. JUDGE LAKE: Okay,
listen, listen. Ms. Parker, you stated that you weren't
having unprotected sex
with anyone else. Yes. You're saying
you're only... You only have
unprotected sex
with Mr. Morton... EBONY: Yes,
Your Honor, yes. Let me explain my side
of the story 'cause I'm trying to,
you know... JUDGE LAKE: Yeah. (STAMMERING) Before
my boyfriend went away, I was pregnant by him. That's where
they're getting confused. I had a whole
miscarriage, Your Honor.
A whole miscarriage by this man. She had plenty of those
now, all of a sudden. So, what you're
saying is you were pregnant,
but you... EBONY: Before. Like, this was before,
though. This is before I got pregnant again. SHONNEISE: He was only
locked up... ...a month or something. He wasn't even away
when I was pregnant, he was with me
when I was pregnant. JUDGE LAKE: You were, in fact, pregnant by
your boyfriend. EBONY: Yes, I was. But you miscarried. But I miscarried. Listen, Ms. Parker,
I'm trying to explain what my understanding is,
so you can correct me. Okay. "I was pregnant
by my boyfriend, yes, "but I had
a miscarriage." EBONY: Exactly. "Subsequently I got back
in a sexual relationship
with Mr. Morton, "had unprotected sex,
and I was pregnant again." EBONY: Yes, Your Honor. That's what I wanted
to understand. Yes, Your Honor. Now, let's move forward. At the point you realize
you're pregnant, did you
tell Mr. Morton? I told... Yes. That's what I'm trying
to get to. I told him I was pregnant,
and I did, I'm not gonna lie, I told him,
"This is not your baby," being as though I have
a sonogram telling me
I'm 13 weeks. So, when I go to my first
prenatal appointment, and they give me
a fetal assessment and they say,
"No, miss, you're
eight weeks pregnant. "Your baby is due
December the 24th." So, you went
to your appointment, and then your
due date got adjusted? Yes! JUDGE LAKE:
So, initially, when you got pregnant,
they gave you a certain
due date? EBONY: Yes, ma'am. And you said,
based upon that due date, "This is not
your child... EBONY: That he was not... <i> "Because I was not
sleeping with you then."</i> EBONY: <i> My point exactly.</i> Then you go, because
that's what happens, you do, you go to
subsequent appointments as you get
further along
in your pregnancy. They then gave you
another test... EBONY: Yes, they
gave me the sonogram. ...and determined, "Oh, no, "the first due date
we calculated
was wrong." Exactly. You're, in fact,
how many weeks? Eight weeks pregnant. You're eight weeks. I was eight weeks
pregnant when I got
that sonogram, and I gave...
I went home, and I gave him
the sonogram
to let him know we got a baby
on the way. What was your
response, Mr. Morton, when she told you,
"We have a baby on the way, "they miscalculated
my due date, "and now, I really believe
it's your child."
What was your response? I had my doubts because of
what she had told me at first. JUDGE LAKE:
You still had doubts.
Did you participate... <i> You have a child
with her already.</i> ERIC: <i> Yes.</i> JUDGE LAKE: <i> Did you
participate in the birth?</i> Were you there
through the pregnancy? I didn't go to
none of the appointments. I ain't show up to none
of the doctor's appointments, but I was there
when she had him. I have a picture. I have a picture of him
holding my son when he first came out of the womb. JUDGE LAKE: Jerome,
may I see that, please. So, Mr. Morton, you say
that you didn't go
to the appointments? ERIC: No, ma'am. But this is
a picture of you <i> holding baby Erin
when he was first born.</i> ERIC: <i> Yes.</i> <i> So, you went to the hospital
when he was first born?</i> Yes, I was there. To see him? Did you sign
the birth certificate? I seen him when he came out. Did you sign
the birth certificate? No, ma'am, I didn't sign
the birth certificate
because of my doubts. What is that evidence
you're holding for me? The birth certificate
I didn't sign. JUDGE LAKE:
I'd like to see that. So, you decided not to sign
the birth certificate because you felt like,
"I just have too many doubts.
I don't wanna do that." <i> Have you been involved
with baby Erin since?</i> ERIC: <i> Yes.</i> You have? So, you
still have doubts? I still have doubts. He got doubts, Your Honor,
but he on Facebook,
"My son..." Hand that to me.
What is that, Ms. Parker? This is a page from Facebook,
from off of his page. EBONY: "My son hands
always in the air."
But you got so many doubts. That's what you do. JUDGE LAKE: This is
a picture of baby Erin <i> from your Facebook page,
Mr. Morton? It says,</i> <i> "My son hands always
in the air."</i> Mmm-hmm. Yeah. JUDGE LAKE: (STAMMERING)
You wrote that? Yes. So, if you had doubts,
why would you post that? I know this man,
you feel me? I know he love people's kids.
I know he loves children. I gave this man
his first child. I know this. You understand
what I'm saying? And she feels like
she holds authority,
she don't. She don't. It don't matter. Like I said...
Like I said. I know...
Like I said, this is not
the first situation. And, so, listen.
This feeling, that you... (READING) "He steps up to
the plate and takes care of
other people's children, "but does not properly
take care of baby Erin," is the basis
of your suit? Right. JUDGE LAKE: You're suing
for $2,047 in child care expenses. Things you've spent
on baby Erin. EBONY: That's right. Since he's been born. That's right. JUDGE LAKE: And you say
Mr. Morton's done nothing. Besides $30 and
some hand-me-downs. ERIC: I've done
a lot of things... A lot of hand-me-downs. Contributing to
the childcare expenses,
that she has incurred, have you contributed anything besides
this $30? She probably has no record 'cause I never did
anything to her but
gave her that $30. That's what I wanted
to know. All right,
so just the $30. Do you have any receipts
from what you've spent,
what you've done? Thank you.
Explain to the court,
ma'am, the items. Things that you've
purchased thus far.
I see you have... Diapers. EBONY: Diapers. Um, baby wipes, um, bottles,
clothes... JUDGE LAKE:
Formula, toiletries... Yes, all that.
I've been working
almost a whole year... Is the total
of this $2,047? Yes, ma'am,
minus the $30... Okay, $2,047. JUDGE LAKE: Mr. Morton,
you acknowledge that all you've done
is the $30? That I put in her hands,
for her. JUDGE LAKE: Right. For these $2,047 worth
of expenses, It wasn't the only thing... you've paid 30 of it. ERIC: Yeah. Okay. I'm gonna rule on this
after we get the DNA results, because, of course,
that will determine
whether or not you have a responsibility
to care for this child. Ms. Parker, I'd like to hear
from your witness before we... EBONY: Yes, ma'am. ...get to the results.
Ma'am, please stand. Thank you so much
for joining us. What's your name, ma'am?
State it for the record. Marie Dunlap. JUDGE LAKE: Ms. Dunlap,
you are? I'm Mr. Morton's mother. JUDGE LAKE: Oh, you are? Yes. JUDGE LAKE: You're
Mr. Morton's mother? MARIE: Yes. (AUDIENCE MURMURING) What do you
have to add, ma'am? Well, for the most part,
as far as support system, when she first had baby Erin,
she did not have anything, 'cause we were supposed
to try to get together
a baby shower. So, she did
have him early. So, as far as support system,
it was me and my daughter, which is Eric's sister. SHONNEISE:
And her mother. Mr. Morton's sister. And her mother. And... Excuse me,
I'm talking. SHONNEISE:
It don't matter. It does. SHONNEISE:
It don't. So, therefore... Did you just let her
disrespect your mother? EBONY: Yeah, real bad! I'm sorry,
I had to catch that. EBONY: Come again? Okay. (AUDIENCE APPLAUDING) Mmm-hmm. Honestly, I don't even know
why she's over there. She don't do nothing
for her grandson. (JUDGE LAKE STAMMERING) She don't get him anything. JUDGE LAKE:
It doesn't matter. That's still your mother. MARIE: I do get
my grandson... I do get him... All right, so, ma'am,
the bottom line is you know what
about this situation? Well, as far as them two, to be honest, I really think
that they never stop dealing with each other
from time to time. Even when she had
the boyfriend, I still believe they were
dippin' and dabbin'. Because him and the boyfriend
had got into it over I don't know what
the altercation was about. But I heard about
they had got into it. And at several times,
they are together... So, it is your belief
that baby Erin is your grandchild? MARIE: Yes. That's us all the way. Have you witnessed your son
connect with this child? MARIE: <i> Yes.</i> JUDGE LAKE: <i> And you've
connected with the child.</i> Yes. ERIC: When? Your family accepts the child
without doubt? We do accept him,
without a doubt. JUDGE LAKE: Without doubt? Without a doubt. MARIE: I don't share his
doubts because that's ours. That's a Morton. She wouldn't know
my doubts, Your Honor. My mother don't know anything
about the situation. Every time I try to
put her into the situation,
she don't wanna bother. Thank you so much
for your testimony,
you may be seated. Where are we going
from here with this? EBONY: Let me tell you
where I'm going from this. When you read
them DNA tests and they tell you that
that's that man's son, I'm going to child support.
That's where I'm going
with this. I'm going
straight downtown. You got me twisted. (AUDIENCE APPLAUDING) Come on, now. And, so... I have to ask this.
Are you all gonna
continue to have this unprotected sex... EBONY: No sex.
No sex, Your Honor. He's good. He's good
with his wife. (SCOFFS) How long that's
gonna last? Feel me? What's the point of
knocking what we have? Feel me? He's good. I mean, Ebony...
Your Honor. I'm knocking it because... This is the reason
my son is being denied. I never... First of all,
(STAMMERING) I... This is out of
character for me. I have never, ever
in a million years,
came at this woman like this. It's one thing when
you sitting there
stating facts, but it's another thing
when you try and
degrade me. The reason that
I feel the way I feel
about her, is because we formed
a relationship. Her whole pregnancy
with Erin, when she
moved to the house, I was right there
with her. Every pain, every time
her foot got swollen,
I wanted to rub it, I took care of her
to support her and show her that
she wasn't alone. I don't care
what my boyfriend did. If he didn't want to be
a part of Erin's life, if he denied him,
if he felt any way, I ignored that,
and I still played a role. I'm a very loving person,
I'm a very honest person. "Please bring her over... I've never done
anything to her. "I wanna have sex
with your baby mama." I have never told him to deny him. She's trying to make me low,
and that's not the case. Listen, listen... I would never do nothing
like that to her. And listen. I think before
I go to the results I just need to ask
the question, are you two finished? 'Cause it's become obvious
that we're talking about the relationship between
you and Mr. Morton, and yet there is still
a relationship between
you and Ms. Lemon that has a lot of
unfinished workings.
It's a lot going on here. Let's get to the results. EBONY: Please, Your Honor. (AUDIENCE APPLAUDING) These results were prepared
by DNA Diagnostics and
they read as follows. In the case of<i>
Parker v. Morton,</i> when it comes to
7-month-old Erin Morton, it has been determined
by this court... JUDGE LAKE: Mr. Morton, you... Are Erin's father. Thank you!
I told you! Like, I know.
Come on. Thank you. I need that
paper so I can go down
to child support tomorrow morning
when I get up. Ms. Parker, you came
to court with a suit
in the amount of $2,047, Mr. Morton is,
in fact, baby Erin's
biological father, which means you are
legally obligated
to care for that child, and Ms. Parker
is entitled to half
of the child care expenses she has incurred
thus far. You admit you
contributed $30,
is that correct? Yes, ma'am. You came in suing
for $2,047. Half of that is $1,023.50, less the $30
you contributed. So, therefore,
my ruling is for
the plaintiff in the amount
of $993.50.
Is that clear? EBONY: Yes, Your Honor. Yes, ma'am. I feel like
you two agreed to bring Ms. Parker
into your relationship, and now, it seems like
Ms. Lemon and Ms. Parker got more unfinished
business than Mr. Morton
and Ms. Parker, and they got
two babies together. A relationship with two people
is difficult enough to manage. Bring a third in? Now, you really got
a mess that's magnified. So, now, you all had the fun, so now you gotta
do the work. I want you all to talk
to one another and start figuring out
how to work this out. I don't think it's healthy
for anyone involved. I wish you all
the very best of luck.
Court is adjourned.
