You may be seated. Good morning, Your Honor. Good morning. This is the case of <i>
Nielsen v. Davis.</i> Thank you, Ron.
Good day, everyone. AUDIENCE: Good day. Ms. Nielsen, you say
the birth of your
two-year-old son Kaydn literally saved your life. <i> And to repay him,
it is imperative
that you make it a point</i> to have his daddy
in his life. So, you've summoned
the defendant
Mr. Davis to court to prove to him that he is
your baby's biological father. Is that correct? NIELSEN: Yes, Your Honor. Mr. Davis, you claim
it is commendable that Ms. Nielsen
has changed her life, but unfortunately,
she cannot undo her past. You are 100% certain that
you are not her son's father, and claim to have
physical proof to support your doubt. Is that correct? Yes, Your Honor. So, Ms. Nielsen,
how did Kaydn save your life? I struggled
with an addiction
for numerous years, and when I found out
I was pregnant with Kaydn, I was able to go into rehab, and stay in rehab
until I had Kaydn. And I still today, I'm clean
from the time I was pregnant, so I'll have three years
clean in September. That's wonderful.
That is wonderful. (AUDIENCE APPLAUDING) <i> And so, this child
really did change your life
in more ways than one.</i> NIELSEN: <i> He saved my life.</i> And so you believe
Mr. Davis is Kaydn's
biological father? NIELSEN: Yes, I believe he is. JUDGE LAKE: Tell me why. NIELSEN: When I found out
I was pregnant, I went into rehab. In the past few months
before I went into rehab, I spent a lot of times
with Mr. Davis. I actually stayed
at his cousin's house, and he was with me
almost every night at his cousin's house.
So we were together for a few months
before I went
into rehab. You all were having
a sexual relationship, and, presumably,
not using protection. Yes. Mr. Davis, do you
remember this
relationship? Yes, I do, Your Honor.
It was not
a relationship, it was just something
I was trying to,
I was just pursuing. We were just having sex.
We were just,
we wasn't... I was already
in a relationship. JUDGE LAKE: Oh! All right, so you were
in a relationship, but you were having
a sexual relationship
with Ms. Nielsen? Exactly. JUDGE LAKE: But were
you using protection? No. JUDGE LAKE: All right, so that is what lands
you in <i> Paternity Court.</i> Uh, moving on, so you were having
a sexual relationship
with her. She says it's during
the window of time
that she conceived. Well, see, I don't know
about that because when I first met Ms. Nielsen,
we were both in a place we was trying
to get our life together. At that time, I used to tell her
that she was pregnant then, but she said she wasn't. So, after we left that place, that's when we start
pursuing each other
a little bit more. So when she did tell me
that she was pregnant, I told her, "What are
you telling me for? "Because I knew that
you had been with other guys." JUDGE LAKE: You... Oh!
You felt like when you started a sexual
relationship with her, she was already pregnant. Yes. JUDGE LAKE: And you
said that to her? Yes. JUDGE LAKE: Did he
tell you that, Ms. Nielsen? "I think you're pregnant
already"? We met in October of 2012. I got pregnant
in May of 2013, and had the baby
in February of 2014. So, I was not pregnant
when we met. So, Ms. Nielsen, when you
told him you were pregnant,
what happened? So, his phone number changed so I really didn't know
how to get a hold of him. JUDGE LAKE: So,
you didn't speak to him much
while you were pregnant? No, until Kaydn
was a few months old, I got a hold of him
and he denied it. So you spent the
entire pregnancy by yourself? NIELSEN: Yes. But honestly, in my heart,
I believe that Mr. Davis is Kaydn's father. Because of the lifestyle
I was living, supporting my drug habit, there were other people
I had sexual relations with. So what makes you think... But I was very cautious with those people
and it was a lifestyle supporting my drug habit. So what makes you think
that I was the father? Because we didn't
use protection, and
we were together. Compared to one time
with these other men, to multiple times with you. DAVIS: I saw you
with other guys... NIELSEN: Yeah, you were there. I know that. ...physically, physically. You saw her...
What do you mean
you saw... Physically with
other guys. We was in a place,
and she brought other
guys into the place and told me
to leave out. And you were still
having sex with her
with no protection? Yes, that was my...
Yes. JUDGE LAKE: Mmm. Okay. NIELSEN: It was all
about the money, and using. We both had a different
lifestyle at that time. JUDGE LAKE:
Understood, understood. So in your mind,
Ms. Nielsen, did you feel like
this thing,
this sexual relationship with Mr. Davis
could turn into
something? Did you feel like
maybe there was
a chance for a relationship
there? Honestly, I did.
I had feelings
for Mr. Davis and he was well aware
of that. He was playing me,
obviously, 'cause we said
we loved each other. I've never told you that. He would tell me...
Yes, you did! And we would
talk on the phone, I was in
a different city, I would travel on
the train to come
spend time with him. There was a time
when we talked about
getting a place... Negative. ...and being together. There was a time... We never talked
about anything but... But I honestly,
I didn't know if
he was real. I knew about his other life... DAVIS: You knew I never had
feelings for you. Now I know that. JUDGE LAKE: Mr. Davis, you're having sex
with this woman
for a course of months... DAVIS: Yes, Your Honor. And you admit
you're not using protection. DAVIS: Yes. Now, okay, if you told her
you don't really have
feelings for her, so be it.
I can't change that. But you have to understand
that you most certainly are
a possibility... Okay. ...if the window
of conception matches up to the time
you were in a sexual
relationship with her. I know of other people
involved that could also
be the father. JUDGE LAKE: Understood. DAVIS: Your Honor. JUDGE LAKE: Yes. I have a birth certificate and he has a last name of "H." I mean... JUDGE LAKE: Let me
see that, please, Ron. This is evidence.
This is a birth certificate,
you said? Yes. This is a copy of Kaydn's birth certificate? <i> When you look
at the last name,</i> <i> you don't see yours.</i> DAVIS: <i> Exactly. Nor hers.</i> JUDGE LAKE: Or hers. Exactly. At the time I was pregnant,
and I was in the hospital, giving birth to Kaydn,
alone, all by myself, I didn't have any friends
or family by my side. My whole lifestyle
I let go of, because it's in the past. The one man that is
by my side is incarcerated. We communicate
correspondence mail
and on the phone calls, he will always be in my life. He will be out next year. <i> And if he's in my life,
he's in Kaydn's life.</i> JUDGE LAKE: <i> So you</i>■<i>
gave Kaydn just...</i> <i> ...a friend's last name?</i> NIELSEN: <i> Yes.</i> He's a good man, and
I believe he will be there
for my son if no one else is. All right. And listen,
you had gone through
a very traumatic um, evolution,
we'll say, and I understand that. But what we're here
discussing is
Kaydn's paternity, and so as we talk about
Mr. Davis' doubt, if we have to
understand that,
yes, that now, a birth certificate
with another man's
last name on it gives him even more
reason to doubt. There's another guy
that says that he's most
definitely the father,
that she's, uh... Oh, so there's
another gentleman claiming that he's
Kaydn's biological father? Yes, Your Honor. So, that's Mr. Turner? Yes. He's in court today
in the hallway. That's the other gentleman
he's talking about? I met Mr. Turner years back.
We also partied and had
that lifestyle together. It was pretty much
a relationship
out of convenience. I honestly do not remember
at the time of conception, being with this man. I remember telling him
I was pregnant, just in general telling him,
"Oh, my gosh, I'm pregnant. "I really need to get
my life together." I need to do something,
'cause I'm still using and
I found out I was pregnant. He supported me, you know?
Going to rehab, and was very encouraging
about that. JUDGE LAKE: He says he's
Kaydn's biological father? NIELSEN: Yes. I haven't seen him in years,
and six months ago, he says he's turning
his life around and shows up in the city
where I live, and he says he wants
to see Kaydn, and I mean... JUDGE LAKE: But Mr. Davis
is saying his doubt stems
from the fact that he knows you were having sex
with other people during
the window of conception and that Mr. Turner
is claiming the baby is his. DAVIS: Yes, Your Honor. That would make
the average man doubtful. I wanna hear from him. Ron, will you please
escort Mr. Turner in
the courtroom, please? Yes, ma'am. Hello, Mr. Turner. Thank you
for joining us today. You're welcome, Your Honor. We're here discussing
the paternity as it relates
to baby Kaydn, <i> and I'd like to know
why you believe you are
Kaydn's biological father.</i> I had known
about her pregnancy, and I had moved away, and then I lost contact
without my phone's
information, so my daughter set up
a Facebook page for me, and she friend requested me,
and seen me, and then when I seen Kaydn, I looked at him
and I said, "Wow." I said, "He really looks
like my other son." I believed that he
was my child.
To me, he looked like me, I had a gap between my teeth,
he's got a gap
between his teeth, he has a lot
of characteristics similar, he acts, he acts like,
he acts like
all my children, you know? And you, admittedly, were in
a sexual relationship
with Ms. Nielsen during the window of time
Kaydn was conceived? Yes, Your Honor. You acknowledge that
as well, Ms. Nielsen? Honestly don't remember. I remember we had
a relationship pure
out of convenience, and I was around him
at that time, yes. JUDGE LAKE: Okay. What is your involvement
with Kaydn now, Mr. Turner? Well, she contacted me
on Facebook, um, I'd made arrangements to come out
and see him. <i> See, he likes to
go to parks,</i> <i> and he likes to run,
so we run, you know?</i> <i> He really runs,
and it's an
all-day affair.</i> We'll go out
and we eat... I've been, you know,
I've been on several
visits to see him. They were all good, you know?
To me, I thought they
were all good. Now, did you let him
spend time with Kaydn
because you believe he is one of Kaydn's
possible biological
fathers? I've told him from day one
that I believe that Mr. Davis
is his father. Mr. Turner, has she
ever told you,
Ms. Nielsen ever told you that you are Kaydn's
biological father? She told me
that she had doubts. She didn't, she said
she did not know. So, when she introduced
you to Kaydn, how did she introduce you?
"This is Mommy's friend?" How did she
introduce you? She didn't introduce me as Dad and, um, for that reason, you know,
I never pushed the issue, because I said,
before I want him
to call me Dad, I wanted to know if
I was his true father. And have you been
providing for Kaydn? I've tried to make attempts
to provide for him. He's not doing anything.
Nobody has been there. Nobody has bought Kaydn
a pack of diapers, <i> a sippy cup, a toy,</i> <i> nobody even knows
what he likes.</i> He couldn't even tell you
anything about Kaydn. He says he knows Kaydn... Your Honor, Your Honor... So you feel like
you're all by yourself? I am all by myself,
and maybe I put myself
in that position, but if I could possibly prove
who Kaydn's father is, which, in my heart,
I believe is Mr. Davis,
I would like to do so. Mr. Turner has not provided,
he has offered to provide, every time he gets paid.
Three separate instances he offers to bring Pull-Ups,
then for two days his phone's lost,
or he doesn't answer his phone and he does not show up. I've told Kaydn,
"D.T.'s coming."
He does like D.T., Because D.T. plays with him, and takes him, you know,
he remembers that time <i> because he did play...</i> <i> One-on-one attention,
any kid would like that.</i> And he doesn't come,
and then Kaydn's going
to the door all day, "D.T." And he's not there. See, that's the whole point. She looks for me,
she talks about nobody's there for her,
and she looks for support. If I'm working... NIELSEN: Basically, I would
like to prove to Mr. Turner that Kaydn is not his child. One at a time. What I'm not understanding is
you seem to be angry
with Mr. Turner, because he is being
irresponsible, as it relates to bringing
the Pull-Ups,
and doing what he says, but you said
that you truly believe, with all your heart, Mr. Davis is Kaydn's biological father. So, why are you mad at him at all? Mad because
he presented the situation. I would be mad at anyone
if they said, "I'm coming over
tonight for dinner," and they don't show up. So, you're angry because
he makes promises
he doesn't keep? All right, Mr. Davis,
why are you so doubtful? When she told me
she was pregnant, and by me knowing
her lifestyle, and what she was
capable of doing, and me seeing her
with other guys physically, I knew that it could
also be someone else that could be
the father. Okay, so you doubted because
you knew she was having
a sexual relationship with someone else
as well. DAVIS: Right. But you did know that you
were also having a sexual
relationship with her. What else?
Any other reason
to doubt? He doesn't really
look like me, in any kind of way. JUDGE LAKE:
You don't feel like the child looks like you? No. No, I think he looks
like he could be
another nationality. You think the child's
another nationality? DAVIS: Yes. Well, Ms. Nielsen is
another nationality. Maybe he's a,
he's a blend of two. A Mexican or something. NIELSEN: I honestly believe
that he is Kaydn's father, and I don't have
much family,
I only have a mother, I've never had
a big family growing up, and always, I feel like
I kinda... I always wish
I had a family. <i> So, if I could find a family
that is, in fact, Kaydn's,</i> <i> and they could
do right by him,</i> <i> I would like
to provide that for him.</i> All right, at this point
I've heard enough testimony, and there definitely
is doubt here. And, Ms. Nielsen, it's
time to get the answers
for you and Kaydn. Thank you, Your Honor. I'm ready
for the results, Ron. Yes, ma'am. These results were prepared
by DNA Diagnostics,
and they read as follows. In the case of<i>
Nielsen v. Davis,</i> when it comes
to two-year-old Kaydn, it has been determined
by this court, the biological father is... It has been determined
by this court, the biological father is... Mr... Davis. DAVIS: All right. Okay. JUDGE LAKE:
How do you feel? DAVIS: I feel good. So now, my sons can know
their little brother. JUDGE LAKE:
Good. Good. That's what we
wanna hear. And I see,
Ms. Nielsen, that you have tears
in your eyes
in this moment. What are you feeling? Mixed emotions. I'm happy
to finally know, but <i> I'm scared for Kaydn,
I'm scared for his future,</i> 'cause I want him
to have a good father, and I want him to have
a good life, and be...
(SNIFFLES) Have everything
he deserves, and I just really want you
to step up and be there,
Rodney. Please, he needs you.
He needs you more than any child
needs a father. JUDGE LAKE: Why don't
we start right now? If it's okay, I'd like
for you and Mr. Davis
to meet me in my chambers. And I'd like Mr. Davis
to get a chance
to meet his son. Is that okay? All right. Yes. Meet you in my chambers.
Court is adjourned. Well, this has been
a day of revelation, right? Yes, it has. Now, we want you
to continue on this path
that you've started on. So, Mr. Davis, are you ready to see your son? DAVIS: I'm ready. Good. (SOFTLY)
Baby! Hey, it's okay, honey. Say hi. DAVIS: Come here, come here. Come here, big guy.
Come here, big guy. I'm your dad. So,
we're gonna spend
a lot of time together. All right? I wish you all
the very best of luck, okay? Take care of him.
