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Man Became Homeless Because of Child Support Payments (Full Episode) | Paternity Court - YouTube
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[3]
Ms. Dennis, I requested
that you meet me
in my chambers
[8]
because after I read
your court file,
[10]
I was truly touched
by what I read.
[15]
I realize
that you've been
searching for your father
[18]
since you were 12 years old.
[18]
Yes, ma'am.
[21]
The man you believe
is your father.
[21]
Mmm-hmm.
[25]
But you have
never seen him.
[25]
Nope.
[27]
You have never
spoken to him.
[30]
You have never
heard his voice?
[30]
Not one time.
[33]
And so today will be
the very first day
you will do that
[38]
and I wanted to make sure
you were okay
and you were prepared.
[42]
I'm nervous, I really am,
[44]
because all I've known of him
is these pictures
that I've had my entire life.
[48]
And these are?
[48]
These are pictures
of my mother and him
[51]
<i> at their wedding.</i>
[51]
<i> So you've had these pictures
your whole life,</i>
[55]
<i> but you have not
had your biological father.</i>
[55]
<i>Not one bit.</i>
[58]
But I just wanted to make sure
you were aware of the stakes,
[64]
and the fact that this can be
in a very emotional time.
[64]
Thank you.
[67]
(SNIFFS) All right.
[67]
Jerome, please escort
Ms. Dennis to the courtroom.
[70]
Go ahead and go this way.
[70]
All right.
[73]
Please be seated.
[76]
Good morning,
Your Honor.
[76]
Good morning.
[77]
This is the case
of<i> Dennis v. Dennis.</i>
[77]
Thank you, Jerome.
[80]
Good day, everyone.
[80]
ALL: Good day.
[82]
Ms. Dennis, today will be
the very first day
[86]
you've ever laid eyes
on the man
you've known to be your father.
[90]
Yes, ma'am.
[90]
And I just want
to make clear
[91]
that you understand
that he denies
[95]
that he is
your biological father.
[97]
(AUDIENCE MUTTERING)
[97]
Absolutely.
[98]
JUDGE LAKE: All right.
[100]
Jerome, at this time I'd ask
that you please
escort Mr. Dennis
[103]
into the courtroom, so we can
begin the proceedings.
[103]
Yes.
[111]
MR. DENNIS: Good morning, sir.
[111]
Go right up here,
[113]
on the left-hand side.
[113]
Right.
[119]
Good morning, Your Honor.
[119]
Good morning, sir,
thank you for joining us.
[123]
Ms. Dennis, I'd like
to start with you.
[123]
Yes, ma'am.
[126]
You have been in search
of your biological father
[131]
for close to 23 years?
[131]
Yes, ma'am.
[134]
And you truly believe
that Mr. Dennis,
[136]
who stands here
at the defendant podium,
[138]
is your biological father?
[138]
Correct.
[141]
Tell me what you learned
and why you believe
this to be true.
[144]
Well, I've had pictures
my entire life,
[147]
I've been looking at them
since I was very little.
[150]
I feel that I look
exactly like him.
[152]
I have his nose,
his cheekbones, his eyes...
[155]
My mother says that I look
just like his mother
when she was younger.
[159]
Um, you know,
I know when they got married,
[162]
when they split up, I know
for a fact that my mother
was not with anybody else
[166]
during the time
that they were together.
[168]
Why wasn't
your biological father
in your life?
[170]
What were you told?
[171]
I was told
that he actually
left my mother
[174]
when she was six weeks
pregnant with me.
[174]
(AUDIENCE MURMURING)
[177]
Wrong, wrong, wrong...
[177]
Mr. Dennis, you say
that's wrong.
[180]
Yes, ma'am.
[180]
Please tell the court
what your position is.
[184]
My position, here,
right now, today,
[187]
is to give her closure,
[189]
and myself closure,
[191]
being the father
or not being the father,
[195]
which to be...
I believe I'm not,
[197]
because when me
and her mother married,
[200]
I was a truck driver
at the time.
[202]
And on Memorial Day weekend,
I was down in Florida,
[206]
I called her phone.
[209]
She's out on the lake,
in the middle of the night,
by herself
[213]
on an antique wooden boat
with her ex-boyfriend...
[213]
(AUDIENCE MURMURING)
[217]
...while her children
are up on the bank.
[221]
And so you believe,
your wife at the time
[224]
was cheating?
[224]
Yes, ma'am.
[226]
While you were on runs
as a truck driver?
[226]
Yes, ma'am.
[230]
Trying to make a living
for her and my family.
[230]
How soon after that
[232]
did you find out
her mother was pregnant?
[237]
Uh, when I got back
from Florida, we split up
because of that,
[242]
I moved to Arkansas,
she started
the divorce proceedings.
[246]
And then I got
a letter in the mail,
[247]
<i> stating that the proceedings
had stopped
due to her pregnancy.</i>
[252]
So, then they paused
the divorce proceedings
because she was pregnant?
[255]
Until after the child
was born.
[257]
I have requested
to see the child,
[260]
but I was living
in a different state.
[262]
But it would have been
every two weeks,
[264]
two hours
supervised visitation.
[267]
And so, you have never
seen Ms. Dennis in person?
[267]
No, ma'am, not till today.
[272]
This young woman
who has believed,
her entire life
[274]
that you're
her biological father,
[276]
you were married
to her mother.
[276]
Yes, ma'am.
[278]
You have never
laid eyes on her?
[278]
Never have.
[280]
Until this day,
this moment?
[280]
Yes, ma'am.
[283]
(AUDIENCE MUTTERING)
[283]
WOMAN: Wow.
[284]
I have requested
from her mother,
[288]
and I have proof
or DNA tests,
and everything else
[291]
that I have been denied
by courts, from her mother
and everybody else.
[296]
Jerome, will you please
hand me Mr. Dennis' evidence?
[299]
What is this, sir?
[299]
That is proof
of the DNA request
[303]
that I have requested
from the courts.
[306]
But with her mother denying,
I could not get a DNA test.
[311]
And so, Ms. Dennis,
when did you learn
of all of this?
[314]
I heard the story,
the full story, finally,
[316]
when I was about seven
or eight years old.
[318]
Uh, I hate to say this
and I hate to be rude
to anybody,
[322]
but your mother
has misled you
on a lot of things
[325]
while you were
growing up.
[325]
Well, on that note,
[328]
I want to make sure
we do hear
the other side of the story.
[331]
So, Ms. Dennis,
your mother
could not join us today?
[335]
Mmm-hmm.
[335]
But she was able
to join us by phone,
[338]
so I have her here,
on the line.
[338]
MS. DENNIS: All right.
[341]
Ms. Merau, are you here?
Can you hear me?
[344]
MERAU:<i> I am and I can.</i>
[345]
Ms. Merau,
you understand that Mr. Dennis
alleges at that time
[349]
that you were
in a situation on a boat
[354]
with another man,
an ex-boyfriend
[357]
which led him to believe
that Ms. Dennis would not,
[361]
could not be
his biological daughter.
[364]
Can you please tell the court
how you remember
this situation?
[368]
MERAU:<i> Oh, of course.</i>
[382]
<i> As I recall
this situation,</i>
[385]
<i> it was not
after we were married</i>
[387]
<i> that I went on a boat
with a friend.</i>
[390]
MR. DENNIS: Yes, it was.
[390]
<i> And my children were there.</i>
[392]
On the bank.
[392]
<i> In fact, he let
my daughter drive the boat.</i>
[396]
<i> And he's
a good friend of mine.</i>
[399]
She was dating him
at the time we met.
[399]
<i>He was letting us see his boat</i>
[403]
<i> after he had restored it.</i>
[405]
Mr. Dennis says
that you cheated
with this man...
[409]
She is telling a fable story.
[409]
...which led to you
becoming pregnant.
[413]
She is telling
a fable story.
[415]
<i>No, I never had
a sexual relationship
with anyone.</i>
[417]
(AUDIENCE GROANS)
[417]
MR. DENNIS: She was dating
the man at the time,
[419]
when I met her...
[419]
<i>We were, and we dated
for a short period of time.</i>
[422]
...when I was working
as a barback
and doorman,
[424]
her and her friend
came in the bar.
[426]
<i>We dated
for a short
period of time</i>
[429]
<i>before I met
Steve Dennis.</i>
[431]
<i>After I met Steve Dennis,
we never dated.</i>
[431]
See? She says she had
[434]
no relationships
with him whatsoever.
[436]
He was just a friend.
[436]
<i>I did not have
a sexual relationship.</i>
[438]
<i>He was just a friend.</i>
[438]
Well, you did say, Ms. Merau,
"He was just a friend."
[441]
So, the truth is,
is you used to date him
romantically.
[446]
Before you met Mr. Dennis.
[446]
<i>Yes, for a short
period of time.</i>
[448]
Okay.
[448]
<i>For a short
period of time.</i>
[450]
(AUDIENCE CHUCKLING)
[450]
All right, well that's not
what your earlier testimony...
[453]
<i> Well...</i>
[453]
...alluded to,
but it is your testimony
[456]
and your contention
that you did not have...
[456]
<i>Mmm-hmm.</i>
[461]
...sexual relations
with this person
[463]
while you were married
to Mr. Dennis.
[466]
<i> Absolutely. I never had
sexual relations with anyone</i>
[470]
<i> but the man
I was married to.</i>
[470]
(SCOFFS)
[472]
Ms. Dennis, have you ever heard
anything about this other man?
[476]
That there would be
another possibility
[478]
of someone that could be
your biological dad?
[480]
I know the man,
I've met the man,
but I don't... No.
[483]
(CHUCKLES) I don't think so.
[483]
So, you know him
and you've met him.
[485]
Yes.
[485]
Ms. Dennis, I want you
to take a moment
[487]
and I want you
to tell Mr. Dennis
about your search for him.
[491]
<i> Tell him about the hurt.</i>
[493]
It's 23 years
of wondering why.
[496]
Why... Why doesn't
my father want me?
[499]
Why doesn't my father care?
Why isn't my father
trying to find me?
[504]
I tried for years,
since I was
about 12 years old,
[507]
to contact your family.
[509]
They've read and received
my messages, especially
before your father died.
[512]
This is the first
I've known of that.
[514]
It's been a struggle,
it really has.
[517]
Okay, if your mother
would have complied
[520]
to the request that I made
for a DNA test,
I would have been there.
[526]
(VOICE BREAKING)
You would have
never had to hurt for nothing.
[528]
(AUDIENCE SIGHS IN SYMPATHY)
[528]
Never wanted
for anything.
[531]
MERAU:<i> I want to answer
to that, no one ever asked me
for a DNA test.</i>
[533]
You're a liar!
I've requested from the courts,
[533]
<i> He never...</i>
[536]
I've requested, for 23 years
I've been fighting this,
Teresa.
[539]
<i>They never contacted me
with any requests, whatsoever.</i>
[542]
You are a liar.
I've got the proof.
[542]
<i> No, I am not.</i>
[544]
The judge has the proof
where I've requested.
[546]
And let me be clear.
[548]
You have been responsible
for child support, Mr. Dennis,
[551]
all these years?
[551]
I have been homeless
because of it.
[554]
(AUDIENCE GASPS)
[556]
Mr. Dennis, you say
you have been denied...
[561]
MR. DENNIS: By courts...
[561]
...the DNA tests
that you've needed...
[565]
Yes, ma'am,
for 23 years.
[565]
...for 20-something years.
[567]
Yes, ma'am.
[568]
You have been homeless...
[568]
I have been homeless...
[570]
...because of the
child support.
[570]
Can't pay... Can't...
[572]
Can't pay my bills
because my checks
have been garnished.
[575]
Sixty-six and a third percent
of my check.
[578]
MAN: Oh, my God.
[580]
And I can't pay rent,
I can't do nothing.
[583]
I don't have a life.
[584]
And I have got proof
of my arrears,
what I'm back owed.
[589]
Jerome, let me
see that, please.
[590]
And I can see
this makes you emotional
[592]
because you believe...
[594]
You did the right thing
in the beginning,
by requesting a DNA test.
[598]
Yes, ma'am.
[598]
You truly felt like,
at that time,
[601]
your wife had been
unfaithful to you...
[601]
Yes, ma'am.
[603]
...and you asked
for a DNA test.
[603]
Yes, ma'am.
[605]
You were not granted it?
[605]
Yes, ma'am.
[607]
From that point on,
you were responsible
for child support...
[610]
Yes, ma'am.
[610]
...each and every month,
[611]
over the last
20-something years...
[611]
Yes, ma'am.
[613]
...and you've now
just presented to the court...
[616]
MR. DENNIS:<i>
The arrears I'm behind.</i>
[618]
JUDGE LAKE:<i> That your payments
are approximately $300
every single month,</i>
[622]
<i>Whatever...</i>
[622]
<i> And you are $146,918.51</i>
[629]
<i> in arrears.</i>
[630]
MR. DENNIS:<i> And I look over
my shoulder every day,
in fear of going to prison.</i>
[634]
(AUDIENCE SIGHS IN SYMPATHY)
[634]
And then this cycle
just kept continuing?
[637]
Yes, ma'am,
because I can't even
get my driver's license.
[640]
The reason
I haven't been there,
[642]
is because
I don't believe
she is my child.
[646]
Her mother
had denied me a DNA test,
[649]
so why would I believe
the child's mine?
[652]
Why would I want
to get involved
with a child
[654]
and come to find out,
years later that the child's
not mine anyway.
[658]
Because if your wife
had gotten pregnant by you
and it was your child,
[662]
but you were
confused or doubtful,
[665]
what's the point?
"Let me just prove him wrong
[667]
"and let's have this DNA test
so you can be quiet."
[667]
MR. DENNIS: Exactly...
[670]
So, Ms. Merau,
what would you like to say
in response?
[674]
MERAU:<i> That it was the biggest
load of horse pucky
I ever heard in my life.</i>
[679]
(AUDIENCE LAUGHING)
[680]
<i> He never asked
for a DNA test...</i>
[680]
You are a liar.
[682]
<i> I sent him pictures
for two years
after she was born.</i>
[686]
What pictures?
[686]
<i> And they never even
acknowledged them.</i>
[688]
JUDGE LAKE: Who did you
send pictures to?
[688]
<i> I mailed them pictures.</i>
[690]
Who did you mail pictures to?
[690]
<i> I sent them
to his parents</i>
[693]
<i> and they never
acknowledged her.</i>
[695]
I ain't never
seen any pictures.
[697]
Mr. Dennis, you never
saw these photos?
[697]
MR. DENNIS: Never.
[701]
<i> That are here
on the monitor?</i>
[701]
AUDIENCE:<i> Oh...</i>
[703]
<i> Never. No, ma'am.</i>
[703]
<i> You've never seen?</i>
[706]
<i> ...all of these pictures
that were sent?</i>
[706]
<i> Never.</i>
[710]
MR. DENNIS:<i> Never seen them.</i>
[710]
JUDGE LAKE:<i> And so,
in this moment,</i>
[712]
I would like to give you
the opportunity,
Ms. Dennis,
[715]
to look at the man
you believe
is your biological father
[718]
and just tell him how it felt,
[722]
to not have him in your life
the way you would have
liked to.
[727]
Sitting there, knowing you have
a biological father,
out there, somewhere,
[732]
that you can't get
in contact with,
[734]
and may not want
to be in contact with you,
[736]
it does take a toll.
It's sad and it hurts.
[738]
I understand,
I do apologize
about that.
[741]
Thank you.
[741]
That's...
[742]
And she carries your name.
[744]
Her name is Sheila Dennis.
[748]
Even if you're not her father,
her biological father,
[752]
you have to understand
and empathize with the fact
that is what she's been told.
[758]
<i> So, all of these years
she's grown up just thinking</i>
[760]
<i> she's not important enough
to pursue.</i>
[763]
And I'm not... You know,
and I'm being very...
This is a human moment,
[766]
'cause I mean...
You think about it,
[768]
somebody tells you,
"What do you know
about my daddy?"
[770]
"He's a truck driver."
"A truck driver?
[772]
"Well, why can't he drive
to get to me?"
[775]
I mean, that
is the logical conclusion,
she just did like this.
[779]
Am I speaking the truth?
[779]
(CHUCKLING) Yes.
Yes, ma'am.
[782]
For a child...
[782]
MR. DENNIS: Mmm-hmm.
[785]
My father travels
across state lines,
[789]
drives trucks,
makes deliveries, picks up
[794]
and shows up for a living.
[796]
But he can't do
those things for me.
[798]
I can understand...
[798]
That's what she's lived with
for 20-something years.
[801]
And I know you are being kind
and I know you are reserving
a lot of your emotion
[806]
because you're trying
to be strong.
[807]
But I had to say it.
[809]
Thank you. (SNIFFS)
[811]
So, are you both prepared
for these results, either way?
[816]
MS. DENNIS: Yes, ma'am.
[816]
Have you really
thought about...
[818]
Yes, Your Honor.
[818]
...if I am, or if I'm not...
[821]
I have.
[821]
...if he is or if he isn't,
[824]
Yes, ma'am.
[826]
I'm definitely ready
to find out the truth.
[826]
I am, too.
[829]
I've been
waiting 23 years.
[831]
And I won't make you
wait a moment longer.
[834]
Jerome, may I have
the envelope, please?
[834]
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
[840]
These results were prepared
by DNA Diagnostics,
and they read as follows.
[847]
"In the case
of<i> Dennis v. Dennis..."</i>
[861]
When it comes
to 22-year-old Sheila Dennis,
[868]
it has been determined
by this court,
[872]
Mr. Dennis,
[874]
you are the father.
[878]
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
[882]
I'm sorry.
[882]
Thank you.
[889]
I'm sorry, baby.
[889]
Thank you.
[894]
(BOTH SOBBING)
[896]
It's good
to finally meet you.
[896]
Same here.
[901]
I'm sorry
for all the wasted years.
[901]
Thank you.
[904]
I apologize,
this is not your fault.
[906]
We can try
to grow from here.
[906]
Thank you.
[910]
I'd like that a lot.
I love you.
[910]
I love you.
[912]
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
[919]
I want the world
to know this is my daughter.
[921]
(AUDIENCE SIGHS)
[921]
I've missed her.
[924]
Twenty-three years
have gone by in her life
[927]
that we can't ever
get back.
[929]
Thank you, Your Honor.
[929]
Thank you.
[931]
Thank you.
[931]
You can stand
with your daughter.
[934]
You don't have to thank me.
They call me "Your Honor,"
but it is truly my honor.
[939]
You now have the truth,
and you know now
[941]
that the denial
doesn't have to be there.
[944]
Right.
[945]
You know that you can have
a relationship
with your daughter,
[947]
you can be there for her.
[950]
And you have now, Ms. Dennis,
[953]
the biological father,
the relationship
with the biological father
[956]
you always longed for.
[959]
And there are going
to be tough times,
[960]
that's why we have
counseling and resources
for you,
[962]
I want you
to take advantage of,
[963]
because I want you to know
how to work through that.
[966]
Today is the first day
of the rest of our life.
[966]
MAN: Amen.
[968]
JUDGE LAKE: That's right.
I love that.
[971]
So, I want you
to take hold of that,
[973]
and move forward
in a positive way,
[975]
take care of one another,
enjoy one another,
[977]
catch up
on the last two decades.
[980]
So, I enjoyed so much
getting a chance
[982]
to help you all
sort through this.
[984]
Well, I thank you,
Your Honor.
[984]
Thank you.
[986]
I wish you all
the very best of luck.
[988]
Court is adjourned.
[988]
MR. DENNIS: Thank you.
[989]
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
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