Please be seated. -Hello, Your Honor. -Hello.
This is a case of Sims v. Smith/Johnson. Thank you, Jerome.
Good day everyone. [audience] Good day. Ms.
Sims, you say your mother and your alleged father intentionally deceived you for 36 years, by claiming that Mr Johnson is your biological father. You are suing them for paternity fraud because you claim to have proof that you are not his daughter. -[Judge Lake] Is that correct?
-Yes, Your Honor. Ms. Smith, you say you have always believed Mr Johnson is your daughter's father and you intend to prove it today.
-[Judge Lake] Is that correct? -That's true. Ms.
Sims, so, what do you mean they deceived you? Well, for my whole life, I've always thought that Henry, my dad, is my dad. And, I just have a multitude of things that have come up that show me that he, potentially, could not be, including my health and my daughter's health where we don't have any family history that is consistent throughout the family of my dad's family.
[Judge Lake] And so what does that feel like to be lied to, to feel like you've been deceived your whole life? I mean, it's distressing. It doesn't only affect me but my own offspring.
So, I'm upset about it and I'm very disappointed. But [exhales] I don't know what else to say about it. [Judge Lake] All right, Ms.
Smith, your daughter says you misled her. How do you respond to that? I never intentionally lied to her a day in her life.
So, where she's coming up with this, I don't know. [Judge Lake] Ms. Sims, you grew up a daddy's girl.
[Sims] Right. Definitely a daddy's girl. [Judge Lake] With a wonderful relationship with the man you were told was your biological father.
-[Sims] Absolutely. -[Judge Lake] Can you talk to the Court about that? Yes.
My dad picked. . .
I met my dad when I was four years old. So, I mean, a little later than most people. But after I was introduced to him, I spent a lot of time with him.
He made me who I am today. He made me strong. He made me very, very responsible.
He was the person that definitely encouraged me to be a better person always. So, yes, I am definitely a daddy's girl. And, Mr Johnson, you have great memories with your daughter.
[Johnson] Yes, I do. I remember taking her out to eat. We sit there and talk for hours.
And help her with her school work, personal problems. I just tried to be the best dad I could. Mr Johnson, how has your relationship changed since this.
. . paternity issue has come to light?
[sighs] I've always known there were some doubts. But I'd never mentioned it to her 'cause I didn't see any reason for it. Maybe she has less trust in me now, but.
. . it doesn't affect the way I feel about her.
[Judge Lake] You say you feel like she may have less trust in you. Yeah. [Judge Lake] Do you feel that way?
Uh. I mean, in a small, small aspect, yes. I mean, my mom and my dad I mean, because, together, they.
. . I mean, they raised me so, together, they knew that there was an opportunity that someone else could be my biological father and it was never a topic of conversation.
[Judge Lake] So, specifically, what happened that made you realize that there could be another possibility? So in 2001, I was diagnosed with lupus. And you know how when you go through your physical, like, they say, "Gimme your family history," -and things of that nature.
-Yes. Well, I have nothing no autoimmune disorders, on either side of my mother or father's family And so I just rode that out. Um, throughout that, I went to nursing school and I became a nurse.
And with more research and really understanding the disease process I realized that it could be hereditary and there could be some background to the things that are wrong. And then a couple of years ago, my daughter here, she begins to start having some physical health ailments. And I'm like, this is very in line with my age, my time frame of age and everything, and we just don't have that.
So at that point, it's like, I need to find out the truth. So, what do you say to your mother, when you get this information? And you say, "I don't see these medical issues on either side of my family tree.
" What do you say to your mom? Well, we actually talked to my dad first because you know, you don't ever wanna insult anyone or anything like that. I actually talked to my dad about it.
And my dad kind of was like, "Well, yeah," you know, "I agree that there may be, a chance that you're not mine. And I will support you to look for, to look for your--" [Judge Lake] How long ago was this? [Sims] I wanna say a couple.
. . like a year, a year, a little bit more than a year.
-[Judge Lake] Okay. -And, um. .
. So that shocked me. And I was just like, you know, that's a big pill to swallow, when your dad actually does know, that he could potentially not be your dad, and has never mentioned it, right?
So, Ms. Smith, do you remember when your daughter came to you and spoke to you about the possibility she may have another father and, is there something you hadn't told her? She was FaceTiming me on the phone.
And, when she mentioned it, she was laughing and giggling. So, I thought she was joking. I didn't read anything into it and didn't say anything about it.
So. . .
So, do you remember that conversation, Ms. Sims? What did you say to your mother?
And why did she say you were laughing? My husband and I were sitting on the sofa and I'm video chatting 'cause we live in separate states. And I was like, "Mom," you know, "is my dad my dad?
" And she was like, pfft, like, kind of gave like the, I don't know or the, you know. . .
Blow off, kind of blew it off. [Sims] And that kind of was like. .
. Oh, my gosh. This is the person that should be 100% sure.
If you want more episodes of Paternity Court Make sure to subscribe and click on the notification bell. So, Ms. Smith, Mr Johnson, did you finally just admit that there's another possibility?
[Smith] Yes, there is a possibility. So, what's your relationship? How did you two meet?
We both had the same job, we were both cab drivers. When you're idle, you sit on a cab stand, uh, until you get a call. And we happened to be at the same cab stand at the same time.
And we ended up talking across each other. We ended up getting acquainted and ended up being friends. And then after we got to be friends, you know, she'd come visit, we'd play music and talk and.
. . Dump our problems on each other and stuff like that.
-It, it just went forward. -[Judge Lake] Kind of got serious. You all became.
. . Did you become a couple?
[Johnson] No, we did not become a couple. She was already in a relationship. -[audience exclaims] -[Judge Lake] Oh!
So, that's why you say you get together, play the music and dump your problems on one another. -Yeah. -I understand now.
But at some point it became sexual, or would not believe you were a possibility. That's right. So, how long did the sexual relationship last?
One day. -[Judge Lake] Oh, just one day? -Yes, one day.
So-- Why did you look at him like that, Ms. Smith? [audience laughs] Apparently, my mind ain't working right for me.
[Judge Lake] Why? You saying it's more than one day? -Definitely.
-[audience] Oh. So, Mr Johnson, what do you remember? You say, you only had sex with Ms.
Smith, one time? We were seeing each other for two months as friends. One day we took a shower together and we ended up in the bed having sex.
Did you know she was in another relationship at the time? [Johnson] Yes, I did. That's why it took me so long.
Oh, that's why you didn't try to have sex with her sooner. But then this day after the shower, -all bets were off? -[Johnson] Yes.
[all laughing] Yes, ma'am. Yes, Your Honor. Yeah.
If you could have seen your daughter's face when you said, you all took a shower together. No kid wants to hear that, right? -[Sims] Right.
-[all laughing] So, Ms. Smith, how soon after the sexual encounter with Mr Johnson did you find out you were pregnant? Two to three months.
[Judge Lake] So, about two-three months after that? What did you do with that information? Who did you tell?
I told him I was pregnant and I told my ex I was pregnant. [Judge Lake] Okay, so, at that point, as a young woman, you realized you were in a question of paternity situation. You told both men, "I'm pregnant, you may be the father.
" I didn't say all that. [laughs] I just said that I was pregnant. [Judge Lake] So, did they ask you whether they're the father?
[Smith] No. Oh! [Smith] Henry and I, as soon as I found out I was pregnant, we cut it off.
[Judge Lake] Oh, okay. I need to ask you, Ms. Sims.
Did you ever hear about this other person? So, never directly about the other person. But there were lots of things in my life, that were consistent with another person.
Can you explain some of those things? [Sims] Absolutely. One, my last name was.
. . and my dad's last name is Johnson.
-[Judge Lake] Right. -Um. .
. Secondly, my birth certificate has someone else's name on it besides my dad. [audience gasps] -[Judge Lake] It does?
-[Sims] It does. Your birth certificate reads. .
. your name, your mother's name, and then for the father's name, there is another man's name. -It's not Henry Johnson.
-[Sims] Not Henry Johnson. -[Judge Lake] So, you had a name? -Yes.
I had a name. And, I mean, the way it's explained to us or to me is that was just an ex, you know, and, consistently, me and my siblings all had the same last name. So, you know, growing up it wasn't as big a deal because we still all had the same name and my mom just said, "I gave you my name.
My last name. " So, that was definitely a huge, huge factor. [Judge Lake] So, Ms.
Smith, obviously you thought it was your ex's child. And you gave your daughter his last name, right? In the beginning, yes, I did.
[Judge Lake] And then when did you realize it could be Mr Johnson's? That he could be your daughter's biological father? [Smith] When she got to be about two months old, the pictures, and everything about her, mannerism, were like Henry's.
And, so, in my mind, Henry was her father. [Sims] I didn't meet my dad until I was four. That doesn't make sense.
[Johnson] Yes, it does. Well, we were estranged those. .
. We met up every once in a while, in hi-and-bye passing. 'Cause he was in relationships, I was in relationships.
So, it wasn't like, there was a big conversation piece going on at that point. [Judge Lake] So, Ms. Smith, at what point did you decide to tell Mr Johnson he is her father, or that he was the other possibility?
[Smith] She was getting older. And, I figured it was time for him to get to spend time with her and meet her. And, I just.
. . that she needs her father in her life.
And so, Ms. Sims you just said out loud, "But I didn't meet my father till I was four. " Mr Johnson, take me to the day, you met her.
[Johnson] Her mom had contacted me and told me that I had a daughter. That Qweotta was my daughter. I went to meet her.
And, uh, we walked in the house, and she asked me, "Are you my daddy? " And I said, "No. " -[audience exclaims] -Because.
. . I did not know what her mom had told her.
[Judge Lake] Okay. But when she went into the room crying, I went in after her. I actually said, "I didn't know what your mom was going to tell you, but I'm your daddy.
" And she's been my daughter ever since. Yes, he has. So, Mr Johnson, you submitted a calendar to the Court, to explain how this question of paternity got to be so confusing.
You remember being intimate with Ms. Smith in November or December? [Johnson] Late November or early December, is when we were intimate.
And, it's a possibility there that I was the father and I had to. . .
-step up. -[audience applauding] [Judge Lake] Understood. When were you born?
Um, August 7, 1978. [Judge Lake] Okay. So you were born in August.
But you said it was the end of November, early December. That puts us right about eight and a half months, right around there. The bottom line is, when you count back it does put your encounter with Mr Johnson, within a questionable window.
. . [Smith] Hmm.
[Judge Lake] as it relates to paternity. So. Ms.
Sims, tell the Court how much this resolution means to you. It means a lot to me. Once again I say, "I'm a nurse and a mom.
" And just with my knowledge of the medical history and background, it's important for me to identify you know, if my dad's not my dad. If there's someone else and I can trace their history to see if there's other genetic diseases that I need to be worried about. Also, my daughter may, one day, wanna have a family too.
And, is it something she should be worried about? Also, I've already lost one child, I do not wanna lose another one to something that I can avoid, by just a little bit of information and doing things before it happens versus hindsight. [Judge Lake] All right.
Well, the only way we can begin to see how to move forward. . .
Yeah. . .
. is to get these results. Jerome?
[audience applauding] These results were prepared by DNA diagnostics, and they read as follows. In the case of Sims v. Smith/Johnson.
. . when it comes to 40-year-old Qweotta Sims.
. . It has been determined by this Court, Mr Johnson, you.
. . are the father.
[all cheering] [sighs] [Judge Lake] That's your baby girl. Yeah. [audience applauding] [Judge Lake] That feels good.
Yes. [giggles] How do you feel, Ms. Sims?
I feel really good 'cause I didn't want him not to be, but I just knew there was a possibility. And, I guess things that happened medically, this must have just started with me. So, it's okay.
[sobbing] [Judge Lake] So, this is such a wonderful story. I'm so happy, I see the tears, Mr Johnson. What do you feel?
-Happy. -[Sims laughs] [Judge Lake] Feels good, Ms. Smith?
-Yes, it does. -[Judge Lake] It should. And I'm thankful we were able to identify Mr Johnson as your biological father.
Because now, we can do the work to figure out what else, maybe, happened, medically, within the family tree on that side. So, we can get that other part of the information for you and your daughter. And I wish you a lifetime of happiness together.
Healing. And I'm just so happy this Court was here to serve a beautiful family like yours. Thank you so much.
I wish you all the very best. We have counseling and resources for you. Please take advantage of it.
Court is adjourned.
