You may be seated. Hello, Your Honor. Hello.

This is the case of Lide v. Ellis. Thank you, Jerome.

Good day, everyone. AUDIENCE: Good day. Ms.

Lide, you say that for 26 years, you have known only one man, the defendant, Mr Ellis, to be your biological father. And you're devastated that he is claiming you're not his. Yes, Your Honor.

JUDGE LAKE: Mr Ellis, you say that Ms. Lide's mother was unfaithful during your seven-year relationship and that you are certain you are not Ms. Lide's biological father.

You are here to prove that in court and to clear your name. Yes, Your Honor. So Ms.

Lide, how was your relationship with Mr Ellis growing up? Um, I didn't really have a relationship with Mr Ellis growing up. Um, it was just me and my mom.

I've been in and out of group homes, foster homes. Um, no male role model in my life. It's been hard.

I had a long, hard life growing up. When you hear her talk about her life without you, the man she believes is her biological father, how does that make you feel? I feel for her and all, but I'm not her father.

I mean, her mother, she disappears weeks at a time, out there partying. I mean. .

. Bright as she is. I mean, I ain't no doctor or nothing, but I'm pretty sure two people's this color ain't gonna make no baby this bright skinned.

I mean, she was practically white. I don't feel like that's correct because my son was white with black hair and blue eyes. And I'm not white.

I don't have blue eyes. JUDGE LAKE: Mr Ellis, you know that babies come in all shapes, sizes, and shades of color, especially African-American children. LOUIS: Yes, Your Honor.

But like I said, she was out there partying, disappearing for weeks at a time. JUDGE LAKE: That's the doubt I wanna hear about. That's what I wanna understand.

LOUIS: With no money. How is she doing all this partying, disappearing for weeks at a time with no money? I mean.

. . JUDGE LAKE: And so you're saying you were in a relationship with her mother?

LOUIS: Yes, I was. And it was a sexual relationship? Yes, it was.

JUDGE LAKE: And it was a sexual relationship where you did not use protection? Yes, Your Honor. JUDGE LAKE: However, what you're saying is her mother also was having sex and intimate relationships with other men during that time?

LOUIS: Yes, Your Honor. And what proof do you have of that? Do you recall?

No, Your Honor, the only proof I have is by her disappearing weeks at a time, Your Honor. That's why I called the, the court so she can really find her, uh, real. .

. Her true father, and quit blaming it on me. My mom has never ever lied to me.

(STAMMERING) And you are. . .

And you are. . .

Yeah, you are right. Even when things got bad, when it got worse, my mom has never lied to me. LOUIS: But when I was away, your mother sent Child Support on me.

They did a DNA test. I gave her the papers. They've gone through my check.

Was there any record. . .

JUDGE LAKE: Mr Ellis, explain that. You, you had a DNA test already. LOUIS: Yes.

Explain. LOUIS: When I was away, her mother called Child Support on me. They came and took the DNA test.

JUDGE LAKE: You got the results back? LOUIS: I got the results back, it was 99. 9 that I wasn't the father.

So I showed her the paperwork. She don't want. .

. She don't wanna hear it. 99.

9% that you were not. . .

LOUIS: Yes, it was something like that. . .

. . .

the father. Something like that. Yes, Your Honor.

So wouldn't you wanna keep some kind of information or record so if I did grow up and I had questions, you could say, "Hey. . .

" No, I would not. I would not wanna keep that kind of information. The only information I needed was I took that piece of paper down to Child Services and they said I didn't have to pay child support no more.

That was enough for me. Did you ever hear that a DNA test was performed, Ms. Lide?

I heard from Mr Ellis that there was a DNA test performed and it was, no, negative. Then I heard, uh, from my mom, there was a DNA test took and it was yes. JUDGE LAKE: I'd like to hear from your mother.

Please stand, ma'am. ROSA: Yes, ma'am. Ms.

Lide, you are Danielle's mother? Yes, ma'am. Was there a DNA test performed?

ROSA: It's. . .

For honest, um, DNA test I gotten was from her, do. . .

Do not quote, but they never showed, um, to court until now. So you. .

. The bottom line is a DNA test was performed, yes or no? Yes.

JUDGE LAKE: What were the results? They said in the court 99% yes. JUDGE LAKE: That 99.

9% that yes, he was Danielle's biological father? Yes, that. .

. (STUTTERING) That's what I recall. JUDGE LAKE: Thank you so much.

That's what I wanted to know. You may be seated. Thank you, ma'am.

So Mr Ellis. LOUIS: Yes, Your Honor. She says the test confirmed that you were Danielle's biological father.

You say it said the exact opposite. LOUIS: Yes, it did, Your Honor. And I took those same papers to Child Support.

And they said I had to pay child support. They said you have to or you did not have to? LOUIS: I didn't have to.

And they said that they. . .

They've gone through my check. Three times they say, "We're gonna send that money back to you. " It might take three to four weeks, take about a month, but I got it back, Your Honor.

DANIELLE: So they've gone through your check twice. . .

Answer me a question. . .

. or they've gone through the check three times? What difference does it make?

Because you told me twice. Have you ever received child support? No, you haven't.

JUDGE LAKE: As a child, Ms. Lide, growing up, you don't know anything about that? DANIELLE: No, Your Honor.

JUDGE LAKE: Were you told as a child that this man was your father but he does not acknowledge you or he does not want anything to do with you? Yes. JUDGE LAKE: That's what you were told?

Yes. JUDGE LAKE: But in your understanding as a child, that's still my father. That's who people are saying is my biological father?

Yes, and I wanna know who he is and how he operates. That's because your mother keep putting those terrible things. .

. Did you make an attempt to get to know his family at all? Yes, I talked to a couple of my family members on his side.

And what was their response? Did they. .

. Did they open their arms to you? DANIELLE: Regardless of anything, I'm still their family.

I look like them. I don't look like most of the people on my mom's side of the family, so I know there has to be some kind of connection. And why do you feel in your heart that this man is denying you?

People do things in life that is unexplainable. Me, I look at myself and I. .

. I love myself. I look at myself in the mirror every day and I appreciate myself, so if another human being on this earth don't.

. . Wouldn't accept me for who I am, that's not gonna stop me from loving me for who I am.

(MUMBLES INDISTINCTLY) (APPLAUSE) Ms. Lide. .

. (STAMMERING) Ms. Lide, it's not that.

I'm not trying to accept you for who you are. I think you're a beautiful person. Your mother should have told you, and quit lying to you.

You deserve the truth. I do deserve the truth. I'm feeling angry.

I'm feeling really mad. And you have the right to be. JUDGE LAKE: What are you feeling?

DANIELLE: I feel like. . .

'Cause me, I'm a mom. And I feel like, if you are old enough to, like. .

. What you guys went through was not my fault. And you guys should never have involved me in anything that you guys were going through.

I would never put my kids through that, ever. You guys should've settled this the right way, the appropriate way. Not wait for it to see the outcome of it.

This is the outcome of it. And you're right. And that is why for years, I've been telling your mama to quit lying to you and tell you the truth about who your father is so you find your real father.

I feel like I deserve the truth. That's why I called the court I deserve to know what's going on. That's why I called the court.

It's 'cause you deserve the truth. In your court papers, Ms. Lide, you said that you made difficult and unfortunate choices with men because of this absence of a father figure, the relationship with your father.

I feel like if I had a male role model, then, you know, I wouldn't have to go out there and experience things I experienced. Looking for love in a man, like, should've had that firm man connection bond to where I know what to look in a man, so I feel like I was robbed of that also. LOUIS: And you would have.

. . The father-daughter dance.

And you would have had it. DANIELLE: Being with your dad. .

. JUDGE LAKE: Let her speak. Being with your dad, father-daughter dances.

You know, um, just having that, that role model I can call on when I'm going through something or just a extra shoulder and support to cry on. So when your friends and everyone's going to a father-daughter dance, where are you? DANIELLE: Me, I wasn't in school.

I just did what I wanted to do. And then, I went on the run when I was 16 'cause I've been in and out of juvenile hall. And I got pregnant with my first son and that's what made me realize, "Hey, you know, I've got to change my life or I'm gonna end up.

. . "You know, away or dead.

" And so I feel like I had to teach myself how to love myself and. . .

You know, change myself. That's the smart thing to do. That's what smart young women do.

Yeah. (AUDIENCE APPLAUDING) (ROSA MUMBLING) JUDGE LAKE: I'd like to hear from your witness. Can you please stand, ma'am?

MARY: Hi, Your Honor. JUDGE LAKE: Hello, ma'am. Thank you for joining us today.

Why are you convinced that your son isn't Ms. Lide's biological father? When I first saw the baby at a month old, she looked four months old.

And from what I had heard from my son, her father's a great, big man. What I heard from my neighbor, she has a little brother that she and the little brother were like twins. And the grandmother, Ms.

Lide Sr. 's mother brought the baby over in the house behind mine every day for a week and said, "This is her brother. I want her to know her.

" (AUDIENCE MURMURING) Ms. Ellis, what I wanna understand is at the point you see this DNA test result. .

. MARY: I never saw a DNA. .

. JUDGE LAKE: You didn't see it? No, ma'am.

He told me. So you're just going off of physical attributes when you say this is not your grandchild? How she looks?

You ain't nothing but a baby, Your Honor. I've got 11 children. Everyone of mine is older than you, and I know mine.

Ask any older woman in here and she can tell you, she know all hers when they come. So what you're saying is she did not possess the physical characteristics of any child that had ever been born in your family. MARY: That's right.

. . DANIELLE: So, Your Honor, basically, she just already built the hate in her heart for me from the day I was born.

Like, every situation. . .

How? I didn't even know your mom was pregnant with you. DANIELLE: Every situation.

. . I have seen her, it's been trouble, like, I've see her on a trolley when I was 10.

I don't know if you do remember, you know. MARY: You were 16. DANIELLE: I was 10.

I saw her on a trolley where we used to live at and I approached her and I went to introduce myself, like, you know, I'm Mr Ellis' daughter. She told me, "Get the. .

. my face or I will smack you. " (AUDIENCE MEMBER EXCLAIMS) JUDGE LAKE: What?

Ms. Ellis, do you remember this incident on the trolley? She's lying.

This little girl slid up, teenager, she said, "Hi. " I said, "Hello. " "Do you know me?

" I said, "No, should I? " "I'm your granddaughter. " I said, "No, you're not.

" I said, "I know who her daddy is, and you not gonna "put that on my son. " DANIELLE: Your Honor, I have been. .

. And they're both lying about me going. .

. But Ms. Ellis, let me ask you this.

You know somebody's telling her this, right? I mean, she's just not making this up, like. .

. Her mama's telling her that. JUDGE LAKE: But you say you feel like definitively, "She's not my grandchild.

" Your Honor, I feel sorry for this child. I've told him this and I've told my whole family this. I feel sorry for her.

. . I don't need anybody to feel sorry for me at all, because at the end of the day, I'm blessed.

I just wanna know the truth. But the DNA test told it, I already know the truth. Let it go.

Let it go. She's lying to you. DANIELLE: Well, I haven't.

. . I haven't saw anything yet.

JUDGE LAKE: You have to understand, Mr Ellis. Her point is, she's been told her whole life you are her biological father. You say you had proof that she was not, but she hasn't seen the proof.

I wanna see with my own eyes. LOUIS: That's why I called the courts. JUDGE LAKE: That's why we're here because at the end of the day, Mr Ellis, you're saying that she's 99.

9% not your biological daughter and, Ms. Lide, you're saying he's 99. 9% your father and that's where the mystery is.

'Cause I'm 99. 99% lost and confused. (AUDIENCE CHUCKLING) MARY: Good.

And I understand where you're coming from, baby. And at 26 years old, you shouldn't have to be going through this. Exactly.

JUDGE LAKE: Now, because of this confusion, I wanted to get a little bit more information about the law in your home state. So I've called upon an attorney to talk to me about how you got results that say you're not the father. And if, in fact, it was determined that you were her biological father, then I'm wondering why in the world didn't the state order child support and why didn't she ever get it?

This is why this is all such a mystery. So I wanna call upon an attorney in your home state. Kelly Chang Rickert.

She's a certified family law expert. Hi, Ms. Rickert.

Hi, Judge Lauren Lake. How are you? Thank you so much for joining us today.

We have a paternity mystery here. She's been told there was previous testing that indicated that Mr Ellis was her biological father. And yet, Mr Ellis has testified that he received the paperwork after the DNA testing, but it said that he was not Ms.

Lide's biological father. As a family attorney for the last 17 years, stranger things have happened in family court. JUDGE LAKE: And then the other part of this mystery is, how would he get off the hook if there is a result that is a positive result?

Surely, the state is going to try to locate the father and obtain child support, right? KELLY: Absolutely. Child Support is not for the mother to waive.

So even if Mr. Lide's mom said, "You know, we're on good terms. I'll waive it.

" You can't do that because the Department of Child Support Services is there and they're involved and they're gonna enforce the order if, in fact, the father is the father and that there's enough income to enforce this order. So, yes, I think his story could be true that they do sometimes garnish and refund if it was an error. And I have seen that happen several times.

But like I said, Department of Child Support Services in. . .

(CHUCKLES) (STUTTERS) Has a lot. . .

Make a lot of mistakes. We thank you so much for your time and for your expertise. We appreciate that.

Absolutely. JUDGE LAKE: Well, family, this is a mystery because as our expert just testified, both sides could be true. Jerome, the envelope please.

Here you go. You're welcome. Thank you.

These results were prepared by DNA Diagnostics and they read as follows. In the case of Lide v. Ellis, when it comes to 26-year-old.

. . Danielle Lide.

. . It has been determined by this court.

. . Mr Ellis, you.

. . Are the father.

Whoa. MARY: I don't believe it. DANIELLE: I knew it.

Yes. (AUDIENCE APPLAUDING) Boom! ROSA: I know it.

Ha! Yeah! Give me five, girl!

Give me five! Yeah. All right.

Mama ain't gonna lie to me. We know it, baby. Never, ever.

Mmm! ROSA: Holler. DANIELLE: All this tall, large cup of caramel.

(ROSA MUMBLING INDISTINCTLY) (AUDIENCE LAUGHING) DANIELLE: Yes. Well, now that. .

. I love you. I loved your mother for a long time, all right?

I'm so sorry. (SPEAKING INDISTINCT) ROSA: I know I. .

. I know I wouldn't lie to you, baby. I already have you in my heart.

DANIELLE: For once and for all. Finally solved. Hey, I'd just like to, uh, apologize.

I just went by with what the first DNA said. I can't take back the last 26 years that I wasn't by her from the first DNA test. I can only try to improve, and move in her life and my grandkid's life.

JUDGE LAKE: This is beautiful because at the end of the day, Ms. Lide, this was about you, sweetie. You've had a tough road.

Even in this moment, you just had to be honest and say, "I'm 99% lost. "I don't know about the rest. " And that was honest, and that was real.

Grandma. MARY: Yes, ma'am. JUDGE LAKE: You said that wasn't one of yours, but it is.

MARY: No, it's not. JUDGE LAKE: It is. The DNA has spoken.

You don't believe the DNA testing? Not that one, no. JUDGE LAKE: Well, Ms.

Ellis, I'll say this. The DNA has spoken and that is your granddaughter, your beautiful young girl. DANIELLE: Thank you.

And I love when you said that "I taught myself how to love myself" and you're worth that love, I want you to know that. DANIELLE: Thank you. (APPLAUSE) JUDGE LAKE: And that's why we're here every day.

We have counseling and resources for you all, all right? I wish you the very best of luck. Court is adjourned.

First DNA Test Said Man Was 99.9% NOT the Father (Full Episode) | Paternity Court