Dumped to Get Back With Her Ex (Full Episode) | Paternity Court

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

This is the case of Hanes v. Manning. Thank you, Jerome.

Good day, everyone. AUDIENCE: Good day. Mr Hanes, you have brought Ms.

Manning to court today to prove that you are the father of her four-year-old daughter, Zoey. You say Ms. Manning initially told you that you were Zoey's dad, but now is claiming you are not her father.

Is that correct? Yes, Your Honor. Ms.

Manning, you say that Mr Hanes is not Zoey's dad, and believe the DNA will prove that today. You previously appeared in this court with another man claiming to be Zoey's father. Yes, Your Honor.

Mr Hanes, you say Zoey is your child. Explain. Um, I know Zoey's my child.

Um, Ms. Manning is keeping her from me because, um, she has another, um, gentleman in the picture. And that's why I came to you for the answers.

So, you are convinced? HANES: Yes. Beyond the shadow of a doubt that Zoey is your daughter.

HANES: Yes. And so, why? Ms.

Manning, um, sent me a picture and I thought it was my son at first. It was actually Zoey. And so I took a picture of my son and her, and I compared it.

And that's when I thought she was my child. JUDGE LAKE: Ms. Manning, you are convinced Mr Hanes is not Zoey's biological father?

Yes, Your Honor. And why do you feel you know that for certain? Zoey was conceived at the end of October, and we had already broken up.

And so, this picture here is a picture of Zoey. MANNING: Yes, Your Honor. JUDGE LAKE: You sent that picture to Mr Hanes?

Yes. JUDGE LAKE: So why would you send a picture of her at all if you know for certain he's not her biological father? Why even send a picture?

I've never even told him that he wasn't the father. I just told him there was a possibility he was the father. She said I was the father, um, multiple times, then she also told me I wasn't the father multiple times.

So, first, let me understand. What was the nature of your relationship? Um, we first met when I was getting a tattoo, and it was at her, um, residence.

And we only dated for a short period of time until she ended the relationship, so I ended up moving on and got with my ex now, um, my son's mom. JUDGE LAKE: Was it committed relationship when you dated or were you dating other people? It was a committed relationship.

JUDGE LAKE: Was it a committed relationship, Ms. Manning? Yes, Your Honor.

How long after that did you find out you were pregnant, Ms. Manning? Uh, we broke up in the middle of October, and I found out that.

. . HANES: That's a lie.

Uh, we actually broke up in November of 2013. JUDGE LAKE: And you know that for certain because? Yes.

It was actually at one of my friends', um. . .

She just gave birth, and we were both at the hospital, and we were dating at that time. And so when did you find out you were pregnant, Ms. Manning?

In December. JUDGE LAKE: In December? Mmm-hmm.

And so when you found out your were pregnant, you say now that you informed Mr Hanes he was a possibility? I didn't inform him he was a possibility until she was like nine months old. JUDGE LAKE: Oh.

JUDGE LAKE: So you had the baby? Mmm-hmm. And Mr Hanes never knew?

Mmm-mmm. JUDGE LAKE: And you had the baby all the way till she was nine months old? Yes, Your Honor.

And then you informed Mr Hanes that he was a possibility. MANNING: Mmm-hmm. JUDGE LAKE: What made you send the photo?

He asked for a photo of her. And I did not ask for a photo. I didn't even know about it.

When I told him that I was pregnant, he asked for a picture of Zoey, so I sent him a picture of her. And how did you even know she existed if you've never been told? Um, I never knew until after my son was born, and that's when I received the photo.

And I thought it was my son. JUDGE LAKE: Okay, and when you got that photo, you said, "Oh, this looks just like my son. " Yes.

So that made you immediately think, "This is my daughter, too"? HANES: Yes. JUDGE LAKE: So, you say he asked for the picture, Ms.

Manning? Mmm-hmm. You all were just having conversation or he just reached out to you out of the blue and said, "I wanna see a picture of Zoey"?

How did this happen if you. . .

I reached out to him. JUDGE LAKE: And what did you say? "I had a baby, "and it's a possibility she's yours.

" Okay. And so, he said, "Send me a picture"? MANNING: Mmm-hmm.

And that's what you said? Mmm-hmm. JUDGE LAKE: And once he acknowledged that, "Yes, I believe this is my daughter," what did you say?

I've never told him he was the father and I've never told him he wasn't the father. It's always been, "There's a possibility. " And the fact that he's waited four years to take a paternity test is what irritates me.

And why did you wait four years, Mr Hanes? The only reason I waited so long is because she kept going back and forth that I wasn't the father, and she's already brought someone to the court and got a DNA test. So therefore, I didn't think it was mine at the time, but now, she.

. . I want the truth.

I need the truth. If she's mine, I'll definitely step to the plate and actually, um, be there. JUDGE LAKE: But, Ms.

Manning, now, you stated it was between him and another man. MANNING: Mmm-hmm. And you were in this courtroom before, and we tested another man, and he was not the biological father.

So does that automatically mean Mr Hanes is the biological father? No. (AUDIENCE EXCLAIMS) JUDGE LAKE: So.

. . There's another possibility?

MANNING: Mmm-hmm. That other possibility's on her birth certificate. (AUDIENCE EXCLAIMS) So are there just three possibilities?

MANNING: Mmm-hmm. JUDGE LAKE: Or more? Go ahead and tell the truth.

MANNING: Just three. JUDGE LAKE: So, one, we already tested. Mmm-hmm.

JUDGE LAKE: The second is on her birth certificate. Mmm-hmm. JUDGE LAKE: And the third is Mr Hanes.

Yes, Your Honor. Did you know about the third possibility, Mr Hanes? No, I did not until I found out last, um, year, when I seen on her Facebook, saying that she was in this courtroom with the other guy.

Well, that was the first. I'm talking about the third. It's the one on her birth certificate.

Yes, I knew about him once I found out that she changed her mind, saying that it's him. But up until that time, you just thought you were the only option and the guy that was tested previously in this courtroom? Yes.

JUDGE LAKE: Have you tried to be a father at all to Zoey, Mr Hanes? Have you been a part of her life? She's four.

I have. I have tried to reach out to her. Um, I have talked to her once, and when I did talk to her, Ms.

Manning told me not to mention that I was the father. She just told me to keep, um. .

. I'm a family friend of the family, so. .

. And how old was she when you talked to her? Probably gonna say around two.

JUDGE LAKE: And you've made no attempts since that time to see her? HANES: Because I. .

. For the longest time, I was not the father. And I did not have her cell phone number.

JUDGE LAKE: So, Mr Hanes, you submitted a timeline to the court. Will you please step over to the monitor. .

. and explain to the court what this means? So, March of 2014 is when I received a photo of Zoey, but like I told you guys just previous, that I thought it was my son, then I found out it wasn't.

And you felt like she sent you the picture because she was your child? Yes. JUDGE LAKE: So you're thinking you are the father?

HANES: Yes. JUDGE LAKE: Okay, move on. Then in, um, May or around May, I should say, of 2014 was when I'd first seen, got the Facebook message saying that I was not the father.

JUDGE LAKE: Based on what information? Because that's when the father that's on the birth certificate, that's when she told me about him. Okay, so in early 2015, what happened?

HANES: That's when I got unblocked from her, and that's when I received the message from her saying that I was the father again. (AUDIENCE EXCLAIMS) Ms. Manning, did you write him back and say, "Now, you are the father"?

MANNING: No. In early 2015? No.

So you just think he's making all this up? I've never told him he was the father or if he wasn't the father. It's always been, "There's a possibility between you and my ex.

" So what happened November, 2015? Um, that's when I received the last message, um, that I was not the father. JUDGE LAKE: What did she say in this message?

"Hey, on second thought, you're not the father. " Yes, pretty much in that words. (AUDIENCE LAUGHING) So, you've heard, "You are the father.

"You are not the father. "You are the father. "You are not the father.

" Yes. Why do you think she's doing this? What's her motive?

She likes to play mind games. (MANNING LAUGHS) And she don't know who the actual, real father is. JUDGE LAKE: You can step back to your podium.

Ms. Manning, what is your relationship with the other possible father? He has no rights to Zoey.

I have full custody. And this is the man that's on her birth certificate? Mmm-hmm.

Okay. Does he believe he's her biological father? When I gave birth to her, he signed a paper that said he believes Zoey was his child.

JUDGE LAKE: I wanna hear from your witness, Mr Hanes. Please step up to the podium, ma'am. State your name for the record.

Tyanne Wickwire. Ms. Wickwire, you are what relation to Mr Hanes?

He's my boyfriend. He's your boyfriend, all right. Yes.

And so, Ms. Wickwire, talk to me about this particular paternity situation. WICKWIRE: First off, Your.

. . What testimony do you have?

We've been together for two and a half years. She has repeatedly sent him messages saying that he is the father and isn't the father. She's dragging him through hell, pretty much.

When he is the father, he's happy. . .

Your Honor. . .

. . .

and wants to. . .

I don't understand how. . .

. . .

actually try and. . .

. . .

I'm dragging him through hell, when it's been, "There's a possibility. "Let's get a DNA test. " JUDGE LAKE: Okay.

So, Ms. Wickwire, you're reading these messages. Yes, I am, Your Honor.

He's sharing them with you? Yes. JUDGE LAKE: And what is her reasoning behind saying he is, he isn't, he is, he isn't?

Why would she be going back and forth? It seems like every time she gets a new boyfriend, it's. .

. or breaks up with her boyfriend, it's his. MANNING: Yeah, my thing is this.

Where is this proof that I have said, "You are, you are not the father"? 'Cause I feel like if I have said that, he would have kept it and held it over my head. Actually, they've had a conversation where she said that, "I may have said that only because I'm angry at you.

" HANES: And that was actually. . .

That was like three days ago. Three days ago. JUDGE LAKE: Did you ever admit to that, Ms.

Manning, that, "Look, I may be saying these things "because you're getting on my last nerve. I'm angry, "and I'm just mad. "And sometimes, I don't wanna be bothered with you, "so I say, 'You're not the father'"?

I did tell him that I might've said it out of anger. All right. See, that's what we're here to get, is the truth.

I've been talking now for 20 minutes just trying to get down to that one piece of truth, and you could have saved me. . .

(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING) . . .

a lot of talking in circles by just saying, "Sometimes, our relationship is so annoying or so bad, "or we're so angry at one another, "I tell him he's not the father. " Because that's why he's standing up here saying that you said, "You are the father, you are not the father," then, "You are the father," then, "You are not the father. " So that he does not understand if he is or if he isn't, but he believes he is.

Whoo. (AUDIENCE LAUGHING) So have you encouraged a relationship between Mr Hanes and Zoey? MANNING: No.

Mmm-mmm. You have not? And why is that?

I would rather have proof that he is her father instead of them building a relationship and him not being the father. So his gut tells him that he is her biological father, your gut tells you he is not. Yes.

You really believe it's the man that's on the birth certificate who's already acknowledged paternity but has allowed you to have full custody and doesn't really wanna be a part of raising her? Yes. And, Mr Hanes, she broke up with you in November?

Yes, at the hospital, by the way. JUDGE LAKE: And then Zoey was born in August? HANES: Yes.

JUDGE LAKE: If we backtrack, that timeline would point to you. You've done the math, I presume. Yes, I did.

JUDGE LAKE: Have you done the math, Ms. Manning? Yes, I have.

Did it point to Mr Hanes? No, Zoey was conceived in October. JUDGE LAKE: How long were you two together?

We were together from October 14th. . .

A little over two weeks, I should say. From October 14th, 15th to November 3rd. If you're saying, Ms.

Manning, that Zoey was conceived in October, and you were with Mr Hanes in October. . .

(MANNING GIGGLING) . . .

how can you even be certain that he's not? Or are you just saying that because you are angry at him? Which I don't understand why you're so angry at him, because you broke up with him, right?

What is this about? I got together with him in a break between me and my ex, which is the one on the birth certificate. And I broke up with him 'cause I didn't wanna drag him on.

JUDGE LAKE: All right. Despite what your gut says to you, do you hope Mr Hanes is her biological father? Yes.

JUDGE LAKE: You do? Mmm. So, even though your guy says to you, you do not think he's the father.

Your heart says, "I hope he is, "because I want her to have someone who wants her. " AUDIENCE: Aw. JUDGE LAKE: What are your hopes, Mr Hanes?

HANES: I just wanna find out the truth because it's been almost four years of going back and forth that I'm the father, so I just want the proof. And you want to be her father? HANES: Yes.

JUDGE LAKE: Ms. Manning, it's been a long road. It's been four years.

And he's admittedly not been around, so you've been carrying this burden by yourself. So, as you look at your little girl, and she's at an age now where she knows there's a mommy and a daddy usually in a family or something, and. .

. "Everybody else has a daddy, and where's mine? " What do you tell her?

Do you tell her anything about Daddy? She hates it, she hates it. Everybody else has dads and she don't.

But I don't know how to explain that to her. Well, she's too precious not to have the love of a father in her life, if it's possible. All right.

Let's get these results. Jerome. (AUDIENCE APPLAUDING) These results were prepared by DNA Diagnostics and they read as follows.

In the case of Hanes v. Manning. .

. (INTENSE MUSIC PLAYING) When it comes to four-year-old Zoey, it has been determined by this court, Mr Hanes, you. .

. are not the father. (EXHALES DEEPLY) HANES: That's all I needed to know.

Sucks that Zoey don't know her real dad. Maybe she should just get the other guy tested that's on the birth certificate. JUDGE LAKE: Ms.

Manning. . .

Yes, Your Honor. . .

. are you positive that the man on the birth certificate is her biological father? Are you sure there are no other options?

No. There's no options. JUDGE LAKE: We've come this far.

This is your second time here. This is the second time we've determined. .

. the potential father is not the biological father. The only one left is the one you say doesn't want to be involved.

And I feel sad for Zoey. Me, too. JUDGE LAKE: Are you gonna reach back out to him?

No, I can't. So we've got some work to do, okay? It may not be now.

Now may not be the right time. But at some point, Zoey does deserve to know who her biological father is. And that he's out there.

And you're gonna have to step up, and you're a very young girl, but you're gonna have to be a mother for your child. She's counting on you, okay? All right.

I wish you all the very best. Court is adjourned.