(THEME MUSIC PLAYING) Please be seated. Hello. Hello, Your Honor.

This is the case of Christian v. Christian. Thank you, Jerome.

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

Christian, you opened your case hoping the court will grant you a paternity test so you can prove to the defendant that he is your biological father. PRECIOUS: Yes, Your Honor. You claim, that up until recently, you were told that Mr Christian is your father.

And you need the test, to gain closure. Is that correct? Yes, Your Honor.

Mr Christian, you say there is no need for a DNA test because you know you are not the plaintiff's father. You testified that no matter what the plaintiff has been told, you know the truth. You are not her dad.

Is that correct? Yes, Your Honor. So, this court must listen to all of the testimony to determine whether or not there is enough evidence to order a paternity test.

I'll start with you, Ms. Christian. Why should the court grant this DNA test?

First of all, Your Honor, I have his last name. So, how can I not be his child if I still have his last name? JUDGE LAKE: Tell the court how this has impacted your life, Ms.

Christian. I mean, I just. .

. I feel alone, I don't have any dad side of the family. I never had a father in my life.

How can you say you're not my father when you've been in and out of my life since I was little, and I still carry your last name. I don't get that. AUDIENCE: Aw!

JUDGE LAKE: So, you've had to bear the burden of this paternity issue. PRECIOUS: Yes. And I've been the only one willing to step up and find out the truth.

And be the mature person in this situation. JUDGE LAKE: Mr Christian. Yes, Your Honor.

To hear this beautiful young woman describe so painfully what she's gone through You truly don't believe she's your biological child? No, Your Honor. So, why is that?

She says you've been in and out. She remembers you. But, you never really committed to the father-daughter relationship.

Why? Well, her mother and I had a lifestyle that we lived that was uh, kinda contrary. I was in the streets, we were both in the streets.

But. . .

And why does that make you emotional, sir? JAMES: Because, me and her mother were like Bonnie and Clyde. We were doing what we did together, whether it was right or wrong.

JAMES: And when she got pregnant. . .

(AUDIENCE EXCLAIMING) For the first time, I signed up for that child not knowing if that child was mine. When she got pregnant for Precious, I told myself I wasn't gonna sign up again unless I knew the facts. Unless I knew it to be true.

PRECIOUS: (SARCASTICALLY) Well, how convenient. His mother, claims me. His whole family claims me.

I don't know this woman. She only been in his life for three years. I'm 26 years old.

(ANGRILY) What can you say about this situation? (VOICE CRACKING) I'm the innocent person in this situation. You wanna sit there crying?

You a grown man. And I've been going through all of this. I'm an innocent person.

I got a baby on the way. (CRYING) I need to know who my family is. You're right.

You're right. (APPLAUDING) Precious, I just want you to take a breath because I know, I know. .

. RHONDA: Calm down. How upset you are.

You brought your aunt here to support you. JUDGE LAKE: Ma'am, thank you for being here. Oh, thank you.

And so, as we listen to this unfold, you were around during the time when Precious' mom, Ms. Christian's mom, was dating Mr Christian? Yes, Your Honor.

I introduced them. (AUDIENCE EXCLAIMING) You did? RHONDA: Yes.

I was going with one of his family members. I introduced them. And at, first of all, he was claiming her.

Taking care of her. Doing stuff for her. So, now you not claiming 'cause you got a new wife?

JUDGE LAKE: So, hold on. You're saying that when Precious, when Ms. Christian was born, Mr Christian was taking care of her like she was his child?

RHONDA: Exactly. JUDGE LAKE: Accepting her? RHONDA: Basically, like a dead-beat father.

Like, I'm your father, but I'm just not in. I'm just in and out your life. Your Honor, I had to look for him when I was seven.

I had to find him because I don't have my mom's last name. I have his last name. So, if I'm not yours, why do I have your last name?

Why do you keep bein' in an out of my life? JUDGE LAKE: So, what happened when you went to search for your father? I asked my grandma what his mother's name was.

And my grandmother told me her name. I looked for her in the phone book 'cause I was old enough to see other kids having father figures in their life. And I knew that's what I wanted in my life.

And I called her and she said she didn't know his whereabouts. So, at seven years old? PRECIOUS: At seven years old.

You knew what you were missing. JUDGE LAKE: And you said, "I'm gonna look in "The phone book for my father. " PRECIOUS: Yes.

Yes, Your Honor. JUDGE LAKE: Mm. I have always.

. . 'Cause I know a lot.

I know too much. And I have always. .

. I kept stuff from her. I didn't want her to know stuff.

It was stuff that. . .

Because I'm auntie, so I protected her from all that. RHONDA: But, I knew where he was at. He's out there busy doing other things.

So, he didn't have no time for no kids. PRECIOUS: I was living with his mother when I went back to try to get my high school diploma. RHONDA: Exactly.

And this is why, this is the man. . .

That's because. . .

Because they kicked me out a week before Christmas. RHONDA: Close your mouth. You can't tell her to close her mouth.

PRECIOUS: She does need to shut up. RHONDA: I can tell her to close her mouth. Let's get some order!

Mr Christian, do you have any memories with Precious as she was growing up? Well, I have problems with my memory right now. (HESITATINGLY) Because of my past history.

I think I've suppressed a lot of memories. JAMES: But, I do remember times where her mother would call me and I would come try to bond with her. But, I never felt a connection or a bond.

Even in those attempts to try to connect with Precious. JAMES: Another time, she called me from her auntie's house where she was living at. Saying that they had gotten into a fight, and that she needed me to come pick her up.

I was hesitant to do it. But, she said, let's go get her. And we went over there and we picked Precious up.

So, I need to ask you, Mr Christian. If you had the doubts, what made you go pick her up? I myself, know who my father is.

But, I never was able to spend any time with him growin' up. So, I didn't want her to have to go through that type of stuff, of not knowing who her father was. Or knowing who your father is, and not being able to get the support that you need from a father.

PRECIOUS: This could've happened when I was two years old, one year old, a few months old. And I would've accepted the fact that I don't know who my father is. I'm 26 years old!

You should be addressing your mother. I don't know where. .

. You should be addressing your mother. It's about you and my mother, Well, I'm here.

because you as a grown man. . .

I'm here. Where's your mother? You as a responsible person, James.

Don't come in and out of my life confusing me. JAMES: I'm here. I need a blood test today.

RHONDA: Well, you gonna get one. So, hold on. Mr Christian, were you on the birth certificate?

No. Were you paying child support for her? Yes, I was paying insurance and child support for her.

Not that I know of. I never heard that. Why?

Why? PRECIOUS: I don't see how you could pay child support for a child that you said you had a blood test for. (AUDIENCE MUMBLING) Oh, let's bring that up.

So, wait. There was a blood test taken. .

. PRECIOUS: This is what was said. At some point?

And my mom said it was faulty. He was supposed to come back and take another blood test. And he never came back.

So, if there was a blood test, that wasn't me. It was faulty. Mr Christian, what happened?

You had a blood test already? I had took a blood test and the test came back ninety-nine point eight percent that me and her mother didn't possess the proper gene in order to create Precious. (AUDIENCE EXCLAIMING) Wait.

Where did you see those results? They sent it to me in the mail. And I wish I had kept it.

That is shocking to me. RHONDA: Mmm-hmm. Thank you.

Thank you. And that was when she was two years old. Her mother's lied to her for all these years.

And you have, too. JUDGE LAKE: Wait, wait, wait. No, no, no.

PRECIOUS: Your Honor, he has. . .

JUDGE LAKE: Hold on. That is not why it's shocking! RHONDA: Mmm-hmm!

What's shocking is, we do this every day in this court. And I have never seen a result read that someone is ninety-nine point eight percent not the father. Are you sure that's what you saw?

I'm sure. Because what paternity tests usually measure is the probability of paternity. Okay.

JUDGE LAKE: So, with that said, I wanna reach out to Dr Michael Baird who is the Chief Science Officer at DNA Diagnostics. And I believe he's on the line. JUDGE LAKE: Dr Beard, thank you so much for joining us today.

DR. BAIRD: (ON THE PHONE) My pleasure. Dr Baird, we have a situation here that I have never heard of.

JUDGE LAKE: The defendant is saying that he read in a result, that he was 99. 8% not the father of Ms. Christian.

Is this an accurate reading of a DNA result? DR. BAIRD: It's one that I've never seen before.

And I've been at this for a long time. Typically, if the alleged father is not the biological father, the result will be an exclusion with a zero percent probability paternity, than a 99-point-whatever percent that he's not. It would be that kind of percentage if he were.

But, an exclusion is absolute, and it's a zero percent probability of paternity. (AUDIENCE MUMBLING) JUDGE LAKE: Understood. Thank you so much, Dr Baird.

I know you're very busy. And we appreciate your help today. DR.

BAIRD: My pleasure. Any time. JUDGE LAKE: So, Mr Christian, after you've listened to the doctor's testimony, do you.

. . Feel differently about what you potentially read?

It's to my recollection, with them canceling the child support, and stuff like that for her, that they came to the same conclusion that I wasn't the father. JUDGE LAKE: So, at some point, the child support was canceled. You no longer were responsible for.

. . Your Honor, it was canceled because his rights were terminated.

Then I went to foster home. . .

RHONDA: Oh, my God. RHONDA: I'm like, (SCOFFS) thank you. PRECIOUS: When I was 12.

I understand now. JUDGE LAKE: This is difficult. I mean, you are a young woman who's grown up without the love, the commitment and the consistent support of your father.

And have had to live through so much. What are your hopes? If I order this paternity test, are you hoping that Mr Christian is your biological father?

The only reason I hope so, because I have a relationship with this family. And I want my daughter to have that relationship with his family. (VOICE SHAKING) I still want that relationship with his family.

PRECIOUS: (CRYING) I don't want my child. . .

You want the. . .

To have to go through what I'm going through right now. I wanna tell her who her grandfather is and who her family is. You are here to break a generational curse.

JUDGE LAKE: For all of these reasons, this court is ordering you to both submit to DNA testing. Immediately upon leaving this court room. And we will return here to get the results.

Are we clear? PRECIOUS AND JAMES: Yes, Your Honor. Court is adjourned.

(INAUDIBLE CHATTER) JEROME: I'll walk you out. (AUDIENCE APPLAUDING) Please, be seated. JUDGE LAKE: We are reconvening in the case of Christian v.

Christian. I ordered both of you to submit to DNA testing. Because I found there was sufficient evidence to warrant so.

It's been some time. Precious. Yes, Your Honor.

JUDGE LAKE: Since our last meeting have you had a chance to think about what it means to be in this moment, finally, where you will get the truth. Relief. (CHUCKLES) No matter what it says, Imma be relieved.

Imma know. You hear this, Mr Christian? JUDGE LAKE: Does it break your heart to hear it?

(STAMMERING) Yes. Yes, Your Honor. (SNIFFS) But, with that being said, I just want her to get the closure that she needs.

And I get the closure that I need. 'Cause this is taking a toll on me and my wife, and my relationship with the five other kids that I have fathered, and I'm fathering right now. PRECIOUS: Really?

Are you serious, James? You and her. Ugh.

Y'all disgust me. But, when you hit that note about what happens in your family, Mr Christian, I immediately felt something for her. Because I thought, we haven't found out yet if he is or isn't her biological father.

If he is, then this is your family. RHONDA: Right. JUDGE LAKE: Jerome.

Let's get the results. (AUDIENCE APPLAUDING) These results were prepared by DNA Diagnostics and they read as follows. (SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING) JUDGE LAKE: In the case of Christian v.

Christian, when it comes to 26-year-old Precious Christian, it has been determined by this court. Mr Christian. .

. You. .

. Are not the father. RHONDA: Oh, we glad too.

(SARCASTIC CHUCKLE) JUDGE LAKE: Miss Matthews, just let it breathe. Just give her a minute to process. I know.

But, she's over there clappin'. It ain't funny. I'll punch her, right?

No, no, no. RHONDA: Calm down. JUDGE LAKE: Who was clapping?

RHONDA: She was clappin'. She clappin' and laughin' like it's funny. I have not laughed.

RHONDA: Oh, you clapped. But, you can get it. 'Cause you over there downgrading someone.

You don't even know me. JUDGE LAKE: Listen. Listen, Jerome.

Get her, Jerome. Miss Christian! RHONDA: You pregnant.

You pregnant. Precious, look at me. (SHOUTS) My child don't have to have nothing to do with her.

JUDGE LAKE: We are here for you. We are here for you. And I know you ready to get angry and fight.

And you know what? Some days, I sit up here, Ms. Christian I'm ready to fight for y'all.

I'm mad. 'Cause you don't deserve it. I have to ask you.

Do you know of any other possibilities? RHONDA: We could check a family member. JAMES: Mmm-hmm.

JUDGE LAKE: And this is a family member of yours? Do you know how to reach that family member? Yes, ma'am.

JAMES: I'll do whatever I have to. JUDGE LAKE: Thank you. I see you shivering.

I know, honey. I see it. (SOBBING) JUDGE LAKE: And it's okay for you to let it out.

We gonna send you off to Dr Jeff. Imma let you all talk to him, and let you all start working through this. And I want you to know we're here for you.

Hear me, Precious? (VOICE SHAKING) Yes. All right.

I wish you all the very best. I'll check on you. Court is adjourned.