Please be seated. Hello, Your Honor. Hello.
This is the case of<i> Fetters v. Fetters. </i> Thank you, Jerome.
Good day, everyone. AUDIENCE: Good day. Mr Fetters, you say you're in the midst of a divorce because your soon-to-be ex-wife is a serial adulterer who even cheated on you on Valentine's Day, which you believe, resulted in the birth of her nine-month-old son, Korbyn.
Yes, Your Honor. JUDGE LAKE: You say there is no way you are Korbyn's father, and would like your name removed from the birth certificate when that is proven. Is that correct?
That is correct, Your Honor. Ms. Fetters, you say your husband is an irresponsible crybaby who can't keep a job, stay faithful or please a woman.
Yes, Your Honor. While you admit to making some mistakes, you say Mr Fetters is undoubtably Korbyn's biological father, and you intend to prove that today. Is that correct?
Yes, Your Honor. Mr Fetters, how did you end up in court? Well, today, Your Honor, I ended up in court because my wife is a cheater.
CHELSEA: That is not correct. And I do not believe that the son she beared nine months ago is mine. So you are firm on that belief?
Yes, Your Honor, I do. And, so you say that she's a cheater? JUSTIN: Yes.
And how do you know that? Well. .
. (CLEARS THROAT) It all began when we first met at a water bowl. I thought when I met her, love at first sight.
Up until the six-month mark, she had informed me that she had actually slept with my family member. (AUDIENCE EXCLAIMING) JUDGE LAKE: Oh! Six months into your relationship, your girlfriend sleeps with your family member?
JUSTIN: Yes. And then you make her your wife? (AUDIENCE LAUGHING) Not until two and a half, three years later did I ask her to marry me.
So, Ms. Fetters, did you sleep with a family member? CHELSEA: No, I did not.
The family member and himself lack in a department, so I did not. . .
Finish the duty. Nothing happened. (AUDIENCE EXCLAIMING) JUDGE LAKE: Oh.
He just thinks something happened. He has no hard facts or information, and when I do sleep with someone else, I tell him the truth. JUDGE LAKE: Well!
Mr Fetters, she says if she did it, she would tell you. I find that hard to believe because, as when he was conceived, <i>I had to pry the information as to why she was wanting to leave me in the first place,</i> and come to find out she had actually slept with her ex-husband, Justin. And this was the day before Valentine's.
At midnight, we went to go see<i> Fifty Shades of Grey. </i> So we had wonderful night. (AUDIENCE LAUGHING) So, Ms.
Fetters, you have a date night, you go to movies. Yes, um. .
. It was a good night, we came home. Um, he didn't.
. . See, I have a problem.
In a relationship, I feel sex is a part of a relationship. Well, this man lacks on that part of a relationship. So the fact that I wasn't going to get it when I wanted it, I told him what I was doing.
If that was the case, Your Honor, she wouldn't have stayed with me for eight years. He knew what I was doing. I'm not a liar, I am very, very honest.
So when I left that night, he knew where I was 'cause he tried to hunt me down, but couldn't find me. So let's be completely honest. So, wait a minute, you said.
. . (EXHALES) I'm going to be with my ex-husband.
Hold on. JUSTIN: No. That is what I said.
And he knows. JUDGE LAKE: Before you left? Before I left.
She did not, Your Honor. So, wait, you go the movies and have a good date night, and by the end, you're in the bed with your ex-husband? CHELSEA: Yeah, he didn't want to be sexually active with me, so.
. . That's not what a real wife.
. . CHELSEA: So, I was over it.
He gives it to other women, but he won't give it to me. (AUDIENCE EXCLAIMING) JUSTIN: Your Honor, I. .
. You have sex with other women, but you won't have sex with your wife? She has no factual proof.
I have never slept with any other woman outside of our relationship. When did she come back? She contacted me at 7:30 in the morning to let me know where she was at.
So I came there with our two children at the time, and she had told me that she didn't want to be with me. So, I had pleaded and begged her, you know, what is that I need to do, and what can I do to make this right? She tells me, and persists to tell me nothing.
I say, "What happened last night to make you feel this way? " She tells me that she had slept with her ex-husband, Justin. Not only once, but three times during the night.
(AUDIENCE EXCLAIMING) JUDGE LAKE: Oh! Oh, that is incorrect. That is not incorrect.
That is very factual. Oh, my goodness. .
. JUDGE LAKE: Ms. Fetters, did you say that?
No, I did not. JUDGE LAKE: What did you say? I told him that I spent the night with him.
Was it protected sex? JUSTIN: No. He actually didn't.
. . Completely finish.
Complete. . .
Okay, so he did not. . .
Yes. Finish the act. Correct.
And you admitted this to your husband? Correct. And he knew.
And then, shortly after, yes, I got pregnant. JUDGE LAKE:<i> Hold on. Before we get there.
. . </i> Mr Fetters, your wife tells you she slept with her ex.
I loved her so much at the time that, that I was willing to forgive anything that she ever done just to be able to keep her and have her in my life. AUDIENCE: Aww! And so, how soon after that did you start having sex with your wife again?
Uh. . .
The next day. The next morning, actually. Not the next morning, I'm sorry.
The next day. It was the morning of, Your Honor. We had sex.
No, it was the very next day. It was about 11:00 that morning that we had sex, after picking her up and her having sex with her ex-husband Wait, did she. .
. But she told you she had sex with her ex-husband! I understand that.
And then you all go home and then you have sex with her the very next morning? That is correct. Just hours later?
JUSTIN: Yes. Knowing that she had just slept with her ex-husband? And it was unprotected as well.
(AUDIENCE EXCLAIMING) What in the world. . .
Mr Fetters. . .
CHELSEA: Yeah. Ms. Fetters, so it was just hours later?
Yeah. I thought it was the next morning. I was like the very next morning.
I came home at, like, 7:00 a. m. and then, when we talked and then he persuaded me, and I felt obligated, and that's when.
It was like, 11:00 a. m. , almost noon-ish and we did.
There was no persuasion, Your Honor. Yes. She actually had felt bad.
No, you persuaded me, and you begged me and pleaded and had tears. Constant tears. I've never had to beg and plead.
Yes, you did. You just said you did. Oh, wait.
So now, this is the actual Valentine's Day? JUSTIN: Yes, Your Honor. I mean, what a 24-hour period.
Ma'am, its. . .
The crazy. . .
I don't even know why you all went to the movie. I mean, you are making a movie. This is a full-on movie.
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING) This movie is called<i> Fifty Shades of Messy. </i> (AUDIENCE LAUGHING) If you want more episodes of Paternity Court Make sure to subscribe and click on the notification bell. So, how soon after this incident did you find out that you were pregnant?
Um, I found out, I would say, just like maybe a month later. A month and a half, I found out. And the conception date was between February 11th to February 14th They gave me that window.
JUDGE LAKE:<i> So that's right there in the sweet spot. </i> (AUDIENCE LAUGHING) Yes, it is, Your Honor. Or sour spot, this is.
I don't even know. Wow! So the conception window pointed right to the dates when you were with both men.
You've been honest about it. CHELSEA: Yes. And so, when you found out she was pregnant, Mr Fetters, were you happy about it?
Were you concerned? What did you feel? I was very, very concerned for whether or not the fact that that child could possibly be mine.
Reason being is because like she said, she did tell me that she did have unprotected sex. Um, however, until today, she didn't tell me that he didn't finish, which I find that very, very hard to believe. Um, 'cause you just don't.
. . You just don't have relations and just don't finish.
CHELSEA: Well, let me clear something up for you. That's what she's sitting here, obviously complaining about me. .
. Let me clear something up for you. For somebody else to do the same.
My marriage with him ended because he can't have children. A doctor told him his sperm count is too low to conceive. So did the doctor tell him he can't have any?
Yes, it's a very low chance that he can have any children. Very low is different than can't. JUSTIN: Right.
Well, he doesn't have any yet. JUSTIN:<i> Absolutely, I agree with that. </i> CHELSEA:<i> So, I don't know.
</i> <i> I just don't think. . .
</i> JUSTIN:<i> If you have the paperwork to prove. . .
</i> CHELSEA:<i> I'm more than. . .
</i> No, I do not. I see now. We were together.
We were married at the time. So, Mr Fetters. .
. Mmm-hmm. When your wife gave birth, where were you?
Did you show up? Did you participate? Were you there?
Yeah, I was there every step of the way. I was there for pretty much a majority of the appointments if I wasn't at work. <i> I was there for skin-on-skin contact,</i> <i> because the mother had to have a C-section.
</i> <i> So I was there to hold him against my skin</i> for the first two or three hours, so I developed a really tight bond with that child. And that makes you emotional when you look at him. (SNIFFLES) Very much so.
What do you feel? If he is mine, I'll love him like my own, like the rest of my children But if he's not, it's not gonna be my responsibility. It's the other man's responsibility, as a father and a man, to raise his child.
I have undeniable proof of why I believe he's yours. JUSTIN: And what proof is that? Why do you believe it, Ms.
Fetters? Because the other children the has and my son, and himself, all have cleft chins. It's hereditary.
<i> One parent has to carry that gene. </i> <i> I believe undeniably that is his son. </i> I actually have research that I have done myself as well.
So you're a doctor now? JUDGE LAKE: Can you hand that research up? JUDGE LAKE: Jerome, may I have that please?
JEROME: Yes. JUDGE LAKE: Thank you. You're welcome.
"A cleft chin is a facial characteristic on a person's chin that is an indentation "on the bottom of the chin, or resembles a dimple. <i> "This is caused during the fetal development stage</i> <i> "when the lower portion of the jaw</i> "doesn't completely fuse together. "The cleft chin is a dominant trait "and a child with a cleft chin has inherited the gene "from one parent or both parents.
" CHELSEA:<i> I do not have one. </i> JUSTIN:<i> Your Honor, but the other possible, potential father does have one. </i> CHELSEA:<i> No, he does not.
</i> JUSTIN:<i> I mean, I don't. . .
</i> I don't really see where the dimple is in that picture, but. . .
There is. . .
There is. . .
There is dimples as far as. . .
You can see mine distinctively, <i> but that's a pretty old picture,</i> <i>I mean, and it's in black and white. So. .
. </i> (AUDIENCE LAUGHING) I honestly. .
. To this day, I don't understand why she would, in this point in time, if she believes I was the full, wholly-hearted father, why would she involve him at this time to say, "Hey, "you might potentially be the father of Korbyn now. " Instead of just leaving it between me and her.
I had him come around because I wanted him to come around, and because that's my choice as an adult. I make my choices. Why would you bring another man.
. . I can bring whoever I want around, Justin.
It doesn't mean anything. When he could possibly be the father. Well, I did not tell him that.
Yes, you did. Whatever. So wait.
JUSTIN: Why would he be around if you didn't? Because I want him around. Isn't that my choice?
Okay, that makes no sense. Okay. This really doesn't make any sense.
You know there is a question of paternity. JUSTIN: Mmm-hmm. You develop a relationship with the baby?
Mmm-hmm. JUDGE LAKE: You've been in Korbyn's life? In and out.
I've been in his life. I just back from Florida a month ago, due to a job opportunity I had, I was down in Florida for four months. This is right after we had split up.
I had left. . .
So, you've been there, but you don't think he's your biological child? Because as soon as I left for Florida, she started having Mr Edmondson come around and see Korbyn, and. .
. He was there to see me. Why does it have to be about the baby?
Can't be about me? Oh, but you have a boyfriend. Why would you have another man come see you?
What I do is my business. Who I have come to my home is my business. So, Ms.
Fetters, are you stating that you are in fact, back with your ex? CHELSEA: No, I am not stating that. We are very close, we've known each other over 10 years.
We were high school sweethearts. We have a friendship. <i> He does not come over for any sexual anything.
He comes to just see me. </i> <i> I've known him for a really long time. </i> So, are you in a relationship with somebody else?
Yes, I'm in a committed, happy relationship. But she's having him come over while he's at work. CHELSEA: He's there.
No. He's been at work. You've confided in me.
He's been at work when he's come over. Okay, think what you want. And he's came over whenever your boyfriend is there.
Whatever. It's crazy, Your Honor. And she's living in our house still.
My grandparents had bought the house for me and our family at the time. So that way, we had a stable place and never had to worry about anything as far as losing it. All we had to do was pay the.
. . Pretty much your basic bills.
And that's it. Without having to pay any rent. And you couldn't even do that.
So we didn't have to worry about a place for the kids. I've worked. I have eight years of tax returns.
I can prove it. She has no tax returns of income. She's never had to work.
Yeah, I was a stay-at-home mom. Okay. I did my job.
You did your job sleeping around. Yes, I did. (AUDIENCE EXCLAIMING) And you still do.
Say the one that sleeps with everyone and can't own up to it. I do something wrong, I own up to it. We wouldn't be here if that was the case.
Uh, yeah, whatever. JUDGE LAKE: Okay. No, not really.
I've heard enough. Jerome, the envelope. I feel like we could be here for two more days and you all would still have stories.
And I mean, you're not even really that old. He makes me feel old. It's too much.
It's why the marriage is over. This is sad to see. Oh, and you have to financially support somebody that don't do nothing.
I mean, its kinda hard for you. All right, okay. JUDGE LAKE: These results were prepared by DNA Diagnostics and they read as follows.
In the case of<i> Fetters v. Fetters,</i> pertaining to whether Mr Fetters or Mr Edmondson is the father of nine-month-old Korbyn Fetters. .
. JUDGE LAKE: It has been determined by this court, the biological father is Mr Fetters. JUDGE LAKE: You are the father, sir.
I'm very, very happy. I couldn't have words. I can't even describe the fact that I'm glad that he is mine.
JUDGE LAKE: The doubt is. . .
JUSTIN: The doubt's gone. Gone. JUSTIN AND CHELSEA: Yeah.
We don't have to live with that anymore. As much as you all have been through, and the process you're still going through, as you, you know, are getting a divorce, that's not easy, and, at the end of the day, it affects children. JUSTIN: Absolutely.
And divorce on top of a paternity issue, these two combined are a recipe for emotional instability, trauma for a child. Absolutely. JUDGE LAKE: And that's not what we want for Korbyn.
No. We don't. And you got to get to a better place when it comes to the way you operate with one another.
Yeah. JUDGE LAKE: And the way you speak to one another. And I'm not talking about every conversation end up with, "I can't stand you, and you slept with someone.
So, well, you did. . .
" Every conversation just can't go there. But every conversation went there today. Yeah.
But it has been, Your Honor. JUDGE LAKE: But every conversation just can't go there. Right.
JUDGE LAKE: Because then, we're never putting the children first. And I'm not saying that this comes as second nature to anybody. I mean, when you're going through a divorce and you're dealing with a relationship that is ending, it is difficult, it is painful.
And unfortunately, we usually see the worst version of ourselves. And that's what's hard. Because for your children, you need to fight, to show up and be the best version of yourselves.
So that's gonna have to sink in and you're gonna have to think about what you say before you say it to one another. And know that every foul word, every argument, every nitpick, everything you think you're doing to the other person, you have to imagine that you are also doing that to your kids, all right? We have counseling and resources for you.
I wish you all the very best, and take care of this beautiful little boy. Court is adjourned.
