Speaker A
Please be seated. Hello, Your Honor. Hello. This is the case of Williams III v. Smith.
Man claims he was scammed into paying $36K child support for a 22-year-old daughter he denies fathering on Paternity Court.
Key Takeaways
- Disputes over paternity can lead to long-term financial and emotional consequences.
- Failure to respond to court summons or take DNA tests can result in default judgments.
- Communication breakdowns and mistrust complicate paternity and child support cases.
- Emotional impact on all parties, including the child, is significant in such disputes.
- The court has the final authority to determine paternity and child support obligations.
Summary
- Mr. Williams claims he was scammed into paying $36,742.43 in child support for Clarissa, a 22-year-old woman he denies fathering.
- He insists he always used condoms and never signed the birth certificate or took a DNA test.
- Ms. Smith asserts they were in a relationship and that Mr. Williams is the biological father.
- Mr. Williams says he only found out about the child support after wage garnishment drastically reduced his income.
- There is disagreement over the nature and timeline of their relationship and whether Mr. Williams was informed of the pregnancy.
- Mr. Williams alleges Ms. Smith purposely sent court papers to the wrong address, causing him to miss court dates and be named father by default.
- Ms. Smith claims Mr. Williams declined to take a blood test when requested by public assistance.
- The court hears emotional testimony about missed opportunities and the impact of the child support on Mr. Williams' life.
- Clarissa expresses a desire for a relationship with her father despite the conflict.
- Judge Lake ultimately rules that Mr. Williams is the father.
Chapters
- 00:00Case Introduction and Claims
- 00:55Mr. Williams' Allegations of Scam
- 01:52Relationship and Pregnancy Dispute
- 02:24Impact of Child Support on Mr. Williams
- 04:48Arguments Over Relationship and Communication
- 09:26Court Paperwork and Legal Proceedings Issues
- 10:22Discussion About Condom Use and Paternity Doubts
- 12:34Emotional Testimonies and Court Ruling
- 16:24Conclusion and Court Adjournment
Full Transcript — Download SRT & Markdown
Speaker A
Thank you, Jerome. Good day, everyone. AUDIENCE: Good day. Mr. Williams, you've brought Ms. Annette Smith to court today claiming she scammed you into paying child support on her 22-year-old daughter, Clarissa.
Speaker A
You say you used condoms at all times, so you cannot be Clarissa's father. Yes, Your Honor.
Speaker A
You plan to prove your case today and return to court in your home state to dispute the $36,742.43 in child support arrears that you owe.
Speaker A
Yes, Your Honor. Ms. Smith, you claim that you and Mr. Williams were in a relationship and you are certain he is your daughter's biological father, even though he hasn't seen her in 20 years.
Speaker A
Yes, Your Honor. So, Mr. Williams, why do you believe Ms. Smith has been scamming you all these years?
Speaker A
The scam is the child support. You file child support against me when I don't have...
Speaker A
You don't have proof. I have never signed a birth certificate. I've never been proven that I was the father of the child.
Speaker A
Were you having a sexual relationship with Ms. Smith during the time that the child was conceived?
Speaker A
I don't know. I don't know. JUDGE LAKE: You don't even know. WILLIAMS: I don't know.
Speaker A
JUDGE LAKE: All right, so... Because we'd seen each other and we was having sex with each other, but other than that...
Speaker A
You have no idea whether it was during the window of conception. WILLIAMS: Right. You haven't taken the time to count back and...
Speaker A
WILLIAMS: No. All right, so how did you even find out you were on child support?
Speaker A
Well, I found out when I had this... I did labor ready work to get some extra cash.
Speaker A
Woke up 5:00 in the morning. Spent 11 hours on the job. Usually it's an $80 day, turned to a $7 day, based on child support.
Speaker A
So I'm like, "I can't, I can't do this. I can't work an 11-hour day for seven bucks.
Speaker A
I can't do it." So, being that, that was the case, I stopped and I just pretty much figured out another way to make income.
Speaker A
And I made income enough to get away. But what happened is I was working at a place and I got into a bad car accident.
Speaker A
It kinda took me out, but the settlement would allow me to move. So, then that's what I did. I moved.
Speaker A
So, I'm figuring, like, I left that gave her a window of opportunity to put me on child support.
Speaker A
JUDGE LAKE: And so how has having this responsibility to pay this support, how has this affected your life?
Speaker A
Big. I mean, I been held to not being able to get to my fullest ability to make a lot of outstanding money...
Speaker A
When I met Eli, he ain't never had a job. That's what she thinks. I paid for everything.
Speaker A
No, that's not true. Eli had money when he got into a car accident. Oh, my goodness.
Speaker A
That's not true. That's... We had a relationship. ...not true. We did not have a relationship.
Speaker A
Yes, we did. We did not have a relationship. Yes, we did. You told him when you got pregnant?
Speaker A
SMITH: Yes, ma'am, I did. And you were intimate with him during the window of time Clarissa was conceived?
Speaker A
Yes, yes, yes. WILLIAMS: I don't see that. I don't see that. What was the nature of the relationship?
Speaker A
How did you guys meet? We met at a club. AUDIENCE: Oh! Yes, we met at a club. We didn't do nothing the first night.
Speaker A
I mean... But we went out that weekend, I picked him up. I took him home.
Speaker A
Why? Why? You knew more about me than I knew about you. He was my best friend.
Speaker A
But the only time Eli had money was when he got into that car accident.
Speaker A
He got mad at me 'cause I didn't show up at the hospital. This is why he is so bitter after 22 years...
Speaker A
I never got mad at nobody. I ain't never got mad at nobody. JUDGE LAKE: Ms. Smith, you say this was a real relationship.
Speaker A
SMITH: Yes, ma'am, it was. There you go right there. JUDGE LAKE: You all were boyfriend and girlfriend?
Speaker A
Yes. No. JUDGE LAKE: At the point that you realized you were pregnant, before that, were you sleeping with anybody else besides Mr. Williams?
Speaker A
No. When you found out you were pregnant did you tell him? SMITH: Yes, ma'am, I did.
Speaker A
What day? JUDGE LAKE: What was his rea... The same night. WILLIAMS: What day? Night?
Speaker A
Yup. What night? Yes, I did. What was his reaction? WILLIAMS: Oh, my goodness. Yeah, what was my reaction?
Speaker A
I forgot the name he wanted... I forgot the name that he wanted me to name, but he wanted me to have a boy.
Speaker A
What? And he seemed happy about it? Yes, ma'am, he did. JUDGE LAKE: But, sir, you don't remember this day?
Speaker A
No, I do not remember this whole conversation that she's talking about 'cause it just never happened.
Speaker A
Okay. It didn't. You know it didn't happen. Go ahead. Go ahead. You can say anything to make you feel better.
Speaker A
So is it safe to say that during the doctor's visits and the birth Mr. Williams was not there?
Speaker A
No. Even when she was sick in the hospital he didn't show up. But he called.
Speaker A
And I told him Clarissa was sick for 14 days and 14 nights. And his dad was on the other line 'cause his dad was gonna pay for the ticket.
Speaker A
And I said, "Yeah, you need to come down here to see Clarissa." He never showed up but he came down here plenty of times after that.
Speaker A
Where'd you get that from? When I was on public assistance they asked Eli to come down here for the blood test.
Speaker A
Eli declined. He didn't wanna show up. No. When? When? SMITH: You remember. No, I don't.
Speaker A
When they put you on child support and you get AFDC... No, I don't. No, no, no.
Speaker A
...they asked you for a blood test and he didn't want to do it. That's not true.
Speaker A
Did you have an opportunity to take a DNA test, sir, and you didn't? No, I didn't.
Speaker A
I got his address when I went to California to see him. See, and now she moving too far ahead for herself because when she...
Speaker A
'Cause I'm telling the truth. She went to California to scope out my situation. No, I come to get your address so I can send them people the letter.
Speaker A
You sent them to the wrong address 'cause that was the address you was at.
Speaker A
That wasn't right what you did was you had some... I sent it to your father's...
Speaker A
...somebody send some service papers to my family's house where you know I wasn't at.
Speaker A
And that you knew I wasn't there. So when they went there I didn't get paperwork, I didn't bring the court date.
Speaker A
You just smashed me. You smashed me. She sent the court reporter or whoever serves papers to my parents' home.
Speaker A
JUDGE LAKE: To the wrong address. To the wrong address, knowing I ain't there. You're saying she purposely sent...
Speaker A
They gave the wrong address... WILLIAMS: Yes. Yes. ...so that you would then miss the court date...
Speaker A
Yes. ...and be named the father by default. Yes. Yes. And then once you were named the father by default you were put on child support.
Speaker A
There was nothing I could do. Nothing I could do. Mr. Williams is saying he feels like you scammed him and you're saying, "We were in a relationship. When I got pregnant, I told him." He didn't have anything. How am I gonna scam somebody who ain't got nothing?
Speaker A
(AUDIENCE LAUGHING) Mr. Williams, once you realized this had happened, did you ever try to go back to court to have this situation remedied?
Speaker A
First of all, me going back to Florida was not in my plans. Because my thing is...
Speaker A
What'd you used to do with my condoms when you used to do with 'em?
Speaker A
We ain't never used no condoms, Eli. What you used to do with 'em? Oh, my God.
Speaker A
See, this... I'll tell ya. Why you doin' this? We never used condoms? Never. So, Mr. Williams, you say you always used condoms?
Speaker A
Far as I know, always used condoms. What I do know is she used to take my condoms off to the bathroom and whatever she did in the bathroom with that condom...
Speaker A
'Cause I used to lay there. I used to lay there. She'd take my condom off to the bathroom.
Speaker A
"I'll take care of that for ya. I'll take care of that for ya." You never said that?
Speaker A
What am I gonna take care of? I'm gonna put it on you too? No, you gonna put it in, whatever you do...
Speaker A
Who does that? However you do. You did. Oh, my Lord, you... JUDGE LAKE: So what you're...
Speaker A
That's why you smiling. So wait a minute. What you're saying is you feel like there was foul play involved?
Speaker A
Yes. Where she was trying to trap you...
Speaker A
I don't have nothing, so why you want me? There was nothing I could do.
Speaker A
I mean, the only thing I could do is go back and try to spend 25 on a lawyer.
Speaker A
Uh, find out this here and pay for this and pay... But nothing comes out of her pocket.
Speaker A
But wouldn't that be less expensive than $36,000 in arrears? I don't know 'cause I didn't have that to throw away.
Speaker A
I didn't have that to throw away. So, what you are saying is, at the time, because you were unable to afford a lawyer and the transportation to get back to the state to fight the issue, you just had to accept the issue.
Speaker A
Pretty much. And I did accept it for a long time. So every job I get they get letters that says, "Oh, we gotta take out for this.
Speaker A
"We gotta take out for that." So I'm working for free. I can't work for free.
Speaker A
And she said I was broke. That's no serious matter. I've always had money. My family got money.
Speaker A
My family come from money. We still got money. You ain't got no money. How much you wanna B-E-T?
Speaker A
How much you wanna bet? So, is the reason why you're behind $36,000 because you just refuse to pay?
Speaker A
Because if the child support office hears you talk about how much money you got they're gonna wonder why this isn't paid.
Speaker A
No. I tell 'em that 'cause I don't believe this is my child. So you purposely have avoided paying because you don't believe it's your child?
Speaker A
I don't believe it's my child. So, you submitted a photo. This is Mr. Williams and Clarissa.
Speaker A
SMITH: That's when he came to visit. This is you and the baby? WILLIAMS: Right.
Speaker A
It doesn't look like you're denying her at that point. Doesn't look like it. I'm not denying 'cause at that point time in my life none of this was available to me, to find out, a blood test and all this stuff 'cause I didn't know nothing about it.
Speaker A
JUDGE LAKE: So this is a picture of you both and Clarissa in... SMITH: Yeah.
Speaker A
JUDGE LAKE: ...California. WILLIAMS: Yeah. You look happy. You look like a couple. WILLIAMS: I mean, you gotta understand something.
Speaker A
I'm one of them people that I'm gonna take responsibility if I think I'm responsible for it.
Speaker A
But when I find out through the line that I'm not responsible and it's definitely somebody else involved.
Speaker A
There's somebody else involved. I don't think the child looks like me. I don't think she has my characteristics.
Speaker A
I don't know nothing about her because I haven't seen her. So, Ms. Smith, when is the last time Mr. Williams saw Clarissa?
Speaker A
'98. All right, Jerome, I'm ready to hear from Clarissa. Please escort her in. JUDGE LAKE: Hi, Clarissa.
Speaker A
Hi. Than you so much for joining us today. We've been here discussing the issues regarding your paternity.
Speaker A
Is Mr. Williams the person you were always told was your biological father? CLARISSA: Yes.
Speaker A
JUDGE LAKE: You never were told anyone else could be your father? No. Do you remember him being in your life when you were growing up?
Speaker A
When I was five he would call me. That's all I remember. JUDGE LAKE: Just when you were five?
Speaker A
Yeah. But since then you don't remember anything? No. JUDGE LAKE: You have not seen him?
Speaker A
No. No birthdays? CLARISSA: No. JUDGE LAKE: Father's Day? No. JUDGE LAKE: Holidays? No. JUDGE LAKE: Nothing?
Speaker A
No. By the time that was happening was probably when the child support started hitting me.
Speaker A
'Cause she would get packages every holiday, every Christmas, every birthday she would get 'em.
Speaker A
Do you remember receiving gifts from your father? Never. WILLIAMS: Never? You never done that.
Speaker A
WILLIAMS: Yeah, I did. But he did call, collect calls. Collect calls? Yes, you did.
Speaker A
Oh, my goodness. Stop. Stop. And I accepted 'em. Because you wanted your daughter... SMITH: Definitely and I still do.
Speaker A
JUDGE LAKE: You just want her to know her father? Yes ma'am 'cause he is missing out on so much.
Speaker A
She made her own music, her own game videos, she's a 3.9. (AUDIENCE CLAPPING) And I can see you're very proud of your daughter.
Speaker A
SMITH: Very so much. And now this is the last closure. I want it to be done with so she can blossom and be a good woman.
Speaker A
Rather you in her life or not 'cause you done missed out. That's what you say.
Speaker A
That's what you say. Thank you for it though. Thank you for it. That's what you say.
Speaker A
That's what you say. (AUDIENCE CLAPPING) Thank you. JUDGE LAKE: And so, Clarissa, look at Mr. Williams and tell him what he's missed out on in your life.
Speaker A
You missed out on my entire life. I wanted to have a father to brag things about in my academic life. I wanted to explore if...
Speaker A
Just to have fun with a dad right beside me all the time. Someone to support me.
Speaker A
You were never there. I wish you were. We could've had some fun. But no, you weren't never there.
Speaker A
You stopped calling me. And that really hurt. I can see that in your eyes.
Speaker A
It hurts me... My mom told me these stories about how much you two had so much fun.
Speaker A
These pictures that she's sharing... All I ever wanted was to meet you, see you, hear you again.
Speaker A
Yeah. I hear you. But the fact still remains is... I don't know if I'm truly your father.
Speaker A
I don't know but we'll find out today. When you were a baby that's what I remember.
Speaker A
Okay. And after that I don't remember nothing else either. I'm about as bad as how you feelin'.
Speaker A
I feel bad too. But the thing is, I can't change that. What it is from now on, we can move forward or keep living in the past.
Speaker A
It would be totally up to everybody in this circle right here. Me and your mother never had a relationship.
Speaker A
We were friends. Good friends. That's about it. And she knows that. We did have a relationship.
Speaker A
WILLIAMS: I don't know what she's... Got told you over the years... SMITH: Okay, Eli, I'm done talking to...
Speaker A
You don't have to talk. I'm talking to her. I'm not talking to you. Don't put me in.
Speaker A
Talk to her. WILLIAMS: No. You're in it. Sorry. (SCOFFING) That's the bottom line. I'm always gonna be whatever I believe in.
Speaker A
I got a family. If you mine, you got family. This young girl standing here, she's just expressed...
Speaker A
WILLIAMS: Right. ...everything you've missed out on. WILLIAMS: Right. She's just said she just wanted to have a father.
Speaker A
WILLIAMS: Right. I'm sure you've been in school. Clarissa, you're a smart girl. You see other friends and people, they have their father.
Speaker A
And you would wonder, I'm sure, why did your father stop calling? And you have to respect that, Mr. Williams, whether you believe she's your biological daughter or not.
Speaker A
She was told you're her father. WILLIAMS: Right. Her mother has pictures of you looking like you happy she's here, on this earth.
Speaker A
I'm not mad. JUDGE LAKE: The point is, is your disappearance, your lack of contact, affected her.
Speaker A
Can you accept that? If she's mine I could accept that. But if she's not mine, I'll be more hurt than you imagine.
Speaker A
So, it's time for the results. And before we go to the results, I just have to ask, Ms. Smith, Mr. Williams has maintained that he just does not know whether this is his child.
Speaker A
Are you sure there was no one else? Yes ma'am. No one. JUDGE LAKE: No one?
Speaker A
Mmm-mmm. All right, Jerome. Let's get this family some answers. JEROME: Yep. These results were prepared by DNA Diagnostics and they read as follows.
Speaker A
In the case of Williams v. Smith, when it comes to 22-year-old Clarissa Williams, it has been determined by this court...
Speaker A
Mr. Williams, you... Are her father. (AUDIENCE CLAPPING) Told you. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
Speaker A
(CLARISSA SOBBING) (AUDIENCE CLAPPING) WILLIAMS: I'm sorry. (CLARISSA SOBBING) Well, I'm so happy for you.
Speaker A
Mr. Williams? WILLIAMS: Yes. How does it feel to finally know for sure? Feels better than not knowing.
Speaker A
This was in fact your biological child all along. That whatever this notion is you put in your head, you allowed it to fester.
Speaker A
And you lost out on 20 years. And so did this beautiful little girl. Now you know.
Speaker A
No one's yelling at you and screaming, "You're no good and I don't want nothing "to do with you anymore." You got a beautiful little girl that just ran into your arms.
Speaker A
Accept that. And roll with that. WILLIAMS: Yes, ma'am. (AUDIENCE CLAPPING) JUDGE LAKE: You understand?
Speaker A
I do hope that you're able to meet on common ground, which is your daughter and support her as she goes through her journey in life.
Speaker A
Right. And she's hoping that you will come into the fold. Can you just do that?
Speaker A
Yes ma'am. I like when you just say yes. (LAUGHING) (CLAPPING) Let me end on a good note.
Speaker A
Court is adjourned. Thank you.
Topics:paternity courtchild support scampaternity disputechild support arrearsDNA testcourt casefatherhood denialrelationship conflictlegal battleJudge Lake
