i've had my doubts from the very beginning. she's cheated on me three to four times? he brought her to my doctor's appointment. (audience exclaiming) that's disrespectful. don't hate because i look better than you and i'm older than you. did you ruin their relationship? you may be seated. hello, your honor. good morning. this is the case of clark vs. newby. thank you. you're welcome. good day, everyone. ms. clark, you claim that you and the defendant, mr. newby, dated for only three months before you became pregnant with his baby. you say the relationship was moving forward until he left you for a woman you claim is old enough to be his mother. it is your belief that she is the reason mr. newby is denying paternity. mr. newby, you say the plaintiff was involved with another man at the time she became pregnant. you do not believe you are the father of her child and claim it has nothing to do with your new girlfriend ms. faulkner.

you also say if the baby is yours, you will fight for custody because you believe the plaintiff is an unfit mother. now, ms. clark, tell me what happened when the defendant left you. he left me for an older woman and i feel that she put it in his head that it's not his from the beginning because she thought i was messing around with some dude at her party, and... you did come to my house with another guy. no. yeah. i wasn't messing around with him, though. you were dry-humping on the side of my house! clark: no! he was just dancing like this or whatever on me. faulkner: there was no dancing at that party. whatever. let's get some order in the court. now, ms. clark, first of all, before there was ever a ms. faulkner, you and mr. newby had a relationship. yes. i need you to take me back to that. okay. your honor, when i met him, you know, i was in drug use, but, you know, we were together for three months, he was in drug use, and when he left me i felt abandonment because when i was younger, at 13 years old, my dad had hung himself because of drug use. and then, five years later,

my mother had died, when i was 18 years old, because of cancer. so when he left me when i was seven months pregnant, i felt abandonment and pain and agony. so... faulkner: so you stuck a needle in your arm. so, when i was three months pregnant, i, um, yeah, i went out and used, and i am ashamed of that because... you know, and then i went to jail, though, for three months, and while i was in there i had time to think that i wanted to be clean for me and my son. (audience applauding) yes. so when i got out, when i was seven months pregnant i got out, we were gonna be a... you know, have a family, you know, so i was excited about that because i felt that my son was gonna have a father and a mother. and instead... you were not supposed to be... she's... it's all wrong. judge lake: all right, so... i told her from the beginning, when she first went to jail. she would call me, and yeah, i would talk to her, 'cause i was thinking that the baby might possibly be mine. i've had my doubts from the very beginning. she's constantly lied, she's cheated on me with her ex, like, what, three, four times? no, only once.

she would go to the store for like... judge lake: okay, but... so mr. newby, she cheated on you with her ex during the time of conception? during that same... yeah. before, after... okay, but... excuse me, your honor, if, you know, you'd had doubts about, you know, being a father or whatever, then why'd you have this picture taken with me with the first ultrasound, and being happy with, about being a father. newby: well, yeah! because if it's mine i would... that's you two here with a sonogram picture. newby: mmm-hmm. but then when i first got the ultrasound, when she was working at mcdonald's and he was working at mcdonald's, she was putting it in his head, "oh, prove it to me otherwise, prove it to me otherwise." i didn't say prove it to me otherwise. clark: yes, you did. he was showing the picture of the sonogram to everybody at work, and i said "why are you showing a picture of a baby "you don't even know is yours?" yeah, and you said... that wasn't a secret. that wasn't a secret! i said it in front of you, in front of him, and in front of his family. judge lake: but wait a minute. ms. faulkner, i have to ask you, when he was showing the sonogram picture at work,

were you in a relationship with him then? no, i was not. so why was it your business what he was showing? because i was a friend of his. and you're old enough... i have always been a friend of his. newby: she's always been a really good friend to me. yeah, but you're old enough... but my point is... now, i want to hear more about this doubt. mr. newby, explain to me the other reasons why you feel like despite this happy sonogram picture, this child may not be yours. at first, when i asked about the dna test, when we first found out she was pregnant, i was like, "okay, yeah, i want a dna test." she was okay with it. then after the baby is born, i ask for it, she freaks out. she doesn't want to do it all of a sudden. is that true, ms. clark? yes, that is true, because i felt my baby was conceived the time that we were together. is wasn't conceived when i was with that other dude because i was only with that dude for a week. judge lake: but you do admit to cheating? clark: yes. and can you understand why mr. newby may feel, since you admit to cheating, that there could be a possibility... clark: i do understand that and i told him that i understood that. judge lake: so why not nip it in the bud with a dna test?

because i felt, you know... why... and then even after, while she was pregnant, after i had left her, she had sent me a message from her brother's phone and a picture of a baby. i was at work at the time, when i got it, and he was talking about, he's an uncle now. so i was thinking the baby was born. and then i looked... yeah, i had a childish moment, and i sent him a picture of a fake baby, but... wait. she was just playing. you sent him a picture of a fake baby? well, it was a picture off the internet, it was on the internet, or whatever. and i sent him the picture, but i was just upset... and then she questions why he questions her! okay, he had left me... what was your intention behind sending the picture of the fake baby? i need to understand that. um, to see if he would show any interest of seeing his son. because he wasn't doing that. you showed him a picture of a fake baby as if the baby had been born? yeah. a newborn baby. i got a picture on my cellphone while i was at work. i showed my manager and ran home. i don't even think i clocked out or anything, i just...

it was messed up of me, and i just wanted to see if he would show interest or whatever if the son, my son, was born. if he would show any interest in coming to see him or anything. judge lake: did he show interest in coming to see you? she wouldn't let me go up to the hospital. no, not... no, because... even when the baby was born, she wouldn't let me go. she wouldn't let me go afterwards because i have a girlfriend. yeah, i told... he brought her to my doctor's appointment. that's disrespectful. (audience exclaiming) okay? and then i asked him, i was like, the day after my son was born, i said "you can come up here and see the baby." but do not have her drop you off or come to the hospital. faulkner: and what does it matter if i drop him off? i was the only one willing to give him a ride to see his own kid. that is disrespectful to me. i have kids, i know what it's like to be a single mom, and i would not be with jesse if he would not take care of his responsibilities. if you really wanted a father... that was just disrespectful. ...you would let him come and see the baby. regardless of who dropped him off. okay, but my ex-boyfriend that left me for an older woman you know, that's old enough to be his mom, is disrespectful to me to bring to the hospital! don't hate because i look better than you

and i'm older than you, okay? you still look like you're pregnant right now, okay? i don't care! what happened to it being all baby and water weight? ms. faulkner, i need to ask you, so, let's be honest, did you ruin their relationship? she's just jealous. she can't get over the fact that i'm not with her. okay, two people that's fixing to start working got a lot of nerve, about to snatch a baby from its mother. okay. you're worthless. judge lake: it has been determined by this court that, mr. newby, you... now we know. (narrator reading)

 (narrator reading) when he left me when i was seven months pregnant, i felt abandonment and pain and agony. i've had my doubts from the very beginning. she's constantly lied. she's cheated on me with her ex like, what, three, four times? ms. faulkner, i need to ask you, so, let's be honest, did you ruin their relationship? no, i did not. this was way after they were over with. was jesse friends with your son?

yes, he was. (scoffs) this is getting interesting. (audience laughs) why is it that you're so certain that jesse is not ms. clark's... faulkner: i never said i was certain, i said that there was doubt. that's all i said. i was not there when they were together and having all of that. all i said was, "if you're gonna be there, you wanna be sure." especially since he lives in another state. because she likes to dangle the baby over his head. oh, you can see him when she wants to. he's gonna need to know if it's his or not to have viable ground to stand on. judge lake: let me remind you, though, that you told the court that you would never be with a man that did not take care of his kids. that is right. so, if mr. newby has reason to believe that he could possibly be the father... he has been there. why would you have any issue with him being there... faulkner: i don't. ...until he finds out otherwise? her son has been at our house. our house. her son has been at our house.

we have watched her son. we have babysat for her. judge lake: so that goes back to when he was holding up the sonogram picture, why'd you tell him to take it down? faulkner: i didn't tell him to take it down. i said, "why are you showing a picture of a baby "if you don't even know if it's yours?" clark: see, that's disrespectful... judge lake: but then, wouldn't the same woman that wouldn't be with a man that didn't take care of his kids, wouldn't that same woman think to themselves, "well, he may think this child is his, "and it's great that he's proud of it, "and if he finds out later that it's not, "let him deal with it." and if i can't... if i can't... i was speaking my mind. she's can't be trusted. that's how i felt. judge lake: now, ms. clark, how have you tried to get him in your child's life? i would call him and ask him if he can watch him, or whenever, if he wants to see him, he says, "i can't right now, i'm busy." i want to take care of the baby. faulkner: that's not true. i tried taking care of the baby. you would not let me. clark: how many diapers have you bought? you only buy two packs of diapers, you haven't even bought anything. faulkner: and when we bought stuff for the baby, she refused. she said, "because joanne got it, i don't want it." because i bought it. she did not want to receive the gifts. i bought the baby stuff. and she did not want it. but it's not your responsibility!

it's his, as a father. our money is combined. it's together. there's a real relationship. it's not about the money. i don't care. judge lake: but mr. newby, now... it is very convenient that you have ms. faulkner to kind of help you in your potential responsibility. i want to know what you have done individually, to help ms. clark take care of the baby. i'm a mother with children of my own. you're not the mother of her child. but i was not hurting anyone's child. so wait one minute. let me state... wait one minute. one minute. i would never do anything to hurt another child. wait one moment. wait one moment. you're not my mother either. judge lake: it has been determined by this court that, mr. newby, you... now we know.

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(narrator reading) she cheated on you with her ex during the time of conception? at first, when i asked about the dna test, she was okay with it. then after the baby is born, i ask for it, she freaks out. i want to know what you have done individually, to help ms. clark take care of the baby. nothing. have you helped to provide financially? newby: yeah. when i could, yes.

if she asked, "hey, i need diapers," i would get 'em whenever she needed. from my vantage point, there shouldn't be a thing that you wouldn't do for this beautiful baby. there's not! that's what i'm saying. like, i wasn't working, so when she would call me an hour before she needed me to watch him... like, you know, my buddy needs me to help pull weeds, i can make some money. you know? as a father, if he's the father, he should want to take him regardless of anything that he has to do or anything, to spend time with him. faulkner: we even wanted... she asked him to watch him last minute. jesse said, "no problem. "but we're fixing to go swimming." she got mad and wouldn't let us take the baby, 'cause she couldn't go swimming with us. no, i didn't want them taking my son somewhere else where i don't know where they're going... faulkner: but if it's his son, why can't he take him? because i don't know where you're taking him, and i'm the mother, so, anything... you got mad 'cause you couldn't hang out with us. why would i want to hang out with you? exactly! why did you want to come with us? that's what i want to know too. exactly. so you were concerned as a mother that your son was going to a pool and he was so small. clark: yes.

judge lake: now, could you have told them that, that i just really feel uncomfortable about swimming? yeah, i could've. yeah, i could've. but... i'm a mother with children of my own. judge lake: i know, but let's be honest, ms. faulkner. you're not the mother of her child. but i was not hurting anyone's child. (audience applauding) judge lake: so wait one minute. faulkner: i have a son that i have lost. wait one moment. i would never do anything to hurt another child. wait one moment. wait one moment. you're not my mother either. (audience laughing) so now, let me tell you something. i am a mother of a small child. and i will be very honest. i am married to my husband, and the first time my child got in a pool, i wanted to be there. and i see mothers in, out here in the courtroom, nodding their heads. you're taking my baby to a pool? i don't think it was appropriate for her to want to go, but i would have said to you guys, "hey, the swimming thing, he's so little...

"maybe could we do something else? "i just feel uncomfortable." that's it. i think... i believe, am i articulating your position right? because i'm not seeing in this situation why she just wants to hang out with you all. at the pool. i don't get that. no. it is admirable that they want to take your son and include him as a part of the family unit, and get him to know ms. faulkner's kids. don't just come snatch him up from the father when he's really trying to show interest in taking him somewhere. and i have let him see him, you know. i took my son, i took my son over to their house, you know, but i don't want him going nowhere where i don't know about. or going swimming without me or anything like that at three months old. this leads me to your claim that if it is determined that you're actually the father of her son, you would like to petition the court for custody of your child. yes. judge lake: because you believe she's an unfit mother.

please tell me why you feel this way. how are you going to be seven months pregnant, and then stick a... you know, stick a needle into both of you guys' bodies? like, that baby had to go through that for no reason. she didn't even give him a chance. judge lake: now, ms. clark admitted that that was and absolutely irresponsible action which was inexcusable. i heard her say that. i also heard her say that she has done everything she can to get clean. now, have you witnessed her improvement? well, yeah, it's court mandated. of course, she don't want to go back to jail. judge lake: well, let me tell you, i've represented a lot of drug addicts when i was a criminal defense attorney. no court mandate gonna keep you from a drug when you're addicted. you have to make a decision as a human being that you are gonna be clean. i'm asking you, have you seen a change in her at all as it relates to the drug use? do you see that? yeah. then we have to applaud her for that. we have to! well, yeah. i'm glad she's clean.

i tried helping her as much as i could. and then i have to ask you, how are you doing? if you are potentially this child's father, i want to understand where you are in life as well. are you working? uh, no. i currently just moved. and you are looking for work. yes. okay. ms. faulkner, are you working? i'm fixing to start working next week. i just moved to florida. okay, two people that's fixing to start working got a lot of nerve, about to snatch a baby from its mother. and neither one of you got a job! you've accused her of being unfit. yes. um, she collects a check, right? every month? that don't mean i'm unfit. what does that mean? newby: you can't take care of yourself. but you can take care of a baby? i buy all his formula, i buy him everything he needs, faulkner: the state buys the formula! clark: i buy him everything. she's just jealous. she can't get over the fact that i'm not with her. no, it's not. i care less. i would not... if you were the last man on earth i wouldn't want to be with you again.

are you kidding me? okay. clark: you're worthless. judge lake: all right, i've heard enough. are we ready to hear the results? audience: yeah! please! please! judge lake: because i believe it's time for us to know. jerome, do you have the envelope? i do. thank you. you're welcome. judge lake: when it comes to three-month-old baby richard, it has been determined by this court that mr. newby, you... now we know. narrator: promotional consideration provided by...

when he left me when i was seven months pregnant, i felt abandonment and pain and agony. i've had my doubts from the very beginning. she's constantly lied. she's cheated on me with her ex, like, what, three, four times? judge lake: as per these results prepared by dna diagnostics,

in the case of clark vs. newby, when it comes to three-month-old baby richard, mr. newby, you are the father. and i see you smiling. it's not a bad thing. you're happy? yeah. like, i never tried to deny him. i just wanted some clarity. you did deny him. judge lake: i will defend him in this. he did not tell this court he denied him. he told this court he had doubt. well, to me he denied him. and that's what this courtroom is about. better to know the truth so that you can operate under truth

than to constantly in your mind have this small amount of doubt circulating, and it may affect the way you treat this child. so now we know. yes, exactly. clark: your honor, i have a question. how are you gonna take care of him when you're all the way in florida? that's what custody's for. okay, but you're not taking my son away from me. faulkner: shared custody. newby: yeah. listen, this is a living, breathing little person. you gotta get it together. (audience applauding) i've tried working with him. i have no seen any evidence that you've presented that would indicate that ms. clark is an unfit mother. but i am a firm believer that fathers have a huge role to play in their child's lives. i want you to continue on your path to healing... i will. ...and being clean. and you two, are we clear? faulkner: yes. court is adjourned. clark: thank you. jerome, please go get these two parents and bring them up. come on up here with me. judge lake: come up to the bench.

now, listen. i will be checking on you. figure out how to talk to one another. quit arguing. get over the fact that he's with her, because what's done is done. and don't you let ms. faulkner run you. she might be old enough to be your mother, but she's not your mother. yeah. you're a father. are you clear? fine with me. yeah. okay. i'm watching you. heartburn. aw, come on. [ male announcer ] rolaids gives you rapid relief and neutralizes 44% more acid than tums. [ fieri ] rolaids -- that's how you spell relief.

narrator: today on paternity court... i want him to be the dad. i'm not the biological dad. you see these beautiful twins be born. why, why, doubt? when i see them coming out, they was glowing. they were glowing? rodney: yeah. you say that you know you're not the father, and you know that a white man is their father. as far as i'm concerned, it was her sugar daddy. (crowd gasps) he didn't want us till he found out that he was gonna be getting $900 a month. this is all about money now. it's all about money now. it's not about the money. if i cherished them with money, it'd be a whole new different ballgame. you've gotta understand that those words are daggers

in their heart. both: he don't care, he don't care. and i never... i... you didn't like their disrespecting you. yeah, "i'll... i'll never speak to you again, "you the sorriest dad in the world." what more else i got to prove? in here... what else i got to prove? let me have some order. you may be seated. hello, your honor. this is a case of eggleston vs. eggleston. thank you, jerome. good day, everyone. egglestons: good day. judge lake: miss eggleston, you and your identical twin sister state that the man who raised you recently shocked you when he announced that he is not your biological father. you've petitioned the court for a paternity test because you believe finances are motivating your alleged father's claims. mr. eggleston, your statement to the court counters that you know for sure that the plaintiff's father is a white man and you are not their biological dad. now, ms. eggleston, how did you and your sister learn this news? okay, well, it all started about a year ago at his birthday party...

judge lake: mmm-hmm. ...and we overheard him speaking to some of our family members saying that, "y'all know these are not my kids." that's what he was saying. we heard him. now we was listening. telling to our family members, "you know they're not my kids." "i'm down here raising "all these sins and nobody is helping." that's what he was explaining to the rest of our family members. but our family members didn't say anything back. yeah. nobody said anything, it was just dropped. it was just dropped. i'm thinking he's just speaking under the influence of alcohol. exactly. let me ask you this, ladies. before the birthday party, before this happened, in your whole lives, there had never been any other mention, the subject never came up that this man potentially was not your biological father? no, no, no. no. none whatsoever. we grew up as babies as him being our father. he'll come visit us. he would take us out. he's on our birth certificate. yeah. he's our dad. judge lake: all right, mr. eggleston, i need to hear from you. why is it that you believe you're not their father when sounds like to me you've raised them as your own?

yes i did. knowing from the start that i knew they wasn't mine. but, you know, something overcame me that day... let me get to the part... you knew their mother. yes, i did. judge lake: so how did that happen? well, i was... i was coming home one day and, um, she was in the backyard barbequing and i'd noticed this big beautiful smile. judge lake: uh-huh. and big... big breasts. noticed those, huh? rodney: yeah. and the big cheeseburgers on the grill. (audience laughs) okay. we made a date, you know, and eventually we got together and, um, next thing you know, um, i'm living in her mama's basement, and not too soon after that, she's on the phone calling some guy out and telling him to send money. you know, "i'm pregnant," and she's looking at me, (audience gasps) going like this. shh! rodney: you know and... when she said, "i'm pregnant." rodney: mmm-hmm. do you immediately think these may not be mine or do you say these are my children? i said it to myself, i knew i didn't want to say it to her, but i... i knew it all along.

and why did you doubt specifically? i don't know, i'm... that's probably my thought frame back then because, you know, maybe if i get in this relationship, it'll make my life better. it'll turn me around, you know... okay, so let's move forward... rodney: yes. ...to the birth of these two beautiful young ladies. yeah. you were there for the birth? i was right there beside her. so you were in the delivery room? yeah. with my little mask on and doctor suit on. (audience laughs) why, why, doubt? when i see them coming out, they was glowing. judge lake: they were glowing? yeah, yeah. (audience laughs) look how pale they was, and plus, the gook on their body, you know they was shining. judge lake: so when they were born, you say they were glowing because they were very pale. rodney: yes, yes. and uh, you know, i... i didn't have intentions on signing it, but, you know, i had the spirit come over me. you know, the little devil and the angel. oh! you got... you got both of those? (audience laughs) yeah. judge lake: okay. rodney: the devil said, "you know they're not your kids. don't sign it." then the angel said,

"they're gonna need you, don't turn your back on them." so what's your point of saying you're not? so, why'd you sign the birth certificate? because, you know, now i'm getting the smiles, i'm getting this, you know, tension... it doesn't matter if you promise our mom... i'd never speak to you again? i hate you, i'm the sorriest dad around? both: 'cause you wasn't doin' what you were supposed to do. rodney: give you allowance? both: it's not about allowance. what school clothes did you buy? how did you take care of us? (both chattering) i'm a single parent. you know, i'm a single parent. i'm a single parent. okay, mr. eggleston, how do you respond to their claims that their childhood was less than stellar because you were negligent? i was never able to buy two pair of nikes, two cell phones, two this, two this, you know... you didn't buy anything. okay, okay, so... so now i get punished. i get punished because i'm not money worthy to keep them happy. to keep them happy. it's not about the money. rodney: it's all about money now. it's all about money now. it's not about the money. if i cherished them with money, it'd be a whole new different ballgame. you never took care of us. judge lake: so, let me ask you this, ladies.

i'm hearing... rodney: i'm cooking them dinner every day. i'm making sure they come home, do their homework, but that's not good enough. we didn't have no structure. no structure at all. i'm a single man, you know, i'm a single man, you know. i got this responsibility now. no job, not going to work. his friends over every day. every day drinking. we ran it ourselves. our basketball coach bought school supplies. exactly. judge lake: let me ask you this, ladies. ladies, ladies, let me say this. let me say this to you. i know this is emotional. i know it is. for both of you. it just sucks, you know, because my mom, she's gone. so even if whatever the dna says so, we don't even have her side. you know... when did you lose your mom? antonea: we was eight. rodnea: we was nine. when we were eight years old, in front of us. you know what i'm saying, it happened in front of us. nobody never asked how we were doing, you know, he, um... he took us to columbus, you know, away from our family, away from everything we knew. so when your mom passed away, he did take you in? yeah, he took us. a year later.

a year later. he took... rodnea: and before we left, my mom's mom told us he didn't want us till he found out he was gonna be getting $900 a month. (audience gasps) that is not true. not true. rodnea: my grandma ida, she was saying that he was not hollerin' about taking you all to columbus until he found out money was involved. judge lake: so he packed you off and moved you to columbus. rodney: that is not true. she said, "be aware." that is not true. that is not true. we have no reason to lie. we don't want none of this. judge lake: okay. and so he takes you, and you move to columbus. rodnea: we go to columbus. and how was your childhood there? tell me about that. me and him never got along. like, me and him fought all the time. 'cause we kids, what we say don't matter. how we felt don't matter, but it do. i have something first to tell you that it's things i should have did different. judge lake: mr. eggleston, it has been determined by this court that you... you say that you know you not the father and you know that a white man

is their father. her sugar daddy. he talking about a white man say he was like her john. so, the babies were born seven months after you met. okay. yeah. my mom told her that he was my father. we found a journal. what did it say specifically? the journal was about us and he labeled it his secret. i want him to be the dad.

? if so, call 855-tv-dna-23. that's 855-883-6223. i'm not the biological dad, okay.

you see these beautiful twins be born, why, why doubt? he didn't want us till he found out he was gonna be getting $900 a month. why? why now do you lean over this podium and say, "i'm not your daddy, but i am your daddy." because i'm fussed at and cussed at. and i never, i... judge lake: you feel like they're disrespecting you. yeah. "i'll never speak to you again. "you the sorriest dad in the world." i've been in their life for 18 years, three months and 16 days. all right, all right! exactly. so what's the point of us being here? 18 years, three months and 3 days. what more else i got to prove? what else i got to prove? judge lake: let me have some order 'cause i've got to get to an important point. judge lake: mr. eggleston, let me get something straight. you say that you know you not the father and you know that a white man is their father. tell the court how you know this. when we returned to the doctor, she'd got marks on her back and the doctor questioned, you know. she had some marks on her back. yeah, some skin disease. a rare skin?

yeah, and they questioned... which i can clarify. first day she come out, the doctor said, "daddy, you sure you ain't got the wrong babies?" you know. "you didn't get the wrong babies?" i said, "okay, here we go again." you know... so, i, you know... i'm not the biological dad, okay. so the doctor told you... antonea: basically, i had this skin condition on my back, which is called tinea versicolor. mmm-hmm. and they're saying this is what i got, and it's only seen in caucasians. but i had to say, "forget what they say and i'm gonna just figure it out on my own." and i found out that the skin treatment is not just for caucasians. judge lake: did you bring that report? jerome, will you hand me that package? so, in your mind, without expressing to them, your doubts are getting validated. is that what i'm understanding? rodney: they were validated from day one because when i met her mother, it's on her birthday. when is your mother's birthday? both: august 4th. add nine months to that. you give it to the court. seven months. judge lake: okay. so, the babies were born seven months after you met their mother.

okay, let me bring your witness up, ladies. uh, please approach the podium. please state your name. my name is deshonna. judge lake: hello. miss? hi. deshonna. ms. johnson. johnson. i'm sorry. let me first ask you what your relationship is to... these are my second cousins. their mother is my first cousin. okay. okay, she was 10 years older than me, but i was 10 and you kind of look up to them, you know. the make-up, all that kind of stuff. you're like sisters. you were like sisters. and i'm a only child. so that's how it was. but he's talking about a... a white man that actually... i don't know how to word it, but i wanna say he was like her john. he didn't care if she was pregnant. he would have sent her money, just because he... that's what they do. that's what they do. that was his purpose of being there. and she didn't just call once. he sent money often. before she got pregnant, he was sending money. judge lake: so, what you're saying is, their mom did have a relationship with a white man... johnson: yes... ...that she knew and she had a relationship with. yeah. now, mr. eggleston, do you know who this man ms. johnson is referring to is?

as far as i'm concerned, it was her sugar daddy. mr. eggleston, it has been determined by this court that you... my mom told her that he was my father. i don't think before i talk. before you speak... you know, i got a bad habit of that. this is our only family that we got. those words are daggers in their heart. we all wish we could rewind the past. but we can't. all the natural energy found in peanuts? caramel works. payday. crunchy, roasted peanuts and soft, delicious caramel come together to give you sweet energy.

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to take a paternity test? if so, call 855-tv-dna-23. that's 855-883-6223. i'm not the biological dad, okay. you see these beautiful twins be born, why, why, doubt? rodnea: he didn't want us till he found out he was gonna be getting $900 a month. what more else i got to prove? what else i got to prove? judge lake: let me have some order. mr. eggleston, did anybody, anybody ever tell you, specifically that these young girls are not your children because a white man is their father? rodney: no. no. i just put two and two together. like i said, all i can remember is... so this is you speculating based upon... phone calls. yeah, yeah. okay. now, the only person that could even say anything that could give us any doubt that he's not the father was a friend of my mom. okay. she said that my mom told her directly that he was not the father. when you had information from the family friend, did you share it

with your dad? no. so let me get a little further into these issues. mr. eggleston, your mother, she was unable to make it to court today. so she sent a video statement in. i'd like to play that statement, please. rodney say he's not the father? after 18 years? he should have said this from the very beginning, when sophia died. that's what he should have said when the twins were born. he should have said they weren't his. but he didn't. and i don't want rodney to tell me ever again (sobbing) that he's not the father. (audience clapping) and that's true. that's true. ladies. and that's his own mom. that's what we go through every day. judge lake: let them speak. that's his own mom, our own grandmother. you know, he brought this to our attention off of something that he thought. when we was little babies, if you thought that we wasn't yours, then that's when you take us somewhere. you get that done and you keep that to yourself.

this is our only family that we got. they didn't have to know. ladies, first of all i need to say that your mother is a beautiful lady. and i know regardless of what has happened, she is proud of you all, for seeking out your own truth and for wanting to understand and being brave enough to ask the questions (sobbing) and find the answers to things that some people don't have... don't have the strength to do. rodnea: we found a journal of his, and he don't know we read it. but we found the journal and basically, i understand that this is something he been fighting with himself and it's starting to hit him. so, then that makes us figure. okay, then now we understand why you treated us like we was... (overlapping chatter) what did it say, specifically? in the journal, basically a major part of the journal was about us. and he labeled it his secret. he was saying, you know, details. saying, "they came out and i seen them." he said, "i felt something came over my body." saying, "i'm gonna be in these kids' lives. "they're gonna need me one day."

he said, "i had to step up and be a father." it's like he was talking to himself. is this true, mr. eggleston? yes. but i see now i shouldn't have did that. i should have left up out of here. they hurt and stuff and maybe i shouldn't... but listen, listen to me. is that what they want? you have to understand, you speak out of frustration. but you've got to understand that those words are daggers in their heart. exactly. you get frustrated and you say something. but it affects how they feel about who they are. yes, issues i have... i took after my dad, you know. mouthy, you know. lot of things, i don't think before i talk. before you speak. i got a bad habit of that. i think at this point, we're ready to learn the results. rodney: yes, ma'am. now, whether the results say he is your father or he isn't, this court wants to understand what you want going forward. you know, i've always had that daddy's little girl mentality. coming from our part of it,

i want him to be the dad, you know, because it didn't matter what he did, how i felt or how she felt. i always knew that i'm gonna be daddy's little girl. you know, i'm always gonna cover for him. you know, but at the same time... that's the thing. he has that over her. yeah, he... i feel like, if you my dad, you still should have did better. if you're not my dad, then you should have kept... and this is an opportunity for you to not speak out of anger and for you to speak from your heart, because i see you're very emotional. what do you feel? i'm gonna always love them, however i show it, however i feel it, you know. they're a part of me. judge lake: well said. so, with that said, jerome, please pass me the results. oh. (sighs)

when it comes to whether mr. rodney eggleston is the father of antonea and rodnea eggleston, mr. eggleston, you... we all wish we could rewind the past... yes, ma'am. yes. ...and make every wrong right. but we can't. narrator: promotional consideration provided by...

(narrator reading) i'm not the biological dad, okay. you say that you know you not the father, and you know that a white man is their father. i want him to be the dad. i'm cooking them dinner every day. i make sure they come home, do their homework, but that's not good enough. what more else i gotta prove? what else i got to prove? judge lake: let me have some order. when it comes to whether mr. rodney eggleston is the father of antonea and rodnea eggleston... mr. eggleston,

you are their father. johnson: i told you! i told you, i told you! i told you, you were the daddy right there. i told you, i told you. i was there, i was there. not when you conceived, but i was there. (sobbing) we knew it! you know, all this time... look just like him. look at their head. so, basically, you know... it's a waste of time. it's something he made up in his mind. okay, i have to say something to you guys. we all wish we could rewind the past... yes, ma'am. ...and make every wrong right. but we can't. johnson: i told you. judge lake: we can't do it. no, ma'am. you're absolutely right. but the beauty and the blessing of it all is that we have today. johnson: all right. yes, ma'am. judge lake: right? and what i saw as soon as that result came in... i didn't see a beat in hesitation and that man walked from that podium straight over to his daughters. johnson: yes, he did.

sometimes, the love is in the little things. sometimes, he might not get the school nights right, he might not show up to all the games. he might not be able to get the book bag. he's a human being (audience applauding) that's gotten it very wrong. and sometimes, people can only do better when they know better. johnson: yes, ma'am, yes, ma'am. i'm looking at you, mr. eggleston. you probably... can we really keep it real? ...weren't the father you hoped you were going to be to the kids. but you were making it up as you go along. right? yeah. so, in some ways, you do owe them an apology. rodney: of course i do. for a lot of what happened when they were growing up. exactly. rodnea, i'm sorry. i'm sorry, you know. i could have been a better dad. it's a work in progress. rodney: but i'm always here for you. i'm your daddy for real now. (laughing) i could have did things different, you know.

we're going to be all right. all right, yes, ma'am. we're going to be all right. you know, this is one of these days where the court really feels overjoyed. and yes, we've got daddy and his little girls. i wish you guys a beautiful, long, happy life together. and i want you to learn to love each other. but also to forgive each other. court is adjourned. (applause) johnson: thank you. you were making mistakes for a long time. and it's about time you just be quiet and stop making mistakes. basically, i feel that you open things that just should have remained closed. i'm gonna do better, you know. i'm here for you all. i'll leave it up to you all from now on, okay? i love you all.

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