Ep 23. Lewis vs. Scott

In season 6 episode 23 of Paternity Court, the case of Lewis vs. Scott is presented. The episode begins with Judge Lauren Lake introducing the two parties involved in the case: Ruth Lewis, the plaintiff, and Joshua Scott, the defendant.

Ruth Lewis alleges that Joshua Scott is the father of her two-year-old daughter, Emily. According to Ruth, she had a brief relationship with Joshua that lasted a few weeks, but he has since denied being Emily's father and has refused to provide any financial support for her.

Throughout the episode, Judge Lake hears testimony from both Ruth and Joshua. Ruth describes how she met Joshua at a party in 2016 and how they hit it off immediately. She claims that they slept together several times over the next few weeks and that Joshua never used protection.

Joshua, on the other hand, denies ever having a sexual relationship with Ruth. He states that he and Ruth were never more than casual acquaintances and that he's never even been to her apartment, where Emily was conceived.

To help determine the paternity of Emily, Judge Lake orders a DNA test to be conducted. During the wait for the results, she hears from family members and friends of both Ruth and Joshua. The testimony paints a picture of two very different people: Ruth is portrayed as a loving and devoted mother who has struggled to make ends meet since Emily's birth, while Joshua is seen as a player who has a history of denying paternity and avoiding his financial responsibilities.

When the DNA test results finally come in, they reveal that Joshua Scott is indeed the father of Emily. Judge Lake uses this information to order Joshua to pay child support and take an active role in Emily's life. She also offers the two parties a chance to attend counseling sessions together, in the hopes that they can learn to co-parent effectively.

In the end, the episode ends on a somewhat hopeful note, with Ruth expressing gratitude for finally having the truth about Emily's paternity, and Joshua seeming to come to terms with his new responsibilities as a father.