Married Too Young

Añadido: 2026-06-07

[00:00:00]Plain Heather Marie Maher and her husband William say soon after Heather met the defendant, she got pregnant and they married because she was young and naive. Heather claims the defendant was abusive throughout their marriage and he cheated numerous times. Heather suing for unpaid medical expenses for their children. Defendant Michael Warett says after he started dating his current wife, Heather started dating his wife's ex and now they're married and expecting their second child. Michael claims Heather is the one who confessed to cheating on him with his best friend and he denies owing her the full amount she's suing for.

[00:00:37]>> Case, >> um, your honor, our marriage is a perfect example of why young couples shouldn't get married or shouldn't feel trapped into getting married. I was 16, he was 17. We got pregnant within a couple months after we met. Um, and right from the beginning, lots of lies and excuses. Um, >> weren't you all in high school or something?

[00:00:53]>> I was out of high school. I had gotten my GED and he was still in high school.

[00:00:57]Well, were you all having relations?

[00:01:00]>> Uh, his mom >> at that age, 16. Okay. At the house with behind his mom's back.

[00:01:05]>> Yeah.

[00:01:05]>> It's like Do used to right cars.

[00:01:09]>> I knew you were about to bust yourself.

[00:01:12]>> Yes. So, as I was saying, he uh from the beginning though was very abusive and controlling and violent. Um, he'd throw lamps, punch walls, doors, he punched his fist through a truck windshield, destroyed a coffee table and a baby swing. Um it wasn't until December of 2001 the state finally stepped in and filed the domestic assault charges on him. Um I just never did. He'd always say, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry." And it would just >> When did you all divorce?

[00:01:36]>> In I filed in April of 2005 and it was um finalized in June. So the judge waved the 90-day waiting period because he thought >> You all had one child?

[00:01:45]>> We have three children.

[00:01:47]>> Three?

[00:01:47]>> Yes.

[00:01:48]>> All right. You want to give me some background on the relationship?

[00:01:50]>> I would love to, your honor. Uh, a year after we married, we moved to Florida and she started seeing a guy from her work, taking walks on beaches at night.

[00:02:00]Year after that, um, she had written me a letter confessing that she had an affair with my best friend, and that would be the windshield incident that she is referring to. And, uh, after that, >> his windshield?

[00:02:12]>> No, it was mine. It was my personal truck.

[00:02:15]>> He didn't have one.

[00:02:16]>> Oh, I don't I'm I unfortunately I'm not as violent as she says I am. uh against other people and uh it just it progressed through that. Um friends of hers telling me stories about things she's doing. Um >> friends of mine that he was sleeping with.

[00:02:32]>> I which is also a lie.

[00:02:34]>> He was sleeping with your friends and you were sleeping with his.

[00:02:36]>> I was not sleeping with his.

[00:02:38]>> Oh, that's what they were telling him that. And >> they were telling him that.

[00:02:42]>> Yes.

[00:02:42]>> And they were telling you he was sleeping with your friends.

[00:02:45]>> So that's what happened to you all's marriage.

[00:02:48]>> No allegations progressed. Yeah.

[00:02:50]Basically, it was all based on allegations except >> How old were you all?

[00:02:53]>> Uh when we first married?

[00:02:55]>> No. When all these allegations be >> Oh, it was throughout our marriage.

[00:02:58]>> February 2005. I caught him >> with the woman that he's with now. I just happened to come home early and that's how >> And they were at your home?

[00:03:07]>> No, actually he had left the kids home alone there. And I had called him from my cell phone and asked where he was and he said he was out working on the Jeep.

[00:03:12]So I went out to the Jeep and I said, "Well, what color are my pants?" And he says, "What?" And I said, "Well, I'm standing by your Jeep and you're not out here." And that's when he said he was with her. And I said, "You better get home. I got your stuff packed and you need to go." And then that was two months after that is when I filed. So, >> okay. So, you're the one that got caught. All these allegations.

[00:03:33]I was actually out with friends. There was multiple people. Uh, she happened to be one of them.

[00:03:38]>> She was She was one of them. And >> I called her house and she said you were with her.

[00:03:41]>> Yes. And that was that was the point.

[00:03:44]She didn't believe me that I was just out walking with friends. Uh, and I said, "You can even call her at home and ask her and talk to her."

[00:03:49]>> And she called at home. She said you were with her, not with friends.

[00:03:53]>> Yes, that's exactly right.

[00:03:59]Missing some.

[00:04:00]>> Yeah, I'm missing something. Also, >> were you out with friends or WERE YOU OVER OUR HOUSE?

[00:04:05]>> WE NO, we were out walking in in the town that we lived in. Go ahead.

[00:04:08]>> No, we weren't out with >> No wonder she quit you. You can't even lie. Right.

[00:04:13]Well, if you think that's odd, your honor, uh after I started seeing her, uh Heather went to uh her ex-husband's house, knocked on his door on Halloween, and introduced herself, and now they're married and expecting their second child.

[00:04:25]>> Her ex-husband?

[00:04:26]>> Yes, your husband.

[00:04:29]>> We met We met after our divorce was final.

[00:04:32]>> What's that?

[00:04:32]>> We met after our divorce was final.

[00:04:34]>> How did you meet him?

[00:04:35]>> I took the kids trick-or-treating one night and we went to his house and I didn't know who that's who it was. the house where?

[00:04:40]>> No, she was >> your husband had cheated on you and with the woman.

[00:04:43]>> I have never been in their house, your honor. I've never been inside their house.

[00:04:47]>> All right, fine. In the car in front of the house.

[00:04:50]>> No, I had never cheated on them.

[00:04:51]>> My kids knew who he was, who he was. And I said, "Well, how do you know him?" And they said, "Well, this is Jess's husband." And I said, "The lady that lives with your dad?" And they said, "Yeah." And I said, "I got to meet him."

[00:05:00]And I introduced myself.

[00:05:03]>> Yeah.

[00:05:04]>> So, she took your man and you took hers.

[00:05:06]Well, I guess so, but I got excuse of it.

[00:05:09]>> Yes, ma'am. Come on up. Stay >> um David's wife. Um actually, she did know that was Bill's house because our daughter used to babysit for them.

[00:05:17]>> We never knew I never knew where you live, though.

[00:05:19]>> Yes, you did. Cuz you dropped Amanda off numerous of times.

[00:05:21]>> No, I've never done that. I've was in Amanda babysat. I know it was no coincidence that she happened to go by your house >> and happened to end up with your husband. No, this happened to happened to too much happen stance for me.

[00:05:37]>> What do you want to say, sir? State your name.

[00:05:38]>> I'm William Maher and I'm Heather's husband. And on the numerous occasions, just to make a long story short, that I would say on about every other night basis that because these two worked in the same place and they were uh constantly uh seeing each other, if you want to call it that.

[00:05:54]>> I I I I didn't figure it out until >> and we have to get to these unpaid medical bills we're talking about, but you allege that you found out. All right. And let me understand. Your name is >> Maher.

[00:06:04]>> And that's hers now.

[00:06:05]>> Mhm.

[00:06:06]>> And you are >> Wette.

[00:06:08]>> Worette. And what's your last name now?

[00:06:10]>> Wette.

[00:06:10]>> Worette.

[00:06:12]>> And your last name used to be Wette.

[00:06:14]>> Yes, your honor. And hers used to be Maher.

[00:06:16]>> And yours used to be Maher.

[00:06:18]>> Correct.

[00:06:19]>> That's crazy.

[00:06:23]>> Does that make y'all in-laws now? Who's the in-law?

[00:06:27]>> I'm confused. Let's get to these medical bill unpaid medical bills. How does he owe you for that, ma'am?

[00:06:33]>> Um, in the divorce um decree original one, it stated that he was supposed to pay half of that, half of the premiums and half of the um deductible.

[00:06:40]>> You see the decree?

[00:06:42]>> Do you want the original or just a copy?

[00:06:44]>> Both. You had an amended agreement.

[00:06:48]>> We do have a modified >> amended order.

[00:06:50]>> Yes.

[00:06:51]>> Sir, what do you say? She's going to present me. I honestly I don't know what she's presenting to you, your honor, but I have a uh court stamped copy of our original divorce decree.

[00:07:02]>> You can see it.

[00:07:03]>> And if you'd like Okay, it I have it highlighted.

[00:07:07]>> And if you read the highlighted section, >> health insurance and medical expenses.

[00:07:11]Petitioner shall continue to provide health and dental insurance coverage as provided by her employer. It says you should provide the insurance >> and I do. If neither party has such insurance, the party shall obtain private health insurance. The cost of this insurance shall be split equally.

[00:07:34]Okay. The cost of the >> Did you lose your insurance?

[00:07:37]>> Nope. I never have. I've always had it.

[00:07:39]>> All right. So, how does he owe for the insurance then? Because this order says he would only owe half of the insurance if you all had to obtain private health insurance. Meaning, if you weren't covered by your employer, >> the insurance premium of it, the portion that the employer does not cover, the portion that that you pay out of pocket, that's what was agreed that he paid half of and the deductible if that applied, but I've never >> Okay. And how much was that?

[00:08:09]>> Um, the total for the insurance premiums >> out of pocket.

[00:08:13]>> Out of pocket was $759.

[00:08:15]>> How much?

[00:08:16]>> His half was the $759.

[00:08:18]>> How much were the total premiums, ma'am?

[00:08:21]It's 78.69 bi-weekly.

[00:08:25]>> So you pay approximately $150 60 a month >> and he is to pay half of that.

[00:08:34]>> Correct.

[00:08:35]>> Sir, >> your honor, I also have a copy of the mod modified divorce decree which I had done after uh Heather had come to my door asking me to pack my stuff and come home with her and I told her no.

[00:08:47]>> That's a lie. She went out to our She went out in front of uh the parking lot in the building I lived in and ran her Jeep or her van into my Jeep.

[00:08:55]>> Now, subsequently, I've had to get five different restraining orders against her.

[00:08:59]>> Let's get back to the medical expenses.

[00:09:01]Give me the court order you're going to show me. And based on what time frame do you believe he owes this money, ma'am?

[00:09:06]>> This is between April of 2006 to um October of 2007.

[00:09:14]And this is all based on his share of the $150 to $60 a month. Correct. That you pay >> and >> over and above the insurance that your employer provides.

[00:09:29]>> Correct. And the unpaid medical bills from the kids where I paid my half and then he said he would pay his. He would make payment arrangements for that.

[00:09:36]>> Unpaid because it's not covered by yours.

[00:09:39]>> Right. That was what he was to pay half.

[00:09:40]>> How much is that? That total is $936.

[00:09:45]>> And he hasn't paid his half of that.

[00:09:48]>> No, >> sir.

[00:09:49]>> No, it was actually that is his half.

[00:09:52]>> Okay.

[00:09:52]>> It was almost 2,000.

[00:09:54]>> Do you know of medical expenses being approximately 2,000 or do I need ma'am?

[00:10:01]Do you have evidence?

[00:10:02]>> On April 3rd of '06, he was given a package. He >> had to show me something. He denied >> he was given a copy of all these bills.

[00:10:08]Well, I need it.

[00:10:09]>> And then he lost denies.

[00:10:14]>> Okay. And this adds up to approximately 2,000.

[00:10:17]>> All right. And you have paid nothing toward medical bills.

[00:10:21]>> Uh, no, your honor, I have. This is all I have. These are the bills that she gave me. Does come nowhere near that.

[00:10:27]And there's receipts that I have.

[00:10:29]>> All right. Let me see.

[00:10:30]>> And also, you'll notice that some of these that she gives me is from a credit reporting company that do not say for who it was covered when. Uh there's dates in there that she penciled in.

[00:10:40]>> Give me the evidence you have. I'm going to take all this go through all this all these >> court orders and modifications.

[00:10:49]You are stressing me out. I'm going to need some health insurance in a minute.

[00:10:56]>> All right. Once again, ma'am, you're suing your ex-husband for his share of unpaid medical bills and his share of what you believe to be insurance premiums he has been ordered to pay. You all gave me a court modification decree and it does address medical support. This clause or sentence that you continue to refer to as requiring you all to split the premiums does not indicate that. It says that should this plan meaning your plan become unavailable and a traditional private insurance premium for the party's minor children is needed then the parties agree that the premiums will be shared equally. So the condition of sharing the premiums equally is when you don't have any insurance anymore and you all must go to a traditional private insurer.

[00:11:48]Then it says payment allocation petitioner and respondent shall divide between them equally all uninsured medical expenses. So it's very clear only thing you divide equally is the uninsured medical expenses. And you say today that is $936 and he says he paid some of it and he has provided me with receipts. They come out to $28455 and that >> comes out >> $65145 is your judgment ma'am based on the unpaid medical bills and he is not required to pay a premium on the insurance. That's not what this says.

[00:12:32]Have a good day. That's my judgment.