Ex-Wife Pushes Paternity Claim… Then Regrets It Instantly

Added: 2026-05-21

[00:00:00]Is this you with our son?

[00:00:02]Yes. So, you did raise him since he was a baby, correct? Correct, but he's not my biological son and you know this.

[00:00:12]Do you each solemnly swear that any testimony you give today will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?

[00:00:18]Yes, ma'am. Yes, your honor.

[00:00:20]Thank you. You can both lower your hands and counsel for the Attorney General's office.

[00:00:24]>> [clears throat] >> Shirlie Damani for the Attorney General.

[00:00:27]Okay. Um and I guess Ms. Lewis, I'll let you proceed since it's your pleading. Um I I've read it and I understand there's no agreement on it. Um That is correct, your honor. You you And your honor, be be before we begin, I did have um exhibits one and two, which was just the same thing as attached to the motion. I didn't know if you if it would be okay to publish it through share screen or I believe Ms. Damani told me that um you have another way that you like for them to be published or >> Yeah, Ms. Damani, just so you know, usually if an attorney has um exhibits, the way my other offices handle it is they just ask for the link to be sent before the hearing begins and then they just put it in for them cuz as you well know, it was very hard to set up um like a lot of a lot of AGs are struggling with it. Um so, I don't expect someone who's not familiar with Case Center to necessarily use it in a timely manner.

[00:01:17]Um I find it usually takes a long time during the hearings. Um so, I don't know if you have access, Ms. Damani. I guess we can pause the hearing and create one of those now if that's how you'll want to do it.

[00:01:26]Your honor, um if I may, they're attached to um the motion. I don't know if that makes any difference. Um It looks to me like they're the same as what's already attached.

[00:01:42]And that's correct, your honor. So, I mean, if the court would I mean, I could ask the court to take judicial notice of it. I I can do that. Um I take judicial notice of the affidavit and his exhibit two.

[00:01:55]Does anyone I I take judicial notice of the affidavit and the time card details that are attached to the pleading?

[00:02:05]Thank you, ma'am. Proceed, Your Honor.

[00:02:07]>> You may proceed.

[00:02:08]Okay. Um Mr. Correa, can you please state your full name for the court?

[00:02:12]Francisco Correa Barriga.

[00:02:14]And where do you currently reside?

[00:02:17]>> [clears throat] >> 1507 Stone Mesa Drive, Houston, Texas 77073.

[00:02:22]How long have you lived there? Uh for like a year and 6 months.

[00:02:26]Okay. And were you living at 1507 Stone Mesa Drive on March 26, 2025? Yes, I was. Okay. And where do you work? Uh I work for Admiral Glass Company.

[00:02:38]What are your normal work hours?

[00:02:41]My normal work hours are from 5:00 in the morning to about 5:00 in the afternoon.

[00:02:46]Okay. And on March 26, 2025, what time did you report to work? I was already on the clock and at work at 5:00 a.m.

[00:02:54]Okay. And you have provided documentation via your time card for that week. Is that correct? Yes, ma'am.

[00:03:02]And does that time card reflect you clocking in for work at 5:00 a.m.

[00:03:07]on March 26, 2025? Yes, ma'am. And being out at 5:00 p.m.

[00:03:12]Okay. And have you seen the documentation um well, let me ask you this. Were you at your home Was it possible for you to be at your home at 7:02 a.m. on the March 26, 2025? No, ma'am. I was already at work since 5:00 a.m.

[00:03:27]Okay. So, if a return of service states that you were served on March 26, 2025 at 7:02 a.m. um at your residence, would that be accurate? Uh no, ma'am. I was already at work. Okay. Have you ever personally been served with any court documents in this case? No, ma'am. I have not. Were you served with any documents on March 26, 2025? No, ma'am.

[00:03:52]Have you ever seen a citation or petition for this lawsuit prior to June 16, 2025?

[00:03:59]No, ma'am. That is the day that I saw it on my emails.

[00:04:04]Okay, and how many people live at your residence at 1507 Stonemason? Um there's various family members, male and female, living there.

[00:04:14]Okay, and are you aware of anyone at that residence may have mistakenly been served and and um and prevented any documents to you of this lawsuit? Not that I am aware of, no, ma'am.

[00:04:28]Okay, how did you first learn um that a default judgment had been entered against you in this case?

[00:04:34]I was going through my emails and um I just happened to see that I had an email from the courts and that's when I clicked on it and saw the information that was sent to me.

[00:04:46]Okay, and when you received that order um via email, what did you do thereafter?

[00:04:52]I immediately started looking for a lawyer to represent and see what I what action I needed to take to get this resolved.

[00:05:01]Okay, did you ever ignore any legal documents or intentionally fail to respond to this lawsuit? No, ma'am.

[00:05:09]And is it your position um well, had you have been properly served with citation in this position, what would you have done?

[00:05:16]Uh the same thing that I did whenever I found out was immediately seek legal advice and get this resolved accordingly.

[00:05:24]Okay, were you trying to avoid participating in this case? No, not at all.

[00:05:29]Okay, now let me ask you um you've seen the default order that was signed in this case, correct? Yes, ma'am. And all right, of the children named in the um default order, are you the biological father of all of those children? No, ma'am. There's one of the children that I am not the biological father to.

[00:05:48]And which child is that?

[00:05:50]Aiden Jeremiah Korea.

[00:05:52]Now, at the time that this child was born, you and the mother were married, correct? Yes, we were we were married.

[00:05:59]And you're still married, is that right?

[00:06:01]Yes, ma'am.

[00:06:03]Okay, and so though you are the presumed father of this child, is it your testimony that you are not the biological father of this child?

[00:06:11]Yes, and both me and Ms. Noble are aware of this. Let me to interrupt you but Ms. Noble is making noises. Um also, even though you are at home or you're outside, you are in court. So, please treat it like court. Please try to get to a stationary location where you can focus on court and not be moving around and not having side conversations during court. Um you all didn't reach an agreement, so it's real important that everyone hear what's being said. Um obviously, you all care enough that you wanted a hearing, so you have to participate in the hearing fully. Um I require that. And then, also we generally take testimony in court.

[00:06:44]So, if you are not the person being asked questions, please don't interrupt or answer or roll your eyes. Um uh wait till it's your turn to be asked questions. Um if you don't have counsel, you will be given a chance to speak as well.

[00:06:56]Um and then isn't that relevant for this, but I'm not with the Attorney General's office, so anything you discussed with them or given to them beyond what's been done in court, um I have no knowledge of and I'm not supposed to have knowledge of, so just be aware of that as well.

[00:07:10]Um and you may continue, Ms. Lewis. And Ms. Frey, you're in a stationary spot now. You are focused and not having side conversation. Okay, perfect. Uh let's proceed, Ms. Lewis. Thank you, Your Honor. Um do you believe that it's appropriate for you to be ordered to pay child support for this child?

[00:07:25]No. Um I'm not the biological father, no.

[00:07:29]Okay, and would you what would you request the court to do um regarding this child if this judgment is set aside?

[00:07:36]Um I just get removed from the child support um the the what's fair.

[00:07:45]Okay, and if the court does set aside this default judgment, what do you plan to do as it relates to the marriage?

[00:07:52]Um, we would want to file for divorce and do everything the correct way and get what's needed for the children done and do whatever we need to do to make everything right and get the proper documentation and everything done.

[00:08:08]Okay, and um, would you have claims or requests that you would like to make regarding your property and children and marriage if you had the opportunity to present it?

[00:08:17]Yes.

[00:08:18]Okay, and um, have you Well, no further questions for this witness, Your Honor.

[00:08:27]Um, Ms. Money, do you have any questions for Mr. Correa?

[00:08:30]Uh, just one question.

[00:08:35]Um, Mr. Correa, looking at the time card details attached to the motion to set aside default judgment, it does not have your name on it.

[00:08:48]Okay. Um, where did you obtain a copy of that time card detail? We have a app on the phone where we clock in and out and you have to click by name to show you the the correct details.

[00:09:04]And so, how can the court be sure that that was your time card?

[00:09:11]Um, I'm not sure if I can log into it and you see me click my name and it shows the time card. I'm I'm going to see if I can pull it up right now if uh, there's a different way of showing the name or anything. Give me 1 second.

[00:09:27]Um, yes, there my name should be at the very at the very top of the of the time card.

[00:09:35]>> So, are you doing this on your computer or are you on the device the same device that you're using Zoom on? No, I'm I'm using another device. Okay.

[00:09:47]So, I don't know if I can I can't screen share, but I can send it to my attorney and then she can send it to you guys, but it does have my name at the very top. It says Korea Francisco Barriga.

[00:09:58]If the court would allow it.

[00:10:02]I will allow that.

[00:10:07]I just have to click back to the date.

[00:10:09]Give me 1 second.

[00:10:11]If you're able to do it on this device, you could screen share what you're doing.

[00:10:17]No, I have it on on my work phone is the one that has the phone application.

[00:10:26]Okay. Oh, I don't know if I can if you can see it on on the screen here.

[00:10:32]It's Francisco Korea and then you go to details.

[00:10:37]And then it shows all the all the the dates and times.

[00:10:45]Are you able to go a little closer to the camera? I'm not able to see it. I'm going to go back to the page where it shows my name.

[00:10:54]Which will be here.

[00:10:57]At the very top.

[00:10:58]Oh.

[00:11:01]Sorry.

[00:11:03]Miss Demoney, were you able to see that?

[00:11:05]I I'm still not able to see it. I I don't know if judge is able to see it.

[00:11:09]Yeah, you're probably looking at the earning summary. If you look at the blue section on top, it says his name.

[00:11:16]Yes, and then I just go to the details for the >> Miss Demoney.

[00:11:21]for the week and then it shows everything.

[00:11:26]Yes, thank you.

[00:11:30]I have no further questions, judge.

[00:11:33]Uh Miss Correa, do you have any questions you'd want Mr. Correa to answer?

[00:11:37]Yes.

[00:11:38]Um so I thought this was um court was about um him not getting served, right? But they're bringing up about my son, and I just wanted to show >> aren't for me. Your questions are to Mr. Correa. Is this a question for Mr. Correa to answer? So yes. So my question is is this him in the photo at me with me in the hospital?

[00:12:04]That is me, but that doesn't mean he's my biological son.

[00:12:09]Okay. Hold on, one more question. Is this you with our son?

[00:12:15]Yes, I'm not going to neglect the a kid a good father just because his father wouldn't step up to the plate, correct?

[00:12:24]So you did raise him since he was a baby, correct? Correct, but he's not my biological son, and you know this.

[00:12:32]And did you or did you not tell me that it was going to be your way that he had no dad, you were the dad, we were married and this was our >> irrelevant. Oh, irrelevant.

[00:12:42]Um I'm going to sustain the objection.

[00:12:44]Um all I'm addressing today is whether or not I'm going to grant the new trial.

[00:12:49]Um so those issues will definitely be at some point addressed um assuming they pursue their claim, um but it's I'm not ruling on that issue today.

[00:13:00]Uh do you have any questions regarding the new trial?

[00:13:03]Nope, that's it.

[00:13:05]Okay.

[00:13:06]Um Miss Lewis, do you have any other witnesses you'd like to call?

[00:13:10]No other witnesses, Your Honor.

[00:13:12]Uh Miss Demonia, do you have any witnesses you'd like to call? No witnesses, Your Honor.

[00:13:17]Um Miss Correa, you do not have an attorney representing you.

[00:13:21]Um so if there's anything you'd like to say regarding the new trial, um now is your chance to let me know um any concerns you might have about it.

[00:13:30]Only about the only for the case that he says he did not get served, correct?

[00:13:35]Yes.

[00:13:36]Okay.

[00:13:38]I mean, no. I have no other questions.

[00:13:39]He makes up his own time card, so that's the only thing I have to say.

[00:13:49]It's an It's an app that you have to clock in on site. Sir, sir, right now no one has asked you any questions.

[00:13:56]Apologies. Um so, does everybody rest?

[00:13:59]Does anybody have anything further they wish to present? I rest, your honor.

[00:14:04]Mr. Money? Nothing further, your honor.

[00:14:07]Okay. Ms. Correa?

[00:14:08]Nothing further. Okay.

[00:14:10]Um I'm going to render I'm going to grant the new trial.

[00:14:16]And I'm going to reset the case um to be heard um for anyone to file consult lawyer you may want to consult with also lawyer Ms. Correa um to file any necessary pleadings.

[00:14:29]Um if they do file a divorce, there's a good chance this will get consolidated with it and not be before me, but who knows.

[00:14:37]Um we'll reset it just in case, and then we'll see what's happening um by the time that setting comes.

[00:14:43]Mr. Money?

[00:14:51]Um what date would you like to use, Mr. Money?

[00:14:54]Judge, uh either September 30th or October 17th.

[00:15:04]Will September 30th be enough time for everyone to prepare? Yes, Judge.

[00:15:09]No, not for me.

[00:15:10]How much time do you need, ma'am?

[00:15:12]Um I I would like until October.

[00:15:15]Judge, I'm I'm I would just like to let the court know that I am pro se in Harris County for a three-day trial on the 16th, 17th, and 18th, I believe, of um October.

[00:15:26]Uh the 18th is a Saturday? Do you want to check it?

[00:15:28]>> Okay, so then maybe it's a it's it's Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.

[00:15:32]Let me see.

[00:15:33]>> So it's the 15th, 16th, and 17th. Okay.

[00:15:34]>> Okay. Um if we don't do that, we would be moved out to October 28th.

[00:15:41]Okay.

[00:15:49]That would work.

[00:15:50]>> Judge.

[00:16:00]Um so the AG is not filing it well.

[00:16:03]Mr. Money, are are you going to prepare um the order?

[00:16:08]Ms. Lewis, did you have an order?

[00:16:11]I believe so. If I didn't file it, I can get it filed this morning. I apologize about that. If you can send it to me, and then I can get it to Judge Forrester. Sure, will do.

[00:16:22]Thank you.

[00:16:24]Okay.

[00:16:25]Um okay, then everyone is free to go, and we'll see what's happening on October 28th.

[00:16:32]Thank you, Judge.

[00:16:33]>> thank you.