In a legal battle that has been ongoing for several years, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has been ordered by a judge in Dallas County to take a paternity test to determine whether or not he is the biological father of a 27-year-old woman.
The judge’s ruling, which was handed down after a hearing on February 19th, was initially uncovered by the Dallas Morning News on Wednesday. The woman, Alexandra Davis, first sued Jones in 2022, claiming that he is her father.
Davis alleges that she was conceived as a result of a relationship between Jones and her mother, Cynthia Davis, in the mid-1990s. In a settlement agreement reached between Jones and Cynthia, it was agreed that Jones would provide financial support for them as long as they did not publicly identify him as Alexandra’s father. However, Davis dropped the original lawsuit and instead pursued a way to legally prove that Jones is her father.
On March 3rd, 2022, Davis filed a new suit seeking a declaration from the court that she is not bound by the settlement agreement. The following year, a judge ruled that Jones would be subject to a genetic test, but his attorneys appealed.
The February 19th ruling is the result of that appeal. During the hearing, Jones’ attorneys argued that a man who was married to Cynthia when Alexandra was born was her presumed father. However, Davis’ attorneys presented court documents from Arkansas stating that the man in question is not her father.
Attorney Kris Hayes, who represents Davis, called the ruling a “huge victory” and stated that Davis is now able to live her truth without fear. He hopes that this ruling will benefit other families who are seeking the same recognition. The ruling comes after Jones’ attorneys filed a motion to dismiss the case, arguing that there is no proof of a parent-child relationship between Jones and Davis.
Jones and Davis are also involved in another legal matter in a US district court, in which Davis sued Jones for defamation in March of 2023. The suit was later dismissed and refiled in the fall. According to Jones’ attorneys, this case is an attempt by Davis to damage Jones’ reputation and is not a legitimate claim for paternity.
Davis claimed that she has always wanted to have a relationship with Jones and that she has been denied that opportunity because of the settlement agreement. The ruling on February 19th requires Jones to either admit paternity or agree to a paternity test. With this decision, Davis and her attorneys are hopeful that the truth will finally come to light and she will have a chance to form a relationship with her alleged father.
Jones’ representatives have not yet made a public statement on the February 19th ruling. The initial lawsuit was filed in 2022, and it has been a long legal battle for Davis to have her claims recognized. While the legal process is not yet over, this ruling brings Davis one step closer to finding out the truth about her biological father.
It is unclear what the repercussions will be for Jones if the test confirms that he is, indeed, Davis’ father.
