In a Portland federal courtroom, Mervin W. January, a 55-year-old pastor and U.S. Army veteran, faced the legal reality of a defamation case he had filed over being labeled a “Deadbeat Dad” on social media. January, who also runs Saved to Serve Ministries, a church offering online worship and marriage counseling, accused Sarita J. Hill, 49, the mother of his now-adult son, of posting the damaging label. He claimed the post harmed his reputation, credibility, and employment prospects.
Hill denied any involvement in the social media post. Instead, she relied on the dictionary definition of “deadbeat”, noting that January owed her $117,245.16 in unpaid child support. During testimony, Hill emphasized that January consistently failed to meet his legal obligations, despite her efforts to raise their son alone while working multiple jobs in Arizona. “One who persistently fails to pay personal debts for expenses,” she read from Merriam-Webster, “one who persistently does not pay his obligation.”
When questioned directly about whether this definition applied to him, January admitted, “That’s an opinion of someone who wrote a definition. I was incapable of meeting that requirement.” The exchange, along with other cross-questioning by the parents, resembled a reality court show more than a federal courtroom proceeding. At one point, Hill asked the judge to force January to answer “yes” or “no,” but U.S. District Judge Michael H. Simon reminded her, “That’s the way it works on television, not in real life.”
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The courtroom testimony painted a picture of January’s limited involvement in his son’s upbringing. Hill testified that January wanted her to have an abortion and did not participate in their son’s birth in Scottsdale, Arizona, in March 2004. He allegedly “walked away” afterward, while Hill worked to provide for their child, managing schooling, doctor appointments, and extracurricular activities. Over the course of 18 years, January had paid only about $14,000 of the child support he owed, despite court orders starting at $482.25 per month in 2007 and increasing to $608 in 2021.
January’s own actions during the case did not bolster his claim. He accused Hill of being a “gold digger” and a “money grabber” in a letter to their son. Judge Simon cautioned that some of these accusations were inappropriate for court proceedings.
After three hours of arguments, Judge Simon ruled decisively. He found no evidence that Hill had published the social media post, dismissing January’s defamation claim. Hill’s counterclaim against January for the letter to their son was also dismissed, as it constituted an “insulting opinion” rather than factual defamation.
“The truth is the defense to a defamation claim,” Simon explained. He further clarified the legal definition of “deadbeat,” stating that owing debts one fails to pay, such as child support, falls squarely within that term. He reminded January that he also owed child support to another woman for a daughter born the same year as his son with Hill.
In closing, Simon urged both parents to move forward and focus on the best interests of their son, emphasizing the practical and legal consequences of failing to meet parental obligations. January, however, appeared determined to continue contesting his portrayal.
The case underscores the challenges of proving defamation when truth and documented obligations are central to the dispute, particularly when unpaid child support is involved.
