The Dallas Cowboys owner was scheduled to testify in federal court in Texarkana this week. With the case dismissed, that will no longer happen.
TEXARKANA, Texas — This week’s breach-of-contract trial involving Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and his alleged paternity of Alexandra Davis ended abruptly Tuesday, midway through what was supposed to be its second day of proceedings.
After an extended two-hour lunch break following a morning of testimony, court resumed at 1:25 p.m., but Judge Robert W. Schroeder III announced that the case — along with all other related cases — had been dismissed with the resolution that the contract at the center of the trial would continue to be enforced.
Additionally, the judge revealed that all cases related to it have been dropped by each party “with prejudice,” meaning they cannot be refiled in court.
Alexandra Davis — who began the legal back-and-forth by filing a paternity lawsuit against Jones in March 2022 — will no longer pursue that original case, for which Jones was ordered by a Dallas County judge to take a paternity test, or the one currently being litigated in Texarkana.
A previous defamation case filed by Davis was already dismissed by a judge.
After Schroeder shared the resolution in court, Jones thanked the jury for their time.
“I believe my defendants here are well-intentioned,” Jones told the court of the Davises.
Jones also spoke about Cynthia Davis being a working mother, and also added that 70% of his Cowboys players had no male role models and that their heroes were often their mothers.
“So I appreciate working mothers,” Jones told the jury.
Outside the courthouse Tuesday, Jones said he was pleased with the outcome of the case.
“I am glad that this matter has been resolved,” he said.
Asked if he felt any special feelings seeing Alexandra Davis smile today, Jones talked about spending his life with so many people her age, especially his Cowboys players.
“I spend my life with young people,” he said. “I appreciate the life that is opening up before me, the youth and all those who try to move it forward.”
The Davises said after leaving court that they too were pleased with the settlement. Their attorney, Jay Gray, said he was surprised by the outcome, but everyone was satisfied.
“I haven’t seen a smile that big on her face in a long time,” Gray said, referring to Alexandra Davis.
Asked why this dispute had to go all the way to a jury trial before it was resolved, Gray said that’s just what it takes sometimes.
After the trial, Jones’ attorney Chip Babcock confirmed that there was no additional agreement beyond the resolution announced in court. Babcock also called the resolution, which restores relationships and agreements to their pre-filing status, a victory for all parties involved.
“I think it’s a great result for all parties,” Babcock said.
Just before the end of Tuesday’s lunch break, Jones, Alexandra Davis and her mother Cynthia Davis — whom Jones hugged during a break in her opening testimony Monday — could be seen huddled together and talking in the hallway outside the courtroom. Babcock said the three had lunch together earlier in the break and the case was resolved shortly afterward.
Jones declined to go into detail about what was discussed at that lunch, but said he always had respect for the Davises and it was unfortunate they found themselves in this situation where they felt compelled to take legal action against him.
The trial began Tuesday with another Jones attorney, Don Jack, testifying about a dinner he had with the younger Davis, during which she allegedly expressed her intentions to reveal that Jones was her father. Jack’s testimony was interrupted for lunch and was scheduled to resume after the break. With the announcement of the resolution, Jack’s testimony – as well as all other proceedings related to the trial – was prematurely terminated.
“I think Mr. Jack’s testimony was so compelling that I think the parties realized that maybe they didn’t have as much of a case to make as they thought,” Babcock said.
Babcock said he believes everything that happened during the trial had something to do with the resolution.
“The fact that you were able to see what the issues are, what the emotions are and how you feel about people, it’s all connected,” he said.
The contract between Jones and the Davises — which another judge had already ruled valid and remains in effect after Tuesday’s resolution — stipulates that Alexandra Davis would receive monthly payments from Jones until she turns 21, plus three lump sum payments at ages 24, 26 and 28. Davis will receive her final payment from Jones when she turns 28 in December, though Babcock said other aspects of the agreement will remain in place beyond that point.
Jones was scheduled to testify at the trial, possibly as early as Tuesday. The resolution reached by all sides on the second day of the trial means that he, along with his sons Stephen Jones and Jerry Jones Jr., his daughter Charlotte Jones and his wife Gene Jones, all named as potential witnesses in the case, will escape that fate.
Lawyers and court officials involved in the case initially expected the trial to last at least through Wednesday, possibly Thursday or even Friday. Instead, it lasted just a day and a half after jury selection last Friday.
The Texarkana trial did have an impact on Jones, though: On Monday, the Dallas Cowboys announced that “scheduling conflicts” would delay Jones’ “State of the Cowboys” speech, which marks the start of his team’s annual training camp. Instead of his speech originally scheduled for Wednesday, it would now take place Saturday, two days after practice begins.
It is not yet clear how the early outcome of the trial will affect his press conference.
This is a developing story. More information will be added later.