The father of American tennis stars, Venus and Serena Williams has been ordered to undergo a mental evaluation after he failed to give 'coherent answers' during a deposition amid his bitter divorce battle.
According to court documents obtained by DailyMail.com, Richard Williams, 76, was deposed on June 8, but had 'great difficulty making himself understood' and 'appeared to misinterpret many of the questions posed to him.'
The deposition was reportedly postponed after attorneys for both parties agreed Williams should be evaluated to prove he can provide competent testimony.
The former tennis coach filed for divorce against his 38-year-old estranged wife Lakeisha last June, accusing her of stealing his social security checks including a $152,000-mortgage from an associate, David Simon, after forging his writing and signature to transfer property into his name.
In response, Lakeisha claimed that Richard threw her out of their Florida home, which was owned by Serena, and that the tennis star's legal team fired off demand letters 'requesting she and [her] child vacate the home and threatened to change the locks.'
She and Simon also denied the claims, saying the signature is genuine, and Simon is now trying to get the issue tossed out of court.
According to the report, Serena, who was defeated at the Wimbledon final last weekend, could be called as a witness in the case if asked by her father.
Simon and Lakeisha both deny the claims, saying the signature is genuine, and Simon is now trying to get the issue tossed out of court.
Simon had attempted to take Richard's deposition last month, but '[p]ending a determination of Mr. Williams' competency, [he] cannot complete his discovery of Mr. Williams,' according to his attorney, Cary A Lubetsky, who is fighting the case going before a jury.
'Until such time as Mr. Williams can..provide coherent answers to the questions posed to him, the matter should not proceed to trial.'
Richard's physician Dr Monica Walker has been ordered evaluate Richard and to prove to the courts that he is fit enough to carry on with the case.
'During the deposition, the attorneys for the respective parties all agreed that the deposition should be postponed pending an evaluation of Mr Williams' ability to provide competent testimony.
'As of the filing of this Motion, the undersigned has prepared for service a subpoena for deposition duces tecum to Mr Williams' physician, Dr Monica Walker, M.D. The undersigned intends to question Dr Walker about Mr Williams' competency to understand and respond to questions.
Richard and Lakeisha married in 2010 and share one son together, six-year-old Dylan, who the father claims has been under his exclusive care after she left their home in August 2016.
According to Richard, Lakeisha has been living a lifestyle that is dangerous to their son ever since she started dating a new man who allegedly has 'serious criminal and felony charges pending.'
In response, Lakeisha claimed she had to move an 'arsenal of firearms including an AK-47' from the home as she feared for her and Dylan's safety. She claimed Richard has been acting 'erratic and hostile' for some time.
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