The law is, is if it doesn't
work out
and you have a child,
what you're supposed to do
is sit down
like almost grown-ups, and say,
"Listen, this isn't working out,
and I'm going to live
with the Bassetts."
Baby's name is?
>> Oliver.
>> Judge Judy: "I'm going to
take Oliver with me Monday
through Friday
because you're working.
I'll bring Oliver to you or you
can come get Oliver Friday night
and keep Oliver until Sunday,
so that you can see him
regularly, but this isn't
working out between us."
>> Before, when I was
letting him watch him,
I actually was
breastfeeding him a little bit.
>> Judge Judy: Listen to me.
Breastfeeding
a little bit means what?
>> Meaning...
>> Judge Judy: Breastfeeding a
little mean--
I mean, I did matrimonial work,
and I understand this.
This is something that maybe you
discussed
with your lawyer, right, also?
>> Yeah.
>> Judge Judy: Of course.
You have to understand
this was my business for years.e
breastfeeding Oliver
and going to work,
how were you doing it?
>> I would feed him at night
to help him sleep.
>> Judge Judy: [ Laughs ]
And during the day,
who gave him a bottle?
>> I did when I was --
>> Judge Judy: And she did.
And you bought formula, right?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: That's what comes
under the terms "nonsense."
Either your breastfeed, or you
don't breastfeed.
You don't feed formula
and then in order to say he
can't have the child
overnight --
"Because I breastfeed him
at night
so it helps him fall asleep."
Do you understand?
>> Yes.
Can she help say something?
Because she
has something on this to say.
>> Judge Judy: I'm ready.
[ Spectators murmur ]
First, let me tell you this.
You took on a whole bunch
of responsibility.
Good for you.
You must be a very,
very nice person.
You have to understand,
before you say anything,
that they made
a very bad judgment
in having a child
at 17 years old,
but now they have
a 5-month-old baby,
and he has as much
right to that child as she does.
>> Right.
>> Judge Judy: Period.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: And she doesn't
let him see him in a park for an
hour.
>> Okay.
We went to the police
after he withheld him.
>> Judge Judy: What do you mean
he withheld him?!
He didn't withhold him!
>> It wasn't --
>> Judge Judy: He didn't
withhold him!
She left and stole his son
from his grandmother's house.
She took him to your house.
Now, if he went to the police
and said, "She stole my baby
from the place
where the baby was born,"
what do you think
the police would've said?
They would've said,
"We don't get involved in that.
Go to family court."
But because now the baby
is back at the
grandmother's house and he says,
"You can't take him,"
and she goes to the police,
the police say,
"Well, show me a court order."
She doesn't have a court order
for custody.
Neither did he, which is what
you're not getting,
which is what she's not getting.
Because her leaving
what is the child's home
and taking
the child to your house,
which is a stranger's
house to the child,
that was the first problem --
her taking the child on her own,
without benefit
of an order or a mediator
or somebody who said, "You know
what?
This is all right.
Let's work it all --"
That's the problem.
The fact that he resorted to
self-help to get his child back
and the police helped him --
because they don't understand
what the law is
about gender-neutral parenting,
gender-neutral parenting.
A father has
no lesser rights than a mother.
>> Can I say something?
>> Judge Judy: No.
She wanted to say something.
Now you want to tell me.
I want you to put that
into context, what you tell me.
>> The problem was
that he was threatening her.
He actually sent her a text
message
when she just came to visit
and said, "When you come back,
it's going to be
a hell of a lot worse for you."
>> I have it right here.
>> Judge Judy: Wait just a
minute.
She came to visit you...
>> While we were dating.
>> I mean, she just came
for a few hours.
>> Judge Judy: What does that
mean?
>> She'd come over, and we'd
sit.
We'd get to visit with Oliver.
Maybe we'd go get something
to eat,
and then he would get mad after
he was okay with her going.
He'd get mad and call her
over and over again saying,
"You need to get home now."
>> Judge Judy: Okay.
>> "If you don't get home now,
then it's going to be
a hell of a lot worse for you
when you get home."
>> Judge Judy: And?
>> And so she would be scared.
>> Judge Judy: She would be
scared and go home.
>> Right.
>> Judge Judy: Now, were you
ever married?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: Are you still
married?
>> Yes. We're separated.
>> Judge Judy: Well, you're
still married but separated.
I assume you're separated
because you weren't getting
along.
>> Right.
>> Judge Judy: And I assume that
if you weren't getting along,
if I would listen
to what your husband says,
he would have one story
and what you say would be
a different story.
>> Eh.
>> Judge Judy: And if somebody
else was interpreting
your marital situation,
would you say,
"They can't interpret my marital
situation, because
they're not living in it"?
>> Probably.
>> Judge Judy: Right.
Well, that's what I'm saying to
you.