did you and Ms. Ward decide to
go to the state of Washington?
>> I want to say -- Was it
December?
Late December of last year,
January this year.
>> Judge Judy: And you took
Ms. Ward and Mr. Reed's daughter
with you.
>> Yes, ma'am.
We took our family with us.
>> Judge Judy: Well, you took
his family with you.
>> You're correct.
You're correct.
>> Judge Judy: And, so, this is
what I'm gathering, putting
together this case.
You left the state of California
with your two children.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: You said you were
moving there for a better life.
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: And, in all
probability, without Mr. Reed's
consent, you took his daughter,
as well.
Did you have Mr. Reed's consent
before you moved with your
daughter?
>> No.
>> Judge Judy: These papers
don't make that clear, but I
assume there was a lawsuit
brought by Mr. Reed...
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: ...to return his
daughter to her home state,
which was California.
>> You're correct, yes.
>> Judge Judy: And the judge who
heard that case agreed with
him...
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: ...and said,
"You're a mother.
You're a father.
You each have rights.
You can't take Mr. Reed's child
out of the state of the
California, because your family
wants a better life, without
consulting him and putting him
in the mix."
The child is entitled to have
two parents.
>> Your Honor, Mr. Reed hasn't
been in the child's life.
He hasn't been around.
>> Judge Judy: Well, what I can
tell you is, from what I gather
from the papers, he now has
custody of his daughter.
>> You're correct.
>> Judge Judy: Since when?
>> Um...he had custody
September, but we went back to
court, and I got -- we got joint
custody.
>> Judge Judy: Well, how are you
going to manage joint custody
from the state of California to
the state of Washington?
>> The judge allowed her to come
visit me on her breaks, her
winter, summer, spring breaks.
>> Judge Judy: That's great.
So you have her during holidays,
winter breaks, and during the
summer.
>> Right.
>> Judge Judy: And, other than
that, she lives with her father
in the state of California.
>> Right.
>> Judge Judy: Who do you live
with, sir?
>> I stay with my grandmother
right now.
>> Judge Judy: And where is your
daughter living?
With you and your grandmother?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: How is she?
>> She is very good.
We just had a birthday for her
not too long ago, and she had a
blast.
Like, November 19th.
She just turned 7.
She's having fun.
Me and her is reconnecting very
good.
It hasn't been that good since
she moved away from her mother.
It's kind of hard to undo
everything that they have done.
>> Excuse me, Your Honor.
We have video showing that the
daughter, his daughter, is
telling that she doesn't want to
live with him.
She wants to come back home.
>> Judge Judy: Well, the
problem, sir, is that you made a
life choice to leave so that
that effectively --
>> The reason why I left was
because of harassment from him
and his family.
They came into my door with
weapons.
I walk my kids to school.
They're coming with guns.
They've been threatening my
life.
>> Judge Judy: Well, I don't
know what this lawsuit is about.
I'm not quite sure.
What you're suing for are the
expenses that you had to incur
coming back and forth to
litigate this case from the
state of Washington to
California.
>> That's true.
And also for harassment against
Mr. Reed and my moving costs,
because I moved out of state
trying to get away from his
family and the threats.
>> Judge Judy: Well, that's not
what you told me, initially.
What you told me, initially, was
that you moved to the state of
Washington because you had
friends there and because you
wanted a better way of life for
you and your family.
That's what you initially told
me.
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: And it probably
was a combination of things.
Didn't necessarily need Mr. Reed
in your family life.
You have a lovely family, two
children -- and three, with
Mr. Reed's daughter.
And she was well-enmeshed in
your family, which is all very
lovely.
But your mistake was your
mistake -- saying to him, "You
are a non-parent.
We don't have to ask you if we
want to move."
>> No. No.
We had no contact with him.
>> Judge Judy: For how long?
>> For years, for years.
And we have video. I have --
>> Judge Judy: Just a second.
>> We had a court hearing in
October of 2015, where he was
supposed to come pick her up
from school every other weekend
and every Wednesday.
And I have video evidence --
>> Judge Judy: Just a second.
Who brought that proceeding?
>> The judge.
>> Judge Judy: No, no, no.
The judge doesn't bring a
proceeding.
Either you brought a proceeding
against him or he brought a
proceeding against you for
visitation with his daughter.
>> He did.
>> Judge Judy: He did.
>> And he never showed.
>> Judge Judy: Just a second.
Yeah, well, that would be very,
very -- That would be very, very
odd, Mr. Galloway.
It sounds to me as if, at least