Couple splits and court rules nonbiological parent has right to child ex-wife carried

A woman whose former wife had a baby through artificial insemination has parental rights to the child even though they’re not biologically related, an Illinois appeals court has ruled. The case involves Dee Baron-Judd and Ashlie Judd (pictured), who married in Iowa in 2009, then moved to Illinois. The couple decided Baron-Judd would seek to conceive a child through artificial insemination.

via Chicago Tribune

The two were together at the hospital when the baby was born, they identified themselves as co-parents on the birth certificate and they sent out a birth announcement. After the delivery, they both took time off from work to take care for the girl, who is now 4, and, according to Judd’s testimony, called both women “mom,” court records show.

Seven months after the girl was born, the couple separated, and later divorced.

Ashlie exclusively told Proud Parenting her story:

“This has been about a 4-year battle. The initial petition to contest my parent rights was file by my ex in 2014. The circuit court held a trial on my parent rights in which I won and was granted parental rights. Since then it was appealed and that’s how we got to this point.”

Photo via Ashlie Judd