After months of battling her ex-husband in court over financial responsibility for their baby born via surrogate last August, Sherri Shepherd is now officially listed as the mother of the 8-month-old.
“It’s bittersweet,” Lamar Sally told PEOPLE outside the courtroom on Tuesday.
“I’m glad it’s over, but I feel sad what it had to come to. Now I can go back to L.A. and tend to my son.”
Since the birth of Lamar Sally Jr., the formerly married pair had been locked in a legal battle after Sally said the couple had agreed to pursue surrogacy before Shepherd had a drastic change of heart months into the surrogate’s pregnancy.
“There was some additional evidence put on the record involving some video clips involving Ms. Shepherd,” Craig Bluestein, a legal representative for the baby, told PEOPLE of the judge’s decision to hold Shepherd responsible.
Bluestein cited a clip of Shepherd “expressing excitement over her and Lamar going to have a baby through the help of a surrogate carrier with no genetic connection.”
While Shepherd did not appear in court and her lawyers declined to comment, Sally’s legal team left satisfied.
“I feel very good,” said Bluestein. “I think little LJ, who is not yet 1 year old, needed some protection. Justice was served today.”
More Must-Reads From TIME
- The 100 Most Influential People of 2024
- The Revolution of Yulia Navalnaya
- 6 Compliments That Land Every Time
- What's the Deal With the Bitcoin Halving?
- If You're Dating Right Now , You're Brave: Column
- The AI That Could Heal a Divided Internet
- Fallout Is a Brilliant Model for the Future of Video Game Adaptations
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Contact us at letters@time.com