Sherri Shepherd Ruled Legal Mother of Surrogate Baby, Doesn't Show Up for Hearing

Sherri Shepherd has lost her long court battle with Lamar Sally over legal responsibilities for their baby born via surrogate.

It's a huge defeat for Sherri Shepherd, former co-host of The View.  A judge has declared her the legal mother of a baby boy born via surrogate.

READ: Exclusive: Sherri Shepherd's Ex Says She Walked Out On Her Baby

Sherri and her ex Lamar Sally have been locked in a war over responsibility for the baby, Lamar Jr., seen in Twitter photos, since his birth eight months ago.

Single mom Jessica Bartholomew was hired to carry the baby for a reported $25,000. An egg donor was also used.



Inside the Pennsylvania courthouse, the judge listened to interviews in which Sherri expressed excitement about her surrogate's pregnancy. "I'm having a baby, so everything is going great," Shepherd said.

Sherri shocked her fans when it was revealed six months into the surrogate's pregnancy that she wanted nothing more to do with the baby.

READ: Exclusive: Sherri Shepherd's Surrogate Breaks Her Silence

Jessica's name was placed on the birth certificate, making her legally responsible for baby Lamar Jr., or "L.J." 

Jessica told INSIDE EDITION, "I'm very relieved. I'm very relieved this is not my child."

Sherri was a no show at the court hearing. Lamar added, "I think she owes me an apology for the things she put me through for the last year. I think she owes me, Jessica, and L.J. At some point, she's going to have to look in his face and say, 'I'm sorry, you were conceived out of love.'"