Reason Why Judge Ruled Against Amber Portwood in Custody Case

MTV/VH1 The judge ruled against Amber Portwood, awarding sole custody to her ex, Andrew Glennon.

A judge read the tell-all book by “Teen Mom OG” star Amber Portwood when rendering their verdict in her custody hearing, according to court documents cited by The Sun.

Portwood opened up about her five mental illnesses in her book, “So You’re Crazy, Too?” The memoir was released in February, months before the judge determined Portwood’s ex-boyfriend, Andrew Glennon, would obtain sole custody of James.

The judge said, according to the documents cited by The Sun:

Portwood “discusses her significant history of substance abuse, her history of domestic violence, her volatile attitude and propensity for aggression, her extensive mental health issues, her belief that the in-patient facility she attended for anger management should have instead been for drug use.

“Her fear she will never have overnight parenting time with her son, that she finds herself canceling on her son more often than she would like, and the idea of getting off probation soon concerns her because she will be unwatched and unchecked.

“Mother was often emotional during the deposition and had to leave the room on several occasions.”

The judge also factored in how Portwood represented herself in court. “Mother demonstrated difficulty regulating her emotions at different points while testifying,” the judge said, according to The Sun.

Portwood has been diagnosed with mental illnesses, including a primary diagnosis of bipolar and borderline personality disorder.

Portwood Plead Guilty to 2 Felony Charges

Portwood and her ex-boyfriend, Andrew Glennon, have been fighting for custody of their son, 4-year-old James, for three years.

The couple split in 2019 after an incident where police said Portwood attacked Glennon with a machete while he was holding James. Though Portwood denies the machete allegations, she pleaded guilty to two felony charges of domestic battery and intimidation.

She avoided jail time, and instead was sentenced to three years of probation. After paying a fine of more than $1,000, taking a domestic violence court, and submitting dozens of negative drug tests, Portwood was discharged from probation, The Sun wrote.

Her good behavior on probation, however, didn’t help the “Teen Mom” star retain custody of her youngest son. The decision means Glennon can move from Indiana to California.

Portwood is also the mother to 13-year-old Leah, whom she shares with her high school boyfriend, Gary Shirley.

Portwood Slammed the Judge’s Decision

Portwood issued several statements online after a judge determined Glennon would be awarded sole custody of James.

“I’ve worked so hard to better myself and improve my relationships with my children,” Portwood wrote on Instagram. “While I’ve always been candid about my substance abuse and issues with mental health, a person should have a chance to redeem themselves and not be tethered to their issues from the past.”

“People who’ve done therapy, and taken classes, and made efforts to change should not continue to be punished for past mistakes,” she continued. “I’ve spent years rebuilding my bridges and did everything that was required of me, including completing 21 negative drug tests and multiple psychological evaluations.”

Portwood added that her daughter was “devastated” about the ruling.

Portwood is slated to appear in “Teen Mom: The Next Chapter.” The new show doesn’t have a release date yet.