Exclusive: Oprah's father and stepmother did NOT want a divorce, says judge after Barbara Winfrey accused talk show host of forcing her from home and ruining her life



Judge Donald P. Harris told Chancery Court in Franklin, Tennessee that he believed neither Vernon, 81, nor his wife Barbara, 66, decided on the legal separation

The statement is revealed for the first time in official court records obtained by MailOnline



It adds fuel to Barbara Winfrey’s claim that Oprah took part in a 'conspiracy' to force her father to divorce her and kick her out of her $1.4million home

Judge Harris presided over the 18-month divorce which went to court and culminated in November last year

The presiding judge in the bitter divorce battle between Oprah Winfrey's father Vernon and his wife Barbara said the 'decision' to end their 14-year marriage was made by a third party, MailOnline can reveal.

Judge Donald P. Harris told Chancery Court in Franklin, Tennessee that he believed neither Vernon, 81, nor his wife Barbara, 66, decided on the legal separation.



'I've been a judge for 28 years. And I felt like in this case, number one, that Ms. Winfrey does not want a divorce, and I feel like Mr. Winfrey didn't make the decision to seek this divorce.'



Moving on: Barbara Winfrey, the ex-wife of Oprah's father Vernon, was booted out of her home by the talk queen yesterday. Oprah 'gifted" the five -bedroom home to Vernon and Barbara shortly after they married 14 years ago. But Oprah never really gave up ownership and control of the own - and her father's finances

Scene from a marriage: Barbara and Vernon were good together for a time. But things began to go sour after Barbara discovered he cheated in his barber shop with a crack-addicted prositiute called 'One Tooth'

The statement - revealed for the first time in official court records obtained by MailOnline - adds fuel to Barbara Winfrey’s claim that Oprah took part in a 'conspiracy' to force her father to divorce her and kick her out of her $1.4million home.



Judge Harris presided over the 18-month divorce which went to court and culminated in November last year.



The respected official, who is also a Special Judge in the Tennessee Supreme Court, told the court towards the end of the case that he'd 'stayed awake' most of the night thinking about a solution.



At one point Judge Harris said he was going to 'flat ask Ms. Winfrey if she wanted a divorce and then proceed accordingly,' but decided against that course of action.

And the judge even suggested that both sides should work their differences out without ending the marriage.



'There are ways you can form an agreement that keeps them married,' he said.

Former high-school Vice-Principal Barbara has confirmed that despite her and Vernon's differences she never wanted a divorce.

She believes Vernon's hand was forced by his famous daughter Oprah who 'disliked' her step-mom.



According to bombshell legal documents seen by MailOnline Barbara claims the chat show queen attended 'secret meetings' with dad Vernon during which they plotted to get her out of the family home in Franklin, south Nashville.

Happier days: Oprah wrote 'Love & Blessings' on this photograph of her and Barbara taken at the superstar's 50th birthday party in Chicago in 2004. But Oprah hasn't shown her stepmother much love in words or deed over the years, says Barbara

Real estate: Barbara doesn't know what Oprah will do with the $1.4 million mansion. 'Oprah's a billionaire three times over, her help live better than this,' says Barbara

The lawsuit states that one took place on Mother's Day in May 2012 - and Vernon filed for divorce just a month later.



Barbara also alleges that Oprah was so intent on orchestrating the split that she threatened to cut Vernon off financially unless he broke up with her.



The judge's comments will have infuriated Oprah and her team of lawyers who have tried to keep a lid on the whole affair.



What's more Judge Harris suggested that Barbara should be allowed to continue to care for frail barber Vernon.



He said: 'I'm satisfied that it would be in both of their best interests for Ms. Winfrey to be available to take care of Mr. Winfrey from this point forward.



'I hope you will explore that. There are agreements that you could make that keep them married but maybe give up certain rights or something.

And I hope that you will explore it. Because, you know, that's the way I feel.'



Barbara, who still loves her ex-husband and worries about his health, said she was more than happy to continue caring for Vernon.



But, she said, Oprah wouldn't allow it.



Vernon lives alone in a $400,000 four bed home his celebrity daughter bought him in Nashville.



Barbara told MailOnline: 'Vernon and I are still friends, we speak on the phone once a week, but I can't go to see him, there are people watching.



'But I feel so sorry for him, there's no one looking after him.'



Boxed in: Vernon is letting Barbara keep most of the furniture they bought as a couple. She's putting those pieces and other personal possessions in storage until she can find a place of her own

Among her souvenirs: Movers help Barbara pack of her furniture and treasure from her marriage to Vernon

And in a dig at Oprah she added: 'Why would you put your 81-year-old dad in a four bedroom house to live by himself.'



In legal papers Vernon denies that Oprah has ever intervened in his relationship or threatened to cut his money if he didn't divorce his wife.



But Barbara says she has learned the hard way not to cross her daughter-in-law.



Barbara describes Oprah as a manipulative, high-handed and the 'devil' incarnate.



'What she has done is nothing short of evil, but she doesn't scare me, her actions cause me to disrespect her,' she says.

In November last year Judge Harris chastised Vernon for 'adultery and inappropriate marital conduct.'



He ordered him to pay his ex-wife almost $70,000 in attorney fees.



During proceedings it was revealed that Vernon gifted a property that he and his wife had owned — free-of-charge - to another man.



Vernon allowed it to go into foreclosure 'knowing that it would be purchased by his daughter... to defeat any interest of Barbara Winfrey.'



As a result, Judge Harris penalized Vernon for his apparent scheming, ordering that he be held liable for one of the pair's loan accounts and Barbara 'be held harmless' because of his actions.



'Thus, the marital estate has a net value of $121,686,' the judge noted.



'The court is of the opinion that each of the parties be awarded property and indebtedness with a net value of $60,843. Vernon Winfrey is awarded all the marital property except for the household furnishings located in the marital residence.'



But Barbara said: 'Yes I got the furniture, but after I paid the attorney fees, all the bills and expenses I didn't have a dime left, no alimony, nothing.'



It was not until November 2012, five months after the divorce had been filed, that Barbara discovered that she would be evicted from her home.



Oprah had bought the property with her money and so kept her name on the title, meaning she was legally allowed to sell it.

