No the daughter has not been in her fathers life for eighteen years you are right.
Reason is not the prime motivation here, emotion is from her viewpoint. If the
father wants to get into the daughters life, he had best not be vindictive toward
the mother or he will risk losing her forever, or at least a long time.
Remember the judge cannot order contact with the daughter here she is an adult.
I think these people might be able to resolve some of this without the courts being
at the center of it. For example if the father does not try to imprison the mother, he
may just get what he is looking for, a chance to get to know his daughter, that would
be a real case of justice. The daughter wins and the father wins, the mother she
gets to stay out of jail and that would lead to what she never wanted the father having
a role in his daughters life. Remember this is not about the courts, its about a girl
or young woman getting to know her father and reclaiming part of he identity
It might not be in the courts interests to interfere with that. Tread lightly lest the
court wins and the child loses.