Legal Question in Civil Litigation in California

Re: I taped her threat to hurt herself and tell the police I did it.

It depends upon the circumstances. Were you speaking by phone? If not, were the two of you someplace where she had a reasonable expectation of privacy? If either of these is the case, and if (as I presume) you did not have her consent to make the recording, the tape will be inadmissible.

Worse yet, making the tape may well have been a crime. The tape will be admissible against you if you are prosecuted for making it.

You should sit down with a lawyer and discuss the details of your situation before you do anything further in the case.

Re: I taped her threat to hurt herself and tell the police I did it.

You might be able to use it, but only after thorough consultation with an experienced attorney. You don't want to end up in jail for illegal wiretapping. Haven't you seen enought TV shows to understand that it is a crime in most cases if done by private parties without a court order? Feel free to contact me if interested in doing this right.