Many high-conflict divorce and custody situations are rooted solely in one’s desire to completely control their target.  The most effective way to accomplish this is by interfering in the targeted parent’s relationship with the children and vice-versa.  The harder you fight for your parental rights, the harder the controlling personality escalates.   This escalation will very [...]

When a parent absconds with a child or children in direct violation of a custody order - that is called parental abduction or parental kidnapping.  Under normal circumstances, either parent can literally take their children anywhere they want, any time they want, for as long as they want, and they’ve violated no laws.  It doesn’t [...]

In our post False Child Abuse Allegations & Their Impact on Child Custody we spoke of circumstances which result to the directly involved parties to a custodial situation.
However, it’s important to also understand that the impact reaches other relationships as well.  There are extended family members who very likely will not see their grandchildren, who [...]

If you have a wonderful co-parenting arrangement in the aftermath of a divorce and/or child custody proceeding or you believe that you can get there with your ex-spouse, you have an advantage over all other families mired in high-conflict efforts.  Sometimes, co-parenting counseling may be ordered by a court during child custody proceedings, though we’re [...]

The term “control” is too often a dirty word in divorce and child custody proceedings.  Some high-conflict parties will spare no effort to make the “C-Word” into something that should be considered when taking child custody away from a parent who is normal, fit, ready, willing, and able to be a great parent to their [...]

Unless there is a situation that poses a significant threat or some other danger to the children, entities such as family court, guardians ad litem, custody evaluators, etc. really don’t care about moral judgments cast upon your ex-partner.  While there are probably more than a few times where we may question the reality of “best [...]

Without a doubt, an often used and particularly devastating problem during child custody matters are false allegations of child abuse or child sexual abuse. When some malicious parents, driven by hate or personality disorders, acquire a “win child custody at all costs” mentality - false allegations of abuse are often the result. Those [...]

During a high-conflict divorce and child custody situation, it’s not unusual for you to focus only on your own thoughts, opinions, perspectives, etc. You’re unlikely to give an unbiased consideration for the perspectives of others, and most especially your ex-partner. This is understandable. However, it would behoove you to find the inner [...]

The question about whether or not someone needs an aggressive attorney is reasonably easy to answer, but with some significant qualifications.  When you stop to consider that you’re entering into a legal battle over how much parenting time, child custody, and loving interaction that you’ll have with your children for the foreseeable future - it’s [...]

All of the meaningful data that exists currently demonstrates that the most positive outcomes for children as they grow through life are maximized by the involvement of both parents.  Everyone needs to accept that children need active, ongoing relationships with both parents whether a marriage or partnership succeeds or fails.  However, it’s extra critical that [...]