Child custody disputes are often contentious, and for good reason. Each parent thinks that they know what’s best for their child, and the other parent’s beliefs may be in direct contradiction. When a custody arrangement can’t be negotiated between you and your child’s other parent, then the matter will have to be litigated in front of a judge who will ultimately make a determination that they think is in the child’s best interests.
But while this decision should be based on the facts presented to the court, sometimes those facts are misconstrued or are downright false. If your child’s other parent presents false evidence against you, though, and you inadequately address it, then your relationship with your child could be put at risk.
What kind of false allegations could you face?
You should expect your child’s other parent to take things out of context, twist your words against you, and fabricate stories to paint you in the worst light possible. Here are just some of the false allegations that you might see in your case:
- Domestic violence: Your child’s other parent might claim that you’ve been abusive toward them or that you’ve been violent with your current spouse or significant other. They may even go so far as to fabricate injuries that they suffered in these false events, which can be compelling in court. You’ll need to be prepared to counter these allegations with witness accounts and maybe even an expert witness.
- Abuse or neglect: Your child’s other parent might also allege that you’re responsible for abusing or neglecting your child. Here, the parent might manipulate your child into believing these false claims, which may even lead to your child making harmful statements against you. These are serious allegations that can be put you behind the eight-ball in court. To combat these allegations, you’re probably going to have to have an expert in parental alienation testify on your behalf. You might also be able to have your child seen by a therapist who can then give a realistic perception of the issues at hand.
- Substance abuse: Exposure to parental substance abuse can have a tremendous impact on your child. Knowing that, your child’s other parent might make accusations that you’re abusing drugs or alcohol. Although they might claim that they have witnessed you under the influence, you might be able to present your own witnesses and even drug test results to prove otherwise.
- Changed wishes: The court will take your child’s wishes into consideration when making its custody determination. However, your child’s other parent might indicate that your child has stated that they no longer want to spend time with you. They may even condition the child to make statements to support that allegation. You shouldn’t take your child’s other parent’s word for it, though, because they may be lying. Again, you might be able to get a mental health professional in place to give you and the court a better indication of where things stand with your child.
Stand up to protect your child’s best interests in your child custody case
You need to hope for the best and prepare for the worst when it comes to your child custody case. This means anticipating that the other parent will present false evidence against you. When that happens, you need to be prepared to effectively counter the allegations levied against you.
That can be difficult to do when you have an emotional reaction to such accusations. But an attorney who is well-versed in this area of the law may be able to help you gather the evidence necessary to protect your position and your child’s best interests. So, if you want help in aggressively advocating for your stance, then now may be the best time for you to reach out to an attorney who has a track record of success in litigating custody cases.