Saturday, July 25, 2020

Help for Parents Wrongly Accused of Child Abuse

Help for Parents Wrongly Accused of Child Abuse Relationships Violence and Abuse Print Help for Parents Wrongly Accused of Child Abuse By Jennifer Wolf twitter linkedin Jennifer Wolf is a PCI Certified Parent Coach and a strong advocate for single moms and dads. Learn about our editorial policy Jennifer Wolf Updated on February 03, 2020 SemiCharmedLife-DLF/Moment/Getty Images More in Relationships Violence and Abuse Spouses & Partners LGBTQ Unfortunately, accusations like child abuse happen  quite often. Particularly in high-conflict  custody battles, tempers can escalate quickly and  both parties are bound to feel the strain. In some situations, one parent  may be tempted to believe that accusing the other parent of child  abuse will increase  his or her own  chances of winning child custody. But its a flawed strategy. It’s true that judges err on the side of caution when it comes to children’s safety. However, judges do not favor limiting parental rights unless its absolutely necessary â€" and theyre well aware that false accusations  are made often. As a result, any and all claims of abuse will be thoroughly investigated by the court. Moreover, if a judge determines that a parent has made a false allegation in an attempt to  influence a child  custody decision, he or she  may order the accusing parent to pay court costs to the other parent â€" and even modify the custody arrangement in favor of the accused. So even though plenty of parents try it, making false allegations in an attempt to win child custody rarely pays off.   Investigating  Child Abuse Allegations In cases of alleged abuse, the judge will thoroughly investigate each claim before awarding  custody or visitation. This  often leads to time-consuming and expensive examinations by medical and mental health experts, which can be especially burdensome for the children.   Family protective services, at the order of the judge, may also  become involved in the investigation. This can become quite intrusive, like child protective services questions people close to you about your behavior and your parenting.   What to Do If Youve Been Falsely Accused of Child Abuse As uncomfortable as it is, you should comply with the investigation and be as cooperative as possible. In addition, if  you have been falsely accused, you should gather relevant evidence to support  your case. This may include statements by your family members, co-workers, friends, or neighbors â€" anyone who can vouch that you are a loving parent and would never harm your children. While it may turn into a game of he said, she said, having the support of others will help the judge see that you are not abusive. In particular, let the people closest to you know what is going on and encourage them  to speak openly and honestly about your parenting abilities when interviewed by child protective services or court personnel. Know that your supporters can also provide  written statements to the court regarding your abilities  as a parent. Simply having people who can state that they never saw you mistreat or threaten your children will help your case.  If no evidence of abuse is discovered, the investigation will be closed and the court will officially determine that either no abuse took place or it cannot be confirmed. If the Courts Deny Visitation or Custody After Investigating While judges do not want ?to take children away from their parents, they err on the side of caution when it comes to any type of domestic  abuse and child custody. The proper course of action will depend on the nature of the allegations and a number of other factors. Typically, a judge may  suspend the accused parent’s right  to visitation and/or  custody pending an investigation. When that investigation fails to uncover  evidence of abuse, the accused parent’s rights will be reinstated.  In addition, if the judge determines that the accusation was unfounded, he or she may order the accusing parent to pay courts costs, including attorney’s fees, to the other parent.   However, any time that youre accused of child  abuse, you should consult with  an attorney experienced in handling similar cases. Particularly if an investigation does not clear your name, youll want to work with a family law  attorney who can help you  gather additional  evidence, build a case for appeal, and  advocate on your behalf â€" so that the truth can be fully revealed  and your parental  rights can be reinstated.

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