When you think of custody, you probably imagine a situation where fathers are fighting for custody while mothers have the upper hand. While that might have been the truth decades ago, it’s not the case now. Both parents are seen as potential positive influences in their children’s lives, but there are times when men or women could lose custody.
One thing that mothers have to watch out for in custody cases is making false accusations or being accused of parental alienation. Even if negative things have happened, like abuse, the way you present that evidence to the court matters. Did you know that mothers lost custody 44% of the time when fathers accused them of parental alienation? That’s despite the fact that the mothers may have made claims of abuse against them or their children.
Even with a proven case of abuse, mothers still lost custody in 13% of cases where fathers accused mothers of parental alienation. That’s an absolute shock considering the threat and danger to the woman and, potentially, her children.
Why is this information important?
By knowing what kinds of situations lead to mothers losing custody, your attorney can work to help you prove claims of abuse, for example, and disprove claims of alienation. In cases like this, there is often a lot of “he said, she said,” and the courts don’t want to see alienation lead to the disruption of a child’s relationship with a parent. However, if you are able to show that abuse or neglect did take place and that your children are not safe with the other parent, then you can build a strong case to keep or win custody. Your attorney will work closely with you to make sure the facts of your case protect you and your children.