Are you concerned about a former spouse or partner interfering with your relationship with a child while co-parenting after a San Diego divorce? Have child custody and parenting time orders been issued as a result of your paternity suit but the mother doesn’t want you to build a good relationship with your child?
There are primarily three strategies for a former partner or spouse who is interfering with your relationship with a child while co-parenting:
- Consistently speaking poorly about you, even in front of the child, and attempting to poison the child’s perspective of you. This is known as “parental alienation.”
- Inventing reasons to interfere with scheduled parenting time. The other parent suggests the child isn’t well tonight, a busy day tomorrow, or a flat out assertion: “they don’t want to see you tonight.”
- False accusations of abuse and/or neglect or alcohol / drug abuse.
If you are concerned a co-parent is attempting to poison the relationship between you and one (or more) of your children it is important to act quickly. Ask the Certified Family Law Specialists at Burke & Domercq how we work with professional experts to evaluate the situation, gather and assess the facts and pursue the child’s best interests in Family Court. For the record: parental alienation is absolutely not in the best interests of a child and can result in limitation or loss of the violator’s own parenting time and custody rights.
There are actually valid reasons for a co-parent to limit access to a child. Every parent carries a duty under California Family Law to provide for and protect their child. There may be concerns related to physical or emotional abuse, substance or alcohol abuse or just very poor parenting. However, the co-parent is not the authority over whether or not you should be able to see your child during scheduled parenting time. If one of the parties has genuine concerns they should approach the Court with appropriate evidence and request modification of existing parenting and custody orders. There is no legal basis for one co-parent to stop the other co-parent from seeing their child on a regular basis.
False accusations of domestic violence or drug / alcohol abuse are another common scheme for your former spouse or partner interfering with your relationship with a child. Again, let’s be clear: in the presence of domestic violence or substance abuse a child should always be protected. But this must be accomplished through a Court, not simply based on the judgment of one of the co-parents. If you genuinely suspect or are concerned about the abusive behavior or addictions of a co-parent you need the sound advice and counsel of our experienced Certified Family Law Specialists. If you have been falsely accused of these behaviors you will need us to help you to mount a vigorous and successful defense.
If you are concerned about a former spouse or partner interfering with your relationship with a child while co-parenting after a San Diego divorce or paternity orders you need to take immediate action. Protect your own interests and contact us or call 760-389-3927 to schedule an appointment for a remote or socially distanced consultation with one of our experienced Certified Family Law Specialists.