Parental alienation is a term that is commonly used to refer to one parent interfering with the other parent’s relationship with the children. This could be through physical interference of not letting the parent see the children or exercise their visitation rights, but it can also be emotional and mental, such as telling the children they aren’t safe with the parent or that the other parent doesn’t love them.

Children deserve healthy and close relationships with both parents. If you believe that your ex is interfering with your relationship with your children, contact a family law attorney as soon as possible to talk about your rights.

Why Do the Courts Use the Term Domestic Violence by Proxy?

While you may hear people talk about parental alienation, this isn’t the court-preferred term. That’s because parental alienation isn’t actually an official term and has been largely discarded by the mental health and family law fields in favor of the term domestic violence by proxy. This is considered a better name for these types of situations because it shows that the intent is not necessarily to alienate the other parent from the children as much as it is to continue to emotionally and mentally abuse the ex-spouse by using the children as currency.

How Do You Prove Parental Alienation?

It can be very difficult to prove parental alienation because it’s something that is still considered somewhat controversial. It’s important to remember that when it comes to custody cases, the courts care very little about your relationship with your ex and are focused on the best interests of the children. To prove that domestic violence by proxy is a factor in your case, you will need to focus on how the parent’s actions affect the children and what is best for them. It’s important to keep documentation of any incidents, such as refusing visitations or threatening texts. Asking the courts for psychological evaluations and family therapy may also be helpful in establishing a pattern where there are outside witnesses.

Why Is an Attorney Important in These Types of Cases?

Situations that involve domestic violence by proxy can be extremely challenging and are often emotionally and mentally overwhelming. These types of cases tend to be drawn out through the courts over months and even years, and ongoing litigation is, and modification requests are very common. Having an attorney who is experienced in parental alienation cases and knows the strategies to use to prove and expose this kind of behavior is critical. Hiring a lawyer to represent you can also decrease some contact with another parent, as you can ask that any matters pertaining to the case only go through your attorney.

When it comes to your relationship with your children, every day matters. Call (213) 351-1000 to find out how our firm can help.