Parents working through child custody disputes often have a lot of stress and uncertainty. Not only do many worry about their relationship with their child and their ability to play a key role in their child’s life, but there are a host of factors that affect custody outcomes. Aside from finances, the health of a parent’s relationship with his or her child and the child’s wishes, other issues can impact a custody decision, such as allegations of domestic violence.
Unfortunately, some parents are wrongly accused of domestic violence by a former partner who wants to prevent them from securing custody rights. It is imperative to understand your legal options if you find yourself in this very challenging position.
Proving your innocence
If you are falsely accused of abusing your former partner or your child, it is imperative to prove your innocence. Aside from affecting how custody is awarded, these allegations will probably have an adverse effect on other facets of your life (such as your reputation and your career). You need to gather as much evidence as possible and have a clear understanding of your legal options in order to prove that you did not subject any family member to physical abuse or any other form of abuse.
Managing your emotions
Our law office realizes that false allegations of domestic violence cause a wide variety of negative emotions. Many parents become extremely stressed out and fearful, while some become angry or depressed as a result of what they are going through. Unfortunately, these emotions often get in the way of one’s ability to defend themselves and secure a positive outcome. Focus on minimizing these emotions and one way to do that is by having a clear understanding of your legal rights and strategies to defend yourself. Our website covers more on domestic violence matters.
