Parental Alienation In Alabama Family Law Cases

If you are going through a divorce or have separated from a partner with whom you have children, the worst of the dark fears that flood your mind during the moments when you are alone is that you will lose contact with your children. It is probably an unfounded fear; the parents and children whose estrangement is so entrenched that they could not find each other if they tried are the rare exception. The fact remains, though, that many adults have a strained relationship with their parents, and some of them talk to their parents infrequently. Divorced people tend to have less frequent contact with their adult children than their counterparts who never divorced; often, the children will maintain a closer relationship with one parent than the other. If you are still married, then both parents benefit from closeness to the adult children even if only one parent is the driving force behind it. Parental estrangement does not happen overnight. If your ex-spouse is trying to alienate your children from you, you can and should stop the alienation before it gets worse, and the family law courts are on your side. If your ex-spouse is trying to turn your children against you, contact a Birmingham child custody lawyer.

What Does Parental Alienation Look Like?

Parental alienation is one parent’s efforts to sabotage the children’ relationship with the other parent. In high conflict divorces, and even contentious marriages where the parents have not divorced, it is a natural consequence unless the parents are careful to avoid it. The following are examples of parental alienation:

• Getting angry when your children say good things about your ex or express a desire to spend time your ex or relatives on your ex’s side of the family
• Asking intrusive questions about things your ex said and did while the children were with your ex
• Making disparaging remarks about your ex in front of your children
• Not letting your ex-spouse exercise his or her parenting time

Most of the time, the parents set the terms of the parenting plan during divorce mediation. If the case goes to trial and the judge must decide on the details of the parenting plan, the judge will award a greater share of parenting time to the parent who is likely to encourage the children to have a close relationship with the other parent. It is not the only factor they consider, but it makes a difference.

If your ex-spouse is alienating your children from you, you have the right to petition the court to enforce the parenting plan or to order your ex not to bad mouth you around your children. If your ex-spouse does not comply, the court can hold your ex in contempt or even modify the parenting plan to give you a greater share of parenting time.

Contact Peeples Law About Contentious Divorce Cases

A Birmingham family law attorney can help you if your ex-spouse is trying to harm your relationship with your children.  Contact Peeples Law in Birmingham, Alabama today to schedule a consultation.

Source:

governor.alabama.gov/assets/2020/07/Parental-Alienation-Awareness-Week.pdf