Morris County Parental Alienation

Do you suspect that your ex-partner is trying to drive a wedge between you and your children? Is your ex manipulating your children and making disparaging comments about you in front of your children? Are your ex’s actions adversely affecting your relationship with your children? If so, your children may be experiencing what’s called parental alienation, and the effects can psychologically and emotionally be damaging for both you and your child. Be sure to contact an experienced Morris County Parental Alienation Attorney if you think your relationship with your child is in jeopardy due to the actions of your ex.

Parental alienation is considered a type of emotional and psychological child abuse that essentially turns a child against one of their parents. If your child is experiencing parental alienation, your child might exhibit disrespect, unwarranted fear, or hostility towards you because your ex is manipulating your child and saying negative things about you. Some other signs that your child might be experiencing parental alienation include:

• Your ex is blaming the separation or divorce on you and makes your child believe the same;
• Your ex is preventing your access to your child such that you are unable to visit with them or even speak to them;
• Your child does not want to see you or talk to you;
• Your ex over-schedules your child so that your child has no time to visit with you;
• Your ex lies to your child and tells them that you no longer love them or want to see them;
• Your ex makes disparaging comments about you or vilifies you in front of your child;
• Your child is angry with you without any real justification;
• Your child is engaging in rebellious behavior;
• Your ex asks your child to spy on you and divulges details of your personal life.

Even though some of these signs and symptoms might be ordinary emotional stress that comes with dealing with a divorce and changing family dynamics, they can also indicate that your child is being manipulated by your ex.

While parental alienation is recognized by many psychologists, therapists, and even judges, some experts and judges are hesitant to diagnose it as a syndrome or use it when making custody changes and decisions. However, no matter whether a judge believes that parental alienation is legitimate, when making custody decisions, they must act in accordance with the best interests of the child. If one parent is interfering with your meaningful relationship with your child, the judge is likely to admonish the interfering parent and take their actions into consideration when modifying custody orders.

If you think that your child is a victim of parental alienation, it is important that you address the issue as soon as possible. If you and your ex have an informal custody arrangement, consider hiring an experienced Morris County Parental Alienation Lawyer to help you come up with and request a formal custody order from the court. A formal order can dictate when and how parenting time with your child will occur and will help ensure that you will get the time you need to spend with your child. If your ex disobeys a custody order, a judge can decide to make temporary or permanent changes to that order, or decide to sanction your ex for failing to comply with the order. Some of the temporary or permanent custody changes that can happen include:

• Changing who might be the primary residential parent;
• Changing the child’s transportation arrangements;
• Changing any drop-off or pick-up locations;
• Ordering compensatory parenting time which allows you to make up for lost time with your child.

In addition to these custody changes, some of the penalties your ex might be subject to include:

• Ordering them to pay for your child’s therapy and/or any family therapy costs;
• Ordering them to attend parenting classes or therapy;
• Ordering them to pay for your attorney’s fees and/or court costs;
• Ordering them to participate in community service.

No matter what your situation, whether you have a formal custody order or not, if your child is being manipulated by your ex, it is important that you consult with an experienced attorney as soon as possible. The effects of parental alienation can be lasting and damaging so do something today to protect your parental rights and the best interests of your child.

If you think your child is the victim of parental alienation be sure to contact the Aretsky Law Group, P.C, today. Our attorneys have many years of experience handling divorce and custody cases where parental alienation is a serious issue. Contact Aretsky Law Group, P.C. by calling 800-537-4154 to discuss your case and schedule a Consultation at one of our Morris County meeting locations by appointment only.

181 New Road #304
Parsippany, NJ 07054

Phone: 973-404-0918