We all know how damaging a high-conflict divorce can be for children, and yet, when a spouse is unreasonable, conflict cannot be avoided. However, conflict can be managed, and managed in a way that protects your children from unnecessary trauma.

At Holmstrom, Block & Parke, APLC, our Board Certified Family Law Specialists know how to advocate effectively to achieve your goals while keeping conflict confined to the conference room or courtroom. We work tirelessly to find the best custody solutions for your family.

As part of the divorce settlement, the court will need to establish two types of custody—physical and legal. Physical custody refers to the child’s living arrangements while legal custody involves making decisions about a child’s education, health care, and other issues. Parents can share either type of custody or one parent may be granted sole custody.

Often, parents may share the authority to make decisions (legal custody) while one parent receives sole physical custody so that a child has a stable, predictable home life. When one parent has sole physical custody, the other usually receives parenting time, also known as visitation. Court orders for visitation may be:

• Scheduled with set dates and times
• Open-ended to allow parents to develop their own schedule
• Supervised when there are concerns about a child’s safety or well-being
• No visitation if the court finds that even supervised visitation would be harmful for the child

Remember that decisions regarding custody are always made on the basis of the child’s best interests rather than the interests of the parents. To be effective, your arguments must demonstrate why your preferred arrangements for custody serve and protect the child’s development.

Sometimes, one parent in a high-conflict custody dispute will say and do things that damage the child’s relationship with the other parent. They might constantly criticize the other parent and give the child a reason to be afraid of that parent. They might also prevent the child from talking to the other parent and refuse to give the other parent crucial information such as the child’s schedule of soccer games or school concerts so that the other parent loses opportunities to be a part of the child’s life.

This form of manipulation is often referred to as parental alienation. It’s bad, and judges don’t like it. For that reason, a parent will sometimes falsely accuse the other parent of using alienation tactics on the child. This is also bad, and when an effective custody attorney realizes it is happening, they can inform the judge and turn the accusations to their client’s favor. 

If you are being subjected to alienation or if another parent is falsely accusing you of alienation, it is important to act quickly to prevent damage to your child and protect your parental rights.

We know what’s at stake in a custody conflict. And, with over 300 years of collective experience, we know the effective strategies to succeed in reaching your custody goals. But what is more important is that we also know how to avoid unnecessary drama, trauma, and animosity in a custody battle.

Schedule a strategy session with the experienced attorneys at Holstrom, Block & Parke today to learn how we can protect your relationships and your future in a high-conflict divorce.