Not every California family living in a post-divorce situation is able to move forward in life in an amicable manner. Sometimes, even after the court has ruled on matters of custody or child support, parents may still have conflict between them that translates into legal problems. For instance, what happens if a custodial parent causes alienation between a child and a noncustodial parent? This is often an act of revenge that can have long-lasting negative effects on the parent and child or children in question.
The court always acts in children’s best interests although a particular judge has the authority to veer away from state guidelines if extenuating circumstances seem to warrant it. For instance, if a parent refuses to hand over a child for court-ordered visitation, or takes a child out of state in direct violation of an existing court order, the court can take immediate action at its own discretion to rectify the situation. The court may also direct the local police to get involved when a particular situation warrants their involvement, such as if a parent kidnaps a child to keep him or her from seeing the other parent.
If a minor child refuses to have contact with a noncustodial parent, it may be because the custodial parent has influenced him or her to act that way. If the custodial parent is forcing alienation or is somehow impeding the other parent’s ability to maintain an active relationship with the child, immediate legal assistance can be sought. Concerning child support, there may be certain situations where the court determines it inappropriate to continue sending child support payments for the child in care of the custodial parent.
Alienation tactics are so often employed in custody, visitation and support situations that an official term, “Parental Alienation Syndrome” has been applied. Many people have been victims of PAS, which not only can cause emotional upheaval and mental stress, but can create serious legal problems as well. Any California parent dealing with an alienation problem that is impacting a child support situation can seek guidance from an experienced family law attorney.
Source: wehavekids.com, “How to Enforce Child Custody and Visitation“, March 7, 2018