When a New Jersey family court judge issues an order in divorce proceedings, both sides are obligated to adhere to the terms. For parents, such orders typically involve child custody matters. When parents are willing to compromise and come to an agreement for their children’s sake, it helps kids cope and lessens the stress of adapting to a new lifestyle.
Sadly, it is not always smooth sailing for parents and children. Especially if one parent is trying to alienate the kids from the other, it can create a highly stressful situation that can also spark legal problems. A parent does not have the right to deny a co-parent access to his or her children if the court has granted custody or visitation to the parent in question.
Signs of parental alienation might include children not wanting to talk to or see a parent, particularly if they have always had a close relationship in the past. When asked why a child no longer wants to see a parent, he or she might give an illogical explanation or make wild accusations that have been suggested to him or her by the other parent. A parent attempting to alienate kids from a co-parent might go so far as to tell the children that their other parent never loved them and doesn’t want to be with them.
Children who have been alienated from a parent in a child custody battle often struggle with depression or substance abuse as adults due to the long-term, negative effects of such schemes. It is understandable that a concerned New Jersey parent would want to take legal steps to seek the court’s intervention when a co-parent is willfully flouting a court order by seeking to damage a child’s relationship with the other parent. An attorney with experience in custody litigation can provide strong support to a parent who wishes to bring such matters to a family court judge’s attention.