Winning a custody battle or coming to a resolution is an important step in helping you and your loved ones move past your divorce. However, this milestone doesn’t always mark the end of all custody disputes. While both parents are legally obligated to follow through with the established agreement, some parents are much less cooperative than others.

Today, we want to talk about one way in which uncooperative or contentions ex-partners can continue to cause custody complications: via parental interference. This post is a quick look at a complex issue that our clients deal with on an all-too-common basis. Remember that, if you need detailed and in-depth legal advice, always reach out to a professional who can listen to your situation and offer advice based on your particular needs.

How Parental Interference Manifests Itself

Parental interference refers to behaviors or actions that are meant to get in the way of a parent and child’s relationship. It often falls into two categories: direct and indirect parental interference.

With direct interference, the actions often speak for themselves. This includes actions such as physically keeping or obstructing a child from seeing the other parent, interacting his/her interactions, not allowing either parent or child to communicate via cell phones or the internet, and more. Actions such as moving out of the state without permission also fall under this category.

Indirect interference can be a little trickier to spot but the intention is the same: to alienate the child from the other parent. Indirect interference involves actions meant to undermine the other parent’s authority, spreading gossip or making statements meant to build resentment between the child and the other parent, and other actions meant to drive a wedge between them. 

We’re Here to Help You Protect Your Parental Rights

Parental interference can be frustrating to deal with because it is often effective, and the other parent can engage in it long before the other party begins to suspect a thing. This can place your relationship with your child at risk, all through no fault of your own.

With that said, there are ways for you to stand up for your parental rights, especially with the help of a skilled family law attorney. With the help of a lawyer, you can take steps to ensure that the ex is held accountable for skipping out on his/her custody duties, seek a modification to the current arrangement that further protects your relationship with your child, and more. 

If you suspect that you and your child are the victims of parental interference, know that the experienced family law attorneys at R & S Law Group are a quick phone call away. Call us today to learn more about this or other matters involving divorce, custody issues, and family law issues in CA.

We offer free initial consultations! Dial (415) 564-2776 today to learn more about how we can help.