So what do you do if a spouse falsely accuses you of child abuse?

To begin, child abuse is a very complex issue surrounded by explosive emotions. The “he said, she said” can be overwhelming to say the least. Here are a number of things you should do to begin to protect and prepare for defending yourself.

1. Acknowledge how serious the situation is. Knowing you are innocent is important but don’t let it lull you into a false sense of security. This is serious and recognizing it will help motivate you to take constructive actions.
2. Retain a qualified attorney. Use online resources to research and find an experienced family law attorney. Pay special attention to their expertise in working with false accusation cases. Meet with the attorney, ask plenty of questions and ask for references. This decision is critical to your peace of mind and eventually, the end results.
3. Educate yourself. Head off to the library and get some books on the subject of false accusations of abuse. It’s like putting on your armor before going into battle. The more you learn, the better you will be able to partner with your attorney in your defense.
4. Avoid risky behavior. Being wrongfully accused might just be the most stressful time in life. Now is the time to stick to clean living. Eat right. Get enough rest. Try to exercise and stay away from illegal substances or alcohol abuse. By taking care of your body and mind, you’ll give yourself the best chance to fight depression and keep your head in the fight.
5. Keep quiet. Do not speak to anyone regarding the accusation or charges unless your attorney is present or advises otherwise. Remember, an off-hand comment made to a friend or co-worker may come up later in witness statements.
6. Record the “what/when”. With your divorce attorney’s guidance, use a timeline to record as much information as you can about the time surrounding the incident in question, up to today. Be as clear and concise as possible. Share that information with your attorney.

For more information on this subject check out this article here

Link: http://www.a-team.org/falsely_accused.html

A child custody survey was conducted; the group was evenly divided between males and females. A scenario was presented in which a divorcing couple was contesting custody of the children. It was stated that both parents were fit and proper. The question posed regarded what custody arrangement would be in the best interests of the child. An overwhelming 94% of respondents indicated that joint legal and physical custody, shared between parents, would be in the child’s best interest, with 78% of respondents indicating that a 50/50 time sharing agreement was appropriate. Another scenario was presented. In the second scenario the father has been accused by the mother of sexually molesting their child. The Department of Social Services and the police conducted an investigation and concluded that there is insufficient evidence to determine whether or not the father committed sexual abuse. The question of custody is again asked. As a result of the unsubstantiated accusation against the father, 79% of the same respondents stated that sole legal and physical custody should be granted to the mother. Only 15% of respondents felt that the father should be permitted a minimum of 50% visitation with the children. source

As seen in this example, an accused spouse has little chance of returning to any semblance of a normal life after an accusation. The process of defending oneself, with the help of a qualified attorney, is costly, not just in monetary values but in terms of time, reputation and, of course, the children. For more details and other startling facts of false accusation of child abuse, check out this article here

1.  Put your emotions on the backburner.  One must think financially – not emotionally.  Even though emotions are bound to run high at various times during the divorce, when that time comes, an individual should always remain calm, cool and collected.  They should attempt to maintain their cool under pressure.  Although family law attorneys in West Palm Beach know that this is easy advice to say and much more difficult to implement, the advice is well taken;

2.  Delegate whenever possible.  The best form of delegation during a tough emotional divorce is to make sure you assemble a good team, consisting of at least an experienced divorce attorney and an experienced financial planner and/or forensic accountant.  A top-notch divorce team can take more of the responsibility from you and permit you to devote more of your time and energy to taking care of yourself and your family;

3.  Keep a healthy focus on the future.  Realize that no matter how horrible things may be now, ultimately you and your children will be okay.  There is a life after divorce … and with proper planning and implementation, this future life can be productive, fulfilling, and financially secure and stable;

4.  Stay organized.  Divorce proceedings make many demands on all the participants' lives.  A party in a divorce case must learn to juggle their work, family obligations, daily obligations, and all the tasks that they have to perform during the course of a divorce.  One must keep track of their appointments, paperwork and deadlines; and

5.  Educate yourself.  A divorce involves scrutiny of every part of your personal life and your financial life.  A successful divorce, in part, is dependent upon how invested you are in knowing about you and your spouse's financial circumstances.  Make sure that you learn answers to the critical questions such as what are your assets, what is the cost to maintain your lifestyle, what will it cost to send the children to college; and what are your liabilities.

Whether you reside in Palm Beach County or elsewhere in Florida, by following these personality characteristics during your divorce you should be more assured that both you and your children will be financially and emotionally okay after the divorce.  To learn more about these personality traits that assist people to successfully survive their divorce, click here.

1.      Doing something nice for someone else can do wonders if you're feeling lonely on the day dedicated to celebrate love and romance. Consequently, it may help to volunteer to assist with a party at a senior center, homeless shelter, hospital, or religious facility.  Human kindness provided to our fellow human beings can make a big difference.

2.      You can participate in a special activity for yourself.  Go to a movie, take a walk, go to a spa, or participate in any other activity that brings you some sense of joy or makes you feel good. Taking care of yourself and doing something special for yourself can make you feel better and less out of sorts.

3.      Valentine's Day after a divorce doesn't have to be a dreary or forlorn experience.  Sometimes there is comfort in numbers.  If you are well enough along in your way of emotional recovery during your divorce, then you may wish to seek activities with other single people.  A party or outing with friends is an option whereby there is comfort in
numbers.

4.      If you have children, then focus on them.  You can still embrace Valentine's Day vicariously by helping them with their cards and remembering other kinds of love in life rather than the romantic love that you may have lost.

5.      If you are feeling adventurous, you could contact all your best single friends and invite them to a Valentine's party. However, the catch is that each one has to bring at least one unattached person of the opposite sex.  The purpose of the party is not to make a love connection.  It is to be surrounded by people having fun and enjoying each other's company.

6.      If you're feeling in a more solitary mood, then go out to areas where you may not find couples.  A trip to a coffee shop or bookstore is a good alternative to dinner at a restaurant where couples in love may abound.

The above activities may distract you if you are coping with sadness or some other difficulty.  Take solace in the fact that Valentine's Day is but one day of the year.  And during each day you're getting better and better and that with the passage of each day you'll be progressing on the road to emotional recovery and a new and better life.

Age does not change how divorce laws are administered, but it does bring about more layers to a person’s life. Older couples experience a variety of life situations. They may have bought a home, sent children to college, started a business, saved for retirement or invested. They share loyalties to businesses, social settings, a place of worship, friends and more. Taking time to consider and discuss how each partner will resolve and subsequently maneuver through those issues can help reduce some of the stress involved in divorcing.

Another consideration is how the divorce can affect adult children. Adults whose parents divorce often do not receive the emotional support that young children do and financially, it can be just as challenging for them. Set reasonable expectations for adult children, giving them space to face multiple houses, confusing holidays and new people coming into the family circus.

Hiring a qualified attorney to assist in navigating the complexities of law should be an early step in resolving property allocation and financial support conflicts. Finding a good mental health counselor might be even more important step for making the way smoother for all involved.

Ultimately, court proceedings will be more complicated for an older couple than for a couple who has been married only a few years, has fewer assets and possibly no children. Use available resources to pave the way for a new stage in life.

Marital Property Law basically says that properties acquired during a marriage are subject to equitable divisions in a divorce. The courts determine what is fair and just but the burden of proof remains with each spouse and his or her lawyer.

The first question to answer is when did the business begin? If it began before the marriage, originating with one spouse, then in most cases, the portion of assets before the marriage belongs to the originating owner. The time the business was run after marriage, however, can be considered “Marital Property” and therefore up for division. Be aware that there is no guarantee of a 50/50 split, only that the courts given the information available and the limited time to work with, do what is equitable, fair and just.

The court takes into consideration what each spouse brings to the marriage, to the business and to the family as well as any other ways of generating income or taking care of children.

In the end, most businesses are divided and one spouse buys out the other. It takes a very unique situation for divorcing business owners to continue in partnership.

Whatever the situations, business owners who find themselves preparing for divorce should educate themselves on state laws and find a Board Certified Martial and Family Attorney to assist with the complexities and help give peace of mind during the process.

For more information regarding Marital Property Law, click here.

Southeast Florida residents can legally divorce through a Collaborative Divorce. To collaborate simply means to work together or cooperate. So a Collaborative Divorce involves each spouse, along with their respective lawyers, working out the details without going into litigation. This brings couples to resolution in less time and with more pennies in their pockets than with traditional methods. Every time a divorcing couple steps into the court room, the time and fees, not to mention stress, increase.

What makes a Divorce Collaborative?

1. Both spouses agree to negotiate issues in a non-adversarial way, working constructively and fairly.
2. They commit to stay out of the courts.
3. They willingly disclose information that is needed for the case.
4. Lawyers manage the process.
5. Neutral professionals, such as psychologists and/or financial advisors, may be brought in to assist.

If this sounds like a possibility or you would like to find out more about Collaborative Divorce? Check out this informative site: International Academy of Collaborative Professionals (IACP).

        Parental Alienation Syndrome is defined as a theory that explains a child’s estrangement from one parent during a high conflict divorce. Without valid justification, the child allies himself or herself strongly with one parent, and rejects the relationship with the other parent. Individuals who want to see Parental Alienation Syndrome defined in the DSM believe that the term should be recognized as a legitimate mental health disorder because it has the potential to lend credibility to parental alienation in the divorce process. Opponents of PAS as a syndrome or disorder believe that the term lacks empirical research and should not be recognized in the DSM-5. For further reading on parental alienation syndrome as a DSM mental diagnosis, click this link

1. Using unbundled legal services for a divorce can benefit prospective clients in the following ways:
2. Financially: The use of unbundling legal services for a divorce is advantageous to the client, as it is a less expensive alternative to traditional representation. Using this method, a divorce attorney is able provide legal advice without the exorbitant cost associated with a full-fledged representation.
3. Expeditiously: Unbundled legal services can help a client to complete their case more efficiently and effectively due to the legal assistance provided by the divorce attorney. This service is valuable to the client, and it can help to ensure that they did not make any errors while completing paperwork.
4. Promoting Freedom: Individuals who use unbundled legal representation methods can acquire a sense of independence, as they can undertake more responsibility than people who use traditional legal representation. When a client assumes more responsibility, they have the power to make superior legal decisions. 

Individuals from Palm Beach Gardens and Wellington should be informed of all types of legal services when looking to hire a divorce attorney, or embark on their pro se divorce case. For further information on unbundling legal services, please click here.