The High-Conflict Custody Battle: Protect Yourself and Your Kids from a Toxic Divorce, False Accusations, and Parental Alienation

by Amy J. L. Baker PhD, J. Michael Bone PhD, Brian Ludmer BComm, LLB

Overview

Is your ex-spouse trying to gain custody of your kids? Has he or she launched a campaign to make you look like a bad parent, both in the eyes of your children and the law? You aren’t alone. Unfortunately, high-conflict custody battles are all-too-common in today’s world. So how can you arm yourself with the mental and legal resources needed to survive this difficult time and keep your kids safe?

In The High-Conflict Custody Battle, a team of legal and psychology experts present a practical guidebook for people like you who are engaged in a high-conflict custody battle. If you are dealing with an overtly hostile, inflammatory, deceitful, or manipulative ex-spouse, you will learn how to find and work with an attorney and prepare for a custody evaluation. The book also provides helpful tips you can use to defend yourself against false accusations, and gives a realistic portrayal of what to expect during a legal fight.

Going through a divorce is hard, but going through a custody battle can feel like war. Don’t go in unprepared. With this book as your guide, you will be able to navigate this difficult process and learn powerful skills that will help you maintain a healthy relationship with your kids, fight unfair accusations, and uphold your rights as a parent.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781626250734
Publisher:	New Harbinger Publications
Publication date:	11/01/2014
Pages:	232
Sales rank:	370,684
Product dimensions:	8.90(w) x 6.00(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Amy J. L. Baker, PhD, has a doctorate in developmental psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University, and is a professional writer and researcher. She is the author of Adult Children of Parental Alienation Syndrome and coauthor of Co-parenting with a Toxic Ex, among other books and articles on parental alienation and parent-child relationships.
 
J. Michael Bone, PhD, has a doctorate from the Graduate Faculty of Political and Social Science of the New School for Social Research in New York, NY. He has served as a mental health expert, consultant, and advisor to the court on parental alienation cases around the United States, and maintains a consulting practice in Florida. 
 
Brian Ludmer, BComm, LLB, is an attorney whose practice is based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He has a Bachelor of Commerce (1982) and Bachelor of Law (1985) from the University of Toronto. Ludmer has practiced corporate and securities law for twenty-seven years and in parallel he conducts a family law practice focused on situations involving custody disputes, child estrangement, and parental alienation, as well as high net worth divorce litigation and business valuation.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments vii

Introduction 1

1 High-Conflict Custody Disputes and Litigation: An Overview 7

2 Coping with a High-Conflict Custody Dispute: Taking Care of Yourself 19

3 Finding and Working with the Right Attorney 53

4 Finding and Working with the Right Mental Health Consultant 75

5 Documenting Your Case for Your Attorney 91

6 Preparing for a Custody Evaluation 123

7 Finding and Working with the Right Expert Witness 149

8 Addressing False Allegations of Child Abuse and Domestic Violence 167

9 What to Ask for in Court 183

Appendix A List of Statutes Pertaining to the Best Interest of the Child 207

Appendix B Example of a Court Order Transferring Custody to the Targeted Parent 211

References 223

Interviews

Amy J.L. Baker, PhD lives in Teaneck, NJ; Mike Bone lives in Winter Park, FL; Brian Ludmer lives in Toronto, ONT.
 

Editorial Reviews

When three great minds like these collaborate, a prism is created through which a light of wisdom can shine in the darkest of places. A must-read for all people touched by this unfathomable dilemma.”
—Judge Michele Lowrance (ret), mediator and author of The Good Karma Divorce and Parental Alienation 911


“In each journey through parental alienation, it is easy to lose the way. What seems to be a clear and just path in navigating family court is not always reality. Amy J. L. Baker, Brian Ludmer, and J. Michael Bone have given alienated parents a comprehensive road map that allows them to make their journey through this highly emotional period with level heads and hearts. The authors’ work empowers readers and leaves them feeling revived, secure, and confident as they travel to their final destination: reunification with their children.”
—Jill Egizii, president of the Parental Alienation Awareness Organization, USA


“The High-Conflict Custody Battle is a joint effort by writers with complementary skills and expertise: Amy J. L. Baker, PhD, is a research psychologist who has studied child psychological abuse; J. Michael Bone, PhD, is a clinical and forensic psychologist; and Brian Ludmer, BComm, LLB, is an attorney whose practice focusses on high conflict family law. The three authors have created a book that is both scholarly and highly practical, which will be helpful for mothers and fathers who find themselves coping with a difficult, overly litigious marital separation or divorce. The book addresses in detail the personal and legal crises that frequently occur in high-conflict divorce, such as parental alienation; allegations of domestic violence and child sexual abuse; and undertaking a child custody evaluation. It is notable that the authors acknowledge that all the participants in these legal battles have both flaws and biases, so no one is expected to be perfect. Although this book is primarily intended for divorcing parents, it will also be good reading for mental health and legal professionals, including judges.”
—William Bernet, MD, professor emeritus in the department of psychiatry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN


“Having recently tried the most publicized parental alienation case to a successful conclusion, I highly recommend this book for parents coping with an alienating spouse. The authors have provided an effective guide to assist parents through difficult litigation. This book should be read by every targeted parent.”
—Jim Pritikin, fellow of The American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers

From the Publisher

12/01/2014
Parental alienation experts Baker and J. Michael Bone have teamed with business and family law attorney Brian Ludmer to write a book that addresses the practical and legal aspects of custody battles in which acrimony runs high and reason runs low. They open with an overview of high-conflict custody disputes and explain parental alienation syndrome, a common and complicated by-product of such conflicts. The authors advise readers on how to survive every aspect of such an entanglement, from caring for one's own well-being to choosing a qualified attorney, mental health consultant, and expert witnesses. Worksheets with key questions and evaluative tools are provided to assist when interviewing prospective candidates. There is coverage of preparing for a custody evaluation and what to do if there are false accusations of child abuse and domestic violence. The "What to Ask for in Court" chapter gives guidance on how to petition for solutions that will lessen unproductive behaviors and allow the repair of strained relationships with children. An appendix with citations to applicable state statutes, a list of reading materials, and a sample court order transferring custody are thoughtful additions. VERDICT Parents embroiled in difficult custody battles will find this book thorough and accessible.—Joan Pedzich, formerly with Harris Beach PLLC, Pittsford, NY

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