How can you defend against parental alienation allegations?

 Posted on December 02, 2025 in Child custody

Child custody disputes can quickly become heated. If yours does, then you could find yourself on the receiving end of parental alienation accusations. Parental alienation is the process of manipulating a child to distance them from their other parent, usually in hopes of securing a more favorable custody arrangement. Parental alienation can run the spectrum of severity, too, including everything from withholding the other parent's access to the child to abuse or neglect.

If you've been accused of parental alienation, then you need to be prepared to fight back. After all, courts have become more receptive to these arguments, which means if you're ill-prepared, then you might see the court issue a custody order that's harmful to you, your child and your relationship with your child. With that in mind, here are some ways you may be able to counter assertions of parental alienation:

• Gather evidence that contradicts the other parent's assertions, whether other witness accounts or documentation of the events at hand.
• Use prior inconsistent statements to attack the other parent's credibility.
• Ask for a child custody evaluation so that a neutral third-party can observe parental interactions and gain a holistic picture of family's dynamics so that they can speak as to what's in the child's best interests.
• Use the rules of evidence to try to block certain evidence from being used against you.
• Detail, in writing, your interactions with your child and the other parent so that you can set the record straight when the other parent tries to twist how those events played out.

Ultimately, the court will issue a ruling that it determines to be in the child's best interests based on the evidence presented. Therefore, it's up to you to build an effective case and provide the court with the evidence it needs. If you'd like to learn more about how to do that in your situation, then now is the best time to discuss the matter with your attorney.