During a divorce or separation, a party may try to gain an advantage by making a false accusation. Whether the accusation is about an incident of abuse or violence, or if it is something less severe, it can unfairly influence the case and can be difficult to bring the truth to light.
Depending on the nature of the allegations, it can be difficult to produce a strategy to pursue in order to properly defend yourself. By keeping a level head and addressing the situation with integrity, you can overcome any potential financial or emotional harm that could come as a result of a lie.
Don’t try to contact your ex
You may feel the desire to try to contact your ex to confront them about the lie or half-truth in order to “twist their arm” into confessing that they aren’t being truthful. However, taking this kind of action can reflect very poorly on you if your ex decides to use it as evidence of you threatening them. Even a simple call, text or visit could end up being evidence further used against you to support the initial allegations.
Talk with your family lawyer
Get a plan in place as quickly as possible by coordinating with your family lawyer. It might be your first brush with defending yourself against false allegations, but a family law lawyer is familiar with the process and how to confront these allegations. This experience will be invaluable for helping you to avoid common stumbling points that could hurt your case in court.
Collect evidence
The best way to combat a false allegation is to have substantial evidence to disprove it. Whether the lie is about a perceived type of behaviour or about a particular event, you can dig through whatever resources you have to provide credible proof that it isn’t true.
Collaborate with a third-party
Depending on the nature of the allegations, a third party organization or investigative team may become involved. Being as open and cooperative as possible will serve to your benefit, as they may end up being the ones who provide the evidence to prove that the allegations are false.
In all cases, your surest bet is to have a legal professional who can represent your interests and give important, timely advice. Trying to solve your legal challenges, specifically those as complex as a false allegation, on your own is a recipe for disaster and risks a negative impact on your emotional and financial well-being for years to come.
If you or anyone you know is dealing with lie or half-truths in court, contact Epstein & Associates to gain the opinion and help from an experienced and professional legal team.