Parental Alienation
A Disputed Theory’s Influence in Family Court
Psychiatry’s diagnostic bodies have not accepted parental alienation as a mental health disorder. But it’s being leveraged in family courtrooms.
Both Parents Agree: The Child Is Being Harmed. Which One Will the Court Believe?
A child said he was being sexually and physically abused by his father. The father alleged the mother was brainwashing the child against him. One reporter dug into years of case files to understand how courts decided to interpret the facts.
A Court Ordered Siblings to a Reunification Camp With Their Estranged Father. The Children Say It Was Abusive.
Family courts are increasingly using programs like Turning Points for Families to treat the disputed psychological theory of parental alienation. But little is publicly known about the programs’ controversial methods.
New Utah Law Prioritizes Child Safety in Custody Courts
The legislation, which limits the use of reunification therapies and increases scrutiny of expert witnesses, follows ProPublica’s reporting on courts’ handling of custody cases involving allegations of violence.
Colorado Becomes the First State to Limit Court Use of Family Reunification Camps
A new bill restricts the use of reunification programs and requires domestic violence training for experts in custody cases. Lawmakers credit ProPublica’s reporting for exposing the need for reforms in the family court system.
Judge Pauses Order to Return Siblings to Father They Say Abused Them
Utah lawmakers call for examination of court-ordered reunification after a judge was persuaded by the theory of parental alienation to order Ty and Brynlee Larson back into their father’s custody.
Colorado Lawmakers Consider Reforms to the Way Family Courts Handle Abuse Allegations
Several people who testified in favor of the proposed reforms are plaintiffs in a class-action lawsuit against former custody evaluator Mark Kilmer, alleging fraud and breach of contract.
Colorado Suspends One Family Court Custody Expert, Reviews All Custody Evaluators Following ProPublica Investigation
A state-approved list of custody evaluators included some who had been accused of domestic violence and disciplined by the State Board of Psychologist Examiners.
