Child abuse allegations are never something to be taken lightly. When child abuse allegations appear during custody hearings, it may be the case that abuse was the main catalyst for the divorce proceeding the custody hearing. But whether or not the abuse was mentioned before or after the separation, the safety of the child should always come first.

In cases of abuse, the normal rule of "innocent until proven guilty" is not relevant. This is because if there is even a slim possibility that a child is still being abused in the place that he or she lives in or by someone the child is frequently around, the child's safety and well being always come before the need to prove any allegations.

The second that child abuse allegations are made or there seems to be any reason to suspect abuse, the following steps should be taken:

• The child should be taken to a well respected and experienced therapist who specializes in child psychology. The situation should be explained in private to the therapist and the therapist can then speak with the child and try to come to a conclusion on what is best for the child.
• If the therapist believes that there is evidence of abuse, the therapist's report should be used to get a court order to immediately suspend contact with the accused individual.
• After the child is removed from the alleged dangerous situation, then the trial can proceed and the allegations can be further tested or disputed.

To find out more about child abuse allegations and child custody hearing, visit the website of the Denton divorce lawyers at Alexander & Associates today.

Author SIG

James Witherspoon

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