Thursday, June 16, 2011

Orange County Judge Admits Domestic Violence Laws Misused


In a recent Judicial Council publication, an Orange County judge inadvertently acknowledged that domestic violence laws are misued.

Bureau of State Audits Elaine M. Howle State Auditor California, J. Sharon Reilly C.E.A., Doug D. Cordiner Chief Deputy State Auditor, Donna L. Neville Staff Counsel, Steven B. Russo Staff Counsel, Scott Baxter Staff Counsel, Denise L. Vose C.E.A., John F. Collins C.E.A., Joanne Quarles Principal Auditor, Debbie Meador C.E.A., Michael S. Tilden Principal Auditor, John R. Baier Principal Auditor, Karen L. McKenna Principal Auditor, Michelle J. Baur Principal Auditor, Raymond G. Parks Principal Auditor, S. Ramirez-Ridgeway Staff Counsel, James Sandberglarsen Principal Auditor California Bureau of State Audits
New Report from the Judicial Council of California
Domestic violence laws serve an important function, but here at the Family Court Accountability Coalition we are contacted regularly by self-represented family court litigants who have provided us with court records and other conclusive evidence that they have been falsely accused of domestic violence - almost always in cases where the opposing party is represented by an attorney.

FCAC has documented that to gain a tactical advantage in a divorce, many attorneys encourage their clients to make false spousal abuse accusations. An accusation of domestic violence can result in the reduction or elimination of temporary and post-judgment support obligations, one-sided child custody and visitation orders, and an inequitable division of community property.