Family Court Proceedings: Presenting and Defending Claims of Gaslighting, Coercive Control, Legal Abuse

This CLE webinar will assist family law attorneys with identifying, presenting, and challenging claims involving gaslighting, coercive control, and litigation abuse in custody and family court proceedings. Ms. Reiter will examine how coercive control surfaces as skewed narratives, personal isolation, financial pressure, abusive repeated filings, false reports, credibility attacks, and the use of the legal process as a method of control.

Claims of gaslighting or coercive control must be supported through persuasive evidence of specific conduct within legally relevant categories. Labels alone are insufficient. Counsel should recognize how courts evaluate conduct to determine intentionality, pattern, and how discrete incidents may compose a campaign of abuse when viewed by the totality of the circumstances. The program will address evidence such as texts, emails, social media, financial records, medical and therapy records, witness testimony, expert testimony, and litigation history.

Ms. Reiter will also discuss possible defense strategies where coercive control has been alleged, including how to challenge claims for vagueness, present alternative explanations, test expert methodology, and differentiate mutual heightened-conflict conduct from a pattern of abuse.

Listen as our expert reveals how family law attorneys can identify, present, and challenge claims involving gaslighting, coercive control, and litigation abuse in custody and family court proceedings.