On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Child Custody on Wednesday, May 21, 2014.
Child custody battles are often the most contentious issue in divorce and separation proceedings. Whether those battles are waged by Missouri residents or by celebrities in the limelight, the parties may use all the resources at their disposal to get the desired result. The former girlfriend of Mel Gibson used the timing of filing domestic abuse allegations to fight for her custodial rights.
In 2011 Gibson was charged with misdemeanor spousal battery for a June 2010 altercation between him and his girlfriend who shares a child with Gibson. The girlfriend did not report the incident at the time but decided to do so several months later when the child custody battle over the couple’s infant daughter escalated.
Gibson pleaded no contest to the charges and was ordered to serve three years of probation. He was also ordered to serve two days of community service and participate in domestic violence counseling. The actor completed the latter two parts of his sentence within one year.
After completing the terms of his three-year probation, the misdemeanor charge against Gibson has been vacated. But his case is an example of the type of conflict that can arise between parents involved in a family law dispute.
Even the most amicable divorce can turn into a contentious battle when issues involving the children cannot be agreed upon. Child custody, child support and visitation can all be part of the arguments.
Whether your case is filed quietly in Missouri or in a paparazzi-filled courthouse elsewhere, it is important to remember that the standards regarding the best interests of the child may be best argued with the assistance of an attorney who is familiar with family law issues.
Source: Quincy Herald-Whig, “Mel Gibson’s domestic violence conviction vacated,” May 16, 2014
