My parents separated when I was young, although the official divorce process took several years.
My father is an extremely successful man, but, underneath his shiny reputation, my father committed several inappropriate and harmful acts against our family. He even sent a letter to his divorce coach, claiming that if my mother was given custody time of my sister and I, there would be a child homicide case on their hands, insinuating that my mother would be the perpetrator.
However, even his own divorce coach saw through this, and realized that he was projecting his own thoughts, and they reported him to MCFD. The MCFD deemed that there was a high threat of harm.
Despite this clearly erratic behavior, his actions were dismissed by members of the legal system because of his impressive career.
My father was ultimately granted custody of us 3 days a week, while my mother was given 4. It is the closest you could have to 50/50 custody within an odd-numbered week.
Under our father’s care, my sister and I experienced frequent emotional and physical abuse and neglect.
I left my father’s house when I was twelve, and afterward, he brought upon a storm of accusations of alienation against my mother, he tried to force reunification a program, and tried to take my Mother to court three times in the span of one year. He had the money to bring one claim after another and string things out forever.
It was only once I was able to use my own child lawyer that he backed down. This service was not court-order, instead, I had to reach out to the firm myself and ask to be represented.
Many youths don’t know about this option.
It was a very freeing moment, and one of relief for me.