Signs Your Spouse Is Coaching Your Child During a Custody Case

 Posted on October 07, 2024 in Child Custody

"Coaching" is a term used in family law to describe a parent telling a child what to say to the court or to a guardian ad litem, generally to gain an unfair advantage in an ongoing child custody battle. Although most divorce attorneys will caution clients against it, coaching happens nonetheless. It is often fairly obvious to professionals like guardians ad litem who are trained to work with children. Courts do not look favorably on coaching, as it suggests that the parent is putting his or her own interests above the child’s actual needs and preferences. If you suspect that your co-parent is instructing your child on what to say, you should inform your Houston, TX child custody attorney immediately.

How to Tell if Your Child is Being Coached 

Coaching during a custody dispute is most commonly done by a parent, but grandparents or a parent’s new partner may also be guilty of trying to influence what a child says. Some signs that your child is being coached are:

• Your child is lying - Very young children sometimes muddle the truth due to a lack of understanding, but telling outright lies should be cause for suspicion. The more believable the lie sounds, the more suspicious it is. If your child tells lies that are fantastic, there is a good chance your child is the source of the tall tales. If the lies are very realistic, it is more likely that an adult came up with them. 
• Your child uses adult language - If your child is using advanced vocabulary or describes things he or she would not understand using proper terminology, it could be that an adult has taught him or her to say those things. For example, a child who is describing seeing a parent use drugs would likely say, "Mommy gave herself a shot like at the doctor’s," while a coached child might say, "Mommy was injecting herself with a white powder." 
• Your child is receiving high-value gifts - Parents and others might resort to bribery to get children to say what the adults want them to. If your child is receiving a lot of gifts that are of high value to the child or typically used as rewards for the child, they could be bribes. 

Rest assured that judges and guardians ad litem usually figure it out quite quickly when a child has been coached. It is often apparent even to untrained adults when a child is merely parroting something he or she has been taught to say.

Contact a Harris County, TX Child Custody Lawyer

The Cusic Law Firm, P.C. is committed to providing high-quality representation to people going through a child custody battle. Our experienced Houston, TX child custody attorneys have more than 20 years of combined legal experience. Contact us at 713-650-1866 for a complimentary consultation.