High Conflict Custody Attorney — New Orleans, Metairie & Jefferson Parish

What Makes a Custody Case High Conflict?

High conflict custody cases involve factors that make cooperative co-parenting impossible or unsafe. These include:

• Allegations of domestic abuse, child abuse, or neglect
• Parental alienation — one parent systematically undermining the child's relationship with the other
• Substance abuse or addiction affecting a parent's ability to safely care for the child
• Mental health concerns that affect parenting capacity
• Repeated violations of existing custody and visitation orders
• Relocation disputes — one parent seeking to move the child out of Louisiana
• International custody disputes or abduction concerns
• Competing allegations of unfitness between parents

Parental Alienation: Recognizing and Responding

Parental alienation occurs when one parent engages in a pattern of behavior designed to damage, interfere with, or destroy the child's relationship with the other parent. It can range from subtle disparagement to outright interference with visitation. Signs of parental alienation include:

• The child suddenly refuses all contact with the previously loved parent
• The child uses adult language or makes allegations that seem coached
• One parent consistently refuses to facilitate the other's court-ordered parenting time
• One parent shares adult details of the divorce with the child
• The child expresses extreme, black-and-white rejection of one parent without justification

Under Louisiana Civil Code art. 134, a parent's willingness to facilitate a close relationship between the child and the other parent is a statutory best-interest factor. Evidence of alienating behavior can support modification of custody, make-up time, and contempt proceedings.

Domestic Violence and Custody

Louisiana law imposes a rebuttable presumption against awarding custody to a parent who has a history of family violence. Under R.S. 9:364, if the court finds a history of family violence, sole or joint custody may not be awarded to the abusive parent unless the court finds it is in the best interest of the child and that the abusive parent has successfully completed a treatment program and is unlikely to commit further abuse.

We represent both survivors of domestic violence seeking protection for themselves and their children, and parents who have been falsely accused. We approach both situations with the gravity they demand.

Emergency Custody Orders

When a child is in immediate danger, Louisiana courts can issue an ex parte emergency custody order without prior notice to the other parent. These orders are extraordinary remedies that require specific, credible allegations of immediate harm. We help clients present compelling emergency petitions and navigate the contradictory hearing that must follow.

Emergency orders can be obtained in Orleans Parish Civil District Court, the 24th Judicial District Court in Jefferson Parish, and the 29th Judicial District Court serving St. Charles Parish including Destrehan, Luling, and Hahnville.

Relocation Custody Disputes

When one parent wants to move with the child — whether across the state or across the country — the result is often contentious litigation. Louisiana R.S. 9:355.1 et seq. governs parental relocation and requires notice to the other parent and court approval when the move significantly impacts the existing custody arrangement. Courts weigh the reason for the move, the impact on the child, and the feasibility of maintaining a relationship with the non-moving parent.

We represent both parents seeking to relocate and parents opposing relocation. These cases often involve competing expert testimony, detailed schedules, and complex analysis of what serves the child's best interests given the new circumstances.

Custody Modifications After a High-Conflict Decree

High conflict custody cases rarely end at the initial decree. Circumstances change, violations occur, and children's needs evolve. We help clients seek and defend modifications based on material changes in circumstances — including a parent's relocation, substance abuse relapse, re-marriage, or evidence of ongoing alienation. Each modification requires showing both a material change in circumstances and that the proposed change serves the child's best interests.

Speak With an Experienced High Conflict Custody Litigator

Areas We Serve

Frequently Asked Questions

Authoritative Resources

• Louisiana Civil Code Art. 134 – Best Interest of the Child (Louisiana Legislature) ↗
• Louisiana R.S. 9:341 – Custody & Domestic Abuse (Louisiana Legislature) ↗
• Louisiana R.S. 9:355.1 et seq. – Parental Relocation (Louisiana Legislature) ↗
• Louisiana R.S. 9:364 – History of Family Violence (Louisiana Legislature) ↗
• LawHelp Louisiana – Domestic Abuse & Custody ↗