CRYING WOLF: THE USE OF FALSE ACCUSATIONS OF ABUSE TO INFLUENCE CHILD CUSTODIANSHIP AND A PROPOSAL TO PROTECT THE INNOCENT ROBERT W. KERNS JR.* I. II. III.
INTRODUCTION ............................................... 604 STATISTICAL DATA ON THE FREQUENCY OF FALSE ACCUSATIONS ENTERED IN CUSTODY PROCEEDINGS.................... 606 THE CONSEQUENCES OF CRYING WOLF .......... ............ 609
A. B. IV.
THE STATE OF THE LAW IN COMBATTING FALSE ALLEGATIONS OF ABUSE IN CHILD CUSTODY DISPUTES ......................
A.
B. C
V.
614 Indirect Safeguardsfor the Accused........... ...... 614 1. Broadeningthe Duty of Care .................... 614 2. InvestigatoryProtections ...................... 617 Direct Sanctions Against False Accusations of Child Abuse.. 619 Evaluatingthe Effectiveness of Existing Law ...... ...... 622 1. EvaluatingEffectiveness with Regards to Indirect Safeguards............................ 622 2. EvaluatingEffectiveness with Regards to Existing DirectLaws ........................... ..... 623 a. The Barrier of Intent ....................... 623 b. Capping the Deterrent Effect............ ..... 627
WHAT IS NECESSARY TO COMBAT FALSE ACCUSATIONS OF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . CHILD ABUSE IN CUSTODY DISPUTES? 628
A.
B. VI.
The Fractioningof the Childfrom the Accused Parent..........609 FurtherImplicationsfor the Innocent Parent...... ....... 612
Strengthening the DeterrentEffect ........... 1. Upping the Threat to Fit the Perpetration..... 2. Imposing a Lessened Burden ofPersuasion.... Redressing the Harm ..................................
CONCLUSION
....... 629 ...... 629 ...... 632 633
.............................................
635
* Assistant University Librarian and Assistant Director of the George R. Farmer West Virginia College of Law Library; Doctor of Jurisprudence, West Virginia University College of Law, 2011; Master of Library and Information Science, University of Tennessee, 2011; Master of Science in Psychology, Nova Southeastern University, 2004; Master of Business Administration, Frostburg State University, 1997; Bachelor of Arts in Economics, University of Louisville, 1995. 1 would like to thank Whitney Kerns, Esq., for her support on this paper and throughout my career. I would also like to thank the editors of the South Texas College of Law's Law Review who worked diligently to edit this Article.
603