The Bridget Marks Custody Battle Case:
Featured by Dr. Phil

Commentary by
Dr. Reena Sommer

Dr. Phil McGraw featured an entire show on the consequences of custody battles. In that show, Dr. Phil devoted a segment to the Bridget Marks Custody Battle Case. He described how Bridget Marks who had twin daughters by a married man with whom she had an extramarital affair lost custody of the children to him. The pivitol issue which was responsible for Bridget Marks losing custody of the girls were allegations she made that the children had been sexually abused by their father. A court appointed psychologist who conducted an evaluation determined that the children had been coached to make these allegations against their father. Even though the father initially denied paternity, he was given sole custody of the girls and Bridget Marks was only allowed access via supervision.

Clearly, this was a drastic move by the court - taking children away from a parent with whom they were bonded and given to another parent whom they believed had hurt them. If the psychiastrist and the court were correct in believing that the children were coached, then there is a real rocky road ahead for the children as they must adjust to leaving with the parent whom they were convinced had abused them - even if that belief is false. In this instance, the court is of the opinion that it is equally abusive to instill a belief in children that they have been harmed in such a destructive by a parent. Moreover, the court through its decision, made the point that Bridget Marks is the abusive parent.

If, on the other hand, the psychiatrist and the court are wrong in their assessment of Bridget Marks in wrongfully coaching her children, then a great injustice has been done to the children and their mother - and more importantly, the children may be placed in peril.

The Bridget Marks custody battle case illustrates why there are no winners in these circumstances. Moreover,the greatest losers are the children regardless of the court decisions.

To read more about a followup on the Bridget Marks custody battle case, click here.

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