I currently have a sister who is dealing with the mother of her ex-husband (whom I will refer to as the grandmother). The grandmother is attempting to attain custody of my sisters children. In doing so, she has contact Child Services. She has also, apparently, told child services a lie concerning myself in an attempt to make her case stronger. The lie is a gross exaggeration of events that have involved me in the past. It is my understanding, that because of this, I will be brought much grief and I am being drug into something which I have no wish to be involved with. I am beyond anger and I wish to strike back at the grandmother in some way. Is it possible for me to press charges against her for her falsification of statements to Child Services or possibly Defamation? I think there may also be an issue with falsifying state documents. :mad:

It doesn't sound like you have any case to sue her but you do need to make it clear to CYS that the kids are your sisters and her responsibility so it is only for spite that the grandmother is pulling this stunt. Hopefully they will see the whole thing for what it is and withdraw her complaint as unfounded.

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Originally Posted by herwindion

I currently have a sister who is dealing with the mother of her ex-husband (whom i will refer to as the grandmother). The grandmother is attempting to attain custody of my sisters children. In doing so, she has contact Child Services. She has also, apparently, told child services a lie concerning myself in an attempt to make her case stronger. The lie is a gross exaggeration of events that have involved me in the past. It is my understanding, that because of this, I will be brought much grief and I am being drug into something which I have no wish to be involved with. I am beyond anger and I wish to strike back at the grandmother in some way. Is it possible for me to press charges against her for her falsification of statements to Child Services or possibly Defamation? I think there may also be an issue with falsifying state documents. :mad:

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The problem is one of perception - depends on what she has said and what the facts are and what she believes the facts are. Is she making things up or adding 2 and 2 and getting 5? Is she repeating what someone has told her?

For example - she says you were in drug rehab and you weren't, then you have a case. She says you use drugs and whether you do or not, well, maybe that's what she believes or that's her perception.

These cases are almost impossible to win - no one else wants to get involved and so finding witnesses is next to impossible. I've gone door to door to door concerning "neglectful" mothers and suddenly no one remembers anything about anyone.

My other legal advice to you would be - striking back usually has a bad effect on you. It almost never works out the way you hope it will.

But if you can prove what she has said and signed - so there is no argument that she was misunderstood - and the info has harmed you (if she says, for example, that you beat your children with a baseball bat and they are obviously unharmed and the Court dismisses her allegations - you are not harmed in any way), then consult with an Attorney.