Weaponizing the Courts: Addressing Litigation Abuse

Abusers often continue to exert control over victims in court proceedings. They cause unnecessary delays, purposefully increase legal fees, try to disparage and humiliate victims, and file petition after petition (or appeals) in order to harm their victims. Courts do not always--and sometimes cannot--stop these abusive litigation tactics, thereby allowing abusers to weaponize legal proceedings that were intended to protect victims. This workshop will discuss how abusers manipulate legal proceedings, why courts permit this to occur, how this continued form of abuse impacts victims (and their children), and about innovative changes in the legal landscape aimed at curbing these abusive litigation tactics.