Why Can People Lie on oath in Family Court?
As a McKenzie Friend I get the opportunity to see many different family court cases. I see some where the parents can work together, but I also see many cases where an abuser continues their abuse in court by lying under oath. That is something that grates me, I hate it, it should never happen. As a McKenzie Friend I feel I’m qualified enough to talk about this issue.
The Father “Yes your honour I guarantee that I’m staying in **** so that my daughter can continue at the same school and live near her friends.” The Mother “You say that but what about the 7 text messages I have where you’ve said you’re going to sell the house as soon as the market picks up, or the one about the fact you hate **** and there’s nothing to keep you here, or the message that says you will move as soon as you can? I have the messages here your honour, it’s a continuous pattern to show he’s lying on oath.” The Judge “**************” Those stars are not wiping out a comment that could get someone in trouble, No those stars are to signify that yet again a judge in the UK completely ignored the perjury and won’t do anything about it. In fact that wasn’t the only thing, what about saying he hadn’t spent any Christmases with the child but the mother had dated photos of him in his PJ’s coming into the living room on Christmas Day. I could go on with more from this one case, but this is just a prime example of how you can blatantly lie in a family court and get away with it.
As soon as I mentioned this article on Twitter I was flooded with stories of this happening all over the world in courts. Croatia, USA, Canada, Italy, UK and more, but I only have personal experience in the UK so that is where I base this article. I want to make one thing absolutely clear I am not a man fighting for men’s rights and I am not a man fighting for women's rights, I am well aware there are organisations who are blaming each other, with odd opinions, I tell you straight, it IS NOT all women who are lying in court, plus it IS NOT all men who are lying in court. It is very simple really, IT IS ALL ABUSERS WHO LIE, we need to keep our children safe from abusive parents. There is no room in this world for anyone who thinks it is okay to abuse someone.
Back to the perjury, I know that several judges will see this article if it spreads as fast as my other works, so I would love them to answer these very simple questions; If someone who allegedly abused their partner comes into court and lies under oath, why is it dismissed as not important? If there is evidence of perjury, why do judges not want to see it? Why do they have a different stance to the likes of criminal court, if someone commits perjury in criminal court they are subject to prison sentences or fines. The Perjury Act 1911 says that perjury can be punished if it was made under oath, or you are making statements to deliberately mislead the court, in which case the other side can bring forward an accusation of perjury. Why is it different in family law? Come on Judges, please give us some straight answers your honours!
After announcing this article was coming I had many responses via private message or email. This is an epidemic in family court, not just in the UK either, it’s going on everywhere.
So for now it seems you can go to court and lie, why let the abusers have all the lies? In my heart and head I say don’t lie, because it is just not right, also you know that sods law says that if you do lie, you’ll be the first person in family law punished for it.
So as I conclude this article, I have challenged the judges, I have provided true examples, I have challenged both sides of this sexism argument, both mums and dads arguing that they’re right. The only thing that is right is to protect our children from abusers. The courts need to start doing their part too.
