Legal Question in Family Law in California

Is emotional abuse and spousal abandonment really illegal and how do I file a charge. I have called PD in His town and mine to no avail. I am desperate


Asked on 9/21/14, 9:41 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys

Oddly enough, "illegal" is a term that does not have any real legal meaning. All it really means, sort of, is that something has a negative legal consequence IF it is made the subject of legal proceedings. Something being "illegal" doesn't mean it is a crime, which is all the police are authorized to deal with. It is "illegal" to breach a contract, but it is not a crime and there is nothing the PD can do about someone breaching a contract. If something is "illegal" but not a crime, it is up to the person who is wronged by the illegal conduct to file civil legal proceedings based on the wrongful conduct. Emotional abuse and spousal abandonment are not crimes. So if you are the victim of emotional abuse and/or spousal abandonment, you have to file your own legal proceedings to deal with it. It is not the police departments' business.

Read more
Answered on 9/21/14, 11:57 pm


Related Questions & Answers

More Family Law, Divorce, Child Custody and Adoption questions and answers in California