Question: I recently filed for and had a temporary matters hearing. I’ve spent 20 years of my life being abused by my wife, who also has abused our children. I had a doctor confirmation and my adult children testified to the abuse and said my youngest child would be safer with me. 

My bi-polar wife, who has been on medication for 10 years, even admitted on the stand that she dreams of killing herself. In spite of all of this, the judge gave temporary custody to my wife. Huh?!? 

So my youngest, who was with me every weekend for the past year, now only gets to see me every other weekend. What's wrong with the system and do I have any options?

Question: We are going through a divorce and both of our kids, ages 12 and 10, state they want to live with me. 

My wife had an affair while we were married, and now she’s telling the court I physically abused her, which is absolutely not true. She is just saying that to make me seem like an unfit person to have sole custody of my kids. I have two kids that say they want to live with me and a cheating wife who is now lying about abuse. 

Will the court automatically believe her lies about abuse? With these false allegations, what chance do I have to get complete custody of my kids?

Question: I was granted primary custody of my children after there was sexual abuse at their mother’s house. While my kids were visiting me, with their mother/my ex present, I spanked my daughter with a belt for choking her brother. 

At the time, my ex told me it was ok with her if I disciplined my daughter in that way. The next morning, my wife took my daughter, who had small welts on her bottom, to the police and now the DCFS is investigating me for child abuse. 

Assuming they rule it was child abuse, what is the next step? Am I going to lose my children and return them to a home where sexual abuse has occurred multiple times? What should I expect from this?

Question: 

I have a pending divorce. My wife has made threats via text, as well as verbally with witnesses present, in regards to keeping our kids from me. She has also assaulted me, which was witnessed, and I subsequently filed a police report. I have spent time in a mental healthcare facility for non-violent behaviors, and my wife has threatened to use this fact against me in court. Do I have a chance of custody given that I have spent time in such a facility even though the kids have an abusive and threatening mother?

DadsDivorce Live's Rick Ortiz discusses domestic violence against men with Jan Brown.

Brown is the founder and executive director of the Domestic Abuse Helpline for Men and Women that provides supportive services for victims of domestic violence, specializing in offering assistance to men in intimate relationships with abusive women.