This week on “Legal Abuse Chronicles” we look at some of the common tactics used in Legal Abuse. Legal Abuse is not just the calculated misuse of the law, rather it is the legal system itself being used as a weapon to intimidate, exhaust, and financially cripple victims in ways that often go unnoticed or inadequately addressed by the courts. These are some of the most common tactics employed by abusers who engage in Legal Abuse.
Threatening Litigation
Abusers use legal threats, often via lawyers, to intimidate victims with potential lawsuits or defamation claims. These threats can force victims into compliance, especially those without the resources to endure a prolonged legal battle, as the fear of costly and exhausting lawsuits often deters them from taking action.
A hypothetical example of this could be a landlord threatening to sue a tenant for property damage they didn’t cause, intending to intimidate them into moving out without returning their security deposit.
Frivolous Filings
Beyond mere threats, abusers may file multiple baseless lawsuits to overwhelm victims. These frivolous cases are designed not for justice but to drain the victim’s time, money, and energy. Repeated filings create prolonged legal battles that are financially and emotionally exhausting, often forcing victims to concede to unreasonable demands just to end the harassment; theoretical example- one parent could repeatedly file baseless motions to modify child support payments, not because of any legitimate reason but to harass the other parent and force them to spend money on legal fees.
Delaying Tactics
A common tactic in legal abuse is prolonging proceedings through unnecessary motions or appeals, trapping victims in endless legal battles. Abusers request continuances, withhold documentation, or ignore court orders to exhaust the victim’s resources and patience. These delays create stress and anxiety, keeping victims in a state of limbo.
A hypothetical example could be a business facing a defamation lawsuit from an environmental activist filing excessive motions and appeals, deliberately stalling the case to drain the activist’s resources and deter further activism.
Manipulating Discovery
Abusers often manipulate the discovery process by demanding excessive or irrelevant documents, creating extra work and expense for the victim. This tactic serves as harassment and can help the abuser gain sensitive information to intimidate or control the victim outside of court.
For example, in a custody battle, one parent might request extensive and irrelevant documentation from the other such as years’ worth of personal text messages or financial information.
False Allegations and Perjury
Abusers frequently use false allegations and perjury to manipulate legal outcomes. By filing false reports or making fraudulent claims, they divert attention from their actions and force the victim to defend themselves against baseless accusations, causing distress and incurring high legal costs.
A theoretical example could be that an employer falsely testified under oath that an employee violated company policies to justify an unjust termination and avoid paying severance.
These tactics show how the legal system, meant to ensure justice and fairness, can be exploited to perpetuate control, intimidation, and harm. Recognizing these patterns is the first step in protecting yourself or others from becoming a target, as well as advocating for reforms that prevent the legal system from being weaponized. Victims of legal abuse need support, resources, and protection to navigate these manipulative tactics and seek justice.
By Pookar Chand, Writer and Editor of the Legal Abuse Chronicles and Content Coordinator for After Awareness.
After Awareness, Inc. is a non-profit organization created to build awareness of what legal abuse means and how it adversely impacts the survivor, their family, and the community. After becoming aware of being entrapped in legal abuse, we provide individuals with the education and resources they need to help take back legal, financial, and emotional control of their lives.