Renowned Specialist Karen Woodall Praised for Dedication in Long-Running Custody Battle
In a recent ruling, Mr Justice Keehan commended Karen Woodall, a well-known specialist in working with complex divorce and separation cases, for her professionalism and dedication in a long-running custody battle. This case has seen a separated mother and father engaged in a protracted fight over the care of their two children.
Over the past four years, Ms Woodall has been working closely with the family, navigating the complexities of the dispute. Despite facing criticism from various individuals on social media, Mr Justice Keehan emphasized that most of the comments were unfair and simply wrong.
Expressing his admiration for Ms Woodall’s expertise, Mr Justice Keehan stated, I have always found Ms Woodall to be a very experienced, independent, dedicated and effective expert witness. Her reports and evidence, not only in this case but in many others I have presided over, have been balanced, fair, and insightful. I have never had reason to doubt or question her approach or evidence.
While Mr Justice Keehan did not elaborate on the nature of the criticism Ms Woodall faced, he did discuss the case’s details. The children involved are teenagers, and their identities have been protected from public disclosure. Throughout the litigation, evidence was presented by three experts, including child psychiatrist Dr. Julet Butler, Dr. Janine Braier, and Karen Woodall herself.
Dr. Braier and Ms. Woodall aimed to resolve the conflict between the parents and concluded that the children’s mother had influenced them against their father. Based on previous stages of the case, the judge had ruled that the children should be in the father’s care.
During the latest stage, Mr. Justice Keehan made significant findings regarding the mother’s behavior since the children began living with their father. It was revealed that the mother had orchestrated a campaign of tracking the children and forcing them to make false allegations against their father. As a result, Mr. Justice Keehan determined that the mother should have no future role in their lives.
Ms. Woodall expressed her concerns about the mother’s capability to cooperate with the court’s orders or engage in co-parenting. In her view, any contact between the children and their mother until they reach the age of 18 would put them at risk of harm.
This ruling highlights the importance of professionals like Karen Woodall in supporting families going through complex divorce and separation cases. Despite facing unwarranted criticisms, her dedication, professionalism, and expertise have been recognized by the court.
