Parental Alienation Syndrome (PAS) as a Challenge to Russian Family Law

The subject of the article is “parental alienation” in the context of legal regulation. The relevant legislative experience of Brazil is examined. An analysis of Russian judicial practice shows serious shortcomings in the use of psychological examination in disputes between parents. Influence on a child for the purpose of alienation from one of the parents by the other is mental violence, which should entail the application of measures of responsibility and protection of the child provided for by family law, and be taken into account when determining the child’s place of residence and the procedure for communication with the separated parent. The legislatively established means for solving the problem of parental alienation are quite sufficient, but it is necessary to significantly adjust the law enforcement in disputes about children, through appropriate clarifications of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation.