Episode Details

If your ex seems to be using the court itself as a weapon, endless filings, motions that go nowhere, a case that never ends, you're not imagining it, and it has a name. Family lawyer Brittany Blainey joins Lisa to talk about legal abuse: what it is, how to recognize it, and what can actually be done about it.

Brittany practices with a trauma-informed approach, starting with realistic expectations and clear communication. She and Lisa get into how a high-conflict ex weaponizes the system, what vexatious litigation means and how courts respond, and why translating "legalese" into plain language is one of the most protective things a lawyer can do. Naming the tactic is the first step to not being run over by it. General education; Brittany practices in Ontario, so specifics vary by jurisdiction.

✅ WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
✅ What legal abuse is, and how to recognize it in your own case
✅ How a high-conflict ex weaponizes the court system
✅ What "vexatious litigation" means, and what courts can do about it
✅ Why a trauma-informed lawyer changes the whole experience
✅ How to set realistic expectations with your attorney
✅ How to translate "legalese" so you can make real decisions
✅ How to keep endless filings from breaking you financially and emotionally
✅ What to look for in a lawyer who actually understands high conflict

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS (+1:00 for the bumper)
0:00 Intro
1:00 What legal abuse actually is
10:03 Trauma-informed lawyering and setting expectations
16:40 Navigating the divorce itself
24:50 Vexatious litigation and translating "legalese"
35:26 Where to find Brittany and Elm Law

CTA (spoken): Worn down by a case that never ends? Book a free discovery call at beentheregotout.com.
Books: Been There Got Out — https://www.amazon.com/Been-There-Got-Relationships-Circumstances/dp/194627495X/ · When Your Ex Turns the Kids Against You — https://www.amazon.com/Been-There-Got-Out-Against/dp/1967674183
Tags: legal abuse, vexatious litigation, brittany blainey, weaponizing the court, family court, trauma informed lawyer, high conflict divorce, elm law