CHARLESTON, W. Va. (WSAZ) -- Custody battles are difficult on any family, but it's usually the children who are hurt the most. Add on to that stress the fact that sometimes fights are based on a lie. Now in West Virginia, there's a law that will help protect those who are wrongly accused of neglect or abuse.

Parents lobbied at the West Virginia capitol this year for the new law. They held up pictures of children they say they can't see any more because of lies.

"I was falsley accused. The courts err on the side of caution and the children were temporarily in grandparents custody," Teresa Lowe told WSAZ. "Twenty months later I get to see only one of my children 2 hours every other week at a monitored visit as if i'm a criminal."

Tim Fittro heads up the group "Men Against Discrimination" says now there are finally some laws on their side.

"This has been a monumental effort. A grassroots effort of volunteers across the state that recognize an ongoing problem that's not been addressed in a meaningful way; that when a person make a false accusation there's virtually no consequences," Tim Fittro said.

Now with West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin's signature, those falsely accused can fight back.

"It has a specific criminal penalty but additionally it has the civil penalty. So if the prosecutor at their discretion does not move forward on the criminal side, there's still civil remedies to help discourage these types of accusations," Fittro said.

The hope is that people might be less inclined to throw out false accusations, without thinking of the consequences.

Penalties include up to a $1000 fine, 60 hours of community service and a mandatory parenting education class.