Child custody is a difficult and sensitive issue. During litigation, people are subjected to multiple interviews, background checks and other privacy-invading issues. Child custody evaluations are necessary when parents are divorcing. All this is done in order to obtain custody of one or more children. Children do not have to be the biological children of their parents in order to fight for custody of the child. Multiple factors are taken into consideration in the evaluations. Throughout the entire process, the most important aspect of the outcome of the assessments is that the best interests of the child is always the primary factor. Child custody evaluations attempt to investigate and find the best situation for the child between the parties conflicting over custody. Child custody evaluations cover multiple issues such as custody, support, support, evaluation, visitation, relocation, and termination of parental rights. There are many forms of custody that can result from a child custody evaluation. The first is physical custody, defined as “how much time a child spends with each parent, whether the parents share physical custody” (Costanzo & Krauss, 2012). Another form of custody is legal custody, which gives the parent the authority to decide on certain influential factors in the child's life (Costanzo & Krauss, 2012). Joint legal custody is also an option. Another form of custody is sole custody, defined as “one parent has legal and physical custody while the other has generally agreed upon certain rights to visit the child at regular intervals” (Costanzo & Krauss, 2012). “The majority of custody decisions – approximately 90% – are made without resorting to litigation” (Costanzo & Krauss, 2012). “Estimates of actual custody arrangements in…half of the document…that the court can decide on in order to place the child in the best possible position. Psychologists conduct multiple tests and trials on parents and children in order to obtain as much information as possible to make the best possible recommendation to the courts regarding the child. Laws have evolved over time to best fit current social standards. The child custody evaluation remains with one main goal throughout the entire process, which is to determine the best interests of the child and place him or her in the best situation available. Works Cited Costanzo, Mark and Daniel Krauss. Forensic and legal psychology: psychological sciences applied to law. New York, NY: Worth Publishers, 2012. Print."Guidelines for Child Custody Evaluations in Family Law Proceedings." American psychologist. 65 ed. 2010. APA.org. Network. November 17. 2013.