Evaluators in Child-Custody Cases Scrutinized

Psychologists and other mental health professionals are increasingly playing a role in child custody disputes.

Using a battery of psychological tests and expert judgment, psychologists make recommendations about which parent should have custody.

On The Home Front: Soldier Custody Battle

When he returned from Iraq, Jon Johnson thought his fighting days were over. He was wrong. The medic with the Iowa National Guard's 133rd Infantry Battalion had to fight the court system for custody of his two kids.

Before he left for war, Johnson had primary physical custody of six-year-old Sammy and three-year-old Cody. He and his ex-wife decided she should have temporary custody of them while he was away.

Target 32 Investigates: Child Protective Services

The Chief Supreme Court Justice of Kentucky is surveying judges across the state to see if he should suggest opening up child protection courts.

Kentucky is one of 21 states that still close child protection proceedings. But there is a growing movement to open them after the Inspector General of Kentucky documented widespread abuses within the child protection system.

After three years of controversy, problems linger. A Target 32 investigation found that social workers are troubled by what they call suspicious conduct by their colleagues already under fire in the Inspector General?s report.

Linda Roberts, a single mother who had her four children taken away after her ex-husband sexually assaulted one of them, turned over a tape of her child custody proceeding.

Britney Spears' Lawyers Fear She's 'in denial' in Child Custody Battle

Britney Spears' lawyers are pleading with her to seek help from a psychiatrist over worries that she is "in denial" in the custody fight for her kids.

The attorneys fear that the troubled pop star is not realizing the fact that she could lose Sean Preston, two, and Jayden James, one, in her battle with ex Kevin Federline, who has temporary custody presently.

Testimony Concludes in Slain Dentist Child Custody Hearing

In gripping testimony Thursday afternoon, Gavril Malakov, brother of murdered dentist Daniel Malakov, told the judge that his family was threatened by the elderly mother of Daniel's ex-wife, Mazoltuv Borakhova.

"She was telling me, 'You will pay for this! You will all pay for this!'" Malakov told the court. "She screamed out to my dad, 'Your kids will die. You will bury your kids!'"

The outburst allegedly occurred during the chaotic custody transfer that took place six days before Daniel Malakov was gunned down at a playground in Forest Hills. At the time, Mazoltuv Borakhova was forced to turn her child over to the Malkovs under a court order that gave him custody of daughter Michelle.

Mom Represents Self in Custody Case

If there's one thing Sylvie van Hoek has learned the past seven months, it's that real life's trials aren't exactly like "Law & Order."

"It's not like TV. You don't get to object to everything," van Hoek said. The 45-year-old suburban single mother, part-time grad student and catechism teacher is representing herself in a bitter legal battle with her ex-husband, who does have a lawyer. At stake is custody of their 9-year-old son.

Spears Giggles, Curses at Hearing in Child Custody Battle

Britney Spears arrived in court giggling on Friday but was later heard swearing during a break in a closed hearing that ended with no decision on her bid for shared custody of her two young sons with Kevin Federline. The court was expected to issue a written ruling by Tuesday after extensive testimony was presented on a number of issues, lawyer Mark Vincent Kaplan said.

Spears did not comment after the hearing. Earlier, she uttered an epithet when a reporter asked how the proceedings were going.