Child custody and guardianship is the terminology used to describe the legal relationship between a parent and his or her child, such as the parent's right to make decisions for the child and the duty of care of the parent for the child. Child custody cases can be one of the most contentious topics in family law disputes. The family is one of the most common and oldest human social institutions. It is believed to originate from the baby's need for care and the mother's ability to breastfeed. Family law evolved as a means of maintaining order in society. Family law is a general term that traditionally refers to marriage, divorce, domestic disputes and paternity. Although the First Amendment has been interpreted as significantly limiting the extent to which the state can interfere with parents in how they raise their children, unless the children's health and safety are jeopardized. (Family Law; Mikula and Mabunda) Most child custody disputes begin with divorce. Parents view divorce as a way out, hoping for relief from a loveless or abusive relationship. When these parents choose to divorce, they don't think about the other problems that divorce can cause not only for them, but also for their children. These effects have become a major issue of concern in recent years. When people think about divorce, they think about changes to their legal status and their last name; Along with this change come concerns about dividing assets, child support, and child custody. The divorce issue greatly raised the issue of child custody in the United States. In the 19th century, mothers traditionally obtained legal custody regardless of the situation. Two doctrines have emerged regarding child custody, the "best interest of the child"... halfway through the document... communication with each other for the period? Along with this comes custody issues, making child custody cases the most controversial topic in family law disputes. Works cited the great American "family law" court cases. Ed. Mark Mikula and L. Mpho Mabunda.Vol. 3: Equal protection and family law. Detroit: Gale, 1999. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Network. April 16, 2014Tong, Dean. “False allegations of child sexual abuse are common.” Child abuse. Ed.Lucinda Almon. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2006. Current Controversies. Opposing points of view in context. Network. 17 April 2014 “Divorce”. Current Issues: Macmillan Social Science Library. Detroit: Gale, 2010 Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Network. 21 April 2014 “Family law”. Gale Encyclopedia of American Law. Ed. Donna Batten. 3rd ed. vol. 4. Detroit: Gale 2010. 342-349. Opposing points of view in context. Web22 Apr. 2014