Child custody disputes present problems from a variety of perspectives. Although most disputes are 11 out of court, high divorce rates and conflicts between unmarried parents make custody contests one of the most frequent sources of 12 in the United States. Thus, custody disputes are expensive from the perspective of public interest. The current standard of 13 custody according to children's "best interests" is a vague principle which, from the perspective of judges, makes custody disputes almost impossible to decide. Fears about losing your children, legal expenses, public embarrassment, and the 14 of a court battle are some of the many problems with custody disputes from the perspective of parents. Finally, from the perspective of children, a custody dispute 15 perhaps the worst thing about divorce: Getting caught, or put, in the middle of a war between your parents.