ABSTRACT
Expert opinion is particularly needed in child custody cases where possible criminal assault is suspected within a family, as for example when allegations are made of child sexual abuse (Brooks and Milchman, 1991). In these instances, the mental health professional is asked to give a professional opinion on whether such criminal acts are likely to have occurred and what the impact of these acts should be in terms of future custody and visitation arrangements. Because these types of evaluations are a growing area of forensic practice, this chapter has been devoted to the special aspects of such evaluations.
