González was at the center of a controversy involving parental custody and Cuban-American relations.

Rather, Mr. Little said, it is about parental custody.

In Japan, when a marriage with children legally dissolves, full parental custody and authority is awarded to only one parent.

The Fransons sought $1 million in damages from the group on the ground that it had interfered with their parental custody.

Also at issue in the appeal, Judge Parsons said, were "the best interests" of the child and the mother's "presumed natural parental custody."

"As a result, of the 6,900 children removed from parental custody last year, 18 percent had homelessness as a factor in the case."

Germain, escaped as usual from parental custody, popped up near my feet, pointing curiously at the Reverend Caldwell.

According to agencies here, nearly half of the children are not yet technically available for adoption, because parental custody has not been legally terminated.

Judges determining parental custody and visitation have, in more than a dozen states, ordered a parent not to smoke around a child.

Children born from child marriages are considered legitimate, and the courts are expected to give parental custody with the children's best interests in mind.