Child custody cases can be very expensive and generally involve situations where the parents are in conflict over who is better able to raise the child. An ex-spouse with sufficient money may even use a custody battle as a way to extract emotional and financial revenge. However, this is rare and most parents decide custody issues without taking a case to trial. Some courts may require parents to go through mediation to resolve their differences. Child custody cases that involve multiple jurisdictions can be especially complicated. Generally, the location in which the child has resided for the last 6 months is considered the home state. This condition can sometimes be waived if a child or parent has been abused and emergency custody needs to be granted after a recent move. However, fleeing the state with a child can be viewed as kidnapping. It is vital for any parent who is being threatened with domestic violence to seek immediate legal assistance in dealing with issues of child custody.