Small victory for Britney in child custody battle

Washington, Oct 12: Britney Spears has notched a small victory in her child custody battle with ex-husband Kevin Federline, by winning the modified visitation rules, that allow her two sons to spend the night with her once a week, as long as they are accompanied by a court-sanctioned monitor.

Spears made her first court appearance on Oct 11, pleading with a Los Angeles judge to be granted more time with her two sons.

Spears` attorney had filed an emergency motion on Oct 10 seeking to expand the singer`s visitation rights. Mark Vincent Kaplan, the lawyer for Kevin Federline, said he "voluntarily agreed" to allow the elongated visit but refused to offer any other specifics.

The ‘Toxic’ singer made an in-person appeal two hours after Los Angeles Court Commissioner Scott Gordon initially refused to change the custody arrangements. Spears spent an hour answering the judge`s questions, following which Gordon apparently had a change of heart, as reported.

Under Gordon`s current order, Spears is required to have a monitor with her at all times when she is in the presence of her sons. If the supervisor determines that any behaviour Spears exhibits endanger her children or be simply inappropriate, her visits may be cut short.

Both Spears and Federline must appear in court together at a further hearing on October 26, Los Angeles Superior Court spokesman Allan Parachini said. Gordon, who had earlier deemed Spears a "habitual, frequent and continuous user" of alcohol and controlled substances, temporarily stripped her of custody last week after she failed to abide by his terms, including submitting to random drug testing and showing proof of a California driver`s license.

Since then, Spears has passed both drug tests and her driver`s license exam and was counting on that to expand her visitation rights.

Should Britney Lose Custody?

The February 2006 photo of Britney Spears steering her SUV out of a Starbucks parking lot in Malibu, Calif., with her infant son, Sean Preston, slumped on her lap was the first sign for many of us that the young mom might not be ready for parenthood. By the time a Los Angeles judge temporarily stripped the pop singer of custody of Sean, now 2, and Jayden James, 1, on Monday, Spears had provided dozens more images that suggest she is unable to care for two young children. From her impromptu head-shaving to her trips to rehab to her recent listless shuffle around the MTV Video Music Awards stage, Spears, 26, seems incapable of taking care of herself. Today she and her ex-husband, Kevin Federline, will face a judge to determine the next step in this increasingly ugly custody battle.

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The judge, L.A. Superior Court Commissioner Scott Gordon, didn't make public his reasons for separating Spears from her sons Monday, but family law experts say such a dramatic move is rare. "A change of custody is very difficult," says Muriel Savikas, a divorce mediator and child psychologist in Manhattan Beach, Calif. "The courts don't normally do that without some real concerns about safety."

The judge had ordered Spears to submit to twice-weekly drug and alcohol testing, undergo co-counseling with Federline and receive parent coaching. Spears' lawyer, Sorrell Trope, told People magazine the judge revoked custody after Spears failed to take a random drug test and provide a valid California driver's license. "That might do it, but probably not," says Orange County divorce attorney Jeffrey Lalloway. "California policy is to have frequent and continuing contact with both parents." (Trope was unavailable for comment). The ruling came after Spears' former bodyguard told the court and the Today show that he had seen her doing drugs, and it also followed Spears being charged with a hit-and-run and driving without a valid license for allegedly crashing into a parked car in August.

Celebrities enjoy — and sometimes suffer — their own unique version of justice. The press and public intensely scrutinize their cases and the best attorneys money can buy litigate them. Judges, meanwhile, may see an opportunity to make an example of a celebrity in trouble, as L.A. Superior Court Judge Michael T. Sauer apparently did in ensuring that Paris Hilton serve an atypical 23-day jail sentence for driving with a suspended a license. So is Spears and Federline's judge looking to make a statement about neglectful parenting? Odds are he's just being exceedingly cautious, says Joanna Grossman, a law professor at Hofstra University.

The worst case scenario for this judge is that Federline says his children are being harmed while in Spears' custody, the judge ignores the allegations and something happens to the kids, Grossman says. "Then everyone's going look to the judge and say why didn't you do something? We all knew she was on this downward spiral. We saw the pictures, we saw her performance on the VMAs, we all knew she was a terrible mother."

Spears is certainly not the first celebrity to be captured in a sub-par performance as a parent. Alec Baldwin recently called his 11-year-old daughter a "thoughtless little pig" in a voice mail; David Hasselhoff's 17-year-old daughter videotaped him lounging drunk on the floor of his Las Vegas hotel room, rambling and trying to eat a hamburger; and Michael Jackson dangled his child out a window to show off to fans. Baldwin's custody case is still pending but the other two men have retained custody of their children.

Spears, ultimately, may do the same. The fact that the judge took away custody as of 12 noon today, and scheduled a hearing for 1:30pm the same day suggests he isn't trying to separate this family permanently. "This is just a wakeup call for Britney," says Grossman, "to send a message to her that this is real, that you could really lose your kids because of the way you're behaving." Whether the wake-up call will be effective isn't certain. Spears' first stop after turning over her sons two days early on Monday was to a Bel-Air tanning salon.

Britney Spears charged over car smash

NEW YORK: Pop diva Britney Spears was charged over a hit-and-run incident and for driving without a valid Californian licence, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Attorney's office has said.

The 25-year-old pop singer was caught on film dusting off a stationary vehicle on August six before she headed off. Following a complaint by the owner of the dented car, police decided to press the two charges against her, media reported on Saturday, quoting spokesperson Frank Mateljan as saying.

He said that Spears was notified of the charges by a letter and a hearing has been set for October ten. If she's convicted of the misdemeanour charges, the pop star could face up to a year in jail and a fine of $1,000.

The charges came days after a judge had ordered Spears to undergo random drug and alcohol tests twice a week in her child custody case with her former husband. He had also ordered both of them to undergo a parenting class.

It may be mentioned that the pop star had also been dropped by her management firm in the wake of her pathetic performance at a Las Vegas show recently.

"It saddens us to confirm media reports that we have terminated our professional relationship with Britney Spears. We have represented Britney for the past month. We believe Britney is enormously talented and has made a terrific record."

"But current circumstances have prevented us from doing our job. We wish Britney the best," her manager and owner of The Firm, Jeff Kwatinetz, was quoted as saying.

Britney on a lawyer switching spree

Spears’ divorce attorney Laura Wasser stepped down on Sep 17, on the grounds that the singer was a 'problem client,’ following which she hired attorney Melvin Goldsman on Sep 19


It seems that Britney Spears is a habitual lawyer switcher, for she is set to fire the new legal counsel again, after just a day on the job.

Spears’ divorce attorney Laura Wasser stepped down on Sep 17, on the grounds that the singer was a 'problem client,’ following which she hired attorney Melvin Goldsman on Sep 19.

But the ‘Toxic’ singer is considering firing Goldsman, according to high-profile lawyer Sorrell Trope, who claims that he has been chosen as Spears’ new lawyer in Spears’ complicated custody battle with ex-husband Kevin Federline.

Trope's office revealed that the firm was in the process of being retained by Spears.

"Yes, it's true Ms. Spears quit Melvin Goldsman's firm, but we haven't been officially retained yet. The paperwork has not been signed, and it has to have our firm's, Goldsman's and Ms. Spears' signatures. I anticipate it will be signed [Wednesday],” E! Online quoted Trope, as saying.

Meanwhile, in the latest court hearing, Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner Scott M. Gordon ordered Spears to undergo twice-weekly random drugs testing.

Gordon said that based on evidence presented, he considered Spears to be a "habitual, frequent and continuous" user of controlled substances.

Britney Faces Drug Testing & Parenting Evaluations

Spears must prove she’s a fit mother to keep her kids

Britney Spears gets to keep her kids, Sean Preston, 2, and Jayden James, 1, but she’s got to jump through some hoops to keep them.

Court documents released today from Monday’s hearing reveal a host of rules Spears and ex-husband Kevin Federline must follow.

Here are the facts in a nutshell:



All hearings will continue as closed hearings.


"Each party is ordered to serve and file an Income and Expense Declaration... within ten days of this date."


Attorneys for Spears and Federline have been "unsuccessful" in agreeing on a Child Custody Evaluator. Federline's attorney submitted a list of potential evaluators and now Spears' attorney has 24 hours to come up with three of her own, and the Court will now decide.


”The Court declines to modify the existing custodial timeshare.”


Neither party can take the kids out of the state, without prior written consent of the other parent or prior order of the Court.


If they do take the kids out of state, they have to provide a full itinerary of the trip complete with addresses, phone number and travel arrangements.


"Each party is restrained from making derogatory remarks about the other party and the other party's family or significant other, either directly or indirectly to the minor children, and from allowing anyone else to do so. This includes any person employed by the parties."


Both Spears and Federline are ordered to complete a "PARENTING WITHOUT CONFLICT" program and verify their completion of said course to the Court.


"Each party is restrained from using corporal punishment with the minor children and from allowing anyone else to do so."


Spears and Federline are both ordered "to engage in joint co-parenting counseling", which they'll split the cost of. If they can't agree on a therapist for this, the Court will assign them one.


"Neither party shall consume alcohol, or other non-prescription controlled substance" within 12 hrs of having custody of the kids.


Spears and Federline need to alert one another within 48 hours if they change the status of their employees who handle the kids; they have 24 hours to report any NEW hires.


Any employee on either side who has charge of the kids must hold a valid certification in Red Cross Infant and Child CPR and Basic First Aid.


Spears is ordered to meet with a parenting coach at least eight hours a week, who will observe her interacting with the kids and evaluate her skills.


The parenting coach will file a written progress report on Oct. 22 and appear in court Nov. 26.


Spears is ordered to undergo random drug and alcohol testing twice a week. "Based on the Evidence presented, the Court finds that there is a habitual, frequent and continuous use of controlled substances and alcohol by the Petitioner (Spears)."


The results of this testing will go directly to the Court and WILL NOT be released.


The next court date is Nov. 26 at 8:30 a.m.


"What the El" Editorial:

It is quite obvious from all of these stipulations by the court that the judge suspects she’s not a fit mother but there's not enough evidence to do something drastic like take the kids away.

This is a “give her enough rope to hang herself” situation.

She screws up even in the tiniest way, and those kids are going to live with K-Fed.

I’m glad she and Kevin have to take parenting classes!

I’m sad that she’s probably “on something” but maybe forcing her to undergo drug testing will clear her head enough to see that she’s completely screwing up her life and her career!

Britney 'just wants to be a mom'

Federline’s attorney Mark Vincent Kaplan, on the other hand, said that his client was faring well.

Pop diva Britney Spears’ lawyer has indicated that she is currently having a tough time dealing with frustration, which has sprung from her custody battle with former husband Kevin Federline.

Laura Wasser revealed this while she was talking to reporters outside the courtroom, after another hearing of her case on Friday.

"(She) just wants to be a mom," People magazine quoted Laura Wasser as saying.

"I believe this is a frustrating time for her," she added.

She, however, did not divulge details about what was discussed at the hearing.

When asked whether Britney’s frustration could be due to the negative reactions to her appearance last Sunday at the MTV Video Music Awards, Wasser said: "Yes. I think she just wants to be a mom, and both of her kids' birthdays are this week, and I think she would've liked to celebrate with them without having to worry about the entire nation - the entire world - being concerned about what's going on with her personally and her custody battle with Mr. Federline."

The attorney was resistant to accept the suggestion that Britney tried to offer Federline a settlement, which he was reluctant to accept.

"I don't believe that's true. They met and are trying to work it out so they don't have to have a judge make determinations for them regarding their kids. I don't know that he was resistant or she was resistant. They are both trying to work to come up with something together," she said.

Federline’s attorney Mark Vincent Kaplan, on the other hand, said that his client was faring well.

When Kaplan was asked whether Britney’s recent public appearance was hindering her case, he said, "I don't know what thing you are referring to, and I'm not going to talk about any strategy. I think how she is doing is something for her attorneys to address."

Britney & K-Fed come face to face

Britney had been hoping that the matter would not go to court.


Britney Spears and ex hubby Kevin Federline met for an unscheduled meeting to discuss their kids just five days before they are due to face each other in family court.

According to People magazine, the singer was the one to ask for the meeting at Century City offices of Spears's attorney Laura Wasser.

A source revealed that though Britney had been hoping that the matter would not go to court, her hopes were dashed by her former hubby.

"Britney asked for [the meeting]. She wants to put an end to this public debacle. However, Kevin [has] refused. He needs more money so he's determined to win this," People quoted the source, as saying.

A source close to Federline confirmed the meeting, but said that Federline going got additional child support.

"He's not going for additional child support in the court papers that were filed. It's not about the money," the source said.

Britney hires private investigators

Detectives from Javoric’s agency have been watching Federline’s every move as he parties in Las Vegas, and are especially keeping a close watch on who comes and goes from his suite.


As they get set to battle over the custody of their sons, Britney Spears is trying to get an upper hand on her Kevin Federline by reportedly hiring a top California private detective to monitor her ex hubby.

Britney is said to be reacting to Federline serving her friends and her aides with subpoenas to testify in the custody trial.

And she’s now turned to Lisa Javoric to dig up dirt on her ex husband.

Detectives from Javoric’s agency have been watching Federline’s every move as he parties in Las Vegas, and are especially keeping a close watch on who comes and goes from his suite, a source tells In Touch Weekly.

"The detective watched him intently as Kevin partied in public areas of the hotel. He made a note of everyone who went into his suite," Contactmusic quoted the source, as telling the publication.

Britney is said to be hoping that the information the PI gathers will be enough to ensure that she gets custody of the couples two young sons - Sean Preston and Jayden James.

Federline, in the meantime, has managed to serve Britney’s former manager Larry Rudolph with papers to testify in court.

Britney can't give up life in the fast lane