No Visitation Change for Britney

The following italicized article is taken from www.ok-magazine.com:

Despite a desire on both sides of the Britney Spears and Kevin Federline custody battle to see the pop star reunited with her two boys, no agreement was reached in court on Tuesday and Britney's visitation privileges remain as before, meaning that the pop star can only speak to her children over the phone.

Speaking to OK! after today's proceedings, Kevin's attorney Mark Vincent Kaplan said that his client "wants to see the day when the boys have their mom back in their life... it's just a question of working out the details."

Of course, this news was just the capper on what was a big day in court for the lawyers in the Spears/Federline case.

As OK! was the first to report, Britney Spears has found new legal representation in the form of celeb divorce specialist Stacy Phillips. This comes in the wake of her lawyers at Trope & Trope filing their second request to be removed from the child custody case.

Phillips, who has handled the former spouses of everyone from Axl Rose to Tori Spelling, was accepted by the court and will officially replace Trope & Trope at the end of today's proceedings. (CLICK HERE for a more detailed background on this dragon lady of divorce).

For today, Phillips will work alongside Trope attorney Anne Kiley as she argues several issues, including visitation privileges and a request for a gag order

.First up today was the issue of the gag order. In a statement to the judge, Kiley claimed that "First Amendment rights aren't absolute... We are not trying to control the paparazzi. We are trying to control what we can control." Kiley then pointed a legal finger at Kaplan, saying, "We have heard nothing from the respondent in his papers or arguments as to why it is that attorneys need to make statements to the media."

For his part, Kaplan argued that since the court has sealed most of the documents related to the case and since the courtroom is often closed to the public, there is no need for the gag order. And it appears that Commissioner Gordon agreed, ruling against the request and stating that "the public has a right to know what the court is doing and to see that it's fair." He added, "all the attorneys in this case have proceeded with nothing but dignity."

Source: OK Magazine

Court Rejects Gag Order in Britney Case

The following italicized article is taken from www.people.com:

A Los Angeles family court commissioner on Tuesday rejected a request by Britney Spears's attorneys for a news blackout, saying it wasn't the court's job to protect the pop star from paparazzi.

Attorneys and Spears's father Jamie, the temporary co-executor of her estate, then attended a closed-door session – the first scheduled custody hearing since the pop star's most recent hospitalization.

Anne Kiley, a lawyer for Spears, asked for the gag order, saying the huge crowds of media that have swarmed the pop star during recent courthouse arrivals could be avoided if reporters were not told when proceedings were scheduled.

During one recent hearing, Spears got only as far as the curb, said she was scared of the crushing crowd of media, and left.

"The attorneys' First Amendment right to discuss this case in the media really isn't what's important in this case," Kiley argued to Commissioner Scott Gordon, adding that the intense media focus on her client has been "dangerous to [Spears] emotionally and physically. It's a dangerous situation."

Federline's Attorney Opposes the Gag Order

Mark Vincent Kaplan, attorney for Kevin Federline, opposed the motion, contending a gag order would not stop the paparazzi from hounding Spears. He added that Kiley's arguments "don't pass Constitutional muster."

After listening to a half-hour of arguments, Gordon said it was not up to him to protect Spears from paparazzi, and that he had never seen a gag order that would do what Kiley suggested.

"The concern really is the conduct of the photographers," Gordon said. "That's a law enforcement issue and an issue for the kind gentlemen and ladies of the press to deal with appropriately."

He added, "The concern you have is a real one. [But] it should be dealt with without infringing on the First Amendment."

Custody Hearing Held in Private

The attorneys then met in closed-session for the custody hearing.

Kiley appeared on behalf of Spears even though the lawyer's firm, Trope and Trope, wants to drop her as a client.

Neither Spears nor Federline was in court. They were not required to be there.

Insiders expected no major change from the current custody arrangement, which bars Spears from visiting her sons Preston, 2, and Jayden, 1. (She is, however, allowed telephone contact.) Still, it's possible the 26-year-old singer – who hasn't seen the boys since her Jan. 3 standoff with police – could be awarded some temporary physical access.

Source: People

Gag Me with a Lawyer

The following italicized article is taken from www.tmz.com:

Brit's soon-to-be-gone lawyer Anne Kiley just asked Commish Scott Gordon to gag the lawyers and others connected with the custody battle from speaking to the media about the case.

K-Daddy's lawyer, Mark Vincent Kaplan, objected to the gag request, stating that it was a violation of free speech. Kaplan said Kiley has accused him of leaking like a sieve. Kaplan also cited a conversation he had with Kiley that ended up on TMZ while the conversation was still taking place -- i.e., he's not leaking if he's still talking.

In the end, the Commish denied the gag motion. The hearing is now behind closed doors.

Stay tuned ...

Source: TMZ

Britney Spears Denied Visitation Rights Again; Issue Tabled Until Later This Month

The following italicized article is from www.mtv.com:

Britney Spears' attorneys tried to win the singer back some visitation rights with her two young sons in a custody hearing Monday morning (February 4), but were unsuccessful — since the visits are intended to take place in a calm setting, not a psychiatric ward, where Spears is at the moment, after being rushed to UCLA Medical Center on Thursday morning.

Spears' attorney Anne Kiley was joined by a court-appointed lawyer from Spears' conservatorship (Andrew Wallat) and two attorneys recently hired by her father Jamie Spears (senior counsel Jeryll S. Cohen and associate Viviane Lee Thoreen of the Los Angeles firm Luce Forward). Reporters were ejected from the courtroom during the closed half-hour hearing, but there was no discussion regarding the new attorneys taking over the case from Trope and Trope, Kiley's firm, according to Allan Parachini, the court's information director.

Because recent events such as the singer's hospitalization require further discussions, Parachini said, the motion for visitation in a therapeutic setting was tabled until the next custody hearing, scheduled to take place on February 19. For Britney to regain any visitation or custody rights to her children, Sean Preston and Jayden James, she needs to remain in treatment, mental-health law expert Carolyn Reinach Wolf told MTV News.

Wolf, a senior partner at New York law firm Abrams, Fensterman, Fensterman, Eisman, Greenberg, Formato & Einiger LLP, said that Spears needs to be stabilized, otherwise she runs the risk of losing her children indefinitely. "From all accounts, Britney is a danger to herself and others," Wolf said. "These next weeks are critical for Britney. If she does not respond positively to the treatment, her access to her children will be in serious jeopardy."

A hearing is scheduled for Monday afternoon regarding the singer's conservatorship, and whether her father Jamie Spears, along with Wallat, will continue to have decision-making powers in her affairs.

Source: MTV

Brit's Custody Hearing Will Go On Without Her

The following italicized article is from www.x17online.com:

Both Brit's attorney, Anne Kiley, and K-Fed's attorney, Mark Vincent Kaplan, showed up at court for their scheduled custody hearing this morning.

We're told the court is waiting on the arrival of Brit's dad, Jamie Spears, who as conservator, may be acting in her stead.

Stay tuned...

Source: x17 online

Britney's Lawyers Fill Courthouse For Two Separate Hearings; Lutfi Rebuts LAPD Reports

The following italicized article is from www.accesshollywood.com:

Britney Spears is still being treated at the UCLA Medical Center, but her custody and estate problems continue to play out in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom today.

Access Hollywood has learned that Anne Kiley is at the courthouse representing Britney Spears in her ongoing custody case with ex-husband Kevin Federline.

In her separate estate case, Andrew Waller is also at the courthouse representing Britney. Jamie Spears, who was named the conservator over his daughter's estate, has Vivian Thoreen and Jeryll S. Cohen at the courthouse representing his conservatorship status.

In other Britney news, it has been reported that Sam Lutfi was questioned by the LAPD in connection to reported missing items from Britney's house.

Sam Lutfi tells Access exclusively that he, in fact, was never questioned by the LAPD.

Source: Access Hollywood

Full House In Court For Brit

The following italicized article is from www.tmz.com:

The Britney Spears custody battle royale is about to get underway, with a twist.

Brit's lawyer, Anne Kiley, and K-Fed's attorney, Mark Vincent Kaplan, have arrived. But wait, there's more. The lawyer for the conservatorship has arrived as well. The conservator is none too happy with Kiley's firm.

Stay tuned ...

Source: TMZ

Britney Officially On Psychiatric Hold

The following italicized article is from www.tmz.com:

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ a L.A. County Superior Court judge has just signed a "5150," meaning Britney Spears is on a three-day psychiatric hold at the UCLA Medical Center.

We're told there is a "good possibility" that it will be extended to 14 days. We've also learned there have been several parallel attempts to get Britney on a 5150. Her lawyers, Anne Kiley and Tara Scott, secured a new psychiatrist late last week -- he's the one who triggered the 5150 last night.

At the same time, we're told Britney's mother, father and brother have been "working closely with the LAPD for weeks" to get her back in for psychiatric care. There is now a dogfight between Britney's family and Sam Lutfi over who will make medical decisions, however, that fight is now put on hold because the judge now makes the call.

Once the psychiatric hold ends, something has to give.

Stay tuned.

Source: TMZ

Brit Back To Court In Six Days

The following italicized article is taken from www.pagesix.com:

Sources close to Britney Spears' attorney Anne Kiley have confirmed that the embattled pop star is going back to court on February 4 to seek therapeutic visitation of her boys.

The February date had already been scheduled as Trope & Trope were going to withdraw as counsel, but they said last week they were going to stick by Brit. The motion must still be heard in open court so it can be redacted.

Brit will allegedly show to formally request the visitation with sons Sean Preston and Jayden James, where a court-appointed therapist will observe the family in action.

Though they aren't common in California, a family law specialist tells PageSix.com what Britney is in for should her request be granted. "The therapist would coach Britney, and tell her what is and isn't appropriate, and give her cues on how to handle the boys if they get fussy. The visit could take place at Brit's house, or a neutral location," the source said.

Commissioner Gordon will likely invite both sides to recommend a mutually agreed upon therapist, appointing one himself if talks are unsuccessful.

"Commissioner Gordon has to be stringent with limitations regarding the boys because of their ages, vulnerability and inability to report anything bad," the specialist tells us.

The visits were requested by Brit's attorney at last week's emergency custody hearing, but the pop mom is still limited to just phone calls with Sean and Jayden, 2 and 1 respectively.

This will be the third time that Britney has requested a hearing after losing temporary custody of her boys on January 3rd.

Source: Page Six

Britney Spears's Lawyers Won't Quit Case

The following italicized article is taken from www.people.com:

Britney Spears's legal team, headed by Sorrell Trope, will continue litigating her custody battle – despite having filed a request to be excused from the case on Jan. 2.

Asked if they were indeed staying on, one of her attorneys, Anne Kiley, replied, "Yes, we are," but gave no further details.

The law firm of Trope & Trope previously stated in a request: "There has been a breakdown in communications between [Spears] and Trope & Trope making further representation of her interests impossible." A hearing on the matter was set for Feb. 4.

However, court spokeswoman Meredith Pierce confirmed Wednesday that the firm's request had been withdrawn.

Earlier in the day, Spears's lawyers sought visitation rights for the singer, but were not successful. The pop star arrived at the courthouse for the morning hearing, but left shortly thereafter without entering the courtroom.

Last week, Spears lost visitation of sons Preston, 2, and Jayden, 1, indefinitely following a four-hour custody standoff and her brief hospitalization.

Source: People