Britney and KFed -- Case Closed!

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

The war will soon officially be over in the Britney custody case today.

Within the next hour Brit's lawyer will settle -- filing papers that will officially end the custody battle. She will get more visitation, and down the line Brit may ultimately end up with 50/50 custody.

Story developing ...

Source: TMZ

Britney to Pay K-Fed $20,000 in Child Support

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

Britney Spears's custody settlement with her ex Kevin Federline came at a price.

A source close to the singer confirms she'll now pay Federline $20,000 a month in child support, an increase from $15,000.

Federline's lawyer, Mark Vincent Kaplan, also demanded and received $250,000 for his work on the case, the source adds.

"All Britney was seeking was a formalization of her increased visitation that she's obtained over recent weeks, and the additional overnight," the source said. "She won both of those requests."

Spears, who is represented by lawyer Laura Wasser, currently sees her sons twice a week with one overnight. The source adds that she will get an additional overnight by year's end, barring any setbacks.

At a press conference following Friday's hearing, Kaplan declined to address any monetary settlement. "This has been a long ordeal [for Kevin]," Kaplan said, "and for it to be over makes him very happy."

Source: People

Spears, K-Fed Custody Almost a Done Deal

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

Kevin Federline may be on his way to receiving sole custody, but he's not the sole winner in his battle with Britney Spears.

Attorneys for both sides met with Superior Court Commissioner Scott Gordon this morning in a bid to get final approval for a deal that would allow K-Fed to retain primary physical custody of sons Sean Preston, 2, and Jayden James, 1. Spears, meanwhile, will get a boost to her current visitation rights—with the possibility of much more to come.

The deal would also preempt a trial in the case.

"She gets increased visitation and additional overnights, and once the conservatorship ends, she will ask the court to change it back to a shared 50/50 legal and physical custody," a source close to Spears told E! News.

Laura Wasser, attorney for the 26-year-old "Gimme More" singer, told reporters outside the courtroom that Spears is more than happy with the terms of the deal.

"Britney is really pleased," she said. "She has the kids today."

Pleased or not, while the deal is as good as done, it's not yet on the record books, despite this morning's hearing.

"I believe we will come to an agreement and the agreement will be converted into a legal document sometime in the future," Kaplan said. "I will not comment on the terms of the agreement. It will not be filed today.

"Right now it is a private agreement. It has not been turned into an order."

"Nothing has been filed," court spokesman Alan Parachini confirmed. "A resolution is imminent. What that is, don't know, because we haven't seen it yet.

"Neither Britney nor Kevin came to court today. But [the attorneys] did indicate they are working on a settlement."

Meanwhile, when the conservatorship of Spears' estate ends, a source says the singer plans to ask the commissioner to restore shared custody—terms similar to what the couple had prior to her January meltdown.

News of a settlement in the long-gestating, headline-grabbing case broke last night, when Federline attorney Mark Vincent Kaplan told E! News "all the issues that would have been addressed at trial have been settled."

Source: E! Online

Britney & Lynne Spears Do Some Bonding

Britney and Mama Lynne Spears have been spending quite a bit of time together since Lynne’s arrival in SoCal last week (she arrived in LA a few weeks after the birth of Jamie Lynn’s first child last month). Lynne, lookin’ really supertanned and rockin’ some new highlights, has been by Britney’s side since her arrival last Wednesday and was present when Britters enjoyed an overnight visit with her sons Sean Preston and Jayden James this weekend. Here are a few pics of Britney and Lynne enjoying some bonding time this weekend while shopping:
It was a family affair Saturday as Lynne Spears hung out with Britney and her sons Preston and Jayden for an overnight visit at the star’s Studio City home. In town since Wednesday, Lynne and Britney have been enjoying some mother-daughter bonding, shopping at the True Religion warehouse and Pottery Barn on Friday before enjoying a “girls dinner” of salad, sushi rolls, and fish at Bond St. restaurant with two of Britney’s pals. “Britney walked in with a big smile and introduced her mom to the staff,” says an observer. “She looked gorgeous, and I have never seen her in a better mood. She was laughing the whole time she was here. Britney seemed to have the best time hanging out with her mom and friends.”

I guess it was Papa Jamie Spears’s weekend off (it must be tiring being Britney’s full-time conservator) because he spent the weekend at his new Santa Monica home. It looks like Lynne is really feeling good about herself … a new tan, a new haircut with highlights (mebbe she and Jamie Lynn went to a salon for their buy one, get one free highlighting event?) — a new lease on life! I wonder if some of that $1 million bucks from OK! magazine is being used for more than diapers and baby formula. In any event, it’s great seeing mother and daughter enjoying one another’s company.

Source: Pink Is The New Blog

Britney Moving for Kids, "Quiet"

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

What Britney Spears really needs is a little peace and quiet. At least, according to a court commissioner.

In court papers filed by Spears' conservatorship earlier this month, approved by Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner Reva Goetz on June 17 and obtained by E! News today, Goetz gives the go-ahead for the singer to sell her Summit home to the highest bidder—because the place is a hindrance to Spears' parenting skills.

In requesting the house swap, Spears & Co. argued that the mother of two was in need of a "lower density, more quiet and less trafficked neighborhood, that is also more accessible to parks and recreation areas."

The conservatorship also argued that they could find "a more suitable" replacement residence with a "larger backyard that would be more appropriate" for Spears and the Feder-tots. (View the court documents.)

Moving house for Brit is especially important now that Spears is back in the good graces of the court and, as a result, has her sons Sean Preston and Jayden James back in her life for more frequent—and as of this weekend, overnight—visits.

Case in point: Fresh off their Saturday night stay at Casa Spears, the boys were back with Britney this morning, less than a day later, getting dropped off at her Summit residence at roughly 8:30 a.m.

A source tells E! News that, as per the newly hammered-out visitation schedule between her and Kevin Federline, the boys are expected to remain with Spears for roughly eight hours.

Source: E! Online

Singer Britney Spears Has Overnight Visit With Her Boys

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

Britney Spears spent Saturday night with her boys at her Los Angeles home.

It was the singer's first overnight visit with Sean Preston, 2 1/2, and Jayden James, 1 1/2, since she was hospitalized at L.A.'s Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in January.

The boys were dropped off Saturday and picked up around 10 a.m. Sunday, according to a source.

"Britney was very upset after the kids left," the source tells Usmagazine.com. "She now does not know when she will get them next for an overnight. She complains it could be next week, or it could be three months."

At a hearing last Tuesday, Spears, 26, was granted overnight privileges.

Asked if she were pleased with the judge's ruling, she smiled and told Us, "yes."

Meanwhile, Spears and ex Kevin Federline — who was spotted partying in Miami over the weekend — are gearing up for a custody trial, set to begin August 25.

Federline's attorney Mark Vincent Kaplan told E! that a mediation session last Thursday didn't result in a custody agreement.

Federline is seeking sole physical and legal custody of sons Preston, 2 1/2, and Jayden, 1 1/2 and wants Spears to continue her current visitation terms.

Said Kaplan, "If the existing arrangement was acceptable to both parties ... we wouldn't have to go to trial. But that didn't happen."

Source: US Weekly

K-Fed Attorney: Mediation With Brit "Positive" Step

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

Kevin Federline wants Britney Spears to once again play a major role in their children's lives. Just not a bigger role than his.

K-Fed's attorney, Mark Vincent Kaplan, spoke exclusively to E! News in the wake of Thursday's all-day mediation session, in which both sides were seeking to hash out a custody agreement in advance of an August trial.

"Kevin is seeking to maintain the sole legal and physical custody that he presently has," Kaplan said. "There's nothing magical about 50-50. There's nothing magical about 60-40. What's magical is that whatever order is in place, it's the order that best suits the best interest of the children."

Which, ideally, would give the 30-year-old Federline full custody, simply making permanent the present temporary order.

"Kevin has had sole legal custody since January. He wants that to become the permanent order at trial, and the visitation to be consistent with what the court expanded it to this week."

Namely, allowing Spears, 26, overnight visitation with sons Sean Preston and Jayden James, which will begin Saturday night. In addition to the sleepover, she is also allowed two day visits per week.

For his part, Kaplan said Federline is more than happy to give the stabilized Spears not only more custody rights but the ability to be "involved in their lives in a very substantial and meaningful way," and credits the conservatorship with her recent turnaround.

"He wants to have an order...that takes into account a certain stability and structure for the kids...regardless of whose house they happen to be in at any given moment.

"When the conservatorship was imposed, it brought a certain sense of structure and stability to an environment that seemed to be continually in flux. And in flux is not a description of what you want for a child's environment."

But while Thursday's mediation didn't result in any brokered accords—it would have been surprising if it had—it did get both parties started on the right path to like-mindedness.

"The mediation didn't result in an agreement that would avoid the trial set in August...The mood was comfortable, positive and it was a mood that was consistent with opening at least a great dialogue, which is necessary."

As for what would call off this summer's planned court date...

"The trial in August is going to determine two primary issues," Kaplan said. "Custody and visitation, and attorneys' fees...In order to avoid the trial in all respects, there would have to be an agreement between the parties to resolve the attorneys' fees, and to put in place a custody arrangement that would carry forward...an expansion of the visitation.

"If the existing arrangement was acceptable to both parties, we would have an agreement and we wouldn't have to go to trial...But that didn't happen."

Source: E! Online

K-Fed's Lawyer: Meeting Was a "Positive" Step

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

Britney Spears and Kevin Federline's top-secret meeting on Thursday was a "positive" step towards a custody agreement, Kevin's lawyer Mark Vincent Kaplan tells E!."

The mediation didn't result in an agreement that would avoid the trial set in August," he says. "The mood was comfortable, positive and it was a mood that was consistent with opening at least a great dialogue, which is necessary."

Although the meeting went well, Mark is quick to point out that neither party budged when it came to the custody status, as OK! has reported. Kevin still intends to maintain legal and physical custody of Sean Preston, 2, and Jayden James, 1, with Britney have visitation, which now includes overnights.

"Kevin has had sole legal custody since January," Kapan tells E! "He wants that to become the permanent order at trial, and the visitation to be consistent with what the court expanded it to this week."

He continues, "There's nothing magical about 50-50. There's nothing magical about 60-40. What's magical is that whatever order is in place, it's the order that best suits the best interest of the children."

The August trial date will iron out the two outstanding issues: custody and visitation and attorneys' fees. Because Thursday's meeting reached a stalemate, Mark expects the trial to take place.

"If the existing arrangement was acceptable to both parties, we would have an agreement, and we wouldn't have to go to trial... but that didn't happen."

Source: OK Magazine

First Overnight visit LAST NIGHT!

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

Here’s some good news to start your morning - our cameramen report that Britney Spears had her first court-allowed overnight visit with her sons Sean Preston and Jayden James last night!

Our photographers spotted Kevin Federline’s bodyguard dropping the boys off at 6 PM last night. We believe that Kevin’s on his way for a celebrity golf tournament today.

Sean and Jayden weren’t Britney’s only visitors yesterday, though - her manager Larry Rudolph stopped by around 1 PM. In fact, our guys never saw Brit leave her house all day!

This is great news - we may have been thrilled by Britney’s good day on Monday, but this is even better!

Source: X17

Britney Goes Topless!

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

No, not like that! We caught a calm and chipper Brit out and about yesterday, first shopping at Fred Segal, and then cruising around in her white Mercedes with the top down.

Yesterday Britney was granted one overnight visit per week with her little boys, a source revealed to X17online. A court-appointed monitor will be required to stay overnight when the children are with the pop star, and Federline’s bodyguard can also spend the night.

Additionally, K-Fed and Brit are supposed to meet in a neutral location today to sort out more custody details...stay tuned for the latest scoop!

Do you think K-Fed and Britney might get back together?

See them all here!

Source: X17

Britney Granted Overnights With Her Boys

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

Britney Spears has made a subtle change for the better—and, it follows, so too have her custody rights.

This morning's court session, attended by both Spears and Kevin Federline, resulted in "a change of visitation status" for the new aunt, Los Angeles Superior Court spokesman Allan Parachini told reporters at a brief posthearing press conference. "Both sides have been very cooperative the past couple of weeks."

While Parachini wasn't spilling the beans, sources told E! News that Court Commissioner Scott Gordon did in fact modify the custody agreement and grant Spears overnight-visitation rights with sons Sean Preston and Jayden James.

Sources say the inaugural mother-son sleepover could take place as soon as this Saturday night.

The modification has been a long time coming for the singer, whose attorneys have been hammering out a new custody agreement with K-Fed's legal team for the past several weeks.

The terms were finally agreed upon and approved by the court this morning.

"She's doing so much better and things are heading in the right direction," a source told E! News.

Federline, for his part, retains primary custody of the boys.

The outcome seemed to sit well with both parties.

When leaving the courtroom, Spears, 26, told reporters she was happy with today's decision, and Federline, 30, made his way through the media scrum with a smile on his face.

Parachini also verified that the singer's on-off attorney Laura Wasser was in fact back on Team Spears, and that the entertainer's parenting coach made comments.

A status conference on the terms of the duo's visitation is scheduled to take place July 15. A trial date for the ongoing custody battle is still scheduled for August.

Source: E! Online

Britney Can Tuck the Kids in at Night!

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

TMZ has learned the Commish has awarded Britney overnight visitation with her boo boos. Break out the Star Wars pjs!

Sources tell us Brit Brit, who has been slowly gaining visitation back inch by inch, has made such progress the Commish agreed in court today she's ready to have sons Jayden James and Sean Preston with her overnight.

We hear Britney's parenting coach Lisa Hacker was at the hearing today, and answered several questions from the Commish. Britney, who was all business in the courtroom, smiled as she left the courthouse.

They'll be back in court again July 15th.

Source: TMZ

Dink Driving

It's been a hot minute since we've seen Britney Spears around these here parts ... I was just thinking yesterday that it has been ages since Brit Brit got any blog lurve. Now that she's no longer riding the crazy train to wrecksville, she's been mainly staying focused on her work (I believe she is still in talks to collaborate with Bally's Total Fitness), her music (she has been actively working on her next album) and her family ... which brings us to these new photos of Britters enjoying a lovely afternoon with her sons Sean Preston and Jayden James (as well as her father and conservator Jamie Spears) playing with their toy cars at her Beverly Hills, CA home:

Truth be told, I really do not miss any of Britney's former crazy antics. Sure, we may have had more to talk about last year when she was publically spiraling down her abyss to destruction but I prefer not having much to talk about if it means that she's staying home and taking care of getting her life in order. Photos like these are way more preferable to the trashy embarrassing pics that were coming out daily last year. Seeing photos of her playing with her sons win every time.

Source: Pink Is The New Blog

Britney Drives With Her Kids!

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

But not in a real car - a toy Cadillac!

Our girl Brit spent some time playing with her two adorable boys, Sean Preston and Jayden James, today - in fact she's still playing with them right now!

And look, even Britney got in the car herself... this is just too precious for words!

So nice to see the three of 'em together!

See more pics here!

Source: X17

Britney & Kevin On Amicable Terms

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

As the weather begins to heat up, Britney Spears’ relationship with Kevin Federline has become distinctly less frosty, and in recent weeks, K-Fed, 30, has even warmed to his ex.

“Kevin drove up to drop off the kids on May 29. Usually, he has the bodyguards do that, but clearly Britney and Kevin’s relationship has improved to the point where he has no problem handing them off to her himself,” a family friend tells OK!. “It’s all about the boys these days.”

In that spirit, Britney has even been spending quality time with her sons, Sean Preston, 2, and Jayden James, 21 months, hosting a pool party and barbecue in the backyard of her Studio City, Calif., home on May 31.

And while Britney, 26, is still working hard to get better, Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner Reva Goetz agreed with Brit’s lawyer on May 29 that the star cannot capably participate in her own legal proceedings.

Instead, Britney has been squarely focusing her energies on being the best mom she can be to her boys — and her newly civil relationship with Kevin doesn’t hurt. “Successful co-parenting has to start with at least a camaraderie between parents,” Kevin’s lawyer, Mark Vincent Kaplan, tells OK!.

Source: OK Magazine

Back In Action

Britney Spears didn't waste anytime getting back into the swing of the Hollywood nightlife upon her return from her quick Cosa Rican vacay last week. Here are pics of Brit Brit on the town with her billionaire BFF George Maloof after they dined together at Il Sole:
Britney Spears wasted no time in getting back into the swing of things after she returned from her Costa Rican vacation on Monday evening. The pop star, 26, first got down to some important business: Spending time with her sons, Jayden, 1, and Preston, 2, who came to Spears's Studio City home for a visit early Tuesday. That evening, Spears joined pal George Maloof, who owns the Palms Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, for dessert at the West Hollywood Italian eatery Il Sole. Though the singer tried for a low-key entrance through the back of the restaurant, she was caught in the glare of paparazzi flashes.

Hanging with billionaires is much preferable to the days she'd spend in the company of those losers Adnan Ghalib and Sam Lutfi. Isn't it great that we don't ever have to think about those lowlifes anymore? I wonder what they're up to these days and who they're leeching off of now. Actually, I don't really care, to tell the truth. It is my sincere hope that I never have to utter the names of these two ever again.

Source: Pink Is The New Blog

Britney Spears Back on the Scene After Vacation

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

Britney Spears wasted no time in getting back into the swing of things after she returned from her Costa Rican vacation on Monday evening.

The pop star, 26, first got down to some important business: Spending time with her sons, Jayden, 1, and Preston, 2, who came to Spears's Studio City home for a visit early Tuesday.

That evening, Spears joined pal George Maloof, who owns the Palms Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, for dessert at the West Hollywood Italian eatery Il Sole. Though the singer tried for a low-key entrance through the back of the restaurant, she was caught in the glare of paparazzi flashes.

Still, a smiling Spears, dressed a long strapless sundress, appeared to be in a good mood while sharing dessert, listening to her friend and chatting.

Source: People

Britney's Best Mom's Day Ever!

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

Mother's Day couldn't have come at a better time this year for Britney Spears. As she continues to recover from a tumultous year, the one thing she has come to rely on is the precious time spent with her sons, Sean Preston, 2, and one-year-old Jayden James.

The singer,26, spent a relatively low-key and happy Mother's Day on May 11 with her own mom, Lynn Spears, and her two boys at her home in Studio City, Calif. Also on hand was Brit's dad, Jamie Spears, himself a trained chef who prepared a lavish brunch for the group.

A neighbor who saw Britney that day tells OK!, "She was smiling like I haven't seen in ages."

The source of Brit's smile was undoubtedly her two boys. Britney shared almost the entire day with them, as they played, napped and ate on their regular schedule. By mid-afternoon, it was time for their favorite activity: touring the neighborhood in their little wagons.

"Britney was laughing with the boys, and clapping her hands when they pushed the cart and waddled their little toddler walks," the neighbor says. "It was cute and charming and very loving."

And check this out: A source tells OK! exclusively that Britney's ex-husband Kevin Federline sent her a magnificent arrangement from the popluar L.A. florist Empty Vase, and included a card signed by him and the boys.

"Their relationship is improving for the sake of their sons," explains Kevin's attorney Mark Vincent Kaplan.

Later that evening after the boys were picked up by Kevin's bodyguard, Britney dined with her mom at the restaurant Sur in West Hollywood.

"She looked more at ease and comfortable with herself than I've seen in a very long time," a source said.

Source: OK Magazine

Attorney: Kevin Federline Has "Camaraderie" With Britney Spears

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

Britney Spears and Kevin Federline may be back and forth in court, but their relationship is getting better.

"I think if you're going to have two parents participate in the lives of raising their children, there has to be some camaraderie between them," Federline's lawyer, Mark Vincent Kaplan, said on Today Monday.

"Whether or not it means something more than that, I wouldn't know," added Kaplan. "I'm usually brought in when there's irreconcilable differences!"

On May 6, Spears' visitation rights with her sons Sean Preston and Jayden James were expanded to three days per week, plus a Mother's Day visit. She is still under the co-conservatorship of her father, Jamie Spears.

"We are so pleased with Britney's progress, and we are very appreciative of the court's recognition of this progress," parents Jamie and Lynne said in a court statement that day.

Kaplan said the "significant change" in visitation "reflects improvement" in Spears' mental health.

"Kevin's intent is to have an order, an arrangement that allows both parents to participate in their lives," Kaplan said.

"[It] was important to Kevin that the kids be able to be with their mother on Mother's Day and [with him] on Father's Day," Kaplan said. "[their visit] went well."

Spears will appear on another episode of How I Met Your Mother tonight.

Source: US Weekly

Happy Mama's Day, Britney!

Britney Spears spent part of her Mother's Day weekend with her mama Lynne Spears as well as with her young sons Sean Preston and Jayden James. To get the weekend festivities started, Brit Brit took her mother out for dinner at SUR restaurant on Saturday night and then spent Mother's Day Sunday with her children at her Beverly Hills home.

It's really great seeing Britney back in the company of her mother these days ... I believe things were falling apart with Mama Lynne around this time last year so it's nice that they can enjoy Mother's Day together again this year. I am VERY happy to see that things are going well with Britney and her children ... and now, according to Kevin Federline's attorney Mark Vincent Kaplan, the way is paved for even more interaction with her children now that things are going so smoothly between Brit and K-Fed as well:

There may be a thaw in the formerly contentious relationship between Britney Spears and Kevin Federline, suggests K-Fed's attorney, Mark Vincent Kaplan. Spears, who last week was awarded more visitation time with her sons by Federline (Preston, 2, and Jayden, 1), was the topic of discussion for Kaplan, on Monday's Today show. Kaplan said that the judge's decision at last week's ruling reflected an "improvement" in Spears's condition. She spent full days, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., on both May 8th and Mother's Day with her sons. Asked about the current status of the relationship between the couple – including the rumor they would again star together on a TV show – Kaplan sidestepped any direct answers, instead saying that any potential reconciliation between Spears and Federline would be for the sake of their sons. "If you're going to have two parents participate in the lives of raising their children," said Kaplan, "there has to be some camaraderie between them for that to be a meaningful expectation and reality." But are things better between the ex-husband and wife? "When you go from where things were, when there was no visitation, to where they are now," said Kaplan, "there will be some contact … there'd be some ability to exchange a camaraderie that is necessary and a function of co-parenting together."

I totally agree ... and now that both Britney and Kevin are acting more like adults rather than reckless children themselves, I think there is a way for both parents to interact with one another in a manner that will be beneficial to their children. It sounds like Britney enjoyed a great Mother's Day this year ... hopefully the best is yet to come. Woot!

Source: Pink Is The New Blog