Tabloids press for access to Federline, Spears custody battle

By Stone Martindale Aug 15, 2007, 4:44 GMT

good luck Jeff REUTERS SCHWEIZ/Siggi Bucher

A court commissioner on Tuesday agreed to hear arguments that legal filings in the bitter custody battle between Britney Spears and her ex-husband Kevin Federline should be open to the media, reports Reuters.

Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner Scott Gordon set a September 14 hearing date for lawyers from celebrity magazine People and local television station KNBC to argue that the Federline-Spears court records should be made public.

The lawyers for Spears and Federline are against public disclosure and on July 30, when the couple's divorce was finalized, they won a conditional order to keep the records sealed, reports Reuters.

Spears and Federline are battling over custody of their sons and potentially some financial matters related to support.

Instead of laying low and working on a comeback, Spears has been a rudderless and problematic fixture caught in the glare of the paparazzi crosshairs.

She recently signed with a top manager, but the damaged done to her image and career may only be intesified by her age, lack of discernible style and loss of looks due to atrocious junk food diet, sun damage, lackluster grooming, smoking, drinking and other unsavory habits. 

Federline, often the scorn of critics and fans alike, has laid low and kept out of the spotlight, quietly noting the bad behavior of Britney, and has carefully crafted a powerful legal argument that is pulling in witnesses that surround Britney that can attest to the circus the children are exposed to.

Tuesday, Federline's lawyer Mark V. Kaplan confirmed his client was seeking greater custody than the current 50:50 agreement.

Kaplan told reporters Federline wanted the two boys "isolated from risks," and denied recent published reports that Federline was seeking more money from the former teen singing sensation.

"This has nothing to do with money," Kaplan said, reported Reuters.

A separate hearing on modifying the child custody arrangement was set for September 17.