The request was lodged last Friday, the same day Britney and her aspiring rapper ex K-Fed appeared in court for a closed-door hearing in the custody case.

The singer has also asked the court to reinstate her overnight visits with her two sons, Sean Preston, two, and Jayden James, one.

A ruling in the matter is expected later this week.

Britney’s new album, Blackout, is out this week, while her comeback track Gimme More is currently at No 6 in the UK singles chart.

Her 2007 music revival got off to a bad start when her performance at the MTV VMAs earlier this year was slated.

Britney waits for custody decision - Oct 29 2007
A bid by Britney Spears for custody of her two young sons has been put on hold by a US court commissioner after a three-hour closed hearing, a lawyer for her ex-husband Kevin Federline said.

Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner Scott Gordon was expected to issue a written ruling by next Tuesday after hearing extensive testimony on a number of issues in the case, lawyer Mark Vincent Kaplan said.

Attorney Sorrell Trope, who represents Spears, said "something has changed, but I can’t say what".

He said Spears was pleased, but he declined further comment.

Each parent will have a day with the boys this weekend, Kaplan said during a news conference after the hearing.

Gordon had previously said there was evidence that pop singer Spears is a "habitual, frequent and continuous" user of drugs and alcohol, withdrew approval for her to even visit the children after finding she had failed to comply with some conditions for shared custody.

He later withdrew the ban and allowed her to visit Sean Preston, two, and Jayden James, one - but only in the presence of a court-approved monitor.

Hours earlier, Spears arrived at the courthouse in her white Mercedes-Benz convertible and giggled when asked by reporters outside the courtroom if she was nervous.

Wearing a black print dress and cowgirl boots, she was escorted by sheriff’s deputies. Federline, who arrived a few minutes after Spears, wore a grey pinstriped suit.

Both were under court order to attend the proceedings.



Britney avoids trial after pay-out - Oct 26 2007
Britney Spears has avoided a criminal hit-and-run trial by paying for damages after a crash, but still faces a charge of driving without a licence, a court official has ruled.

Britney was not required to attend the hearing on the misdemeanour charges stemming from an August 6 car park mishap.

LA Superior Court Commissioner Susan Speer dismissed the hit-and-run charge after a lawyer for the pop star said his client had paid an undisclosed amount to a woman whose car was hit in a California car park.

A charge of driving without a licence was not dismissed, and a pre-trial hearing was scheduled for November 26.

The commissioner accepted a not guilty plea entered on Spears’ behalf by lawyer Michael Flanagan.


Britney regains visiting rights to sons - Oct 22 2007
Troubled pop princess Britney Spears has regained temporary visitation rights to her sons, her lawyer has said.

"Yes, she has visitation with the children," Anne Kiley said, without elaborating.

The US singer was seen driving with sons Sean Preston, two, and Jayden James, one, on Saturday in California, People magazine reported on its website.

A presumed court-appointed monitor was in the passenger seat, and the star’s sons were in the back.

A court commissioner told Britney on Wednesday that she may not visit her two children without a parenting coach present until she complied with a court order.