A Los Angeles judge questioned Britney Spears and a parenting
coach during a hearing into the pop star's child custody case
before ordering a change to her visitation status with her two
sons.
But because the hearing was closed to the public it wasn't
immediately clear whether Spears, 26, had won more visitation
rights with her young children from Los Angeles Court Commissioner
Scott Gordon.
The Grammy-winning singer's ex-husband, Kevin Federline, has
primary custody of sons Sean Preston, 2 1/2, and Jayden James, 21
months, although Spears has been granted limited visitation
rights.
Spears and parenting coach Lisa Hacker were questioned by Gordon
during the hearing, court spokesman Allan Parachini told reporters,
but did not testify under oath.
Federline, 30, attended but it was not clear if he addressed the
court.
Parachini said Gordon then ordered a modification to the visitation
rights and set another status conference in the case for July
15.
Lawyers for Federline and Spears could not immediately be
reached for comment.
Spears has turned her life around in the past few months after a
year of bizarre behaviour and two brief hospitalizations in Los
Angeles for psychiatric evaluation.
She has been mentioned as a possible Emmy award nominee for her
guest appearance as a office assistant on the TV sitcom How I Met
Your Mother.
Her father, Jamie Spears, was granted control over the singer's
personal and business affairs in February, and her former
self-styled manager and constant companion, Sam Lutfi, has abided
by a restraining order that keeps him away.
The personal life of the former teen phenomenon, one of the most
successful pop stars in the world in the early 2000s, spiralled out
of control after her 2006 break-up with Federline.
She shaved her head, entered rehab, was ordered to take drug and
alcohol tests and parenting classes, and was twice taken to
psychiatric units for treatment of what has been reported to be
bipolar disorder.
Spears won her Grammy award for best dance recording, Toxic, in
2004.
