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Your support makes all the difference.Troubled Britney Spears was dealt a new blow when a judge ordered her to hand over her children to her ex-husband.
At a hearing behind closed doors in Los Angeles Superior Court yesterday, Judge Scott Gordon ordered the pop star to turn over custody of her two young sons to Kevin Federline.
US reports said the couple's children, Sean Preston, two, and Jayden James, one, were currently with Federline, but were due to be handed over to Spears tomorrow.
Yesterday's order means they will now remain with Federline, 29, until a further court order is issued.
The next hearing will be held in LA tomorrow afternoon.
The court document said Federline would retain custody "until further notice of the court".
The document, published on celebrity website TMZ.com, read: "Respondent (Federline) is to retain physical custody of the minor children on Wednesday, October 3, 2007 at 12.00pm until further order of the court.
"Respondent's ex parte application is noticed for October 3, 2007 at 1.30pm in Department 88."
It went on: "The entire transcript of proceedings for the hearing held in this matter on this date is ordered sealed and is obtainable only by counsel of record appearing this date or by order of the court."
Last month, the same judge said the 25-year-old pop singer engaged in "habitual, frequent and continuous use of controlled substances and alcohol" and ordered her to undergo random drug and alcohol testing twice a week as part of her custody dispute with Federline.
Spears was previously ordered to meet weekly with a "parenting coach" who was to observe and report back to the court about her parenting skills.
Both Spears and Federline must complete the court's "Parenting Without Conflict" class.
And Spears's former bodyguard Tony Barretto, 28, said he was prepared to testify "on issues of nudity by Ms Spears, drug use, and safety issues involving the children post-rehab" in the custody battle.
Also last month, prosecutors charged Spears with hit-and-run and driving without a valid licence, claiming she smashed her car into another vehicle in a car park in August.
If convicted on the driving changes, Spears could face up to six months in jail and a 1,000-dollar (£500) fine for each count.
Spears' arraignment is on October 10, but she is not required to appear in court.
The singer's lawyer also left her on the same day she was dropped by her management company, The Firm, just a month after she hired them for the run-up to the release of her new album on November 13.
Her latest single, Gimme More, received strong reviews, but she gave a widely-criticised performance at the MTV Video Music Awards in September.
Spears married Federline, known as rapper K-Fed, in October 2004, but filed for divorce last November, which became official on July 30.
The two had joint custody of their children, but, citing Spears' erratic behaviour including late nights out with the children, K-Fed is fighting for a 70-30 split in child-rearing duties and for more money.
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