Britney Spears Loses Custody of Sons to Kevin Federline

02 October 2007 -- Britney Spears was ordered to relinquish custody of her two young sons by a judge who had cited her drug and alcohol-fueled lifestyle.

In an October 1 ruling, Superior Court Judge Scott M. Gordon switched sole physical custody to Britney Spears' ex-husband Kevin Federline. He takes Sean Preston, 2, and Jayden James, 1, starting October 3 "until further order of the court."

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The order stemmed from an unspecified oral motion made by Kevin Federline's lawyers and was handled in a closed-door hearing. The judge's order did not state the reason for the custody change and all transcripts of the proceedings were ordered sealed.

Telephone messages for representatives of Britney Spears and Kevin Federline were not immediately returned Monday. Last month, Gordon said Britney Spears engaged in "habitual, frequent, and continuous use of controlled substances and alcohol." He ordered her to undergo random drug and alcohol testing twice a week, while also meeting weekly with a "parenting coach" who would report back to the court about her parenting skills.

Both Britney Spears and Kevin Federline must complete the court's "Parenting Without Conflict" class. Spears, 25, and Federline, 29, wed in October 2004. She filed for divorce last November and it became official in July.

Source: VOANews.com