Britney Spears expected in court for custody hearing

In this photo released by CBS, actors Neil Patrick Harris, left, as Barney and guest star Britney Spears as Abby appear in a scene from 'How I Met Your Mother.'  [Agencies]

Exactly three months have passed since Britney Spears slipped away from a psychiatric ward and promptly stirred up a paparazzi car chase, a scene that looked like the beginning of even more erratic behavior for the troubled pop star.

In the weeks that followed, Spears started acting out of character, all right: She laid low and avoided the cameras. She spent time with family members. She found work, and succeeded at it.

With that stability and momentum to build on, it would appear Spears' child-custody hearing Tuesday has the potential for a positive outcome — as long as she gets it together to show up this time. All indications are that she will.

The troubled 26-year-old pop star, who has been under the conservatorship of her father since her one-week-early release from UCLA Medical Center, is expected to attend the custody status hearing in a downtown courthouse with her parents. Her ex-husband, Kevin Federline, will also attend, said his spokesman, Elliot Mintz.

Federline has had full custody of his two sons by Spears, 2-year-old Sean Preston and 1-year-old Jayden James, since January, when police were called to Spears' home after she refused to relinquish one of the boys to a Federline bodyguard. Spears was taken by ambulance to a hospital after the incident. Her visitation rights were suspended at the time, but have been gradually restored in recent months.

Tuesday's hearing will include discussion of a psychiatrist's evaluation of Spears, a person close to the case told The Associated Press. The person was not authorized to speak publicly about the case and requested anonymity.

Commissioner Scott Gordon, who will preside over the hearing, could modify the couple's visitation agreement Tuesday based on Spears' recent conduct, the person said.

Spears was a constant media presence before the conservatorship took effect. Photographers captured her every visit to Starbucks and gas stations around Los Angeles, and documented a bout of bizarre behavior that included appearing in public without underwear, shaving her own head and beating a car with an umbrella.

Since Spears' father, James, took over her affairs, the pop star has been relatively invisible to photographers, only occasionally snapped shopping or having dinner with her mother, Lynne. A traffic accident last month turned out to be a minor bumper-to-bumper incident in which no one was injured, and for which no one was cited.

Spears' public appearances have been limited to a well-received cameo on CBS' "How I Met Your Mother," a role she reprised during a taping last week, a CBS spokeswoman said. The episode is set to air May 12.

"We're thrilled to have Britney joining us once again," series executive producer and co-creator Craig Thomas said in a statement last month. The show's audience increased by a million viewers the week Spears appeared.

The pop star also made news last month when she took on full-time exercise and nutrition coaches from Bally Total Fitness. Once known for her flawless figure, Spears was widely ridiculed for her flabby form in September during a universally panned performance on the MTV Video Music Awards that was meant to herald her comeback.

Spears has been elusive at recent court hearings, her every anticipated appearance drawing a circus of media and paparazzi. In January, she arrived at the courthouse wearing cocktail-party attire — a black minidress and gold platform shoes — and left before the custody hearing began. A lawyer for Federline said that behavior may have played a role in the commissioner's decision that she remain barred from seeing her sons. Federline has allowed Spears limited visitation rights since February 22.