Bobby Brown pays back child support

CANTON, Mass. - Bobby Brown has paid up $11,000 in delinquent child support, after being threatened with arrest if he stepped back into Massachusetts.

A family judge had issued an arrest warrant two weeks ago after Brown failed to show up at a hearing over two months' worth of payments he owed to Kim Ward, of Stoughton, the mother of his two teenage children.

Brown's attorney said then he was having a "very difficult" time as his tumultuous marriage to singer Whitney Houston was coming to an end with her filing for legal separation.

Patrick McDermott, the registrar of probate for the Norfolk Probate and Family Court, said Tuesday both sides have assured him Brown has since made his payments, though no paperwork had been filed with the court.

"I have at least been given the word that Kim Ward is satisfied that payment has been made and she's good to go, for now," he said.

Brown, a Boston native, has a history of legal troubles with those support payments.

In June 2004, Brown was sentenced to 90 days in prison for missing three months of payments. That sentence was immediately suspended after Brown made back payments totaling about $15,000.

Brown's attorney, Phaedra Parks, did not immediately return a call for comment Tuesday.

McDermott said the arrest warrant would technically remain in effect until the judge holds another status hearing, which had not yet been scheduled. But he said there was no real risk Brown would be arrested.

"Provided he's paid up there's no reason to haul him in here," he said.

Brown gained fame as a member of New Edition, and in 1988 had a hit solo album, "Don't Be Cruel."