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LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Another week, another series of devastating blows in the continuing downward spiral of Britney Spears.
On Monday, a judge ordered the 25-year-old pop singer to temporarily hand over custody of her two sons to her ex-husband, Kevin Federline. She was later granted some visitation rights, but another court order then required that her behavior be monitored during the visits with her kids.
On the upside, her new single, "Gimme More," is flying up the pop charts.
Here's how it all played out:
Federline Gets Custody
On Monday, Federline received temporary custody of the children, Sean Preston, 2, and Jayden James, 1.
Spears turned the boys over to Federline after she failed to produce a California driver's license and allegedly missed a drug and alcohol test as ordered by the court, her attorney, Sorrell Trope, told People magazine.
Although a temporary driver's license was issued to Spears late Tuesday in Santa Monica, Superior Court Commissioner Scott M. Gordon said in his order that she "was not in substantial compliance with material provisions" of his previous ruling.
Gordon also said that if Spears misses or refuses a drug and alcohol test, it will be "deemed by the court as a failed test." He also said Spears must complete at least three individual counseling sessions by the next hearing on Oct. 26.
He previously ordered Spears to undergo random drug and alcohol testing twice a week after the court found she engages in "habitual, frequent and continuous use of controlled substances and alcohol."
Gordon also previously ordered Spears to meet weekly with a "parenting coach," who was to report back to the court about her skills. Both Spears and Federline must complete the court's "Parenting Without Conflict" class.
Spears and Federline also must refrain from drinking or using drugs either in the presence of their children or within 12 hours before taking charge of them.
Federline's attorney, Mark Vincent Kaplan, said Wednesday his client has been in full compliance with the commissioner's order.
Spears and Federline were married in October 2004. She filed for divorce last November and it became official in July. They previously shared custody of the boys. Federline also has a son and daughter with former girlfriend Shar Jackson.
Visitations Will Be Monitored
On Thursday, a court commissioner put the legal clamps on Spears in the child custody dispute with Federline, noting she has not been in "substantial compliance" with a previous court order.
Superior Court Commissioner Scott M. Gordon granted some visitation rights to the pop singer, but required that a monitor must watch her while she's with her sons.
The visits will be cut short if the monitor decides any behavior or action by Spears endangers the children. Following a closed-door hearing Wednesday that Federline attended, a court spokesman indicated Spears would be allowed visits every other day.
Out of Control
Spears has spiraled seemingly out of control since splitting with Federline. First she hit the Hollywood party circuit, where she was photographed several times without underwear. Then she volleyed in and out of rehab, shaved her head, beat a car with an umbrella and eventually spent a month at the posh Promises rehab clinic in Malibu.
An MTV Video Music Awards performance intended as a comeback was panned, with Spears appearing lethargic. The following week, her management firm dropped her, and her divorce lawyer resigned.
Her problems continued when she was charged with misdemeanor counts of hit-and-run and driving without a valid license for allegedly crashing into a parked car in August.
"Gimme More" Is a Hit
On the upside, Spears' new song, "Gimme More," topped Billboard's Hot Digital Songs with 179,000 downloads, and jumped from No. 68 to No. 3 on Billboard's Hot 100.
The song is the first single from her new album, set for release Nov. 13.
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