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Birkhead Custody Not Yet in the Bank

Fri., Apr. 20, 2007 10:18 AM PDT by Gina Serpe

To hear Larry Birkhead tell it, Friday was "a good day for me in court." Exactly how good remains to be seen.

In accordance with stringent Bahamian privacy laws, the Kentucky-born photographer could not divulge what transpired in the closed-door hearing in his custody bid for the seven-month-old child he had with Anna Nicole Smith, but he was unable to hide his pleasure at what transpired in the Nassau courthouse.

"I can't talk about what they say in court," he said upon emerging from the proceedings, a massive grin plastered on his face. "On my behalf, everything went well, and I'm moving towards starting a life with my daughter out of the Bahamas.

"I know I'm going to be making some travel arrangements pretty soon, so everything's good for me."

Questioned by reporters as to whether that meant Birkhead would be granted full custody or, at the very least, given the okay to take Dannielynn Hope Marshall Birkhead (née Stern) out of the country, he whipped around to get a nod of approval from his lawyer before turning once again toward the press.

"I can't really discuss everything. I'll call my travel agent—one seat or two, I don't know."

The 34-year-old did, however, acknowledge that a resolution had not yet been finalized. "Everything's confusing to me. I don't even know why we're still here."

A follow-up hearing is set for Wednesday.

Friday's session, originally scheduled to take place Apr. 13, was postponed one week after Smith's estranged mother, Virgie Arthur, challenged Birkhead's claim to custody.

The Bahamian judge put the hearing on hold to allow Arthur and Birkhead to attempt to work out visitation guarantees on their own before issuing a formal, binding ruling.

Arthur, as well as Dannielynn's acting guardian Howard K. Stern, also showed up for Friday's hearing, though Arthur left the courtroom uncharacteristically mum, further indicating that Birkhead's "good day" in court may also be one of his last.

Stern, meanwhile, did pay lip service to the throng of reporters, telling them that Arthur "proved herself to be what Anna Nicole always told me," adding that the custody hearing "should have been over today."

On Apr. 10, Birkhead appeared on the fast track to full custody after DNA testing revealed in Bahamian court that he was the biological father of Dannielynn, putting an end to the paternity dispute that had taken up the better part of a year, ranging across two countries and racking up hundreds of thousands of dollars in billable hours.

Since then, Birkhead and Stern have done nothing but alternately sing each other's praises and question Arthur's motives.

In an interview with OK! magazine this week, Birkhead credited Stern with being "a great help" in helping him make the transition to parenthood.

"Howard's been helpful," he said. "He gives me credit when I'm doing good things and gives me tips on things I should do a little different."

As for moving past their lawsuit-trading history, Birkhead said that "arguing is only going to hurt [Dannielynn] and not help us any."

He had less warming words for Arthur.

"It's puzzling for her to display affection to me, and then for the attorneys to say she's going for custody and Larry was just a sperm donor and one-night stand. If she wants to be a grandmother, that's fine...I'm willing to listen to see what people want, but that doesn't mean that I'm going to agree. I hope I don't have to fight for the baby."

Based on Friday's reactions, it doesn't look like the battle's going to last much longer.