Birkhead, Dannielynn: Homeward Bound

Wed., Apr. 25, 2007 2:52 PM PDT by Gina Serpe

After more than two months spent battling for custody in the Bahamas, Larry Birkhead is finally heading home. And he's bringing his daughter with him.

In a typically closed-door hearing in Nassau Wednesday, a Bahamian judge gave the go-ahead for Birkhead to take Dannielynn out of the island nation as early as this weekend, but reportedly stopped short of granting him full custody of his child with the late Anna Nicole Smith.

Sources say that Birkhead and Dannielynn will leave the country on Friday.

The move comes despite various legal roadblocks set up by the child's grandmother, Virgie Arthur, who is seeking some type of custody or guaranteed visitation rights for the seven-month-old girl.

Per Bahamian law, none of the parties involved in the matter was allowed to speak on what transpired inside the courtroom. However, upon leaving the hearing, Birkhead hinted that he was not long for the island.

"I can't say much, but a smile's worth a thousand words...right," the photographer said.

The beaming papa got a little more specific with Access Hollywood, which asked whether he planned on remaining in the country through the weekend.

"No, I won't be here," he replied. "Take that any way you want."

Before Birkhead and his daughter will be allowed to hightail it back to the States, the child's birth certificate must be modified to reflect the change in her official paternity status. The document currently lists Stern as the father, and Birkhead will be required to make sure an amended certificate is filed at the Bahamian General Registry Office.

Once the revision is made, a process that should go smoothly thanks to Stern's newfound show of support in all things Birkhead, the 34-year-old Kentucky native will then be able to request a passport for the youngster.

The entire paperwork process is expected to take no more than a day and, per Access, a passport in the name "Dannielynn Birkhead" is expected to be processed by Thursday morning.

While Birkhead has previously touted the swank new nursery installed at his townhouse in Burbank, California, Star claims the father-daughter duo may instead be bound for Louisville, Kentucky, to board with Birkhead's immediate family. (There have also been reports that one of Birkhead's family members is ailing, and that is his motive for heading back to his old stomping grounds.)

Although Birkhead has been given the okay to book a flight out of the island nation, he must make it a return ticket. He reportedly had to agree to return to Nassau on June for what should be the formal resolution of the girl's custody.

At that hearing, Arthur will be able to make her final appeal for partial custody of the child.

Arthur, who refused to speak to reporters before and after today's proceedings, is seeking sole guardianship in the event that Birkhead died while Dannielynn is still a minor, as well as clearly delineated visitation rights for the girl, according to TMZ.

Wednesday's hearing caps an action-packed week in Birkhead-related matters. On Monday, a judge in Los Angeles formally signed off on an order releasing Debra Opri as Birkhead's attorney in the paternity case, which was originally filed in California weeks after Dannielynn's Sept. 7 birth.

There was no formal reason given for Opri and Birkhead's split—some reports blamed a disagreement over strategy—but both parties said the parting was amicable. (We're reserving judgment until we see whether Birkhead makes good on Opri's $600,000 bill.)

"It was simply time for me to go," Opri said after the hearing. "I'm proud of this case. People don't realize how many lives were touched by this case."