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Mindy McCready Wants Her Son Back

Embattled country singer ready to take on her ex and her mother to regain custody of her 4-year-old

By Natalie Finn, Lindsay Miller May 18, 2010 11:21 PMTags
Mindy McCreadyRandi Radcliff/AdMedia/Sipa Press

Mindy McCready is looking to add a newer, happier verse to her country-song-reminiscent life.

The beleaguered singer has filed court papers to reclaim custody of her 4-year-old son, Zander, E! News has learned exclusively.

McCready's mother, Gayle Inge, was appointed the child's guardian in 2007 when the Celebrity Rehab patient was jailed for violating her probation on a substance-related charge. Over the years, her mental health, drug problems, legal issues and sex life have garnered way more attention than her music.

But she's looking to turn over a new leaf.

Her attorney, Jim Moon, tells E! News that they will be appearing in court in Fort Myers, Fla., on Wednesday afternoon to reopen the custody case.

McCready's paperwork is all in order and she's in possession of several letters of recommendation, including one from Celebrity Rehab guru Dr. Drew Pinsky, who has also contacted social services on the singer's behalf, according to Moon.

"We wanted there to be no question that this case should be reopened and she should be reunited with her son," Moon says. "She needed to undergo a drug and alcohol evaluation, she needed to undergo a psychological assessment to make sure she was a competent parent, she needed to undergo codependency counseling...Everything she's passed with flying colors."

Not that McCready, 34, will be a full-time mom again as of tomorrow. Moon says that he's expecting a fight from both Inge and the child's father, Billy McKnight.

McKnight, who spent a month in jail for domestic assault in 2005, is also expected in court tomorrow, the lawyer says, and Inge has expressed her desire to retain guardianship of Zander.

"Naturally, I want Zander to go home with Mindy," Moon tells E! News. "Do I anticipate that's going to happen tomorrow? Probably not. In all likelihood, she'll be granted a month's worth of unsupervised visits and overnight visits."

He's hoping that within 60 to 90 days of unsupervised visits and overnights, McCready will be allowed to take her son home to Nashville with her.

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