Kelly Clarkson Wins Primary Custody of Her and Brandon Blackstock's Kids in Divorce

Kelly Clarkson has won primary custody of her two children in the midst of her divorce from Brandon Blackstock. Clarkson and Blackstock have been embroiled in a legal battle over custody of 6-year-old River and 4-year-old Remy, but the case was decided in Clarkson's favor on Monday, according to a TMZ report.

Blackstock, a talent manager in the entertainment industry, is now reportedly spending most of his time on the family ranch in Montana, while Clarkson lives primarily in Los Angeles, California. Blackstock was asking the judge for a joint custody arrangement where the children would be regularly shuttled back and forth between Montana and L.A., while Clarkson wanted them to be allowed to stay in one place. The judge reportedly agreed, granting the couple joint physical and legal custody but denying Blackstock's commuter idea. This judgment was due in large part to the fact that the children never technically had Montana residency.

"The court finds that the minor children are not now and have not been residents of Montana and that California is their home state," the judge said, according to Clarkson's lawyer, Laura Wasser.

The judge ruled that Clarkson has primary physical custody of the youngsters for most of the time, and Blackstock has custody of them on the first, third and fifth weekends of every month. On the first and fifth weekends, Blackstock must be with them in L.A., meaning that he may only take them to Montana with him once per month at most.

The order also specifically forbids Clarkson and Blackstock from speaking negatively about each other to the children when they have custody. Another provision states that the parents cannot consume alcohol or cannabis within eight hours of driving a car, if the children are going to be riding with them.

All in all, Clarkson and Wasser counted this as a win in the ongoing divorce proceedings. Clarkson and Blackstock began dating in 2012, married in 2013, had River Rose in 2014, and finally had Remington Alexander in 2016. Clarkson filed for divorce in June of 2020, and so far the process has been slow.

Clarkson was previously represented by Blackstock's father, Narvel Blackstock, who is also a talent manager, and was once married to country legend Reba McEntire. However, when they married, Brandon Blackstock became Clarkson's manager. She also inherited two step-children from Blackstock's previous marriage, though custody of them does not appear to be a factor in the divorce. Today, Clarkson is busy hosting The Kelly Clarkson Show and serving as a coach on The Voice.