Custody Battles

Ludacris' hastily arranged marriage is a cheap trick in his attempt to gain full custody of his daughter ... so says a source close to his baby mama.

We're told Luda's baby mama, Tamika Fuller, thinks Luda wants to show the judge in their custody fight that he now has a stable, loving household ... more conducive to child-rearing than the home of single mom Tamika. She fears a Georgia judge could actually buy what Luda's selling.

As we reported ... Luda abruptly proposed to GF Eudoxie during the XMAS holidays and married her the very same day. Tamika thinks it was all just a ploy.

Luda is gunning to win full custody of their 1-year-old daughter Cai. He claims he's a better parent and has the means to provide her with a better life.

Tamika thinks it's a crass ploy to avoid paying $7,000 a month in child support.

The courtroom fireworks begin later this month.

Add Jeremy Renner to the rash of holiday season break-ups -- his wife wants out of their marriage after just 10 months.

According to docs filed earlier this month, Renner's wife Sonni Pacheco is seeking the split over irreconcilable differences -- but get this ... she's demanding he return her stolen passport, birth certificate and SS card.

The couple just copped to their secret marriage back in September ... and every indication is the break-up will be nasty.

In her divorce docs ... Pacheco says they have a prenup, but adds it should be torn up because it was based on fraud. There's no further detail about what she means by "fraud."

Pacheco wants the moon ... she's asking for spousal support and physical custody of their 1-year-old daughter, Ava Berlin. She's also looking to use the Range Rover until the smoke clears, and for Renner to pony up her rent and moving expenses.

Chris Rock wants to make sure his now estranged wife doesn't punish him for divorcing her ... by keeping their kids away from him.

In his divorce docs, filed in NJ last Tuesday -- and obtained by TMZ -- Rock complains that Malaak has been preventing him from seeing their 2 daughters on a regular basis. He is asking for shared legal and physical custody of 12-year-old Lola and 10-year-old Zahra.

As for finances ... Rock acknowledges they had a prenup when they married in 1996 -- but says it's expired because they've been together for just over 18 years.

The split has been in the works for at least a month. In the docs, Rock says back in November they identified all the community property to be split up once they divorce.

Interestingly ... Rock points out Malaak has the "ability to work and contribute to her own support" -- which sounds like he's angling to reduce any spousal support payments.

Tyga thinks Blac Chyna is unfit to properly care for their child because she twerks and parties too much ... seriously.

Tyga is alarmed that Blac Chyna seems more interested in hitting the clubs than parenting their 2-year-old son King Cairo, so we've learned he will file legal docs asking for primary custody.

The rapper thinks his baby mama has lost her focus on caring for the little boy ... she's more interested in making a spectacle of herself ... twerking day and night when there's a camera in sight.

He lost it when he saw the double twerk featuring Blac Chyna and Amber Rose. And when she went out later that same night and partied at a club, he decided he was going to take her to court. He says he does not want his son raised by nannies.

The former couple does not have a custody order, but currently she has the kid more than him. He wants to change that.

We reached out to Blac Chyna ... so far no word back.

Deion Sanders' ex-wife was sentenced to seven days behind bars today for failing to return their kids in a timely manner ... as they agreed to do in their divorce agreement.

Pilar Sanders was found in contempt, and immediately taken into custody. The judge ruled she did not bring their 3 children back to do Deion on time after a visit last July -- and also took them when it wasn't her turn.

According to local reports, Pilar did not have an attorney with her ... and at one point told the court, “I am not a part of the United States corporation." As we first told you ... Pilar now believes she can only be judged by the Moroccan Empire (which does not exist).

Scott Stapp's downward spiral continues ... he has lost custody of his 3 kids.

A Florida judge has ruled ... the former Creed frontman's soon-to-be ex-wife Jaclyn will have sole legal and physical custody of their 3 kids. There's no indication from the ruling that Scott even gets visitation.

The judge also ruled Scott has no right to stay in the family home -- it's exclusively for Jaclyn and the kids.

Scott has been off the rails for a while ... Jaclyn says he's delusional because he's taking a pharmacy of drugs, including coke, weed and meth. She's trying to get him involuntarily committed for 60 days.

Charlie Sheen just settled the latest custody war with Brooke Mueller, who accused him of drunken visitations with his kids and excessive corporal punishment.

Mueller made various allegations and a court date was set for today ... but we've learned on Monday Charlie and Brooke agreed to monitored visitations.

Charlie settled, but we know he has serious beef with Mueller, saying her allegations are all part of a shakedown for cold, hard cash. He also thinks it's ridiculous that Brooke is alleging misdeeds around alcohol, because he claims the twins were born with "the ultimate child abuse" -- fetal alcohol syndrome.

We're told Brooke wanted to move out of California with the kids but Charlie objected. They settled on Brooke being allowed to move within a 50-mile radius of his house.

Charlie also says ... if he's such a horrible father, how is it that he's a good father to his other kids (photo below with Charlie, Denise and the girls).

Gabriel Aubry's night out on the town was really hairy ... courtesy of 6-year-old Nahla.

Gabriel and Nahla dined at a L.A. restaurant, and it's the first time we've seen her since Halle Berry hauled him into court last month, claiming Gabriel had straightened her hair and lightened it to make her look white.

The judge ordered both Gabriel and Halle to leave Nahla's naturally curly hair alone, and it looks like that's exactly what's happening, although a cynic might say Gabriel is trying to manually do the job again.

Carrie Mathison from "Homeland" should have been married to Sophie B. Hawkins -- because her kid would have a real parent who actually wanted the kid.

Sophie has just filed legal docs, gunning for custody of her 6-year-old son Dashiell. She shouldn't have any problems, because her soon-to-be ex domestic partner, Gigi Gaston, has already filed her own docs saying she's washing her hands of the whole full-time child rearing thing.

Based on what we see it looks like Gigi will end up with some visitation, but Sophie will take the reins.

A seven-year-old boy should be having his birthday at Chuck E. Cheese's, NOT Hooters ... but that's exactly what Dwight Howard's baby mama did for their son's 7th birthday.

"Basketball Wives" star Royce Reed, the boy's mother, posted the photo on her Instagram showing Braylon grinning from ear-to-ear ... and it probably wasn't because of the wings.

As TMZ first reported ... Howard is angling for full custody, while simultaneously being investigated for child abuse.

In court docs, Howard has accused Reed of exposing Braylon to sexual situations. Howard claims his son has witnessed Reed engage in sexual acts with her "numerous companions."

We're told Howard believes this photo is just the latest example of his son being exposed to sex.

A source close to Royce says her son's birthday party was at a Monkey Joe's bounce house earlier in the day -- with his classmates -- and she merely stopped at Hooters for food. The source also says Royce has never had any man in and out of her house, and has never exposed Braylon to sex.

9:15 AM PT -- We now have confirmation that the Florida Dept. of Children and Families closed the investigation, concluding, "The investigation is being closed with no substantiated findings of physical injuries." The report also states Howard was interviewed by authorities.

7:25 AM PT -- Royce Reed posted a statement on Instagram saying, "The case is not closed and he is/was not cleared! The investigation is still open as he refuses to speak to the police. So whoever these reps are that are trying to slander me, just know the gloves are off and I'm not the one to play with when it comes to my son. That is all."

Dwight Howard was under investigation for child abuse and gave precisely the same excuse Adrian Peterson used, but it appears in this case authorities found Howard did not break the law.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ Sports ... Howard's baby mama Royce Reed went to Children's Services in the Orlando, FL area in August and complained he had whipped their 6-year-old son Braylon with a belt, leaving bruises and abrasions on his leg.

We're told the case worker sent the former "Basketball Wives" cast member to a nearby medical facility to evaluate the boy and document the injuries.

Authorities interviewed Howard and he confessed to the belting, but said he didn't realize there was anything wrong with it because he was disciplined the same way as a kid. Howard's lawyer filed legal docs claiming he never caused marks, bruises, welts or injuries requiring medical treatment.

Sources connected to Howard tell TMZ ... Children's Services closed out the case after determining the injuries depicted in the photos were not caused by a belting. In other words ... whatever Howard did was not that serious.

And there's this twist ... Howard filed legal docs Wednesday and he's gunning for full custody, claiming Reed is a shockingly unfit mother who gives the kid psychotropic drugs just so she can have a "chemical babysitter."

Howard's rep tells TMZ, authorities found the allegations "frivolous," adding, "It's no coincidence that these false allegations were 'leaked' on the heels of Dwight filing for major custody of his son."

Lorenzo Lamas claims his ex-wife is an unfit mother who has sex on the beach in front of photogs, is deep into making sex tapes, and lets strange men live in the home she shares with their daughters.

Lorenzo is in a brutal fight with Shauna Sand over custody of their 3 kids. Lorenzo says Shauna is so irresponsible, she made $250,000 off a sex tape for Vivid and blew the money on a Bentley. He also submitted screen grabs of the porn for good measure.

Lorenzo also included pics of Shauna taking the 3 girls -- now 16, 15 and 13 -- to Mr. Bones Pumpkin Patch in West Hollywood and flashing her goods to the paparazzi.

The "Renegade" actor is especially alarmed because he says Shauna is constantly bringing new men to live with her ... and the various apartments are like revolving doors, endangering the kids.

Lorenzo says, "I only pray that our daughters will not take after their mother and think that posing for the camera nude while performing sexual acts is an acceptable way to earn a living."

The girls all wrote letters to the judge, begging him to give their dad custody.

But 43-year-old Shauna -- who says in the docs she's pregnant -- claims Lorenzo is a hypocrite. When they were married she says he encouraged her to make sex tapes, saying he was down with it as long as it paid the bills.

As for photos of her having sex in public, she denies it was sex, saying, "It was a montage for a French magazine."

Jason Patric just won a 2-year legal battle against his baby mama -- with a judge just declaring he is the legal father of 4-year-old Gus ... TMZ has learned.

Jason had a baby with ex-GF Danielle Schreiber, and after breaking up -- getting back together and breaking up again -- she fought hard against his bid to become the legal father, citing a quirky law.

According to the law ... if a man donates sperm to a woman to whom he is not married and a doctor facilitates the insemination ... the man has NO claim of custody or parental rights.

The trial judge ruled against Jason, he appealed and the appellate court said the trial judge was off base and sent it back for another hearing.

The second time was a charm for Jason. We've learned the trial judge just issued a sealed 45-page opinion ... concluding Jason is the legal father.

The judge ordered Jason, Danielle and their lawyers to try and hash out a custody, visitation and support agreement ... but if they can't, the judge will make the decisions.

This case became a rallying cry for father's rights -- and an enormous victory for Jason.

UPDATE: Schreiber's rep tells TMZ, "The proposed statement of decision is not intended to be public nor is it final."

Amber Rose has a connection to another soul with a broken heart ... we found out she's dating French Montana's brother Zack.

There are reports that Amber and French are together, but in reality ... French and his bro hang together all the time ... thus the confusion. That's why we got a pic of Amber, French and Zack at Knott's Berry Farm about a week ago.

Amber keeps her distance when they're in public, but we know she's seeing Zack. They were out at a strip club and a nightclub in NYC over the weekend.

As for why the secrecy ... we're hearing Amber doesn't want to make things more difficult with Wiz Khalifa, given their nasty split and a looming custody fight.

Sugar Bear and Mama June could not be more clear ... they can't stand Uncle Poodle and will fight to the death if he tries to wrestle custody of Honey Boo Boo away from them.

TMZ broke the story ... Poodle is privately vowing to go to court for temporary custody if Mama June does not sever all ties from Mark McDaniel, the guy who did time for molesting her oldest daughter.