Singer Chris Brown finished his case in Houston Superior Court in September, leaving with joint custody of his daughter, Royalty. He was also ordered to pay Royalty’s mother, Nia Guzman, $2,500 in monthly child support. Ms. Guzman was originally asking for $15,000 per month in support, which is what sparked the controversy of her using her child as a “meal ticket,” according to Brown.
The case began when Brown filed documents in July to establish paternity of his daughter, whom he didn’t even know about until March of this year, months after her birth. Brown’s filings claimed Guzman was denying him his legal rights to custody of Royalty. Not only did Ms. Guzman want to deny Brown any custody rights, she also requested any visitation with Brown be supervised, alleging Brown and his friends have substance abuse issues and gang affiliation.
Perhaps a first for Brown, the judge ruled in his favor. The judge found that supervised visits were not necessary. He awarded the couple joint custody, splitting their time with Royalty 50/50. The parents will switch off caring for Royalty every four days. In addition to child support, Brown will cover the costs for Royalty’s education, health insurance, and childcare. Brown will also pay $15,000 in child support arrears. Also significant, Royalty will legally take Brown’s last name.
