Thursday, 5 April 2007

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Judge approves Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown's divorce

Couple's divorce will be finalised on April 24

The divorce of Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown has been approved by a judge in Orange County, Calif., and will become final on April 24, PEOPLE has learned.

In addition, Judge Franz E. Miller awarded custody of the couple's 14-year-old daughter, Bobbi Christina Brown, to Houston. Brown, 40, and Houston, 43, had been married for 14 years.

Houston, dabbing her eyes with a tissue during the court proceeding, attended Wednesday's hearing. She declined to comment to reporters afterwards.

An attorney for Brown says he will file a petition to overturn the judge's decision.

Houston initially filed for legal separation from Brown on Sept. 8, 2006, then proceeded with a request for a divorce in mid-October.

On Dec. 28, she requested a default judgment to fast-track the dissolution of the marriage.

Since their separation, Houston has been recording a new album with J Records president Clive Davis in Los Angeles.

Brown, meanwhile, has kept a low profile after being seen last fall alongside Mekhi Phifer and Stacey Dash on the Los Angeles film set of Nora's Hair Salon II. But just days after the split from his wife, Brown told PEOPLE, "I'm really saddened by the whole situation."