{alltv} Sure, Jesse James Lost a Fiancée, but He Just Won Big in Child Custody Dispute

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

{alltv} Sure, Jesse James Lost a Fiancée, but He Just Won Big in Child Custody Dispute

While his love life might be faltering, Jesse James has at least one victory to be proud of.

James' lawyer, John Schilling tells E! News that an Orange County judge ruled that the custody dispute between his client and ex-wife Janine Lindemulder over daughter Sunny should be heard in Texas.

Yee-haw!

James moved to Austin, Texas, last August taking Sunny, 7, with him. (James' other two children with his first wife, Karla—Chandler, 16 and Jesse Jr., 14—also live with their dad.)

Lindemulder had opposed her daughter moving to Texas, but while she lost that battle, she continued to fight for her custody rights in a California court.

Last Friday, James, 42, was ordered to appear in a Southern California courtroom to argue his side.

However, after hearing both testimonies, Judge David Belz ultimately ruled that neither parent is currently living in California and thus transferred the custody and visitation case to Texas.

Lindemulder tried to argue on the stand that she was currently a resident of California, but Judge Beltz ruled otherwise.

"The judge basically said that she had been living in Oregon and could not find any viable residence for her in California," Schilling tells E! News. "Basically she had spent 30 nights sleeping in her truck since the first of the year," Schilling says.

Upon learning that the judge was transferring the case to Texas, Lindemulder stormed out of the courtroom and did not return for an hour until she was cajoled back by the courtroom clerk..

And that wasn't the end of the bad news for Lindemulder.

The judge also followed the recommendation of a court-appointed mental-health professional and suggested Lindemulder enter an inpatient rehabilitation facility.