Spears and ex-husband Kevin Federline did not attend the hearing

A spokesman for Los Angeles Superior Court confirmed that no change had been made to an existing order denying Ms Spears visits to her sons.

The pop star was banned from monitored visits last month after refusing to hand the children back, resulting in a stand-off with police at her house.

Ms Spears was taken to hospital in an ambulance following the incident.

She spent another six days in a psychiatric unit earlier this month.

Paparazzi presence

The singer's ex-husband Kevin Federline was awarded primary custody of two-year-old Sean Preston and Jayden James, aged one, in October.

At Tuesday's hearing, the singer's lawyer Anne Kiley was denied a request for an order to gag other lawyers in the case from discussing it with the media.

She had argued that the coverage was "emotionally and physically" a strain on the star, and requested that times of hearings could not be disclosed to the press.

Mr Federline's lawyer, Mark Vincent Kaplan, said the two children were not being put at risk and that Ms Spears was more concerned about the constant presence of paparazzi.

Mr Kaplan addressed reporters outside the court

He added that he hoped there would no longer be "pre-leaking of information to favoured media outlets as to where they [Ms Spears and companions] are going and how they will get there."

Mr Kaplan was referring to the development that the singer's father James has taken charge of her affairs by order of the courts.

Superior Court Commissioner Scott Gordon, who has been presiding over the lengthy child custody dispute, granted Ms Spears' request to replace Ms Kiley with another lawyer.

Outside the hearing, Mr Kaplan told reporters that Mr Federline would like his former wife to see their children.

"Both sides want to see the day that visitation can resume. It's a question of working out the details of how that can happen," he said.