Visitation, property and Jeff Bagwell discussed in Brown divorce hearings

The highly publicized divorce between former hand surgeon Michael Brown and his estranged wife Rachel hit the courtroom for two days of scheduled hearings this week. The first day focused on issues involving the couple's two children. Michael Brown says that he has been denied the opportunity to spend time with his children as much as he is legally entitled to visitation. He also asked the judge to end court-ordered supervision during his child visitation.

The former hand surgeon says that the presence of the armed security guards and supervisors when he has visitation with his kids is having adverse effects upon the children. He argues that the presence of the court-ordered supervision intimidates his kids, and says that the supervision should end. He also told the court Tuesday that Rachel has denied him contact with the kids during the contentious divorce.

Michael Brown was acquitted of felony assault last year. Rachel had claimed that Michael had struck her during a domestic dispute in 2010.

Rachel Brown says that the former surgeon has a temper and urged the court to keep the supervised visits as they are under the court-order. Allegations of drugs use have also arisen in the family law case.

Rachel Brown responded to questioning about her relationship with former Houston Astro Jeff Bagwell. She says that she hopes to marry the former baseball player in the future. She acknowledged that she has shown her two kids their future rooms in Bagwell's home.

She did not specify any date when she would move in with Bagwell, but said she plans to live with the former Houston Astro in the future. She also spoke of previous trips she has taken with Bagwell, and her plans to attend a wedding in Hawaii with the former Astro.

Rachel Brown says that her estranged husband has not fully disclosed all of his assets, and the court is expected to hear argument on property issues in the second day of scheduled hearings this week. She says that the undisclosed assets may be part of community property and are important for property division issues in the divorce.

Source: Houston Chronicle, "Rachel Brown testifies she and Jeff Bagwell attending Hawaii wedding," Mike Tolson, May 15, 2012