A judge in Los Angeles has denied a request by Mel B to seal all records in her divorce and restraining order cases and keep the courtroom closed.
The decision was reported by TMZ on Tuesday.
The website had previously claimed the former Spice Girl wanted the proceedings kept secret because she’s worried her estranged husband Stephen Belafonte will expose explicit sex tapes as evidence.
Decision: A judge has ruled that records will not be sealed in the divorce battle between Mel B and Stephen Belafonte. They’re pictured arriving for a court hearing on Friday in Los Angeles
Mel B argued that she doesn’t want her children to find out about the tapes but the judge ruled that ‘salacious details’ are not sufficient reason to seal a case, according to TMZ.
However, anything directly relating to the couple’s children such as visitation schedules will not be revealed in open court.
The former couple were pictured looking stony-faced as they arrived separately for a court hearing on Friday as their bitter legal battle drags on.
The 42-year-old AGT judge is accusing her ex of ’emotional and physical abuse.’
Concerned: The former Spice Girl had asked for proceedings to be held behind closed doors as she fears her ex will introduce explicit sex tapes as evidence
Mel has three children, including 17-year-old Phoenix Chi, whose father is her first husband Jimmy Gulzar and 10-year-old Angel Iris, who was fathered by her former lover, actor Eddie Murphy.
She also has a six-year-old daughter Madison with Belafonte.
The former couple are also battling over custody of their daughter and Belafonte has requested visitation rights to see step-daughter Angel.
The couple’s marriage fell apart after she filed for divorce amid claims her husband had been sleeping with the family nanny Lorraine Gillies behind her back.
She has also alleged her husband impregnated the 26-year-old, paid for an abortion and set up a sham marriage so she could stay in the US.
Divorce battle: Mel B, pictured with Belafonte in July 2016, has accused her estranged husband of ’emotional and physical abuse.’ She filed for divorce in June
Meanwhile on Sunday night, the British star applauded Hollywood actress Nicole Kidman for highlighting the subject of domestic abuse during her winner’s speech at Emmy Awards.
Accepting her award, Nicole told the star-studded audience that her drama series Big Little Lies had ‘shone a light’ on domestic abuse, describing it as a ‘complicated, insidious disease’.
Nicole’s powerful speech clearly struck a chord with Mel B, who was watching from home, as the former pop star took to Instagram to praise Nicole’s words and share her own message.
‘She wrote: ‘Please trust and believe, you don’t have to be a victim no more, you do have the power and support to stand up to this, leave all your shame and pain with your abuser,if not the “Diablo” WILL kill you.’
She added hashtags including ‘domestic violence survivor’, domestic violence awareness’ and ‘women empowering women’.
Watching from home: Mel B was not at the Emmys but was clearly watching from home as she took to social media to praise Nicole’s speech with this Instagram message