KEVIN FEDERLINE - BRITNEY'S DAD SPEEDS UP CUSTODY/VISITATION PROCESS

KEVIN FEDERLINE's attorney has paid tribute to BRITNEY SPEARS' dad JAMIE, stating his involvement in his daughter's life is speeding up her efforts to spend time with her kids. Despite his efforts to strip visitation and custody rights from the pop star at the beginning of the year (08), Mark Vincent Kaplan insists he's very keen to reunite Spears with her two young sons. And he was instrumental is allowing Spears to visit with her boys for the first time in almost two months on Saturday (23Feb08) - and again on Monday (25Feb08). Now he hopes Jamie Spears' positive influence in his daughter's life will lead to the singer's visitation rights being restored. Kaplan says, "It looks to be more of stable setting over there (at Britney's home). Jamie Spears is obviously a positive influence. "Assuming there are no unforeseen, unanticipated events not consistent with increased time, the (visits will) ramp up gradually but steadily to some other point. What that point is, I don't know. "I think both sides (in the custody battle) wanted that to occur as soon as possible." In addition, Kaplan tells U.S. news show Extra, "The kids are doing fine."