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( 4UMF NEWS ) Robin Thicke And Paula Patton Engage In New Custody Battle: A month after Alan Thicke's death, his son Robin Thicke is engaged in a custody battle with his ex-wife, Paula Patton. In court documents, Entertainment Tonight and People report, Patton claims she’s “become concerned about (Thicke's) drinking and drug use, as well as the forms of punishment he is using to discipline" their son Julian, 6. Patton, 41, says Julian reported the spanking to his school, and told Thicke, 39, his son was afraid of him. The school principal told Thicke on Jan. 6 that a report had been made to L.A.’s Department of Children and Family Services. Thicke vociferously denies claims of abuse, and in his court documented rebuttal, obtained by USA TODAY, he says his ex's recent actions stem from anger at not being invited to his father's funeral. “Paula did not have a positive relationship with my father and often made negative comments to me about my father,” says Thicke in the legal document. “As such, she was not welcome at his funeral. It is my belief that Paula only wanted to attend because it would have resulted in additional public exposure for her.” Alan Thicke died from a ruptured aorta on Dec. 13 after collapsing while playing ice hockey with his son, Carter. He was 69. Patton and Robin Thicke currently share joint custody of Julian, and according to Thicke's filing, he has overnights with Julian every Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Thicke and Patton married in 2005 and officially divorced last March. Thicke says he had not seen his son since Dec. 31, and stated he has “on a very rare occasion, and only as a last resort,” used “light spanking” with Julian per his agreement with Patton during their marriage. Thicke insists he has “never exceeded age-appropriate discipline.” But according to People, Patton claims in her declaration that the school’s principals “advised” her about “comments and statements Julian made to them about the way Respondent hits and punishes in private.” The actress adds that she told them she “had been hearing the same things, and that I did not know how to handle and was very concerned.” Patton said Julian’s “behavior has become very concerning,” and that the child has “become very tense,” disappears into “what appears to be a trance” and has developed a “slight stutter.” According to People and TMZ, a L.A. judge on Thursday denied Patton's request to limit Thicke's joint custody. Source

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