LOS ANGELES -- Britney Spears has been granted expanded visitation rights to her two sons in a child-custody hearing Tuesday in Los Angeles.

Spears and her ex-husband Kevin Federline were both in court for the hearing. The pop singer's arrival to court was low-key -- unlike previous appearances that included screaming fans with banners, and frenzied paparazzi that chased the singer into the parking garage.

Federline's lawyer Mark Vincent Kaplan said after the hearing the longer visits are "recognition of the progress that has been made."

Kaplan also said that there's been no change to orders granting custody of both boys to Federline, but that Spears would see them for longer periods.

Spears smiled briefly but did not address questions as she left the hearing, which was closed to reporters.

Reporters were not allowed inside of Tuesday's hearing.

She wore a brown polka-dot dress and white sweater -- not the cocktail-party-like attire she had worn to court before.

It's been three months since Spears left a psychiatric ward a week ahead of schedule, stirring up a paparazzi car chase. Since then, though, she's been keeping a low profile and largely avoiding the cameras.

Spears has been under the conservatorship of her father since leaving the psychiatric ward of UCLA Medical Center in February.

A month earlier, Federline was given full custody of his two sons by Spears, 2-year-old Sean Preston and 1-year-old Jayden James.

That came after police were called to Spears' home when she refused to hand over one of the boys to a Federline bodyguard.

Spears was taken by ambulance to a hospital after the incident. Her visitation rights were suspended, but have been gradually restored in recent months.