ANITA BAKER AND JAIL TIME....WOW!!

Anita Baker narrowly escaped jail time last week in a dispute with her ex-husband over royalties. Baker faced a February 24th to sign documents giving court-appointed music contract expert Howard Hertz rights to seek information from the record companies on the amount owed to Walter Bridgforth in their divorce settlement. When the Grammy-winning singer did not sign by the deadline, Detroit's Wayne County Chief Family Court Judge Lita Masini Popke ordered her back to court Friday to sign or be jailed. Fortunately, attorneys for Baker and Bridgforth were able to strike a deal during the session that was satisfactory to all parties and did not involve jail time for Baker.

Baker tells the Associated Press, "I'm so happy. ... I have never been in such a position before. And we don't intend to ever be in such a position ever again. I just wanna go home, and I'm happy to go home. ... As horrific as it could have been, it was lovely to feel supported, though, on the other end."