USA Today reports that Charlie sheen, who had been seeking full custody of his two sons, was denied his custody request by L.A. Superior Court Judge Hank Goldberg, who determined that Sheen will continue to share custody with his estranged wife Brooke Mueller under their current agreement.

The Judge's decision was, sources say, based in large part on Sheen's history of substance abuse and his recent comments concerning that abuse. That behavior was not enough to outweigh Mueller's known struggles with alcohol addiction, for which she is reportedly back in outpatient rehab after refusing to take a drug test.

Sheen is also currently in a battle with Warner Brother concerning his recent firing from the popular television series, "Two and a Half Men." In that case, lawyers for Sheen and Warner Brothers recently argued at a hearing over whether Sheen has the right to have his case heard at a public trial instead of a private arbitration, or whether his 2003 contract precludes that possibility.

Attorney for Warner Brothers, John Spiegel, said the contract talks concerning Sheen were "long and protracted," and that Sheen had a "long list of things he wanted." Among Sheen's granted requests were $2 million per episode, a minimum of 48 episodes, a narrowing of his "morality clause," use of the corporate jet, private hair stylist, and a pass from the first day of rehearsals.

The judge in charge of Sheen's contract case has 30 days to rule on whether he will be permitted a public trial.

Meanwhile, Sheen can reflect on his child custody defeat and hopefully gain a bit of perspective.

Source: USA Today, "Details of Charlie Sheen's court cases emerge," Ann Oldenburg, 20 April 2011.