According to officials with the Los Angeles Superior Court, actor Mel Gibson and his estranged ex-girlfriend, Oksana Grigorieva, have reached a settlement regarding the custody and financial support of their infant daughter. While no details have been released regarding the child custody settlement, the simple step of reaching an agreement is a positive step after more than a year of a highly publicized court battle.

In April of 2009, Gibson's wife of 29 years filed for divorce after learning of Gibson's affair with Grigorieva, a Russian musician. A few months later, the couple's daughter was born. Unfortunately, the relationship between Gibson and Grigorieva did not last much longer, either.

In January of 2010, Gibson was arrested and charged with misdemeanor domestic battery after a heated argument with Grigorieva. He later pleaded no contest to the domestic violence charge, but admitted no guilt in doing so. In addition, Grigorieva was not allowed to use the plea in any later civil lawsuits, including the couple's pending child custody and child support battles.

Later, Grigorieva reportedly leaked several angry rants to a gossip website which attributed them to Gibson. Recently, however, Grigorieva's attorney announced that he would not use them as evidence in the child custody case.

The 55-year-old actor and director has been working to renew his battered public image, completing his community service by volunteering with a children's charity and Guatemala and undergoing court-ordered counseling.

Gibson also recently reached a divorce settlement with his wife, Robyn. That case is expected to be finalized early next week.

Source: CBS News, "Mel Gibson, actor's ex settle," Aug. 27, 2011