Date set for Madonna adoption appeal

NEW YORK, April 20 (UPI) -- A panel of three Supreme Court of Appeal judges in Malawi is scheduled next month to begin hearing Madonna's appeal in her bid to adopt a 3-year-old girl.

The pop star was told earlier this month that she could not adopt little Mercy James because she didn't meet a southeast African nation's residency requirement. The judge said at the time that she feared ruling in Madonna's favor could potentially open the door for child trafficking.

The appeal session is slated to start May 4 and may take up to two weeks, court official Joseph Chigona told Usmagazine.com.

"Madonna is not required to be present (during the appeal,)" he said. "As with all court cases involving infants, this one will be in chambers, not in an open court."

Madonna's Malawian attorney, Alan Chinula, told the magazine he is confident Madonna will eventually get custody of the child.

"We believe the lower court judge erred by basing her judgment on an archaic law of over 50 years ago," Chinula said.

Madonna is already the mother of two biological children and a son she previously adopted from Malawi.