Kelly Rutherford's custody battle bad for her career?

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Kelly Rutherford: My kids want to be with mommy

Actress reunited with children amid ongoing bitter custody battle

Kelly Rutherford has spent months in court rooms publicly feuding with the lawyers representing the father of her children. Most recently, her kids were taken away from her and sent to their dad in Monaco after she defied a court order to send them back after a vacation to the U.S. What do her latest actions mean for her future with her kids and career?

A source connected to the family insisted to FOX411 the kids want to be with their mother.

“The kids are very happy with their mother and love being with her and are miserable without her,” the insider said. “Kelly wants to do what’s right for her kids.”

However, Giersch's team has repeatedly emphasized that the children are happy living with their father. And either way, legal experts tell us it's unlikely Rutherford's actions will lead to more time with her kids.

“She has damaged her chances for future custodial rights,” said Leo Terrell, a Los Angeles-based attorney. “She disobeyed a court order to return the children. A writ of habeas corpus was filed by the ex-husband and granted by a New York Court ordering her to turn over the children to the paternal grandmother. Kelly received bad legal advice to defy the court order.”

A lawyer for the family told the New York Post on Tuesday that Rutherford's refusal to send her kids back to their dad may mean she needs to be supervised during her future visits with the children.

“We don’t want a reoccurrence of this a year from now,” he said.

And what implications does all of this family drama have on her dwindling acting career?

Ronn Torossian, CEO of 5WPR, does not see the court battle as a roadblock for her career.

“From a brand perspective, I think many Americans will have empathy for Kelly Rutherford,” he said. “This actress fighting for her children is something which is a very personal matter, and something which will have very little impact on her career.”

Bonnie Fuller, of HollywoodLife.com, notes that the degree of Kelly’s professional reputation in the industry is only going to help her in the long run and not hurt her in the ability to get work.

“Kelly can definitely still have a long and successful career in Hollywood,” she said. “As long as Kelly can guarantee that she can commit and show up for a TV series or film shooting schedule, she can be hired.”

Torossian expects to see Rutherford back to work fairly soon. The actress most notably Rutherford starred in CW’s hit “Gossip Girl” playing Lily van der Woodsen.

“She’s very marketable, and will continue to get strong roles,” he continued. “Expect to see her back acting again very soon.”