An Alaska judge is telling Sarah Palin's oldest daughter that a bitter legal dispute over her young son cannot be kept confidential.

Eighteen-year-old Bristol Palin argued that the court battle could become a "media circus" that could potentially embarrass her son as he gets older.

Palin is fighting her son's father for sole custody of 1-year-old Tripp. She also wants Levi Johnston to pay child support and have scheduled visitation.

Johnston wants shared custody and has pushed for open court proceedings. He says if the court case were to be secret he would fear that Sarah Palin would get involved. Bristol Palin has said that her mother, who resigned as Alaska governor in July, would not be involved in the case other than as "grandmother."

Relations between the Palins and Johnston and his family have frequently been strained since the couple broke off their engagement after their son was born.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)