Melissa Etheridge has FINALLY settled her 2 year war with domestic partner Tammy Lynn Michaels ... TMZ has learned.

The former couple hashed out an agreement last night as part of court-ordered mediation. 

The settlement covers both partner and child support.  As TMZ first reported, Tammy had been receiving a total of $23,000 a month from Melissa, but claimed she was barely scraping by and that Melissa could afford to pay more since she was raking in $177,882 a month.

Sources connected with the couple tell TMZ ... under the terms of the settlement, Tammy will net more than the $23,000 a month, though we don't have the exact figure.

As for who gets the 5-year-old twins, Johnnie Rose and Miller Steven, we're told Melissa and Tammy will share joint custody, with adjustments when Melissa goes on the road.

Lawyers for both sides could not be reached for comment.

Melissa Etheridge has just filed legal docs, claiming her former domestic partner, Tammy Lynn Michaels, accidentally burned one of their kids with a cigarette.

Melissa, who is in an epic battle with Tammy, wants the judge to order both her and Tammy to go smoke-free around their twins ... to prevent any cigarette-related accidents from happening in the future. 

In the docs, Melissa also claims Tammy has accused her of having no maternal instinct and therefore is against striking a 50/50 joint custody deal. Melissa says Tammy is adamant ... she did not give birth to the children to give them away.

Melissa calls Tammy "angry and vindictive."

And highlighting yet ANOTHER display of nastiness, Melissa says Tammy once sent her an email saying, "You have to support so many households because YOU BROKE SO MANY HOUSEHOLDS, silly.  If you had decided to have one ounce of integrity/honesty as a person or partner, you would NOT be in this predicament. Think about it."

In her docs, Melissa attached an email she claims Tammy sent her way ... which says, "They aren't leaving my care while you are on the road -- a completely inappropriate place for 3-year-olds -- not to mention you can't track them, have no child care, and they were bit by dogs in the house last time you had them."

Melissa is asking a judge for more time with the kids. A hearing is set for May 22.

Melissa Etheridge's ex-GF Tammy Lynn Michaels claims she's barely scraping by on the $23,000 a month Melissa currently pays her in partner and child support -- and now, she wants a massive raise ... this according to new court docs obtained by TMZ.

Tammy just filed the papers in the couple's infamously bitter separation claiming Melissa makes roughly $177,882.00 PER MONTH ... and got Tammy accustomed to an extravagant lifestyle while they were together ... so the $23k is incredibly unfair.

Tammy -- a former actress -- also claims she has "virtually no savings" and would need "extensive retraining" if she were to rejoin the workforce.

Tammy claims Melissa is also brainwashing the kids -- training them to be emotionally distant and rude to Tammy ... and now they won't even give her a hug. 

Tammy also accuses Melissa of cursing around the children -- including one instance ... when she told Tammy to "get the f**k off my back" in front of the kids. According to Tammy, Melissa also refuses to let the kids get vaccinated.

As for the reason behind the mudslinging -- Tammy and Melissa are headed into a settlement conference in May to determine support and custody issues ... so it's important for Tammy to demonstrate she's the better mom.

On top of increased support, Tammy also wants Melissa to pay her $120,000 legal bill. Calls to Melissa were not returned.

Melissa Etheridge reunited with her ex-GF Tammy Lynn Michaels for a mommy & mommy meal with their 5-year-old twins this week ... but afterward, Tammy let the world know they still DESPISE each other.

The gang met up for an overpriced lunch at Jerry's Deli in Woodland Hills, CA -- but when she got home, Tammy tweeted, "Sometimes you gotta plaster a sh*t-eating grin on your face for the sake of the kids.:-) "

The former domestic partners are battling it out in court over child custody, visitation, child support, spousal support and attorney's fees.

If Melissa Etheridge says tomato, Tammy Lynn Michaels says tomato -- well, this probably has more impact when you say it ... but the two former lovebirds are about to engage in a lesbian battle royale in court.

TMZ has obtained legal docs, which draw the battle lines in the break-up of their 9-year relationship that produced twins.

According to the docs, Melissa claims she's at loggerheads with Tammy over the following issues:

-- Child custody
-- Visitation
-- Child support
-- Spousal support
-- Division of property
-- Attorney's fees

But wait ... there's more ... Melissa and Tammy are even arguing over whether they were actually married.  Tammy says they were (which would entitle her to all sorts of financial goodies) while Melissa says their vows were nothing more than a non-binding commitment ceremony. 

Thus proving ... gay doesn't always mean happy.

Melissa Etheridge's ex, Tammy Lynn Michaels, doesn't need $25,000 immediately since Melissa is footing the bills ... this according to an L.A. County Superior Court judge.


Tammy's lawyer wanted the judge to order Melissa to immediately pay 25k to his client, whom he claims is destitute.  The lawyer wanted another 25k from Melissa for legal fees, but Melissa's attorney, Neal Hersh, convinced the judge Melissa was paying for everything -- housing, food, schools, the works -- so Tammy's claim that she can't afford to live is bogus.

TMZ broke the story ... Melissa filed to end their domestic partnership, and Tammy then filed, claiming the two were married and she wanted the marriage dissolved.

The next hearing is set for September.

Melissa Etheridge has left Tammy Lynn Michaels and the two children they have together high and dry ... this according to Tammy’s lawyer Steven Knowles. But Melissa says Tammy is delusional.



Knowles tells TMZ Tammy has a grand total of $4 to her name ... adding, "Melissa has not been treating Tammy or the children as if they are a wife and children, financially and otherwise."

Knowles says Melissa has not given Tammy or the kids a penny since the breakup … and she is now destitute.

TMZ broke the story, Melissa filed for dissolution of her domestic partnership with Tammy last week.

On Tuesday, Tammy filed her own legal docs … but she is asking for a dissolution of marriage. According to Knowles, even though Tammy and Melissa were not legally married in California, “They were married in their own eyes and in the eyes of the world … and Melissa was the first to say they were, in fact, married.”

BTW – Tammy is asking for spousal support – something she can't get if she is not “married.”

As we first told you, Melissa wants joint custody … but Tammy is asking for full legal and physical custody.

Knowles tells us Melissa can't possibly be a participant in the custody agreement because her schedule makes it impossible to be a meaningful parent.

Melissa's lawyer, Neal Hersh, tells TMZ, "Melissa is paying all of Tammy's expenses, which totals tens of thousands of dollars per month."

Melissa Etheridge's former domestic partner, Tammy Lynn Michaels, has filed legal docs asking for full custody of their twin children.


TMZ broke the story ... Melissa filed for dissolution of their domestic partnership. In Melissa's docs, she filed for joint legal and physical custody.

But now, Tammy has thrown down the gauntlet, asking for full legal and physical custody.  Tammy carried the twins to term, after being impregnated by an anonymous sperm donor.

Tammy, just like Melissa, says in her docs irreconcilable differences as the reason to end their partnership.

Tammy is also asking for spousal support.

Last thing ... it looks like Tammy made a mistake.  She filed a dissolution of marriage rather than a dissolution of domestic partnership.  The two did not qualify to marry during the time that they established their union.

The world found out on Friday about Melissa Etheridge filing papers to end her domestic partnership with Tammy Lynn Michaels by reading it here on TMZ -- and apparently so did Tammy Lynn.



Tammy Lynn took to her blog to express her shock in the form of some kind of poetry. The post, called "blindsiding," appears to say that Tammy Lynn and Melissa agreed to part ways after Melissa's tour.

As for how she heard the news, Tammy Lynn opines:

her broken promises
told to me by
headlines

You're welcome?

TMZ has learned ... Melissa Etheridge has just filed legal documents with the court to formally end her relationship with Tammy Lynn Michaels.



Etheridge filed a document called a Petition for Dissolution of Domestic Partnership in L.A. County Superior Court.

Etheridge and Michaels were registered as domestic partners in California. They had a commitment ceremony back in 2003.  There were reports they tried to legally marry in 2008 -- during the time when same-sex marriages were permitted in CA --  but they missed the window. 

In the docs, Etheridge cites "irreconcilable differences."

Etheridge is asking for joint custody of the couple's two children.  Their twins were born in 2006, after Tammy was artificially inseminated by an anonymous donor.

Etheridge's lawyer, Judy Bogen, is also asking the judge to reject any possible bid by Tammy to get financial support.

There are reports the couple split back in April.