Britney Spears decision: Judge approves pop singer hiring own lawyer amid conservatorship battle
Hearing taking place three weeks after Spears’s long address to judge
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Britney Spears’ conservatorship case resumed in court with a Los Angeles judge granting the pop singer the right to appoint her own lawyer, something she asked to do during her bombshell testimony three weeks prior.
The hearing was to address the aftermath of Spears’ remarks in June, specifically her drive to control who acts as her legal counsel.
Spears’ court-appointed lawyer, Samuel Ingham, had already requested to step down, effective as soon as the pop singer could appoint her own lawyer. On Wednesday, the judge approved for Spears to decide who should represent her in the conservatorship battle.
Lawyer Matthew Rosengart, a former federal prosecutor who now works for a top-tier Hollywood law firm, was spotted at the court hearing and was asked to take over as Spears’ legal counsel.
Reports indicated Spears would not likely speak during the hearing, but the pop singer instead gave another emotional testimony about what her life has been like under the conservatorship.
In the testimony, she called for her father, Jamie Spears, to be charged with “conservatorship abuse”.
“I would like to charge my father with conservatorship abuse,” said Spears, speaking to the court by phone, “I want to press charges against my father today. I want an investigation into my dad.”
In a statement given outside the courthouse, Mr Rosengart called for Mr Spears to voluntarily step down as his client’s conservator. “Jamie Spears should be removed as conservator because it is in [the] best interest of the conservatee,” he said.
Read more into Britney Spears’ conservatorship battle:
The documentary Framing Britney Spears, which explores the treatment of Spears by the public and the media, was nominated for two Emmys yesterday.
Read our review below:
Framing Britney Spears is a deeply sad account that lacks hard evidence – review
The New York Times documentary shows the misogyny and ruthlessness with which Spears has been treated – but it’s lacking in journalistic rigour
Spears criticised the conservatorship and expressed her disagreement during a hearing on 23 June.
Read her statement in full here:
Read Britney Spears’s full statement against her conservatorship
‘I want changes going forward. I deserve changes’ says Spears
Spears has received support from many celebrities since her court address, including Miley Cyrus, who chanted “Free Britney” at a recent concert.
Performing for the opening of Resorts World, Cyrus sang her hit “Party in the USA”, at one point alluding to Spears’s legal battle.
“The taxi man turned on the radio, he turned to me and said, ‘Free Britney, Free Britney!” she sang, as heard in videos captured of the gig.
Read more about the moment in the story below:
Miley Cyrus chants ‘Free Britney’ during ‘Party in the USA’ performance
Cyrus has been a vocal supporter of Spears amid an ongoing battle over her 13-year conservatorship
Elon Musk has also expressed his support for Britney Spears amid the singer’s conservatorship battle.
The Tesla and SpaceX CEO shared the words “Free Britney” on Monday from his Twitter account, on which he has 57.8 million followers.
Musk’s partner Grimes replied “thank u” to his tweet.
Matt Gaetz offers to represent Britney Spears ‘for free’
Representative Matt Gaetz, a Republican of Florida, has offered to represent Britney Spears as she seeks new counsel in her conservatorship battle.
Mr Gaetz worked briefly as a lawyer for a private firm before running for state representative.
Now he’s lended his legal experience to the pop singer.
“I would represent her for free,” Mr Gaetz wrote on Twitter while sharing an article about Spears’ legal battles.
The Florida congressman has been outspoken about Spears’ conservatorship in recent weeks after she gave a public testimony in June about her situation.
He has since spearheaded a movement in Congress to do a #FreeBritney-style rewrite of conservatorship laws amid her legal battles.
Starting soon: Britney Spears conservatorship case is heard in court
A court hearing will begin at 1:30pm local time in Los Angeles to discuss the aftermath of Britney Spears testimony about her conservatorship, which took place in June.
A Los Angeles judge and others who currently hold legal power of the pop singer will convene. It is not expected for Spears to speak during this hearing, but she might when it comes to deciding who will represent the singer.
Spears will be represented at the hearing by her longtime court-appointed lawyer, Samuel Ingham Ill,
But Mr Ingham filed documents last week saying he was resigning from his position as her representative, effective as soon as Spears gets a new attorney.
This came after Spears indicated she wanted different counsel when giving her bombshell testimony in court three weeks prior.
Fans gather outside of LA courthouse ahead of hearing
Footage outside the Los Angeles courthouse where Britney Spears’ conservatorship hearing will start showed fans rallying in support of the pop singer.
Hundreds appeared gathered holding signs and cheering as they await news about the hearing.
All parties involved in the hearing were expected to be remote, and it was not clear if Spears would make any statements following her bombshell testimony in June.
Fans also gathered in Washington DC to show support with Spears and her conservatorship battle.
Watch live: Fans hold a rally outside courthouse where Britney Spears’ convervatorship case resumes
Matt Gaetz speaks at LA rally for Britney Spears
Representative Matt Gaetz, a Republican of Florida, travelled to Los Angeles, California, on Wednesday for Britney Spears’ hearing about her conservatorship case.
Mr Gaetz was pictured and filmed at a rally held outside the Los Angeles courthouse.
He then approached the microphone to give a statement about the conservatorship and abuse Spears has allegedly experienced at the hands of her father, Jamie Spears – who was first assigned as her conservator in 2008.
“There’s a lot that still divides us but one thing we call all agree on is that Jamie Spears is a d***,” Mr Gaetz said while on Instagram live.
Watch the congressman’s full statement here:
Matt Gaetz calls Britney Spears' dad 'a d***' outside conservatorship hearing
US Rep Matt Gaetz has visited Britney Spears' conservatorship hearing and took aim at her father, telling assembled the press: "There's a lot that still divides us but one thing we call all agree on is that Jamie Spears is a d***,” writes Kevin E G Perry.
Mr Gaetz added outside the courtroom on Wednesday in Los Angeles: "He should not be making any more decisions regarding his daughter, she is nearly 40 years old."
Earlier this month, Mr Gaetz and several other House Republicans wrote to Spears asking her to testify before Congress following her rare public remarks condemning her father's legal mechanism that has governed her life for more than a decade.
Full report here:
Matt Gaetz calls Britney Spears’ dad ‘a d***’ outside conservatorship hearing
Florida congressman made an appearance at the #FreeBritney Rally outside the Stanley Mosk Courthouse in Los Angeles
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