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:
BREAKING: Judge approves Britney Spears to hire her own lawyer in conservatorship battle
Britney Spears has been given permission to choose a new attorney to represent her in her ongoing conservatorship battle.
It is the first time the pop star has been allowed a say in her own legal representation since 2008.
Spears’ court-appointed lawyer, Samuel Ingham, formally requested to step down in a court filing last week but the decision required approval from a California judge.
The Independent’s Kevin EG Perry has more on this breaking news:
Judge approves Britney Spears to hire her own lawyer in conservatorship battle
Decision was made at hearing today (14 July) in Los Angeles
Britney Spears asks for her father to be charged with ‘abuse’
The Wednesday court hearing about Britney Spears’ conservatorship case involved the singer calling for her father to be jailed for alleged “conservatorship abuse”.
An emotional Spears spoke to a Los Angeles judge about her case during the hearing.
When speaking, Spears asked for her estranged father, Jamie Spears, to be charged for conservatorship abuse, according to reports.
“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,” she added. “I want an investigation into my dad.”
This came after the judge approved for Spears to appoint her own lawyer after being under a court-appointed lawyer.
Lawyer Matthew Rosengart, a former federal prosecutor who now works for a top-tier Hollywood law firm, was spotted at the court hearing, according to reports, and was expected to take over as Spears’ legal counsel.
Pop singer commends fans behind the #FreeBritney movement
Britney Spears gave another emotional testimony in court on Wednesday amid her conservatorship legal battles.
During her testimony, Spears referenced the fans who helped give attention to her legal battles, thus sparking a #FreeBritney movement that’s been given widespread attention.
“It’s because of them I am here today. It’s because of them I have the f**king strength to speak up against my family who have silenced me and my fans for years,” she said in court via phone.
The pop singer also commented on her conservatorship, saying: “If this is not abuse, I don’t know what is.”
She also called the situation “f**king cruelty” and said she “thought they were trying to kill me” when referring to her father and those who have been managing her life since 2008.
Spears went on to state that her team’s “goal was to make me feel crazy, and I’m not, and that’s not OK.”
More details into Spears’ change in lawyers
Britney Spears was appointed a lawyer by the court back in 2008 when the conservatorship first formed.
Samuel Ingham has represented Spears for the last 13 years. But during a bombshell court testimony in June, Spears revealed that she wanted the power to select her own lawyer.
“I haven’t really had the opportunity by my own self to actually handpick my own lawyer by myself. And I would like to be able to do that,” she said during her 23 June testimony.
Then on 6 July, Mr Ingham announced that he would like to step down as Spears’ attorney, but it would require approval from a judge. Mr Ingham’s resignation would be effective once approved by the judge and Spears has acquired her own attorney.
On Wednesday, Judge Brenda Penny accepted Mr Ingham’s resignation and approved for Spears’ to hire Hollywood lawyer Matthew Rosengart, who has previously represented A-list clients like Sean Penn, Steven Spielberg, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Keanu Reeves.
Bessemer Trust, which was assigned as a co-conservator of Spears’ estate, has also requested to step down from the role.
Judge Penny approved Bessemer resigning from the position during the court hearing.
Britney Spears’ new lawyer speaks for first time since taking her case
Michael Rosengart, a former federal prosecutor and veteran Hollywood lawyer, spoke outside of the Los Angeles courthouse on Wednesday after a judge approved for him to represent Britney Spears in her conservatorship case.
He called for the pop singer’s father, Jamie Spears, to voluntarily step down as her conservator because it would be “in the best interest” of his client.
“Jamie Spears should be removed as conservator because it is in [the] best interest of the conservatee,” Mr Rosengart said. “We will be moving promptly and aggressively for his removal. The question remains, why is he involved? He should step down voluntarily because that’s what’s in the best interest of the conservatee.”
His statement went on to praise Spears for her “courage, passion, and humanity” when choosing to speak in court about her conservatorship situation.
“My firm and I will be taking a top to bottom look at what’s happened over the past decade,” Ms Rosengart said.
Previous clients of Mr Rosengart include Sean Penn, Steven Spielberg, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Keanu Reeves.
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