An upbeat Britney Spears appeared in court Friday with her father for a closed-door hearing in her ongoing conservatorship case.

The singer, 28, wore a gray jacket and black skirt with her hair dark brown and long with a few blonde streaks. She entered the courtroom at 1:45 p.m. from the judge’s hallway door following her father, Jamie.

Spears smiled as she stood at the attorney table next to her court-appointed lawyer Samuel Ingham. After Superior Court Commissioner Reva Goetz took the stand, Spears’s conservator lawyers requested to seal the courtroom because the hearing involved personal medical information.

The judge granted the request and ordered reporters and other audience members to leave.

It’s been nearly two years since the pop star’s father gained legal control over her affairs following her mental breakdown, and experts say it’s normal procedure for the judge to want to check in with her.

Experts add that Spears won’t regain control of her own life until she proves to the court – backed by doctors’ opinions – that she’s able to manage her own affairs.

Source: People Magazine

Britney Spears will remain under the watchful eye of her father — now that a judge has ruled to extend her conservatorship. The judge didn’t specify how long the conservatorship will remain in place, but lawyers involved in the matter tell TMZ they expect it to last somewhere between six months and a year. Under the ruling, Britney’s dad, Jamie Spears, will continue to receive a $16,000-a-month payment for his duties. Andrew Wallet — the co-conservator — was also granted a $174,569.10 payment for services rendered between July 2009 and November 2009. The judge also authorized Britney’s conservatorship to kick out close to $300,000 in attorney’s fees. The next hearing is set for January 14th.

Source: TMZ

Not sure how I feel about this. Obviously her doctors are more in the know than fans, but it seems ridiculous that it may last another year, making it three years in total.

Britney Spears‘ daddy is ready to release his daughter into the wild again — we’ve learned the conservatorship may be coming to an end.

Sources tell us Jamie Spears will ask the court to review the terms of the conservatorship after her concert tour ends in November. Jamie can’t ask the judge to end it — just to review it. The judge then decides if Britney should regain control of her life.

We’re told Jamie thinks Britney is ready to roll on her own. He has made her life his full time job since February, 2008.

Fact is … if it weren’t for the tour, given Britney’s progress, the judge might already have made the decision to undo the conservatorship. The various vendors were promised under their contracts that the conservatorship would stay in tact throughout the tour.

A little editorial comment … it may be the most remarkable turnaround we’ve ever seen. A year and a half ago, people were worried for Britney’s life.

Source: TMZ

Sam Lutfi has filed a lawsuit against Britney Spears and her parents, Jamie and Lynne, claiming they defamed him and also alleging Britney lived in fear of her father.

In his lawsuit filed today, Sam boldly claims, “Resentful of Lynne and afraid of Jamie’s controlling, violent, and often unpredictable behavior, Britney began inquiring about obtaining restraining orders against Jamie and Lynne.” It was under those circumstances that Sam met, and eventually worked for, Britney.

Sam goes on to accuse Jamie of physically assaulting him. He says he was standing in Britney’s kitchen on January 29, 2008 when Jamie stormed into the house. Lutfi alleges Jamie yelled at him, claiming Sam made a rude comment to Lynne the night before. Then, Sam claims, Jamie “intentionally punched him in the chest” and threatened to kill him if he ever heard Sam make a rude comment about Lynne or any member of the Spears family again.

All the claims of libel and defamation spring from Lynne’s book, “Through the Storm.” Lutfi says since the publication of the book, he “has been subjected to unfathomable amounts of ridicule and public scorn.”

Lutfi also claims Britney broke a contract with him and owes him unpaid management fees. He claims he had an oral agreement with Spears to be her manager for four years, earning 15% commission.

Last Friday, Britney got a restraining order against Lutfi and Adnan Ghalib, barring them from having any contact with her, her parents or her kids.

Source: TMZ

TMZ has just obtained declarations from Jamie Spears and others in the latest Britney Spears case — Britney’s lawyer says Sam Lutfi had inserted himself and tried peddling info about Jamie, Britney and others connected with the case. Specifically, Sam allegedly was calling lawyers saying that Britney wanted to hire her own lawyer, presumably to fight the conservatorship. Sources tell TMZ that is definitely not what Britney wanted.

As we first reported, the conservators for Britney Spears obtained a restraining order today against Sam Lutfi, Adnan Ghalib and attorney Jon Eardley. We’re told Brit herself is furious at Lutfi and Ghalib and would like to see them jailed.

Here’s the most interesting part….According to the legal papers, late last month Lutfi sent text messages to Brit’s hairdresser, saying he wasn’t responsible for the conservatorship. A week or so later, Britney received “instant messages from a person with the screen name ____….The person — who posed as the mother of a daughter with autism — made a number of utterly false and hurtful assertions concerning Mr. Spears and his family, threatening to go public with such purported ‘information’ unless Mr. Spears spoke with that person.” Almost immediately after Brit got those messages, Lutfi began calling Jamie.

One of the lawyers in the case filed a declaration saying over the past month she received “multiple telephone calls and text messages from Lutfi.” She says Lutfi wanted to set up an urgent meeting to “speak with Mr. Spears and me with regard to what he claimed was ‘information he had received about Mr. Spears and his daughter, Britney Spears as well as others.’” The attorney also says Lutfi claimed “he had been talking with Adnan Ghalib about the conservatorship and Ms. Spears’ status as a conservatee.”

In another document, one of the conservatorship lawyers claims “Mr. Lutfi has sent text messages and instant messages that contain false and hurtful allegations concerning Mr. Spears, Ms. Spears, and the Spears family.” The lawyer continues, “Mr. Lutfi, Adnan Ghalib, and Jon Eardley sought unsuccessfully to induce an attorney to file” false statements with the court.

The papers make it clear….”Over the past month, Ms. Spears has had numerous telephone conversations with both Mr. Lutfi and Mr. Ghalib and has exchanged numerous text messages with both of them.” But we’re told now Brit is so mad at them she wants them locked up.

Under the TRO, Lutfi, Ghalib and Eardley must stay 250 yards away from Britney, her parents and her kids. The TRO also prohibits the trio from “acting on Ms. Spears’ behalf…inducing or assisting another person to file legal pleadings” on her behalf.

Interesting fun fact: In the petition for the TRO, it says Brit has been communicating with Adnan and that “Ms. Spears innocently informs Mr. Ghalib of her destinations and that he then arranges for paparazzi to meet and film her to his financial benefit.”

Source: TMZ

…. Seriously?!

We’ve learned Britney Spears has just obtained a restraining order against Sam Lutfi and Adnan Ghalib.

Britney’s lawyers went to court this morning to obtain the injunction.

A source close to the conservatorship tells TMZ Britney asked her conservators to “protect her from Sam and Adnan.” We’ve also learned Britney told her conservators she was afraid of them both and hoped they could be locked up in jail.

A source tells TMZ the conservators believe Lutfi and Ghalib conspired to try and undermine Britney’s conservatorship in a way that would have been extremely harmful to her. We’re also told attorney Jon Eardley — the dude Lutfi used early last year to mount a bizarre, baseless attack on the conservatorship — was allegedly also in on the conspiracy and the TRO is against him as well.

Source: TMZ

Lock them up!!!

Lawyers in the Britney Spears conservatorship case have just asked the court commissioner to make her conservatorship permanent. And the judge said she would grant the request.

The conservatorship was scheduled to end on December 31.

Sources say one reason why Brit & Co. wanted to extend the conservatorship is that it makes it easier for her to regain custody of her kids — the family law commissioner will feel more comfortable giving her added face time if there is a safety net.

The conservators will now also be responsible for handling her business affairs and career opportunities.

As for why they suddenly asked for a permanent conservatorship — we’re told the commish doesn’t want to keep extending temporary power…that it makes more sense to make the conservatorship permanent and then just lift it when Brit is safe and sound.

Under the permanent conservatorship a medical team will oversee Britney’s career to make sure what she does will not compromise her mental health.

The commish said, “The conservatorship is necessary and appropriate for the complexity of financial and business entities and her being susceptible to undue influence.”

Source: TMZ

Britney Spears’s father will remain in legal control of his daughter until Dec. 31, a court ruled Thursday.

Jamie Spears, 56, was named temporary conservator of her affairs on Feb. 1 following his 26-year-old daughter’s two forced hospitalizations in January.

“The extension of the conservatorship was at the request and suggestion of Britney’s doctors,” says a source close to the singer. “They’ve indicated she’s made great improvement, but it’s a work in progress. Jamie Spears doesn’t want the conservatorship to last a day longer than the doctors recommend.”

Jamie has sole authority over whom his daughter has contact with, and has hired security guards to watch her 24 hours a day. He shares control with another lawyer over her multimillion-dollar estate.

A progress review of the case was set for Oct. 28.

Earlier Thursday, Spears’s court-appointed attorney, Samuel D. Ingham III, told the Associated Press that he wouldn’t seek to extend the restraining order against the singer’s one-time pal Sam Lutfi, because Spears has cut all ties with Lutfi anyway.

Ingham also said that the restraining order is no longer necessary because Jamie can legally control whom his daughter sees: “During the temporary conservatorship, the conservators have the power to insure that Lutfi will not harm Britney anymore.”

Source: People Magazine

According to TMZ, if all goes well, all parties will be ready to end it on October 31st.  We’ll have to wait and see how long it actually does last for, but for now Jamie is still in control.

In case you read otherwise, sources tell us Britney’s conservatorship will definitely not end today.

There are reports Britney Spears will become a free woman today when lawyers for the conservatorship go to court to announce their intentions. Well here are their intentions. They will ask the judge to continue the conservatorship until the fall. We hear it may last until the end of the year.

Jamie Spears won’t be in court. The lawyers will deal with bookkeeping stuff in chambers, but that’s it.

Source: TMZ

Britney Spears’s father will likely remain in control of the singer’s affairs following a court review Thursday, an expert says.

“I would be very surprised if the court ends her father’s control so soon,” says Terry K. Wasserman, a mental health attorney not involved in her case. “It’s rare for someone to regain their capacity in just 60 days.”

Two months ago, Spears’s attorney Samuel Ingham testified that the pop star was unfit to take part in legal proceedings. “In fact, they could be harmful to her,” Ingham said.

Jamie Spears, 56, was named temporary conservator of her affairs on Feb. 1 following his 26-year-old daughter’s two forced hospitalizations in January.

He has sole authority over whom she has contact with, and has hired security guards to watch her 24 hours a day. Her father also shares control with another lawyer over her multimillion-dollar estate.

Conservatorships can last anywhere from several months up to a person’s lifetime.

“Britney can only regain control of her life if she proves to the court – backed by medical experts – that she’s regained her health,” Wasserman says.

Thursday’s hearing will also determine whether a restraining order will be renewed against the singer’s former pal Sam Lutfi.

Last week, Spears and ex-husband Kevin Federline, 30, ended their custody battle, reaching a settlement in which Federline retains sole custody of sons Preston, 2 1/2, and Jayden, 1 1/2, with visits by Spears.

Source: People Magazine

A hearing concerning the temporary conservatorship of Britney Spears will be held in Los Angeles Superior Court on Thursday, which could affect whether the pop star will remain legally under the care of her father and a lawyer.

A judge ruled Britney was to be placed under a temporary conservatorship, overseen by her father Jamie Spears and attorney Andrew Wallet, back in February. The ruling allowed Jamie Spears and Wallet to make decisions, including those on financial matters, on the singer’s behalf.

Additionally, a temporary restraining order was filed by the conservatorship against Britney’s friend, Sam Lutfi. The order was eventually served and extended.

Lawyers for the conservatorship will meet in court on Thursday during a morning session. It was unclear if Britney (who was recently spotted in Cabo San Lucas) would attend the hearing.

On Tuesday, a source told X-17 Online that the temporary conservatorship may come to a close, but the move seems unlikely as Britney’s recent custody deal with Kevin Federline is said to weigh heavily on the conservatorship and her father’s role in her life.

An afternoon session will address the temporary restraining order against Lutfi and whether to make it permanent.

According to E! News, Britney’s former constant companion, who has been unable to visit the pop star since February 1, will fight making the order permanent.

“Sam won’t sign a permanent stay-away,” a source close to Lutfi said.

Source: Access Hollywood

Does Sam Lutfi want back in the Britney picture? Or does he just not want some stinkin’ judge telling him what to do (let alone some stinkin’ commissioner)?

Sources tell E! News that the former member of preconservatorship Team Spears is willing to fight the restraining order that’s been keeping him at least 250 yards away from his popster pal since Feb. 1.

A hearing on conservatorship issues, including whether to make the Spears family’s order against Lutfi permanent, is scheduled for July 31.

“Sam won’t sign a permanent stay-away,” a Lutfi insider says.

So far, Lutfi has “quietly” allowed the current order to be extended twice without appearing in court to object, with the last rollover occurring April 16.

“He just agreed to it,” Lutfi spokesman Michael Sands said at the time. “Sam and the family are communicating and cooperating, trying to do what’s best for Britney.”

But while the onetime flashbulb target “just wants the whole case to go away,” he is apparently eager to at least clear his name, considering 2 a.m. shopping sprees and other questionable bonding experiences are a thing of the past.

“If they want to go to trial, he will go to trial,” the source said. “He did nothing wrong.”

Source: E! Online

Britney Spears is in the red, and I don’t mean lipstick or anything sexy.

Her Britney Spears Foundation has a deficit — nearly $200,000 to be precise.

The foundation’s Form 900 tax filing has just arrived, and it shows that Spears came up short $195,445 for the year 2006.

Total revenue was $148,614. But total expenses came to $344,063.

Among the expenses were two salaries that each came to a little less than $40,000. One employee is Corina O. Biggar, who’s run Britney’s foundation from her home in Massachusetts. The other is listed as John McMahon, a former New York City cop.

In 2002, according to the Wall Street Journal, McMahon was involved in scandal concerning the Spears fund and the Boston-based Giving Back Fund, the umbrella group managing her donor-advised charity.

According to the Journal, the Giving Back Fund “alleged that the agent for Ms. Spears threatened to move the pop star’s charity giving to another firm if the fund manager refused to hire her friend John McMahon, a former New York City police officer. The dispute was concluded with a settlement.”

Another $50,000 was listed as a contribution for Britney’s summer camp for kids — although no one seems to know what’s happened to the camp, where it is, or what kids attend it — if any.

Then there’s a big chunk — $214,930 — that’s annotated as miscellaneous grants. Unfortunately, none of those grants is specified. In 2005, the Spears Foundation gave away nearly $600,000 to a variety of arts and AIDS groups and New Orleans relief efforts as well as $30,000 to the Kabbalah Center in Los Angeles.

The 2006 tax return is signed by an accountant in Tennessee. Britney’s older brother Bryan, age 30, signed the return in his role as president on Dec. 1, 2007.

The woman who answered the phone at the Tennessee CPA’s office had no comment and couldn’t answer where Spears’ money had gone or whether the summer camp was still in business.

Source: Fox News

Jamie Spears will remain in control of his daughter Britney Spears’s finances and other aspects of the pop star’s life until July 31, a judge ruled Wednesday in an unscheduled hearing.

No reporters were present for the proceeedings, although two sources confirm to PEOPLE that Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner Reva Goetz extended the temporary conservatorship that had been ordered on Feb. 4, during Spears’s second stint in a psychiatric facility.

“I can confirm that the order was issued this afternoon, but I don’t know the attorneys’ motives,” Superior Court spokesman Allan Parachini tells PEOPLE.

The temporary conservatorship had been scheduled to expire March 10. Hearings are still scheduled before Goetz on that date and on March 17, sources say.

Jamie Spears has been overseeing his 26-year-old daughter’s well-being and her estimated $100 million fortune since Feb. 1, when Goetz named him and Andrew Wallet temporary co-conservators, giving them the right to employ bodyguards and restrict her visitors.

A source close to Britney says she’s okay with her dad being in control. On Feb. 23, she was allowed to spend time with her sons Preston, 2, and Jayden, 17 months, for the first time since her Jan. 3 standoff with the police, and she has had regular visits since. “She is getting along well with her father and enjoying the closeness and support of her family,” says a source.

Source: People Magazine