Judge Says Britney Spears Doesn't Have to Give Deposition In Legal Tussle With Her Dad Jamie
Judge Says Britney Spears Doesn't Have to Give Deposition In Legal Tussle With Her Dad Jamie
Updated on July 29, 2022 11:28 AM by Emily Hazel
The legal battle with her father and former business manager is far from over, but Britney Spears, 40, will not have to face her foes' lawyers directly soon. On Wednesday, Judge Brenda Penny ruled that the former Princess of Pop will not have to sit down for a deposition in her ongoing legal battle with her father, Jamie Spears.
Britney's attorney Mathew Rosengart said, "We are very pleased, but not surprised, that Judge Penny reconfirmed her thoughtful and legally correct ruling, once again rejecting Mr. Spears's shameful and desperate effort to take his own daughter's deposition," adding, "Any decent man, especially father, would accept his losses and simply move on."
In her ruling, Judge Penny said details that would come out of the deposition wouldn't be helpful to the case. Rosengart argued in court that a deposition would "retraumatize" Spears, noting that she wouldn't serve as a witness in forthcoming proceedings, per the outlet.
Judge Penny's decision is the latest development in the court's attempt to resolve the outstanding issues left over after the November 2021 termination of Britney's 13-year conservatorship. In December, Jamie requested that Britney's estate pay his legal team for "ongoing fiduciary duties relating to the winding up of the Conservatorship of the Person and Estate."Add Block
Last month, Judge Penny ordered Jamie to be deposed as part of a probe into his role as conservator of her estate. The judge said she needed more time to decide if Britney should also be deposed and pushed back her ruling until Wednesday.
Rosengart said following the hearing, "This was another major victory for Britney Spears. After her father has run and hid for nine months, he has now been ordered to be deposed shortly and to produce all documents, as required by law."
Earlier this month, he told reporters outside court, "It was a very good day for justice generally. The day of reckoning for Mr. Spears has come, at least at this stage, in terms of the court ordering him to appear for his deposition."
Jamie's deposition is scheduled for August 12. Jamie also recently denied a claim that he bugged his daughter's bedroom while serving as conservator of her estate in a sworn declaration submitted to the Los Angeles Superior Court.
In it, Jamie addresses the accusation, which was made in the Hulu and FX documentary The New York Times Presents: Controlling Britney Spears, stating, "I am informed of the allegation by Britney's counsel that a listening device or 'bug' was placed in her bedroom as surveillance during the conservatorship. This allegation is false."
He added, "I never conducted or authorized any surveillance of Britney's bedroom at any time, including during the conservatorship. I am not aware of any such surveillance having occurred." In the months since her conservatorship was terminated, Britney has purchased a new home and married Sam Asghari.