Britney Spears‘ father Jamie Spears on Wednesday was ordered by a Los Angeles Superior Court judge to take part in a deposition about his actions heading the conservatorship the pop star was under for more than 13 years.
Judge Brenda Penny ruled that Jamie, 70, must schedule a deposition by August 12 after he was previously served with notices to sit for a deposition from Britney’s lawyer Mathew Rosengart and did not appear, Page Six reported.
Rosengart said in legal docs filed in May that Jamie had been ‘running and hiding’ from being deposed, and must account ‘for his misconduct – under oath – as required by law.’
The latest: Britney Spears’ father Jamie Spears, 70, on Wednesday was ordered by a Los Angeles Superior Court judge to take part in a deposition about his actions heading the conservatorship the pop star was under for more than 13 years
Jamie’s attorney Alex Weingarten last month called for the Grammy-winning singer, 40, to be deposed over the ‘incendiary allegations of various factual matters’ that she had made via social media.
Rosengart on Wednesday told the court that he felt that the move to push Britney into a deposition was ‘retaliatory’ and ‘abusing the legal process,’ amid an attempted probe of Jamie’s handling of funds and alleged surveillance of the singer.
The lawyer said the …Baby One More Time singer cannot testify to matters about the conservatorship since she was the one living under it, and that she would be traumatized again in facing questions about it.
Rosengart, who has represented the Toxic artist since last year, suggested that Jamie’s legal team should either depose Jamie or Britney’s ex-business manager Lou Taylor for information on the arrangement.
Judge Brenda Penny ruled that Jamie (pictured in 2012) must schedule a deposition by August 12 after he was previously served with notices to sit for a deposition from Britney’s lawyer Mathew Rosengart and did not appear
Britney’s lawyer Mathew Rosengart said in legal docs filed in May that Jamie had been ‘running and hiding’ from being deposed, and must account ‘for his misconduct – under oath – as required by law’
Jamie has been represented by attorney Alex Weingarten since the conservatorship was terminated this past November
The judge required both legal teams to file briefs by July 22 in regards to why or why not the pop star should sit for a deposition, and the issue will be reviewed by the court in a hearing slated for July 27.
Another issue heard before the court Wednesday was Jamie’s request Britney’s estate cover his attorney’s fees in the wake of the termination of the conservatorship this past November. After Jamie was dropped by his former legal team, he hired Weingarten at an hourly rate of around $1,200, Variety reported last year.
Rosengart told Page Six Jamie’s petition was ‘not only legally meritless’ but ‘an abomination’ under the circumstances of the case.
‘Mr. Spears reaped many millions of dollars from Britney as a conservator, while paying his lawyers millions more, all from Britney’s work and hard-earned money,’ Rosengart said of the previous arrangement.
Jamie was loaned $40,000 in 2008 – just before the conservatorship started – by Lou Taylor’s organization Tri Star Sports & Entertainment Group, the outlet reported, adding that Taylor’s attorney Charles Harder said that Jamie had ‘repaid’ the ‘small loan’ and that it had no impact on ‘Tri Star’s work for the estate in later years.’
Source: | Dailymail.co.uk