Britney Spears’ father Jamie has been ordered to appear in court for a deposition as part of an investigation into his role as a conservator.
Los Angeles Superior Court judge Brenda Penny ruled that the 70-year-old must schedule a deposition by August 12, as well as produce all documents requested by the popstar’s lawyers.
The orders were made during a hearing in LA on Wednesday, attended by members of the US media.
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Britney’s lawyer Matthew Rosengart previously criticised her father for “running and hiding” from his own deposition and “accounting for his misconduct – under oath – as required by law.”
Meanwhile, Jamie’s team is still pushing for his 40-year-old daughter to be deposed.
In a June filing, the 70-year-old’s attorney, Alex Weingarten, argued that the ‘Toxic’ singer should be deposed over her “incendiary allegations of various factual matters,” particularly on social media.
Matthew Rosengart argued at Wednesday’s hearing that deposing Britney was “retaliatory.”
He also claimed that Britney doesn’t have any knowledge that would serve as useful in a deposition because she was the conservatee.
Matthew added that if Jamie’s team wanted information, he should depose his own client or Britney’s former business manager Lou Taylor.
He told the judge that allowing Britney to be deposed would “re-traumatise” his client.
Judge Brenda Penny asked both sides to provide briefs as to whether the 40-year-old should be deposed, to be filed no later than July 22 – the subject will then come before a judge again on July 27.
The judge denied Jamie’s motion to compel Britney to produce documents, while ordering him to release documents and other evidence allegedly in his possession – including electronic surveillance of the star, Britney’s texts with her former attorney, and 180 hours of audio.
The father and daughter’s legal teams also discussed other unresolved issues after her conservatorship was terminated in November 2021, including Jamie’s request to have his legal fees paid by Britney’s estate.
After Britney’s 13-year conservatorship ended, the 70-year-old’s former legal team dropped him, and he was forced to hire attorney Alex Weingarten.
Britney’s lawyer Matthew has been attempting to investigate him due to suspicions that he misappropriated funds and allegedly spied on his daughter.
According to Variety’s December 2021 report, Jamie’s attorney charges around $1,200 per hour.
Matthew told Page Six at the time, “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.” He added, “Under the circumstances, his petition is not only legally meritless, it is an abomination.”
At the beginning of her conservatorship, Jamie received a $40,000 loan from her former business manager Lou, and her firm Tri Star Sports & Entertainment Group, in 2008.
Lou’s lawyer Charles Harder, previously stated that the 70-year-old eventually “repaid” the “small loan,” which “had no affect on Tri Star’s work for the estate in later years.”
Britney’s 13-year-long conservatorship was terminated in November 2021.
It had been under review since 2019, after the singer accused her father of forcing her to enter a mental health facility.
