Judge Puts Brakes on Britney License Trial
The continuing misadventures of Britney Spears have been, well, continued.
A Los Angeles judge has postponed the pop star's long-pending misdemeanor driving-without-a-license case until next month after her attorney cast doubt on the singer's ability to fully understand or enter into a settlement in the case.
Although Los Angeles Superior Court Judge T.K. Herman told both legal parties during a hearing last month that day's delay would be the trial's last, he continued this morning's proceedings at the behest of Spears' counsel.
Attorney J. Michael Flanagan told Herman during court this morning that Spears' conservatorship—i.e., father Jamie and lawyer Andrew Wallet—who have been placed in charge of both the 26-year-old's estate and her legal decisions, "do not think she is qualified or capable of entering into a binding agreement" at this time.
Furthermore, Flanagan told the court, they do not believe Spears is in any state to give a declaration or sign a deposition in the case.
Spears herself was neither in nor required to be at court this morning, because the driving-without-a-license count is only a misdemeanor.
The case itself stems from a fender-bending hit-and-run that transpired in full view of the paparazzi in a Studio City parking lot Aug. 6, 2007.
While a hit-and-run charge was subsequently dropped after Spears reached a settlement with the driver of the banged-up parked car, the ex-Mouseketeer was not in possession of a California state driver's license at the time of the ding.
She was, however, in possession of a valid Louisiana state license, a sticking point that has until now held up proceedings.
Last month, Flanagan and prosecutor Michael Amerian told the judge they needed more time to come to a consensus on which law, exactly, Spears had violated. At the time, Herman ordered both sides to come to an agreement or he would force the case to go before a jury.
Both sides are now due back in court Mar. 20.
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