Update!

Even If Britney Spears Is Crazy, It's None of Sam Lutfi's Business

Judge denies bid to order a psych eval for pop singer as part of Lutfi's defamation case against the Spears family

By Natalie Finn Jun 15, 2011 8:15 PMTags
Britney SpearsCOLO LOBO/GSI Media

Sam Lutfi's legal camp doesn't get to play doctor.

A judge has denied a bid from the former Britney Spears hanger-on to order an independent psychological evaluation of the pop star to assist in Lutfi's defamation lawsuit against the Spears family. Among other things, he claims Britney owes him unpaid management fees and that her parents raked his good name over the coals when their daughter ended up in the hospital.

But Lutfi's losses didn't end there.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Zaven Sinanian also refused his attorney's request to obtain child-visitation reports and drug test results from 2008 that he claims are key to defending Lutfi against the Spears' allegations that he was slipping Britney drugs back when he worked for her.

Sinanian determined that the psych eval request would run against sealed orders from fellow Judge Reva Goetz, who has been supervising Britney's conservatorship for the past three years, and that any records pertaining to her kids are under the jurisdiction of family court Judge Scott Gordon.

Britney's attorneys are maintaining that the resurgent Femme Fatale singer is not compenent to sit for the deposition that Lutfi's side is requesting. Lutfi's camp, in turn, believes that another doctor might disagree with that.

In addition to defamation, Lutfi is also suing for battery, claiming Jamie Spears punched him in the chest in 2008, as well as libel, intentional infliction of emotional distress and breach of contract.

The case is due to go to trial in January. In the meantime, the Spearses have a permanent restraining order barring Lutfi from coming within 100 feet of their daughter until April 28, 2012.

Britney, who may not be up to testifying but is excelling at performing these days, kicks off her Femme Fatale tour tomorrow in Sacramento, Calif. After the North American leg, she's off to Europe from September to November.

UPDATE: A judge ruled in July 2012 that Lutfi owed Spears $92,843 in attorney fees and Jon Eardley, an attorney who initially claimed to be working on Brit's behalf to fight the conservatorship in 2008, owes her estate $98,585.