Britney Spears decision live: Matt Gaetz in attendance as conservatorship case continues

Britney Spears’ new lawyer speaks for first time since taking her case

Michael Rosengart, a former federal prosecutor and veteran Hollywood lawyer, spoke outside of the Los Angeles courthouse on Wednesday after a judge approved for him to represent Britney Spears in her conservatorship case.

He called for the pop singer’s father, Jamie Spears, to voluntarily step down as her conservator because it would be “in the best interest” of his client.

“Jamie Spears should be removed as conservator because it is in [the] best interest of the conservatee,” Mr Rosengart said. “We will be moving promptly and aggressively for his removal. The question remains, why is he involved? He should step down voluntarily because that’s what’s in the best interest of the conservatee.”

His statement went on to praise Spears for her “courage, passion, and humanity” when choosing to speak in court about her conservatorship situation.

“My firm and I will be taking a top to bottom look at what’s happened over the past decade,” Ms Rosengart said.

Previous clients of Mr Rosengart include Sean Penn, Steven Spielberg, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Keanu Reeves.

More details into Spears’ change in lawyers

Britney Spears was appointed a lawyer by the court back in 2008 when the conservatorship first formed.

Samuel Ingham has represented Spears for the last 13 years. But during a bombshell court testimony in June, Spears revealed that she wanted the power to select her own lawyer.

“I haven’t really had the opportunity by my own self to actually handpick my own lawyer by myself. And I would like to be able to do that,” she said during her 23 June testimony.

Then on 6 July, Mr Ingham announced that he would like to step down as Spears’ attorney, but it would require approval from a judge. Mr Ingham’s resignation would be effective once approved by the judge and Spears has acquired her own attorney.

On Wednesday, Judge Brenda Penny accepted Mr Ingham’s resignation and approved for Spears’ to hire Hollywood lawyer Matthew Rosengart, who has previously represented A-list clients like Sean Penn, Steven Spielberg, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Keanu Reeves.

Bessemer Trust, which was assigned as a co-conservator of Spears’ estate, has also requested to step down from the role.

Judge Penny approved Bessemer resigning from the position during the court hearing.

Pop singer commends fans behind the #FreeBritney movement

Britney Spears gave another emotional testimony in court on Wednesday amid her conservatorship legal battles.

During her testimony, Spears referenced the fans who helped give attention to her legal battles, thus sparking a #FreeBritney movement that’s been given widespread attention.

“It’s because of them I am here today. It’s because of them I have the f**king strength to speak up against my family who have silenced me and my fans for years,” she said in court via phone.

The pop singer also commented on her conservatorship, saying: “If this is not abuse, I don’t know what is.”

She also called the situation “f**king cruelty” and said she “thought they were trying to kill me” when referring to her father and those who have been managing her life since 2008.

Spears went on to state that her team’s “goal was to make me feel crazy, and I’m not, and that’s not OK.”

Britney Spears asks for her father to be charged with ‘abuse’

The Wednesday court hearing about Britney Spears’ conservatorship case involved the singer calling for her father to be jailed for alleged “conservatorship abuse”.

An emotional Spears spoke to a Los Angeles judge about her case during the hearing.

When speaking, Spears asked for her estranged father, Jamie Spears, to be charged for conservatorship abuse, according to reports.

“I would like to charge my father with conservatorship abuse,” said Spears, speaking to the court by phone,

“I want to press charges against my father today,” she added. “I want an investigation into my dad.”

This came after the judge approved for Spears to appoint her own lawyer after being under a court-appointed lawyer.

Lawyer Matthew Rosengart, a former federal prosecutor who now works for a top-tier Hollywood law firm, was spotted at the court hearing, according to reports, and was expected to take over as Spears’ legal counsel.

BREAKING: Judge approves Britney Spears to hire her own lawyer in conservatorship battle

Britney Spears has been given permission to choose a new attorney to represent her in her ongoing conservatorship battle.

It is the first time the pop star has been allowed a say in her own legal representation since 2008.

Spears’ court-appointed lawyer, Samuel Ingham, formally requested to step down in a court filing last week but the decision required approval from a California judge.

The Independent’s Kevin EG Perry has more on this breaking news:

Matt Gaetz calls Britney Spears’ dad ‘a d***’ outside conservatorship hearing

US Rep Matt Gaetz has visited Britney Spears’ conservatorship hearing and took aim at her father, telling assembled the press: “There’s a lot that still divides us but one thing we call all agree on is that Jamie Spears is a d***,” writes Kevin E G Perry.

Mr Gaetz added outside the courtroom on Wednesday in Los Angeles: “He should not be making any more decisions regarding his daughter, she is nearly 40 years old.”

Earlier this month, Mr Gaetz and several other House Republicans wrote to Spears asking her to testify before Congress following her rare public remarks condemning her father’s legal mechanism that has governed her life for more than a decade.

Matt Gaetz speaks at LA rally for Britney Spears

Representative Matt Gaetz, a Republican of Florida, travelled to Los Angeles, California, on Wednesday for Britney Spears’ hearing about her conservatorship case.

Mr Gaetz was pictured and filmed at a rally held outside the Los Angeles courthouse.

He then approached the microphone to give a statement about the conservatorship and abuse Spears has allegedly experienced at the hands of her father, Jamie Spears – who was first assigned as her conservator in 2008.

“There’s a lot that still divides us but one thing we call all agree on is that Jamie Spears is a d***,” Mr Gaetz said while on Instagram live.

Watch the congressman’s full statement here:

Watch live: Fans hold a rally outside courthouse where Britney Spears’ convervatorship case resumes

Fans gather outside of LA courthouse ahead of hearing

Footage outside the Los Angeles courthouse where Britney Spears’ conservatorship hearing will start showed fans rallying in support of the pop singer.

Hundreds appeared gathered holding signs and cheering as they await news about the hearing.

All parties involved in the hearing were expected to be remote, and it was not clear if Spears would make any statements following her bombshell testimony in June.

Fans also gathered in Washington DC to show support with Spears and her conservatorship battle.

Starting soon: Britney Spears conservatorship case is heard in court

A court hearing will begin at 1:30pm local time in Los Angeles to discuss the aftermath of Britney Spears testimony about her conservatorship, which took place in June.

A Los Angeles judge and others who currently hold legal power of the pop singer will convene. It is not expected for Spears to speak during this hearing, but she might when it comes to deciding who will represent the singer.

Spears will be represented at the hearing by her longtime court-appointed lawyer, Samuel Ingham Ill,

But Mr Ingham filed documents last week saying he was resigning from his position as her representative, effective as soon as Spears gets a new attorney.

This came after Spears indicated she wanted different counsel when giving her bombshell testimony in court three weeks prior.