Britney Spears’ dad is going to have to answer for his alleged misdoings after all.
Judge Brenda Penny ruled on Wednesday that Jamie Spears must sit for a deposition.
via Page Six:
The Los Angeles Superior Court judge found that Jamie, 69, was served properly and has failed to show up for the deposition.
He was ordered to schedule it by Aug. 12.
Britney Spears’ attorney Mathew Rosengart previously slammed Jamie for allegedly “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 Britney, 40, to be deposed herself.
In a June filing, Jamie’s attorney, Alex Weingarten, argued that the “Toxic” singer should be deposed over her “incendiary allegations of various factual matters,” particularly on social media.
Rosengart argued at Wednesday’s hearing that deposing Britney was “retaliatory.”
He also said his client does not have any knowledge that would be useful in a deposition because she was the conservatee.
The former federal prosecutor added if Jamie’s team wanted information, he should depose his own client or Britney’s former business manager, Lou Taylor.
Rosengart also told Judge Penny Wednesday that allowing Britney to be deposed would only “retraumatize” his client.
The judge ultimately asked both sides to send briefs as to whether the pop star should be deposed, to be filed no later than July 22. The subject will come before the judge again on July 27.
Judge Penny also 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 pop star and disgraced conservator’s legal teams also faced off Wednesday on other issues still left on the table after her conservatorship was terminated last November, including Jamie’s request to have his legal fees paid by Britney’s estate.
After Britney’s 13-year conservatorship ended, Jamie was forced to hire attorney Alex Weingarten since his former legal team dropped him. Rosengart has been attempting to investigate him due to suspicions that he misappropriated funds and allegedly spied on his daughter.
Per Variety’s December 2021 report, Jamie’s attorney charges about $1,200 per hour.
Rosengart told Page Six at the time that the request to cover legal fees was done after “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 onset of the conservatorship, Britney’s cash-strapped dad received a $40,000 loan from her former business manager Lou Taylor and her firm, Tri Star Sports & Entertainment Group, in 2008.
Taylor’s lawyer, Charles Harder, previously said Jamie eventually “repaid” the “small loan,” which Harder insisted “had no effect on Tri Star’s work for the estate in later years.”
We hope Britney finally gets the justice and vindication she deserves.
