LOS ANGELES (CNS) - A lawyer for Britney Spears urged a judge Wednesday to deny a fees petition from the singer's father that was filed nearly a year ago, but the judge declined to take any action for now while also stating that the post-conservatorship issues that still have to be decided in a nonjury trial will take place before another judge.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Brenda J. Penny said all of the discovery in the case will have to be completed before she assigns the case that has been in front of her for several years to a colleague, Judge Ana Maria Luna, who handles trials that last longer than two to three days.
The 41-year-old performer's attorney, Mathew Rosengart, said a fees petition by his client's father, Jamie Spears, was wrongly filed in the first place in December 2021 and should be dismissed now.
"There has been a tremendous amount of litigation and consternation over that petition," Rosengart said. "This is a black-and-white issue and it should be denied."
However, Jamie Spears' attorney, Alex Weingarten, said the focus for now should be getting the remaining issues to trial before Luna and that nothing moves things faster in the legal world than when attorneys are faced with a finalized date for trial.
He said he is worried that the case is currently on a path that will delay the trial until 2024. He further said it is in the interest of everyone, including Britney Spears, to have all the issues resolved as soon as possible.
Penny, however, said she cannot envision all discovery being done anytime soon. She set a May 10 date for further proceedings, including fees sought by Jamie Spears' previous attorneys. She said a hearing on fees sought by the singer's previous court-appointed attorney, Samuel Ingham III, that is set in January, may also go over to the May date.
Rosengart said the discovery pending is so extensive that it may likely include another deposition session with Jamie Spears.