Britney Settling Up With Ex-Manager

The following italicized article is from www.eonline.com:

Britney Spears has one less legal scuffle to come home to.

Attorneys for the touring poptart have settled a lawsuit brought by a manger Spears worked with in the early aughts who complained that she broke her agreement to pay him commissions until 2008.

The "Toxic" singer worked with Johnny Wright until 2003, according to the suit, and she stopped cutting him checks at the end of 2006.

Terms of the settlement were not disclosed, per the Los Angeles Times.

Also in court today, Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner Reva Goetz, who has been overseeing Spears' conservatorship and approving money exchanges right and left, signed off on another $193,000 in legal fees to be paid by Spears' estate mainly to the attorneys who handled this case.

Meanwhile, Spears had the night off Friday in between shows at London's O2 Arena, where she's set to perform eight times before moving the Circus to Manchester's M.E.N. Arena on June 17.

Source: E! Online

Britney's Former Music Manager Johnny Wright Wishes Britney 'Nothing But The Best'

The following italicized article is from www.eonline.com:

The Circus Starring Britney Spears 2009 Tour, Spears' first arena tour in five years, kicks off March 3 in New Orleans. The Pussycat Dolls will also be along for the ride.

And since she'll be touring until June, it's lucky that she won't be needed in court until at least August.

That's when the singer may be called upon to give a deposition in her former manager's lawsuit against her over (what else?) money matters.

Clay Townsend, the attorney representing Florida-based manager Johnny Wright, told E! News following a closed hearing Monday that they are in no hurry to question Spears since their trial isn't on the docket until 2010.

"Johnny Wright still has a lot of affection for Britney," Townsend said. "He was around Britney for a long time, since the Mickey Mouse days and he just wishes the best for her."

Their financial issues were probably due to accounting errors, the lawyer added, and Wright is glad Spears is doing better and ready to head out on tour.

Wright's camp maintains that only Spears can answer certain questions pertaining to her specific aspects of her career and says the deposition can be given with a psychologist present, if the court deems it necessary.

Source: E! Online

Britney Agrees to Permanent Conservatorship, Puts Regaining Custody in Doubt

The following italicized article is from www.eonline.com:

Britney Spears may be comebacking like a madwoman, but the court thinks she can still use some guidance on that road to redemption.

The popster's conservatorship arrangement with father Jamie Spears was made permanent today, with no objection coming from the 26-year-old "Womanizer" warbler. If the terms of the deal remain the same, her dad will continue to oversee her estate, finances, legal affairs and medical care along with attorney Andrew Wallet.

"The court finds the proposed permanent conservatorship is necessary and appropriate," said Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner Reva Goetz, who has been presiding over the Spears saga for the past year, at a Tuesday status hearing.

And while Britney was no fan of the arrangement back when it was imposed Feb. 1, her attorney informed the court today that his client had requested he not argue with Goetz's ruling, despite the fact that it's very unlikely Spears will be able to regain custody of her two sons while her dad is in charge.

"It certainly makes it more difficult to gain custody of the children because if one court found that she is not capable of taking care of herself and affairs than how is the other court going to find her able to take care of the affairs of two babies," certified family law specialist Alexandra Leichter tells E! News.

The conservatorship seems to have been made permanent because "the condition that apparently caused temporary conservatorship did not change," she said.

Britney memorably lost control of her affairs following her hospitalization Jan. 31 on a 5150 hold, meaning she was considered a danger to herself or others. The involuntary R&R came after months of erratic, worrisome behavior on the popster's part.

"The burden now shifts to Britney Spears or her conservator [Spears' father] to prove that she is perfectly capable, rather than the conservator having to prove that she is not capable," says Leichter.

"If the court makes it a permanent order, she would have to come into court and show that she no longer needs it."

Not that permanent means forever.

"The permanent conservatorship doesn't have a set date to expire," court public information spokeswoman Vania Stuelp tells E! News.

"In order to make it go away, someone has to petition the court. It was supposed to expire on Dec. 31. It's not anymore."

In the meantime, an evaluation detailing Spears' psychological fortitude has been completed and will remain sealed, Goetz said. Another status hearing has been set for Dec. 22.

But while this may all be as-expected news for Britney's camp, it doesn't bode well for the lawsuit against her filed by former manager Johnny Wright.

Saying that Spears' "capacity issue remains open and has not been resolved one way or another," Goetz ruled earlier today that Wright's attorneys are not allowed to depose Spears, whom he says owes thousands in unpaid commissions, until the conservatorship ends.

"We think it's reasonable," Wright's lawyer, Clay Townsend, who had been hoping to have Brit sit for a deposition Nov. 17, tells E! News. "Being on the cover of OK magazine, signing a big contract with AEG to go on a world tour, going on Good Morning America—gosh, it seems fairly reasonable to try to do a deposition in late November. It's not like she is in the hospital and we are dying to go down and take her deposition."

Instead, they will have to speak with ruler-of-the-roost Jamie Spears next month.

"She seemed to be doing so well, that we thought it was not unreasonable," Townsend added. "My client Johnny Wright still has great affection for Britney. He worked with Britney for a long time in the early days. So that last thing that we would want to do was to harass her."

Goetz said that she will revisit the deposition issue Feb. 2.

Source: E! Online

Judge Postpones Decision On Britney Spears Conservatorship

The following italicized article is from www.accesshollywood.com:

A Los Angeles Judge today put off further discussion about when Britney Spears might resume her life, free of a court-ordered conservatorship.

The decision came as a result of a wrinkle that appeared in the case on Tuesday, revealing how Spears’ complex legal matters remain unresolved when she is not allowed to testify about them.

The latest development in the singer’s conservatorship saga came as a result of a business relationship between Spears and entertainment executive Johnny Wright. Attorneys for Wright were in court based on an ongoing Florida lawsuit with her former manager Wright regarding what appears to be a contract dispute.

In order for the suit to go forward, they wanted Spears to sit for a deposition.

Wright’s lead attorney, arguing via speakerphone, said “We have seen appearances where she seems to be doing so good.”

But Spears’ father Jamie, who is one of the executors of her estate, filed an ex-parte motion stating Britney is not ready to undergo a deposition.

Judge Reva Goetz ruled in favor of a protective order for Spears, saying, “The capacity issue remains open.”

A new date of February 2, 2009 has been set to re-visit the deposition. Britney remains under the conservatorship until at least the end of this year.

Source: Access Hollywood

Britney 'Safari'

The following italicized article is from www.pagesix.com:

BLENDER will feature Britney Spears on its March cover, and magazine insiders told Page Six that the writer "spent a month on a Britney safari, following her actions and talking with those closest to her." Everyone around Spears seemed baffled by her bizarre behavior, Blender reports.

Her former manager, Johnny Wright, told the reporter, "I'm not pointing fingers, but I can't believe that she woke up one morning and said, 'I don't want my family, or anyone else I knew, to be in touch with me anymore.' "

Source: Page Six