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The following italicized article is from www.tmz.com:Britney Spears blew through $1.32 MILLION on lawyers in a recent 7-month span -- but the result was priceless.
The money has been used to pay off the lawyers who represented Britney's conservatorship -- the group of people who have essentially restored Britney.
The court order makes it clear: More fees are on the way ... and Britney's conservators need to stash a few bucks away to prepare.
BTW, it cost Britney roughly $280,000 in lawyer's fees to keep Adnan Ghalib, Sam Lutfi and Jon Eardley away from her.
Source: TMZBest money ever spend!
The following italicized article is from www.nbclosangeles.com:Libel claims against Britney Spears' mother will likely remain part of a lawsuit by the pop star's self-proclaimed ex-manager that also names the singer and her father, a judge said Thursday.Osama "Sam" Lutfi alleges the pop star's mother, Lynne Spears, defamed him, the singer's father, Jamie Spears, assaulted him, and the performer still owes him money for management fees.He claims that Jamie Spears punched him in the chest at the singer's home in January 2008, and that Lynne Spears' book, "Through the Storm, A Real Story of Fame and Family in a Tabloid World," contains false information, including that Lutfi admitted he threw away Britney's phone chargers and disabled her house phones in an attempt to isolate her from her family.Lynne Spears notes in her court papers that some of the statements in her book recount -- often word for word -- what she said in a defamation-proof court declaration in favor of the issuance of a temporary restraining to protect her daughter against Lutfi.Her attorney, Michael S. Adler, argued in court documents that the claims by Lutfi for libel and defamation should be dismissed because they interfered with her right to free speech. He also is asking the judge to throw out an allegation of intentional infliction of emotional distress.But Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Zaven V. Sinanian rejected arguments that Lutfi was legally "libel-proof," a term referring to someone whose reputation has been irreparably stained by prior published statements."My opinion is that a prima facie case has been made in this circumstance," Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Zaven V. Sinanian said after hearing a motion by Lynne Spears to dismiss all of Osama "Sam" Lutfi's allegations.However, Sinanian said he was taking the motion under submission and expects to have a final ruling in a few days."I want to look at the papers again to make sure I've covered all my bases," Sinanian said.
Lutfi's lawyer, Bryan J. Freedman, said after the hearing that he was encouraged by Sinanian's comments indicating he is leaning toward denying Lynne Spears' motion."I think there's no question we will prevail on this motion," Freedman said.In a sworn declaration also filed with Lynne Spears' court papers, Chip MacGregor, her book agent, states that sales of "Through the Storm" have been disappointing. The poor sales may be attributable to the fact there was "little news in the book," according to her court papers.The Lutfi suit was filed Feb. 3, four days after Britney Spears was granted a temporary restraining order against Lutfi, her 36-year-old former boyfriend Adnan Ghalib and attorney Jon Eardley, forbidding all three from having contact with her, her parents and her two young sons.The order was later extended until 2012 against Ghalib first, then later until the same year against the other two men as well.Lutfi has appealed the order.Source: NBC
The following italicized article is from www.radaronline.com:With hundreds of thousands of dollars going out of her checking account every month for legal fees, Britney Spears has just caught a small financial break.The Los Angeles County Superior Court on June 8 ordered Ghalib to pay the Conservatorship of Britney Jean Spears $11,500. to cover legal fees and costs it incurred in obtaining a restraining order against the photographer.Ghalib may be counting himself as lucky, however. The Conservatorship had requested the Court award it over $70,000!The same matters regarding Sam Lutfi and Jon Eardley are still pending.Source: Radar Online
The following italicized article is from www.radaronline.com:The cottage industry known as the “The Conservatorship of the Person and the Estate of Britney Jean Spears Legal Team” filed new papers with the Los Angeles County Superior Court last night amending the amount of legal fees it seeks to collect from Britney’s former colleagues. CLICK HERE FOR COURT DOCUMENTSFor its time and trouble in obtaining restraining orders against Sam Adnan Ghalib, Sam Lutfi and Jon Eardley, and fighting off Lutfi and Eardley’s challenges to those orders, the Spears attorneys are asking the court to award them a total of $301,290.19.They’re now requesting $65,552.58 from paparazzi Ghalib, $114,552.90 from former manager Lutfi, and $121,184.71 from lawyer Jon Eardley.At almost $20,000 less than the original request, that’s a glimmer of good news for the defendants.Source: Radar Online
The following italicized article is from www.people.com:Sam Lutfi faced off against Britney Spears's legal team – and lost, slapped with a three-year restraining order last month. His wallet may be taking a hit next. Lawyers for the singer asked a Los Angeles court last Friday to order Lutfi, who once was her manager, to pay $123,142 to cover Spears's legal fees for the courtroom battle over the restraining order. In addition, her lawyers are seeking $129,922 from Jon Eardley, an attorney who has challenged Jamie Spears's control over his daughter, and $72,292 from her ex-boyfriend Adnan Ghalib. Both Eardley and Ghalib were also ordered to stay away from the pop star. A judge has yet to sign off on the request.Source: People
The following italicized article is from www.people.com:It's official: Sam Lutfi is a threat to Britney Spears. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Aviva Bobb issued a three-year restraining order against the singer's former manager on Tuesday. Jon Eardley, a lawyer who has repeatedly challenged the validity of Jamie Spears's legal control over his daughter, was also slapped with a restraining order for three years. Both men must stay at least 100 yards away from Britney, her two sons, and her family members' homes, and must not harass Britney and her children, or contact them through phone, mail and email. It also prohibits them from "acting on Ms. Spears's behalf or purporting to act on her behalf." The orders, however, do not specifically protect Jamie and Britney's mother Lynne Spears, which Jamie had sought. The singer's father, who initially filed the request on Jan. 30, alleged that both men have harassed his daughter, adding Lutfi arranged the smuggling of a cell phone to the pop star at a hotel. Lutfi Will AppealBryan Freedman, Lutfi's attorney tells PEOPLE: "We absolutely will appeal this ruling. Never before in history has a restraining order been issued against someone who answered another person's cries for help." The order followed several hearings in which Spears's father, her hairstylist, bodyguard, among others, testified that the singer was in fear of Lutfi. In his defense, Lutfi's younger sister Christina testified that it was Britney who hatched the cell phone scheme because she allegedly wanted Lutfi's help to end her father's control. Last week, Samuel Ingham, a court-appointed lawyer for the pop star, told the judge that "my client's situation has improved dramatically over the last fourteen months. [The orders against Lutfi] is in my client's best interest ... she has suffered emotional distress." Meanwhile, Lutfi's lawsuit against the Spears family for defamation and battery is still pending.Source: People
The following italicized article is from www.tmz.com:Britney Spears' conservatorship was just granted a permanent restraining order on Brit's behalf against Sam Lutfi and a guy who once claimed to be Britney's attorney.The restraining order lasts until April 28, 2012.Britney and both her sons, Sean Preston and Jayden James, are protected under the order. Lutfi and Jon Eardley are not allowed to go within 100 yards of Brit's home, job or workplace.Sam and Jon also have to stay away from K-Fed's place and any of Britney's family members' homes.The conservators filed for the restraining order because they said Lutfi and Jon were trying to torpedo the conservatorship by contacting Britney behind their backs.Source: TMZ
The following italicized article is from www.ok-magazine.com:Judge Aviva Bobb heard closing arguments to decide if the temporary restraining order against Britney Spear's former BFF/svengali Sam Lutfi and her wannabe lawyer Jon Eardley should be made permanent.Bobb told the open court that she will render her verdict by the end of the day. The bottom line argument, according to Lutfi's lawyer Bryan Freedman is that Britney, herself "did not suffer substantial emotional damage" as a result of Lutfi's phone attempts to contact her. Freedman told OK! exclusively: "I will most definitely appeal any permanent order. Britney did not testify. No doctor or medical professional testified that she suffered enough to warrant a restraining order" Britney's lawyer Joel Boxer countered: "There's much truth to the old adage that silence speaks volumes," meaning that neither Lutfi nor Eardley bothered to show up in court to testify in their defense. Last week in court Boxer tried to cement the idea that Lutfi and Eardley are "predators who patently threatened and extorted her through emails." Despite signing an agreement last July to stay away from the Britster, Lutfi testified that he slipped her a cell phone via his sister, and that she then texted Britney 45 times.Another court date in May is scheduled to decide who should pay whose lawyer fees for this whole thing. Stay tuned for judge Bobb's final decision.Source: OK Magazine
The following italicized article is from www.tmz.com:During final arguments in today's hearing where Britney Spears' people are trying to get a permanent restraining order against Sam Lutfi and Jon Eardley -- Brit's lawyer called both guys "cowards" for not showing up for cross-examination.All arguments have been heard and a decision will be made shortly.Stay tuned...Source: TMZ
The following italicized article is from www.eonline.com:Britney Spears could be forced back into the legal zone.Jon Eardley, who once tried to break Spears out of her father-controlled conservatorship supposedly at her behest, has asked a judge to require the songbird to take a time-out from her Circus tour and testify in court. Eardley is currently the target of a restraining order filed by the conservatorship.Per court documents obtained by E! News, Eardley says that with the "Blackout" singer performing at L.A.'s Staples Center this Thursday and Friday, she should be required to show up and testify on the validity of her allegations against him. "If Britney Spears is well enough to put on two concerts in Los Angeles she is certainly well enough to attend a trial where attorneys on her behalf have falsely accused Jon Eardley of harassment and elder abuse," the petition states.Specifically, the attorney is demanding Spears address two issues: whether or not she authorized him to take legal action to block the conservatorship, and whether he caused her "substantial emotional distress."Should the Britser not be able to show up for any reason, Eardley is seeking an order forcing her to submit to an oral deposition "at a location of her choosing" to answer questions pertaining to those two points.If the Oops! girl's unable to make herself available in any way but is willing to stipulate that she did not suffer substantial emotional distress due to Eardley's conduct, court papers said he'd withdraw his subpoena.Team Spears has previously claimed that after her onetime manager Sam Lutfi brought Eardley in to act as her counsel, she never knew the legal eagle nor acknowledged him working for her.Source: E! Online
The following italicized article is from www.tmz.com:Britney Spears will be appearing in a Los Angeles arena and, if a certain lawyer has it his way, an L.A. County courtroom.Jon Eardley, Esq., the lawyer who claims Britney hired him to torpedo her conservatorship, has just filed legal papers demanding that Brit appear at a trial in which Eardley has been accused of harassing Britney and her family.In his legal papers, Eardley notes that Britney will be performing at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on April 16 and 17. He says if she's well enough to perform, she's well enough to testify on two points -- did she authorize Eardley to take legal action on her behalf and did Eardley really cause her "substantial emotional distress."The judge will have to decide if Britney is competent enough to testify and if it's fair to drag her into court. It would certainly be entertaining.Source: TMZ
The following italicized article is from www.radaronline.com:A judge has extended a temporary restraining order against Britney Spears ex-manager Sam Lutfi ,her ex-boyfriend Adnan Ghalib, and attorney Jon Jay Eardley. Britney's father Jamie --who has been named conservator of his daughter's finances and business affairs-- had sought the extension of the TRO, claiming he was being harassed by all three men.The TRO against Lutfi and Ghalib is extended until 8:30am on March 18th, at which time the court will conduct a hearing to determine whether to extend it once again. The TRO against Eardley is extended until 8:30am on April 1st.Source: Radar Online
The following italicized article is from www.ok-magazine.com:Britney Spears' conservators were back in court again on Thursday afternoon, where they discussed, among other things, the subject of payment.Commissioner Goetz agreed to advance Andrew Wallet, Sam Ingham and attorneys for the conservators exactly half the money they are expected to bill for. Ingham, Brit's court-appointed attorney will be getting $10,000 a week through July 31. Co-conservator Wallet gets $100,000 and the Luce Forward law firm will get $175,000 — and that's just for work done through March 31.Clark Byam, another attorney, will get $22,500. Stacy Phillips, the lawyer repping Brit in the family law case, will get $75,000 — also for work through March 31.Meanwhile, Comm. Goetz once again struck down a March 17 filing by Jon Eardley to present 'on record' the declaration of retired UCLA Law professor William McGovern. Eardley still claims he is working for Britney and that the current conservatorship is violating her civil rights.After throwing the motion out, the judge said, "Judge Gutierez in the federal court, as well as this court several times, have made findings that show Eardley is not an attorney of record for Ms. Spears. There has been no finding that he represents her."Everyone will be back in court on May 29 for the next conservatorship hearing. Regarding Brit's custody case, the singer is required to complete a 730 psych evaluation by May 6. She has repeatedly refused to turn in any form of evaluation in the past, so it will be interesting to see if she complies this time. Also on May 6, Britney is expected to ask for overnight visits with her sons. However, if she once again refuses to complete a psych evaluation, Commissioner Gordon may not consider that request. Source: OK Magazine
The following italicized article is from www.eonline.com:That's two strikes for the Yankee. A three-judge panel tossed out an appeal of Britney Spears' conservatorship filed March 11 by New York-based attorney Jon Eardley, who persists in fighting for the songstress despite having been told he has no authority to work on her behalf. Supposedly in collaboration with Sam Lutfi, Eardley first tried to have the Spears family drama removed to federal court, alleging Britney's civil rights had been violated because she never received notice of her father's intent to petition for control of her estate, but a judge ruled Eardley was out of line. "Mr. Eardley fails to explain why he can bring this claim for her in the first instance. He cannot," U.S. District Judge Philip Gutierrez wrote in his decision. "Mr. Eardley had no authority to remove the case from state court. He is neither a party nor a defendant. While he claims to be Ms. Spears's attorney, the probate court...found that she was incapable of retaining her own counsel." And although Eardley bolstered his appeal with a declaration from a UCLA law professor who agreed Britney was not properly notified before Jamie Spears was temporarily handed the keys to his daughter's estimated $100 million fortune, the appellate court determined the arrangement laid out in probate court was perfectly kosher. "An order granting letters of temporary conservatorship is specifically excluded from those orders made appealable by the Probate Code," read the 2nd District Court of Appeal's decision. L.A. Superior Court Commissioner Reva Goetz named Jamie and attorney Andrew Wallet coconservators of Britney's estate on Feb. 1, the day after she was admitted to UCLA Medical Center's neuropsychiatric ward for evaluation. Earlier this month, she extended the order until at least July 31. Source: E! Online
The following italicized article is from www.people.com:Britney Spears's father, Jamie Spears, will remain in charge of his daughter's life after a California Court of Appeal judge on Monday threw out a plea by an attorney on her behalf to challenge the elder Spears's co-conservatorship. The dismissal by Justice Roger Boren was based on the court's having no jurisdiction to grant an appeal, reports the Associated Press. Although one event had nothing to do with the other, the decision came on the same day that the pop star took a major step in reviving her career by appearing on the CBS sitcom, How I Met Your Mother. On March 11, attorney, Jon Eardley, who claimed to represent the pop star, filed the appeal to challenge Jamie Spears's role. Eardley has not been available for comment since Boren's decision.On Feb. 14 Eardley filed a civil-rights challenge to the conservatorship, leaving the case in limbo for nearly two weeks – until a federal judge declined to hear it. Jamie Spears was named co-conservator of his daughter's estate on Feb. 1 following her second hospitalization in a psychiatric facility, when it was determined she was unable to care for herself. His control is in effect until July 31. In addition to a $58,800 payment to the conservatorship for attorney fees and other costs, Jamie was given weekly payments of $2,500 and the authority to tap his daughter's funds to lease a car for her security team. The pop star also cannot leave California before a scheduled April 7 hearing without permission from the court or from her father. Source: People
The following italicized article is from www.usmagazine.com:A California Court of Appeal judge rejected an attorney's bid to remove Britney Spears' father Jamie as her co-conservator on Monday.Attorney Jon Eardley, who claimed to represent Britney, filed an appeal March 11 claiming that the singer's civil rights were being violated because she was being held against her will by her father.But justice Roger Boren wrote in a ruling that the court has no jurisdiction to grant an appeal, the Associated Press reports.Jamie's co-conservatorship over Britney (who wowed critics last night on How I Met Your Mother) was recently extended until July 31. Source: US Weekly
The following italicized article is from www.ok-magazine.com:On Monday, a Court of Appeals ruled that a claim challenging Britney Spears' conservatorship was totally bogus, this time-not even waiting for the singer's conservators to file a response. Jon Eardley, who claims Britney hired him to represent her, had filed a claim once again stating the conservatorship violated her civil rights.Last month, Eardley filed a similar claim which was also rejected.But now, OK! can confirm that Britney was at least originally party to bringing Eardley in as her attorney. Britney spoke to Eardley via a third party back in the early days of the conservatorship, using a paparazzi pal to set up a conference call so that her father, Jamie Spears, wouldn't find out. (Jamie currently monitors all of Britney's phone calls.)In a phone transcript obtained by OK!, Britney says to Eardley: "Basically I want my life back. I want to drive my car. I want to live in my house alone. I want to pick my own security, see who I want to see and make it happen."During the phone call, Britney can be heard speaking in her English accent.Source: OK Magazine
The following italicized article is from www.tmz.com:TMZ has obtained paperwork from the California Court of Appeals throwing out a claim challenging Britney's conservatorship. Attorney Jon Eardley filed the challenge last month claiming the conservatorship violated Britney's rights. That claim was rejected. Today the Court of Appeal ruled the whole thing was bogus, not even waiting for the conservators to file a response.Source: TMZ
The following italicized article is from www.eonline.com:The attorney who persists in representing Britney Spears, despite having been given instructions to the contrary, is still on the court's case. New York-based lawyer Jon Eardley filed a new batch of documents Monday related to his appeal of the legality of Britney's conservatorship, including a declaration from a UCLA law professor that supports his theory that the 26-year-old pop star never received proper notice—as mandated by state law—that her father was seeking control of her estate. A Los Angeles Superior Court commissioner named Jamie Spears and attorney Andrew Wallet coconservators of Britney's estimated $100 million fortune on Feb. 1, a day after she was committed to the neuropsychiatric ward at UCLA Medical Center for observation. Since then, Commissioner Reva Goetz has ruled that Britney was not fit to hire her own counsel and, most recently, allocated a $1,500 weekly spending allowance for the "Toxic" singer and a $2,500-per-week stipend for her dad while he's managing her affairs and authorized Jamie and Wallet to sell some of Britney's cars. The conservatorship has been extended until at least July 31. Meanwhile, professor William McGovern stated in a declaration filed Monday that Britney should have been personally served notice of the court proceedings occurring while she was in the hospital because her case was not one where the rule of offering at least five days notice did not apply. In Britney's case, she was not facing imminent substantial harm. Because Britney wasn't notified, due process law dictates that Jamie's heightened status should have been good for no more than 30 days, the declaration says. Britney's right to pick her own lawyer was infringed upon by the appointment of her father as conservator, which allowed him to restrict and limit her visitors and who she can contact, McGovern continued. He stated that he arrived at his conclusion after reviewing Goetz's temporary conservatorship order and corresponding documents filed by Jamie and Lynne Spears. After a federal judge refused to remove the case from probate court, Eardley appealed the conservatorship and Jamie's court-ordered allowance on Mar. 11, despite U.S. District Judge Philip Gutierrez's previous finding that he had "no authority" to go to bat for Britney. Meanwhile, documents released Wednesday shed some light as to why Jamie's camp is looking to liquidate his daughter's vehicular fleet, which includes two white Mercedes, a white Mini Cooper convertible and a black Audi. (View related filings.) Apparently Britney owns seven rides of various shapes and sizes and unloading the cost of maintaining, insuring and storing the vehicles will "save substantial expenses to the conservatorship estate." Source: E! Online
The following italicized article is from www.theinsideronline.com:"The Insider" has obtained new court documents filed by attorney JOHN EARDLEY on the behalf of BRITNEY SPEARS. In the papers, Eardley appeals "in its entirety" the co-conservatorship over Britney's financial affairs and estate wielded by her father JAMES and attorney ANDREW WALLET. He also seeks to overturn the extension of that conservatorship through July 2008. In addition, he appeals the fees awarded to court-appointed counsel SAMUEL INGHAM ($58,000) and James ($2,500 per week), as well as protests an order from February which made it unnecessary for Britney to be given 5 days notice minimum that a conservatorship was being sought against her, contending that there are "no legitimate grounds" for this action.Source: The Insider Online
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