Poppa Spears stays in control

Feb 27, 2008, 13:35 GMT

06/28/2003 - Britney Spears - © Lee Roth / RothStock / PR Photos

Britney Spears' father will maintain control over the singer's $100 million estate, a judge ruled yesterday (26.02.08).

US District Judge Philip Gutierrez rejected a challenge to Jamie Spears' conservatorship filed by Washington attorney Jon Eardley.

Eardley - who claims Britney phoned to ask him for help before she was admitted to hospital last month for psychiatric treatment - requested the conservatorship case be moved from a Californian state court to a federal court, after claiming "Ms. Spears' civil rights are being violated".

However, Judge Gutierrez dismissed the case after deciding Eardley had no link to 'Toxic' star Britney or the case whatsoever.

In his three-page ruling, he said: "Mr. Eardley fails to explain why he can bring this claim for her in the first instance. He cannot. 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."

Britney's father Jamie will retain control over the singer's estate and day-to-day affairs, along with co-conservator, attorney Andrew Wallet, until March 10.

Jamie called Eardley's attempt "a brazen, but vain, attempt to strip a probate court of jurisdiction, by an attorney without a client."

Meanwhile, Jamie has allowed Britney to see her paparazzo lover Adnan Ghalib, despite reports the photographer is a bad influence on the mother-of-two.

British-born Adnan was seen entering Britney's Beverly Hills home late on Monday night (25.02.08).

(C) BANG Media International