LA courts end remote audio access program due to breaches after Britney Spears’ hearing leaked

After leaked audio from Britney Spears‘ conservatorship hearing spread like wildfire, Los Angeles courts have ‘shut down its remote audio attendance program entirely,’ according to The Hollywood Reporter. 

Before the 39-year-old singer opened up about feeling enslaved and trapped and wanting her life back on Wednesday, Judge Brenda Penny gave a ‘clear and emphatic warning’ that ‘no recordings of court hearings are allowed.’

The only exception were those with ‘advance permission from the judge in the form of a written order.’

Penny also reminded remote attendees not to live-tweet and ‘those physically in the courtroom’ to use a ‘pen and paper instead of a laptop for their notes’ according to THR.  

Despite the warnings, Spears’ testimony made its way across the internet almost immediately after the hearing, including on YouTube and TikTok.

In an announcement last Thursday, the Court stated they ‘will no longer offer the Remote Audio Attendance Program (RAAP) to listen remotely to courtroom proceedings’ as of Monday. 

‘The Court implemented this temporary program during the pandemic recognizing there may be abuses of the Court’s orders prohibiting recording, filming, and distribution of proceedings,’ the statement went on. 

The Court also noted the decision came due to ‘widespread breaches by the public in a recent court proceeding highlighted the need to return to in person, open courtroom proceedings, which is a welcome development.’ 

According to new court documents, obtained by Variety on Wednesday, ‘the judge has denied the request by Spears’ attorney, Samuel Ingham III, to remove her father, Jamie Spears, as her sole conservator.’

The outlet pointed out that ‘the document was signed by Judge Penny on June 30 — after the singer’s explosive testimony’ last week, in which she claimed her conservatorship was ‘abusive’ and she was ‘traumatized.’

Spears’ father Jamie has insisted he’s not to blame for restrictive rules placed on his pop star daughter by her conservatorship – after she told a court that she was banned from removing her IUD birth control or marrying her boyfriend.  

The 68-year-old dad of three filed legal documents Wednesday claiming he has had zero involvement in Britney’s conservatorship for nearly two years – and instead leveled blame at co-conservator Jodi Montgomery. 

He also claims Montgomery has blocked him from communicating with his daughter, TMZ reported. 

Montgomery, an experienced conservator with a degree in social welfare, was brought on to co-manage Britney’s affairs in September 2019, when her father Jamie Spears became ill.

She has remained in charge of Britney’s personal affairs, working as her ‘care manager’, while Jamie still controls her $60 million fortune.  

Britney told an LA judge last week: ‘I want to be able to get married to my boyfriend and have a baby but the conservatorship told me I can’t do that.

‘I have an IUD [intrauterine device[ inside me to prevent me from having a baby.

‘I want to go to a doctor and take it out so I can have a baby but they (the conservatorship) told me no.’

According to Wednesday’s documents, Jamie claims that when Britney’s lawyer filed to appoint Montgomery he said at the time that his daughter did not have the mental capacity to make decisions about her treatment and that it was left to a conservator of her person which is now Montgomery.  

Jamie claims that the court had never found that she was unable to consent to medical treatment and that the court had never made such an order, according to TMZ.

In a different document obtained by TMZ, Jamie’s lawyer says ‘Mr. Spears believes it is important for the integrity of the conservatorship proceedings and in the best interests of Ms. Spears for the Court to order an investigation into the issues and claims raised by [Britney] at the June 23, 2021 status hearing.

‘Either the allegations will be shown to be true, in which case corrective action must be taken, or they will be shown to be false, in which case the conservatorship can continue its course.’

‘It is not acceptable for Conservators or the Court to do nothing in response to Ms. Spears’ testimony.’

Montgomery has since refuted Jamie’s claims via a statement by her lawyer LaurieAnn Wright to Page Six on Wednesday.

It began: ‘Britney’s choice to marry and to start a family [has] never been impacted by the conservatorship while Ms. Montgomery has been conservator of the person.

‘I can state unequivocally that Jodi Montgomery has been a tireless advocate for Britney and for her well-being. While she does not control Britney’s financial assets, she is responsible for her personal care, and if Britney wants any issue brought up to the Court, Ms. Montgomery is and has always been ready, willing, and able to do so.’

Wright added that as a licensed private professional fiduciary, Montgomery is required to follow a code of ethics ‘unlike family members who serve as conservators.’

The lawyer said: ‘From the very beginning of her appointment in September 2019, Ms. Montgomery and the medical team that she assembled have had one primary goal — to assist and encourage Britney in her path to no longer needing a conservatorship of the person.’

According to Wright, all of Montgomery’s fees have been approved by Jamie himself who still acts as a conservator of the estate along with Bessemer Trust.

‘Practically speaking, since everything costs money, no expenditures can happen without going through Mr. Spears and Mr. Spears approving them,’ Wright explained. ‘Ms. Montgomery has advocated on Britney’s behalf for any expenditures that Britney has requested as well as for expenditures recommended by Britney’s medical team.’

The singer’s first husband Jason Alexander – who she famously married in a 4am Vegas wedding back in 2004 – has reportedly shared a statement addressing her bombshell court hearing. 

Twitter account @FreeBritneyLive posted what they claim to be an exclusive statement from Jason, where he allegedly says that Spears’ testimony ‘didn’t even scratch surface’ of the abuse that has gone on over the years. 

Alexander allegedly writes in the message that he was ‘forced to sign an NDA but cannot in good faith stay silent about the things I saw happening.’

The message reads: ‘Even back in the day we all saw signs of Jamie’s greed. He had his daughter on a tight chain then just like he does now.’

‘I don’t want to get into it too much because it ain’t my story to be telling but when Britney does finally do any interview or write a book or whatever she chooses to do if she chooses to do that, I can say with fact the things she reveals will be bone chilling to the core.’

‘Her testimony last week doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of everything she’s been had to endure and it goes beyond the 13 year conservatorship,’ it went on.

The message then talking about Britney’s sister Jamie Lynn who is an executor on one of the singer’s financial trusts, and who spoke out in support of the singer this week.

‘Jamie Lynn also hasn’t had a conversation with Brit in almost a year so I don’t know what the brad was sproutin off about yesterday. I know I’m really just an outside in all this and most don’t care to hear my opinion but I think at this point it’s obvious any and everyone only wants Brit happy and healthy.’

Jamie Lynn Spears spoke out after her sister appeared in court last week saying she wants to end her ‘abusive’ conservatorship.

Jamie, 30, had caught intense backlash from fans for staying silent on the matter – with some even accusing her of profiting off her sister’s $60million fortune – but she took to Instagram on Monday to address the situation. 

Showing her support for Britney the actress said that she wants nothing but ‘happiness’ for her sister and that she always has and ‘always will’ support her, in an emotional video message.

The Zoey 101 star appeared to be distancing herself from playing any kind of role in Britney’s business affairs, by saying she made a ‘very conscious choice’ to ‘only participate’ in the singer’s life as her sister – and has worked hard in her own career.

‘I paid my freakin’ bills since I was 10 years old. Not that I owe the public anything, because my sister knows I love and support her… I’m not my family. I’m my own person. And I’m speaking for myself,’ she explained. 

Last year, it was reported that Jamie had been selected as the custodian of Britney’s SJB Revocable Trust, originally put in place by Britney in 2004 to protect assets for her two children, Sean Preston, 15, and Jayden James, 14.

Fans had attacked the star last week, hinting that her silence suggested she could be complicit in Britney’s conservatorship, which has been run by their father Jamie Spears for the past 13 years. 

Jamie explained: ‘Maybe I didn’t support the way the public would like me to with a hashtag on a public platform but I can assure you that I support my sister long before there was a hashtag and I’ll support her long after.’ 

She started the emotional video speaking softly, as she said: ‘The only reason I haven’t [spoken] before, is because I felt that until my sister was able to speak for herself, and say what she felt she needed to say publicly, that it wasn’t my place. And it wasn’t the right thing to do.’

‘But now that she’s very clearly spoken, and said what she needed to say, I feel like I can follow her lead and say what I feel like I need to say – I feel like it’s extremely clear that since the day I was born I’ve only loved, adored, and supported my sister. I mean this is my freaking big sister, before any of this bulls***.

‘I don’t care if she wants to run away to a rainforest and have zillion babies in the middle of nowhere, or if she wants to come back and dominate the world the way she has so many times before, because I have nothing to gain or lose either way,’ she continued.

‘This situation does not affect me either way, because I’m only her sister who’s only concerned about her happiness.’

Jamie went on to say she was ‘so proud’ of Britney for using her voice, adding: ‘I’m so proud of her for requesting new counsel like I told her many years ago – oh, not in a public platform but just in a personal conversation between two sisters.’

‘If ending the conservatorship and flying to Mars or whatever the hell else she wants to do to be happy, I support that 100% because I support my sister; I love my sister. Always have, always will. As long as she’s happy. So let’s keep praying. That’s all,’ she said in conclusion.