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Celebrity Justice
Brit's Lawyer: She Deserves a Break!

Posted Nov 26th 2007 12:28PM by TMZ Staff

TMZ was in a Van Nuys courtroom today as Britney Spears' attorney, Michael Flanagan, asked that her driving without a valid license case be continued until January 2. I need me a break for the holidays, y'all!

As TMZ first reported in October, the L.A. City Attorney wants to place Britney on 12 months of probation for driving without a valid license. If they do, and she picks up another citation or happens to run over a photographers foot, that could constitute a probation violation and she could end up in jail just like Paris.

Flanagan told us today that the case needs further discussion and he wants to examine all the evidence -- hence why he's asking for more time. He also tells us he believes Brit's case should be regarded as nothing more than a fix-it ticket. He says 49 other states would see that Britney's Louisiana license was valid until 2010. He told us "She had a license, you can drive to California with it."

Spears was charged with hit and run and driving without a license, after allegedly hitting a car in a parking lot on August 6. The whole incident was caught on tape by paparazzi. The hit and run charge was dismissed by the court after a settlement was reached with the owner of the car she hit. Flanagan pleaded not guilty to the charges of driving without a valid license -- on behalf of the absent Brit Brit.

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136. To: 134 "Thanks for your Response Ahead of time..."

Why.. don't you know that FAME of this type usually translates $$$$....Only in America.
Btw.. thanks for YOUR response..:-))))) I personally, really feel for Brittany..Yes, I am a Brittany fan:-)))) Not that anyone was asking..or, even cares....

Posted at 5:53PM on Nov 26th 2007 by Susana

137. What was the supposed purpose of today's court appearance? The driving w/o a license case? I thought it was something to do with the kids.

Posted at 6:04PM on Nov 26th 2007 by jack54

138. To: jack54,

There were 2 hearings today, at 2 different court houses. This thread is about driving without a license, the other was about the child custody hearing. We will never hear about the child custody hearing because it's sealed. The only things we'll hear, will be "leaks."

Posted at 6:22PM on Nov 26th 2007 by DIANE T

139. If you have an out of state drivers license - you have so many months, if NOT WEEKS, to obtain one from the state you are living in - California in her case. In some cases you can keep the other state license. She is just such a mess - so shouldn't have the cars - shouldn't be driving and shouldn't have her kids. I saw she is "trying" to adopt 2 kids from China, and that should also be stopped. she's about lost these two - and she "needs" 2 more to screw up? I wish the Courts would realize: she is sick, a druggie, and yet "passes" the drug tests? That is impossible! Wonder who pees for her?

Posted at 7:05PM on Nov 26th 2007 by hopey-joe

140. I think Britney Spears better get a lawyer who knows DMV law and has traffic court experience because at no time was Britney driving without a valid driver license.

Spears was driving on a valid Louisiana driver license and failed to notify the California DMV of her new residency in the state. Before she can be charged with 'driving without a valid driver license' she must first be charged with and convicted of 'failure to notify the DMV' of her address change. That is a misdemeanor offense, which in itself carries a fine up to $1000 and suspension of driving privileges. The suspension of driving privileges would be entered in the court record as a VC 40509.5 hold and a copy would be sent to Spears and the California DMV. Convicted then of failure to notify DMV of her address change, it would then (and only then) be that it becomes unlawful for Britney to drive in the State of California even though she has a valid Louisiana driver license, and it would then (and only then) be that she could be charged with driving without a valid driver license in the State of California if she is caught driving in California. She could still lawfully drive in all of the 49 other states on her valid Louisiana driver license until Louisiana suspends her driver license, which they will do when California DMV sends them a copy of the VC 40509.5 action against Spears in the California traffic court.

The cart is in front of the horse in this case because she cannot be lawfully charged with driving without a valid driver license in the State of California until she is first charged with 'and convicted' of failure to notify the DMV of her address change and then be caught driving in California before obtaining a valid California license.

She needs to hire a lawyer specializing in traffic court cases and I am positive he would plead her not guilty on the driving without a valid driver license charge and demand a trial on the charge if it is not dropped. Been there an did that in Fresno County.

Posted at 6:36PM on Nov 26th 2007 by Beke

141. Maybe she'd get one if she started acting like a human being.

Posted at 7:03PM on Nov 26th 2007 by Sir Nigel Buttercrumpett

142. Get a DRIVER Britany!!!!!! I know you have the money to pay for it.

Posted at 2:20AM on Nov 27th 2007 by Kathy

143. For you who like to make the excuses for paps problems related to Britney's situations or defending Britney, The basic point is all of this was Britney was driving without a valid driver license until She was caught dead with the invalid driver's license after she run over the photographer's foot back in August. Who knows how long she had driven without a valid driver's license during the period long before her first pap's run over foot flat like road runner, If she had not run over the photographer's foot in the first place back then, She would not been forced to get a valid driver's license right away or would have gone on longer period without the valid driver's license. Stop feel sorry for Britney! She is 26 years old, not 16! She is not a child! She is a just plain stupid, and immature young woman. Maybe she has an imaginary friend, PEE WEE, tell her it's cool, (with a snort laugh) to do stupid things!

Posted at 7:31PM on Nov 26th 2007 by Julie G.

144. For 32 Stump and others who seem so confused: READ the story before you post your irrelevant comments. Stump, she ran into a parked car and left no info for the owner, being filmed by the paps checking her own car and never giving the other one a look. She was charged with hit and run and driving without a license for this August 6th incident. She settled with the owner of the car. This has NOTHING TO DO with running over paps feet or anything else. Some of you seem to only look at the pictures and read the headline.
READ THE STORY BEFORE POSTING!!!!!!

Posted at 9:49PM on Nov 26th 2007 by bogie

145. I'M SO SICK AND TIRED OF HEARING WHAT SHE DID NEXT, WE HAVE MORE IMPORTANT THINGS IN THE WORLD THAN BRITTNEY, TREAT ALL CELEBS LIKE EVERYDAY WORKING FOLK AND THROW THEIR A'S IN JAIL. I GAURENTEE IF I DID ALL THE CRAP SHE DID I WOULD NEVER SEE DAY LIGHT AGAIN

Posted at 11:05PM on Nov 26th 2007 by TOAD

146. The only reason Kevin is doing this is cause he want's more of her $$$$$$$$.... His 20K a month ran out the begining of November..... And let me ask you if you had Cameras following you 24/7 would you not have any mistakes????

Posted at 11:18PM on Nov 26th 2007 by adam_dallas

147. I say toss this piece of white trailer trash in jail, or dump her off a cliff. Anything to get rid of her. She purposely acts in a way that irritates & aggravates normal thinking people. She thinks she's better than everyone else, that she's "entitled to everything & anything"; her arrogance is disgusting. She's definitely got a bad case of hilton-itis. She is the most self centered person on planet earth; if it's not about her and she's not getting attention (including meeting her kids needs, which she obviously can't), then she blows it off. Not only does she need to be SERIOUSLY bitch slapped, but her mom should be slapped also for raising (or not raising) such a monster.

Give her a break? I think not. That's only for people who deserve it. Drunk, druggie, snatch flashing, brain damaged, self centered, arrogant media whores DON'T.

Posted at 11:42PM on Nov 26th 2007 by She SUCKS

148.
The charge of driving without a valid ( Calif ) license was a bit of over kill.
But she got herself in their headlights.

Posted at 4:54AM on Nov 27th 2007 by Trish

149. Poor Britney!?!?! Are they for real? She needs to cut the crap and work on getting her life together and her kids back. Instead, she is getting her lips done and looking to adopt two children. What the hell is wrong with her???

Posted at 10:55AM on Nov 27th 2007 by Lauren

150. I think anynone that has the paps and the world watching and judging your every move might tend to get nervous and make some mistakes in life...i wonder if she were left alone in her life to live free and not be followed and judged , if she would be able to focus and concentrate on what is best for her and her kids, career as well... dont u think all the stars have a hard time concentrating sometimes in their life with all the commotion around them all the time...i think Brittany is just a normal person that has gotten stressed out and turned to drugs to make her feel better for a time...but the problems and life still exist when she comes down off the high...soo many people do the same thing but are not soo strongly scrutinized as a famous person in the lime light is...the paps need to understand they are destroying some people by following their every move in their lives they way they leach off of stars to make money off of photos...it must be really nerve racking....i in no way condone Brittanys choices in life but i can sympathize and understand ...we all make mistakes... but we must learn from them and not make them again and move on for the better ....

Posted at 6:26PM on Nov 27th 2007 by LisaKaye2310

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