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There are a lot of people involved and pulling for Britney Spears these days, but the one person who has worked behind the scenes to remove Jamie Spears and end the conservatorship altogether is Cade Hudson, who has deep ties to Britney ... TMZ has learned.

Hudson has been one of Britney's closest friends for a dozen years. He's also been her agent for 9 years and has been in her inner circle the entire time.

Our sources say Hudson has been in constant contact with Britney, advising her on how to navigate the conservatorship. When Britney was upset about restrictions by conservators and others involved in the conservatorship, Hudson was there to give her guidance.

He was working behind the scene for a long time to try and bring the conservatorship to an end. And, our sources say ... Hudson is the one who hooked Britney up with attorney Mathew Rosengart, who is now shepherding Britney's move for freedom.

One of Vanderbilt University's longtime employees says she's been bullied and viciously mocked by co-workers -- using words like "freak," and "gross" -- after she underwent transition surgery.

Olivia Hill is suing Vanderbilt for the abuse she says started back in mid-2018, when she'd informed her employer she'd been diagnosed with gender dysphoria ... and, therefore, needed to transition from male to female. She says she soon learned a direct supervisor was referring to her as "it," "trans freak" and "weirdo."

Olivia -- a U.S. Navy veteran who's worked at Vandy for 25 years -- says that sort of reaction made her second guess getting the surgery, and she even delayed it until February 2019. In the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, she says the abuse was even worse when she returned to work in May 2019 -- some people would leave rooms as soon as she entered, while others made crude remarks.

According to the suit, those comments included a bigwig commenting directly to her about her big feet looking strange. She alleges he also asked if she shaves her chest now, and added ... "Ugh, the thought of you shaving your tits is gross."

Olivia claims in the suit another employee asked if he could "be the first to use her new vagina."

Interestingly, Vanderbilt touted Olivia's transition ... even posting a video where she tells her story. However, Olivia's attorney, Abby Rubenfeld, says this only highlights the university's hypocrisy -- "The way Olivia was treated violates federal and state law, and is inconsistent with Vanderbilt's own policies and public presentation as allegedly being a model of LGBTQI tolerance and inclusion."

Olivia says she informed her supervisors, but got no relief, and even filed complaints with the University and federal employment agencies. She says the school placed her on paid administrative leave, and says she's been passed over for promotions.

She's suing Vanderbilt for damages, including lost wages and pain and suffering.

Britney Spears won a huge victory Wednesday -- a victory she's sought for years -- because her dad has been officially removed as conservator of her estate, and it looks like the conservatorship is coming to an end.

It was a monumental day in court as Britney's lawyer, Mat Rosengart, zeroed in on Jamie Spears, saying he committed shocking abuse and mismanagement during his tenure as conservator. Rosengart was especially outraged over recent allegations Jamie engineered a scheme to secretly record Britney in her bedroom. Rosengart says there were conversations between Britney and her kids that were captured and he called it "unfathomable."

Jamie tried arguing the conservatorship should end today, but Rosengart begged to differ. The attorney wants to hold Jamie accountable for possible misappropriation of assets, among other things, and he wants the conservatorship in place until he can investigate.

The judge agreed with Rosengart and suspended Jamie. She also ordered Jamie to turn over all the books and records during his time as conservator so Rosengart can pour through them.

Our producer asked Rosengart on the way out of court if Britney would sue her dad if there's evidence of misappropriation of assets or other misdeeds. Rosengart jumped on the question and said Britney would absolutely sue.

As for ending the conservatorship ... the judge set a hearing for November 12. It's very possible the conservatorship will be terminated on that day. Significantly, there was no talk in court about a mental evaluation as a condition to ending the conservatorship. Fact is ... all parties, including Jamie, have advocated for terminating the conservatorship without a mental evaluation, so it seems things are headed in that direction.

In the meantime, a new conservator of Britney's estate has been appointed on a temporary basis. His name is John Zabel, a CPA handpicked by Rosengart.

For Britney's part, she's over the moon, posting on social media she's on cloud 9.

We interviewed a psychiatrist, Dr. Charles Sophy, on "TMZ Live" Tuesday -- he's handled numerous court cases involving celebrities and has been involved in a number of conservatorship cases -- and he suggested the judge should terminate the conservatorship with one string attached. Britney and her doctors should come back to court in 6 months so the judge could make sure she's taking her meds. That's his suggestion, but it seems everyone is headed in the direction of just ending it.

Britney will have a safety net in fiance Sam Asghari and her current personal conservator, Jodi Montgomery. BTW, Jodi has said she will stay on even if the conservatorship ends, and Britney is agreeable.

All in all, it was a huge day for Britney, Rosengart and Co.

As they say, it's the thrill of victory for Britney Spears -- but the agony of defeat for her father, Jamie Spears, is potentially just beginning, and we're explaining why on the new TMZ Podcast.

Just moments after Britney's conservatorship hearing ended, we got the team together for the inaugural episode of the pod. There's a lot to break down from Wednesday's hearing, and even more to discuss about what happens next.

As you know, the judge suspended Jamie from his gig as conservator of Britney's estate, and now Britney's lawyer is vowing to investigate him for alleged misappropriation and other conservatorship abuses.

We'll tell you why there could be some very real consequences for Jamie. Also, as you'd expect, Britney's already celebrating her big win as only Britney can. Ditto for the throngs of #FreeBritney supporters who were outside the courthouse.

Speaking of which -- looks like there's a #FreeBritney convert among us.

Britney Spears' potentially game-changing day in court is about to begin with her conservatorship hanging in the balance, and the environment -- inside and outside court -- is dramatic.

As you know, Wednesday's hearing is the most highly anticipated one since Britney testified in June during a previous hearing, in which she made shocking allegations and clearly stated she wanted to end the conservatorship after 13 years ... and possibly even sue her family.

Though Britney is not present in court today, her parents -- Jamie and Lynne Spears -- will be appearing via Zoom, along with Britney's attorney, Mathew Rosengart.

Wednesday's hearing for arguments on ending the conservatorship was originally set for January 28 but got moved up to today -- and while no one is expected to object to dismantling it ... it's still unlikely the judge will end the conservatorship today.

Instead, the judge could order another mental evaluation for Britney, or possibly order mediation where all the parties get together and come up with a plan on how to transition from the conservatorship.

Along with all that ... the hearing will likely address the removal or suspension of Jamie, fees for Jamie and his lawyers, and various accounting issues. So, get ready for a long one.

As we've reported ... ever since Britney spoke in court in June, a LOT has gone down -- both with the case and in Britney's personal life.

Following a quick Hawaiian getaway with her then-boyfriend, Sam Asghari, after her court testimony ... Britney began taking legal action to choose her own lawyer (her previous one, Sam Ingham, resigned) and remove her father as conservator of her estate.

Britney eventually hired Rosengart, who quickly went to work in ousting Jamie ... before Britney's dad seemingly agreed to step down in legal docs he filed in mid-August.

Things have gotten more complicated since then, however. After Britney formally asked to end her conservatorship last week, new allegations dropped in the NYT documentary, "Controlling Britney Spears," in which Jamie's accused of recording her bedroom conversations.

Then, on Monday, Jamie asked the judge not to forcefully remove him as conservator, but instead consider dissolving the conservatorship entirely.

The judge is expected to address some, if not all, of these issues Wednesday in court ... so get ready. You know the #FreeBritney crowd will be there ... as they've already gathered outside the courthouse to support their queen.

Meanwhile, as all of the legal issues have been unfolding, Britney's music manager resigned and claimed she's retired from performing ... and Britney and Sam got engaged.

Dog the Bounty Hunter has only been on the Brian Laundrie case for a few days, but TMZ has learned he now says Laundrie is alive, and Dog feels he's close to capturing him.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Dog is rolling to a remote site where he says Laundrie is hiding. Dog says he'll be at the site in less than an hour. We're told Dog had obtained information that leads him to believe Laundrie was alive and moving around as of 10 PM on Tuesday.

Dog says his latest information -- 12 hours old -- is that Laundrie is alive and evading capture.

Dog is working with a team that includes skilled ground and boat crews.

Obviously, we cannot confirm Laundrie's location or whether he's even alive, but we're reporting what Dog is saying. We will obviously update once Dog gets to the location.

The famous Folgers coffee jingle, "The best part of wakin' up is Folgers in your cup" is up for grabs ... the royalties for a piece of coffee history are on the auction block.

The bidding started this week at $63,000 and we're told there have already been 16 bids, with the auction entering its final stages at the Royalty Exchange.

The auction house says the Folgers jingle royalties for the past 12 months paid $11,747 and since 2011 the song's earned a total of $38,164 ... with more than half, about $20k, coming in the past 2 years ... so it's a long-term investment.

The winning bidder will own the songwriter's share of public performance royalties ... and get paid any time the song is used in commercials, on TV, in movies, on traditional and satellite radio, plus internet streaming.

The current bid stands at $70,700 and bids are in increments of $550 ... and the auction ends Thursday at 5 PM ET ... so it's coming down to the wire!!!

It is possible -- POSSIBLE -- the 13-year-long Britney Spears conservatorship could end today as everyone -- with one big exception -- appears in court via zoom for what promises to be an explosive showdown.

Multiple sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Britney will not be present for the hearing, but Jamie and Lynne Spears will be on zoom.

There was a hearing scheduled to hear arguments on ending the conservatorship set for January 28, but we've learned that was moved up to today. That presumably means the judge will hear arguments on ending the conservatorship, and here's the reality -- no one is going to argue the conservatorship should continue.

Britney, Jamie and Lynne all want to terminate the conservatorship, so there will be no opposition. Although it's possible the judge could end the conservatorship at today's hearing, our sources say it's unlikely.

There are 2 likely scenarios ... first, the judge could order another mental evaluation, because that's what triggered the conservatorship 13 years ago and maintained it for the years that followed.  That could take several months to complete.

Another option ... the judge could order a mediation where all the parties get together and come up with a plan on how to transition from the conservatorship. Specifically, who will manage Britney's business affairs and who will make sure Britney's able to live her life safely? As we reported, Jodi Montgomery has already agreed to stay on after the conservatorship ends.

And, that brings us to Jamie. TMZ broke the story, Jamie objects to the appointment of CPA, John Zabel, as temporary conservator of Britney's estate. Our sources say although Jamie has previously said he would step down after today's hearing, our sources now say he will ask the judge to keep him on as conservator until a transition plan is in place. This is something that Britney's lawyer, Mathew Rosengart, will fight tooth and nail -- he wants Jamie out NOW.

This promises to be a long hearing. Among the issues, removal or suspension of Jamie, termination of the conservatorship, fees for Jamie and the lawyers and various accounting issues.

TMZ has launched our first of many podcasts. Today after the hearing, we'll break down what happened and explain what it all means going forward.

Kodak Black's violated the terms of his supervised release in his federal gun case by failing a drug test ... and now we've learned the rapper was ordered to get treatment.

You may recall ... the rapper was sentenced to 46 months behind bars in the gun case in late 2019, but he was freed by Trump when his sentence was commuted back in January as part of the ex-President's flurry of pardons and commutations.

We're told Kodak's failed drug test resulted in a court hearing this week for violating the terms of his supervised release.

According to court records ... the judge ordered Kodak to complete a 90-day stint in a residential program due to the violation. Our sources say Kodak is already in the treatment program.

Sen. Ted Cruz is proud to back the #FreeBritney movement, and did so Tuesday on Capitol Hill ... saying there are better options than a conservatorship for Britney Spears, and others in her situation.

The Senator from Texas raised Britney's case in calling for reform on conservatorship law -- and railed against the fact a grown woman "can't make basic decisions about her own life."

Cruz said, "Even though she's a mother, to this day she can't make basic decisions about her own life, her own career, her own health or her own finances." He added, "It seems that at each critical juncture, the legal system has been designed not for her benefit but to trample on her rights."

Cruz's solution? Instead of conservatorships, he'd like to see, among other things, the ability for someone in Britney's position to form a support network of people they know and trust ... and consult this group in the course of making their decisions.

Cruz also went off about allegations Britney was forced to get an IUD to prevent her from having a baby -- a claim she made while testifying back in June. The Senator says, "That is not somebody else's choice to make. That is grotesque."

Many would call that statement about a woman's reproductive rights ironic, at best, and hypocritical at worst ... due to Cruz's support of Texas' new anti-abortion law.

A renowned psychiatrist says he was asked earlier this year to determine if Britney Spears was overmedicated to the point she wasn't lucid ... and he makes an interesting case on how the conservatorship should end ... with one string attached.

Dr. Charles Sophy appeared on "TMZ Live" Tuesday and revealed around 8 or 10 months ago someone on Britney's team approached him to come and evaluate her medication.

Sophy says there was clearly a concern Britney was being excessively pumped full of drugs ... to the point she was not able to clearly speak for herself.

Sophy declined the invite ... because he didn't want to get involved in what he felt was a power struggle over the conservatorship. But, the good doc felt bad for Britney because he says IF she was in fact overmedicated it creates a vicious cycle she can't escape.

Dr. Sophy had an interesting idea ... end the conservatorship but attach one string -- that Britney must check in with the court from time to time to make sure she's taking her meds.  Otherwise, she should be free to live her life on her own terms, without a conservatorship.

Jamie Spears and Britney's lawyer, Mathew Rosengart, have been going at it in legal docs, and Wednesday's hearing promises to be contentious.

R. Kelly being found guilty on all counts in his federal sex crimes trial is something Lizzette Martinez never thought would happen, but after more than 25 years ... she's rejoicing justice has been served.

Lizzette tells TMZ she was overcome with emotion when she heard the singer was found guilty, because she met him when she was 17 ... so she's spent more than half her life dealing with the aftermath of his abuse and the backlash of speaking out against him.

Lizzette says she now feels happiness, not just for herself, but all of the survivors of R. Kelly who've gone through hell. She adds ... the jury's decision finally shows the women Kelly hurt matter more than he does.

Finally, Lizzette believes the outcome for R. Kelly sends a message to society, in general, that this kind of behavior will no longer be tolerated.

As we reported, Kelly was found guilty Monday on 9 federal counts -- including racketeering, sex crimes, human trafficking, obstruction of justice and kidnapping -- and is looking at 10 years to life when he's sentenced in May.

Britney Spears' lawyer has taken off the gloves in his war with Jamie Spears, calling him a "reported alcoholic and gambling addict," and that's just for starters.

Attorney Mathew Rosengart has gone on the attack, after Jamie filed legal docs challenging the person Rosengart has tapped to replace Jamie temporarily as conservator of Britney's estate.

TMZ broke the story, Jamie claimed CPA John Zabel is unqualified to assume that position, but Rosengart's new legal docs refer to Zabel as a "highly-esteemed, nationally-recognized, award-winning CPA with an impeccable record of serving in positions of trust."

Rosengart finds it rich that Jamie is blasting Zabel, saying Jamie has "zero financial background or experience in financial matters, who previously filed for bankruptcy and has a Domestic Violence Restraining Order currently in effect against him."

Rosengart's legal docs challenge Jamie's request for fees for himself and Jamie's lawyers. He calls Jamie incompetent and rails on what he says is "abuse of his daughter (which evidently goes back to her childhood), and the dissipation of Estate assets."

Phoebe Bridgers cost a record producer a lot of money by spreading lies about him on social media ... this according to a new, multimillion-dollar lawsuit.

The indie rock singer is being sued by record producer Chris Nelson for defamation, and he claims she seriously hurt his bottom line by falsely accusing him of being a violent abuser.

According to the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, Nelson claims Phoebe started spreading lies about him on her Instagram page back in October, accusing him of grooming, stealing, violence and abuse, among other things. He claims Bridgers and his then-girlfriend had a consensual sexual relationship dating back to 2018.

In his suit, Nelson says after he broke up with his then-girlfriend, Phoebe and the woman continued their relationship. He claims Phoebe and the ex then started trashing him, saying Phoebe directed her 500,000 followers to his ex's IG page, where the ex accused him of racially motivated violence, hate crimes, fraud, robbery and hacking women's email accounts.

Nelson, who owns the famous Sound Space recording studio in downtown Los Angeles, is going after Phoebe for at least $3.8 million in damages.

Dina Lohan's going to spend some time behind bars ... after copping a plea in her DWI case.

A spokesperson with the Nassau County D.A.'s Office tells TMZ ... Lindsay Lohan's mom pled guilty to operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated and leaving the scene of an incident without reporting it.

We're told Dina will have to spend 18 days in jail and will then be on 5 years probation. She also must participate in a victim impact panel and take part in an alcohol program.

As we reported ... Dina was busted back in January after cops say an outing at Outback Steakhouse ended with her t-boning another car outside the restaurant and leaving the scene.

Cops ultimately tracked her down at her Long Island home ... where cops say she fell on her face and accused the responding officer of pushing her. Cops said they detected a strong odor of booze on her breath and noticed Dina had glassy, bloodshot eyes too.

BTW ... Dina had a prior DWI in 2013 also in Long Island.

On the eve of Britney Spears' biggest conservatorship hearing, her father is loudly objecting to the guy she wants to replace him -- claiming he lacks the experience and wisdom needed to manage her $60 million fortune.

Jamie Spears has filed docs calling out John Zabel, the certified public accountant Brit and her attorney, Mathew Rosengart, have nominated to become temporary conservator of her estate. Jamie's objection is two-fold, the first part focusing on Zabel's resume.

In the docs, obtained by TMZ, Jamie says the only information Britney's team has provided about Zabel is that he's a CPA with senior "executive experience in finance and in the entertainment industry" -- and that just isn't cutting it for Jamie. He claims just because Zabel is an accountant, it doesn't make him “highly qualified” to be a fiduciary, especially as a conservator.

He goes on to warn that Britney's estate could be at significant risk, because Zabel would have to "hit the ground running" ... but since he lacks experience, he might royally screw it up.

In relation to that lack of experience ... Jamie takes a shot at Zabel for losing $1 million of his own money in a fraudulent real estate investment. It feels like a low bow, but Jamie's point is if he can't do due diligence for his own money, the court shouldn't entrust him with Britney's estate.

The other reason Jamie wants the judge to reject Zabel is ... he believes there's no reason for anyone at all to replace him, because there's no evidence he's done a bad job. As we've reported, Britney and Rosengart strongly disagree with that, and intend to lay out Jamie's alleged on-the-job failings Wednesday in court.

However, Jamie says in the docs, the judge's first order of biz should be dismantling the entire conservatorship, as he and Britney's team -- including her personal conservator, Jodi Montgomery -- have officially requested.

Jamie's logic is clear ... there's no need to name a replacement conservator, IF the judge simply does away with the whole conservatorship. That's a big if, especially because Britney, her father and her attorney want it done without a medical evaluation.