A judge on Thursday extended the conservatorship over pop star Britney Spears' personal affairs for five months, leaving control of the singer's business and legal matters to her father and a lawyer, Reuters reported.
The ruling followed a closed-door meeting between Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner Reva Goetz, who is presiding over the matter, and attorneys for Spears and others involved in the case.
"It is my understanding that Ms. Spears is reluctantly agreeing that we extend the temporary letters (of conservatorship)," Goetz said in issuing her ruling.
No other details emerged about the conservatorship, Spears' health or business matters, and lawyers declined to answer reporters' questions outside the courtroom.
Spears, 26, rose to fame as a teenage singing sensation. But in late 2006 and throughout 2007, her personal life seemed to slip into a downward spiral of bizarre public behavior.
In January she was hospitalized twice for psychiatric evaluations. In early February, her father Jamie Spears and Los Angeles attorney Andrew Wallet were made co-conservators of her estate, which allowed them to make decisions about her personal, legal and business affairs.
Goetz extended that control to December 31, but said the matter was subject to review on October 28. Goetz also set another hearing date for December 22.
Separately, a source with knowledge of Spears' affairs said a court order keeping the singer's former self-styled manager, Sam Lutfi, away from her will expire at the end of Thursday and will not be renewed.
The source, who asked to remain anonymous because he was not authorized to speak on the legal issue, said Lutfi reached an agreement with Jamie Spears to stay away from the singer without the need to extend the temporary restraining order that was issued against him in February.
Lutfi was not immediately available for comment, and Spears' attorney Samuel Ingham did not answer questions when he left the courtroom on Thursday morning.
A separate hearing on the keep away order against Lutfi was scheduled for Thursday afternoon.
Ingham issued a statement on Wednesday saying the conservatorship gives Jamie Spears adequate power to keep Lutfi away. It also said that Jamie Spears would take legal action if he tried to contact her when the conservatorship ends.
"Britney has made clear to everyone that she does not want to be further harassed or contacted in any way by Osama 'Sam' Lutfi," Ingham's statement said.
Lutfi's former spokesman, Michael Sands, issued his own statement saying his one-time client had become a "tabloid villain" and adding "everything will work out."