Popsquire

According to People, the commissioner presiding over Britney Spears’ conservatorship determined yesterday that she remains unable to participate “in any meaningful way” in legal proceedings and may need further tests.  During a 90-minute closed-door session with lawyers, the commissioner also said that Britney’s doctor “wants to do additional testing,” which will be the subject of court documents expected to be filed on or about June 13.

For Popsquire’s most recent timeline of Britney’s 2008 collisions with the law, click here.  Remember, Popsquire always recommends flashcards!

Technorati Tags: 5150 hold, Britney Spears, conservatorship, jamie spears, law, litigation, mental illness, pop culture

A few videos involving the Presidential election for your weekend viewing pleasure…

First up, check out the latest scandal coming from Barack Obama’s church. SNL probably couldn’t have done it better!

Next, enjoy this mash-up of John McCain’s special moments.

And, finally, for everything you always wanted to know about Mos Def’s views on the Clintons, click here.

Technorati Tags: barack obama, hillary clinton, john mccain, michael pfleger, Politics, reverend

Supermodel Naomi Campbell is colliding with the law yet again. Arising out of an April 3 Heathrow airport incident, she is being charged with:

1. Three counts of assaulting a constable, which carries a maximum sentence of six months in prison and a fine of up to £5,000.
2. One count of disorderly conduct likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress, which is punishable by a fine of up to £2,500.
3. Two counts of using threatening, abusive words or behavior towards cabin crew, which comes with a maximum penalty of £1,000.

Why is Naomi so mad?

Technorati Tags: abuse, disorderly conduct, heathrow, law, naomi campbell, pop culture, violence

US Weekly reports that Heidi Montag is ready to marry Spencer Pratt…again! Declaring that Spencer is her “soulmate,” Heidi reveals that Spencer convinced her to plan their wedding again during a secret Mexican vacation.

Popsquire’s Pop Quiz: What happens to rings when engagements are called off?

Assuming that Spencer buys the ring with his own funds, then the majority of courts likely would consider the engagement ring to be a conditional gift. This means that, until the marriage happens, the gift isn’t final.

Given this couple’s track record, Spencer should keep his receipt!

Technorati Tags: diamonds, engagement, heidi montag, law, Marriage, pop culture, ring, spencer pratt, The Hills

According to People, CSI’s Gary Dourdan will not be serving jail time for charges of heroin, cocaine, ecstasy, and prescription drug possession that landed him in jail earlier this month.

Dourdan had faced up to three years and eight months based on the charges filed against him.  After pleading guilty to possession of cocaine and ecstasy, however, he has entered a treatment program that consists of 30 hours of weekly classes.

Popsquire supports rehab instead of jail time in many cases. Do you? While you ponder this, enjoy this Keane song, “Everyone’s Changing.”

Technorati Tags: cocaine, csi, ecstasy, gary dourdan, heroin, jail, law, pop culture, rehab, tmz, treatment

It’s official!  Madonna is David Banda’s baby momma.  Although critics previously accused Madonna of using her celebrity status to circumvent Malawian adoption laws, a Malawian judge approved the adoption today and remarked that Madonna and husband, Guy Ritchie, are “perfect parents,” according to the AP.

David sure is one Lucky Star!

Technorati Tags: david banda, foreign adoption, guy ritchie, law, madonna, pop culture

In a surprise move, Rob Lowe has dismissed his lawsuit against former chef, Peter Clements, with prejudice. This means Lowe can’t revisit the case without permission from the Court.

According to TMZ, Lowe decided to dismiss the case only after Clements provided information about Jessica Gibson and Laura Boyce, Lowe’s former nannies represented by Gloria Allred.

Allred’s response…

“We believe that Mr. Lowe’s latest legal maneuver will blow up in his face and will not get him out of the hot soup that he has landed in because of the two lawsuits that we have filed against him. Whatever Mr. Lowe has attempted to cook up smells bad — and will leave a lasting bad taste in his attempts to go after two innocent nannies who loved and cared for his children.”

Popsquire’s perspective…

There is nothing wrong with two parties exchanging information and dismissing a case as part of a private agreement. However, if Clements provided information in exchange for settlement, his credibility may be called into question. He and Lowe should expect Allred to grill them and Lowe about any such exchange of information during deposition. Giving Allred more fuel for her fire is rarely a good idea!

Because you are a faithful Popsquire follower, you know that the law permeates everything!  While being interviewed by Ellen Degeneres this week, Will Smith even acknowledged that the law helps keep his marriage together.

He told Ellen: “What I found is divorce just can’t be an option…It’s really that simple. And I think that’s the problem with L.A. – there are so many options. So a huge part of the success for [Jada] and I is that we just removed the other options.”

Yup, avoiding a legal recourse is the glue holding together their marriage.  This makes Popsquire very proud.  In celebration of this collision between pop culture and law, please sing along to Dave Mathews’ “Crash Into Me.”  Sing!

Technorati Tags: divorce, ellen degeneres, jada pinkett smith, law, Marriage, pop culture, will smith

Shiloh, Brangelina’s first DNA offspring, turns two today!

Popsquire Pop Quiz: When a child is born outside of the United States and out of wedlock, is she an American citizen?

Children born out of wedlock to a US citizen mother will be US citizens if the mother resided in the US for one year prior to the birth of the child. Children born out of wedlock to a US citizen father will acquire US citizenship if the following conditions are met:

1. There is an established blood relationship between the father and the child;
2. The father was a US citizen at the time of the birth;
3. The father has agreed to financially support the child until it is 18; and
4. Before the child is 18 it is legitimated, or the father acknowledges paternity in a document signed under oath

In celebration of Shiloh’s birthday and presumptive U.S. citizenship, sing along to Mariah Carey’s “Always Be My Baby.” Sing!

Technorati Tags: angelina jolie, brad pitt, brangelina, law, namibia, pop culture, shiloh, us citizenship, us weekly

Popsquire has sad news.  18-year-old Rob Knox, aka student Marcus Belby in the upcoming Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince, was stabbed to death in Southeast London over the weekend.  The BBC reported that Knox allegedly was defending his younger brother Jamie from a man armed with knives.

Technorati Tags: half-blood prince, harry potter, knife, law, london, murder, pop culture, rob knox, stab

Denise Richards and Charlie Sheen are best friends. If you believe that, then you definitely are new to Popsquire. If, on the other hand, you are a faithful Popsquire follower, then you may cringe when you read about this text message that Denise claims Charlie recently sent her:

“I hope you and your worthless retarded father get cancer and join your stupid mom. Rot in hell you [bleeping] whore.”

If Charlie did send this text to Denise, then it’s time to switch over to the Denise camp. If he didn’t send that message, then Charlie should sue for defamation. Remember, defamation generally is a false statement of fact that harms a person’s reputation.

Start the clock on the lawsuit countdown!

Technorati Tags: cancer, charlie sheen, defamation, denise richards, law, libel, new york post, pop culture, slander, text message, us weekly

The Pop is on his way to NYC today and will be there for a week. Enjoy the long holiday weekend, but don’t drink and drive! If you do, you deserve to be arrested or end up in jail like these celebs…

May…

1. Scott Weiland served jail time for his second DUI offense and still is required to complete an 18-month alcohol program, pay nearly $2,000 in fines, and participate in a four-year probation period.

April…

1. Angie Everheart was arrested on suspicion of DUI.
2. Despite rumors of a possible child endangerment charge, Richie Sambora was charged only with two DUI counts arising out of his March 25 DUI arrest.
3. Carmelo Anthony (Denver Nuggets forward) was arrested in Colorado on suspicion of DUI.
4. Barron Hilton (brother of Paris) pleaded no contest to DUI charges and was sentenced to (a) visit the L.A. County Morgue, (b) three years probation, and (c) one year without a driver’s license.
5. Redmond O’Neal (son of Farrah Fawcett and Ryan O’Neal) pleaded not guilty to charges of DUI, felony possession of heroin and meth.

The recent past…

1. Nicole Richie: sentenced to four days…served 82 minutes.

A ruling is expected today in a lawsuit recently filed by Yoko Ono in Manhattan, demanding that John Lennon’s “Imagine” be removed from the new documentary film, “Expelled.”   Opening at No. 10 nationwide last weekend, the film explores the controversial debate between science and religion in the context of creationism versus Darwinism.

According to World Net Daily, the makers of “Expelled” argued in court this week that they are protected by the fair use doctrine, which allows limited use of copyrighted material for commentary.  Popsquire predicts that “Expelled” will win.  Stick around!

Technorati Tags: ben stein, copyright, documentary, expelled, fair use doctrine, imagine, john lennon, law, pop culture, yoko ono

According to this court decision obtained by TMZ, a federal judge has granted Wesley Snipes request to remain free on bail until an appeal of his tax fraud conviction has concluded. Popsquire is on board with this decision, because the appeal could take a few years and Wesley was sentenced only to three years in total anyway.

In case you are new to Popsquire and/or the Wesley Snipes tax fraud case, click here to catch up. While you do that, let’s hope Wesley doesn’t fly away like a Nelly-Furtado-inspired-bird!

Technorati Tags: bail, federal court, federal prison, law, pop culture, tax evasion, tax fraud, wesley snipes

Hush little store/don’t say a word/cuz Tom is gonna send you some legal words!

Attorneys for Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes recently sent this letter to Petit Tresor, a luxury baby boutique, instructing the retailer to shut up about how much the couple may have spent on Suri. According to the letter, disclosures that the couple have spent between $350,000 and $400,000 at the store in the past two years are false and invade their privacy rights.

Popsquire’s perspective…

While a retailer certainly can be held liable for disclosing false information about consumers’ spending habits for marketing purposes, TomKat’s assertion that the store has violated the couple’s right to privacy may not be so clear cut.

The California Financial Information Privacy Act (FIPA), which provides numerous privacy protections to California consumers, generally applies to “financial institutions” and not small retailers who don’t issue credit cards. Therefore, although it certainly may constitute bad business and poor public relations, Tresor may not have run afoul of the law in every way that Tom’s legal team claims.

Like a good lawyer, Popsquire always sees many sides to a story. Stick around!