A challenge to that previously reported court ruling giving Britney Spears' father James conservatorship of his daughter's welfare and estate has been dismissed by a US appeals court.
Lawyer Jon Eardley, who, you'll remember, claims to represent the singer, appealed against the ruling, of course, saying that the order was a violation of his client's human rights, given that she had not had the chance to attend a hearing on the issue, and was being confined to her home against her will.
Eardley attempted to move the case from the Probate to the Federal Court in late February, but a federal judge ruled that he was not Spears' attorney and had no right to pursue the case - he claims she employed him in February, but under the conservatorship, which was in place by then, she is not permitted to hire a lawyer. Eardley launched an appeal earlier this month, but now Judge Roger W Boren has said that his court has no jurisdiction to grant an appeal in the case.
If Britney is, in fact, being kept prisoner against her will, as Eardley contests, it would appear that her incarceration is doing her some good. Critics have been vocal in their praise of the singer's appearance and acting ability in relation to that previously reported cameo appearance on US sitcom 'How I Met Your Mother', which was screened earlier this week. The New York Post's Linda Stasi wrote: "You'd never know that pop tart Britney Spears had ever had a bad day in her life. Now clean and sober and under her dad's thumb once again, Britney looked as adorable last night as she did waaay back when. On the show, which she filmed in the last few weeks, Brit looked slim, (OK she was behind a desk), trim and gorgeous".
The Associated Press concluded that Spears "appeared fresh-faced and relaxed, capably filling the small role". Let's hope things are looking up for her.