Britney Will Be Back in Court on License Case

Britney Driving Without Valid License

On Sept 26, 2007, however, the city attorney filed an additional misdemeanor charge. "During a subsequent investigation, we found that she was driving without a valid California license," Mateljan said. "You can't un-ring that bell. We filed that charge along with the original hit-and-run."

Spears, who is originally from Kentwood, La., had a valid Louisiana license. But prosecutors say she violated California Code 12500, which requires drivers to get a California license within 10 days of establishing residency.

Related

Purity Pacts: Waiting 23 Years for First Kiss

Lynn Spears' Book Is No Bombshell

Can Britney Do It Again and Do It Right?

Flanagan said the city attorney is using her 2007 divorce papers as evidence. Under oath, she told the court she had been a resident of California for six months.

After being charged with a violation, Spears got her California license on Oct. 2, 2007. Showing the new license is typically enough to reduce the charges, said Flanagan, who has handled mostly driving offenses in his 38 years of practicing law.

"The judge will line up eight or nine at a time and say, 'Do you have a license? OK, see the clerk and pay a $10 fee,'" he said. "Most are not even represented by counsel."

Flanagan estimates that 95 percent of these cases are adjudicated that way.

City attorney spokesman Mateljan said, "I don't know what the exact statistics are. But this incident didn't take place in vacuum. There are other underlying circumstances.

"Typically, these types of cases do settle well before they get to trial," he added. "We feel we've been fair with the offer we put forward. They seem bent on proceeding."

Flanagan has also questioned why the case has been "specially assigned" to Deputy City Attorney Michael Amerian, who, he has pointed out, is running for the position of city attorney.

"This is driving without a valid license, about the least of any matter that could be prosecuted and he's specially assigned to it," Flanagan said. "Why do you think that? They specially assign murder cases. Very seldom do you even see a drunk-driving case specially assigned."

Mateljan denied that Amerian had been "specially assigned" to the case. "We've given this case no special consideration," he said. "It's been assigned as any other case would be assigned. Mr. Amerian is handling this like any other case."