Britney Spears Sued For Breach Of Contract In Perfume Suit
LOS ANGELES (CBS) — Lawyers for a company that provides licensing opportunities for Britney Spears and which sued the singer and her father for breach of contract want a judge to order her to submit to a deposition.
In court papers filed Wednesday, attorneys for Brand Sense Partners say they want to depose the 29-year-old pop star before she begins her upcoming concert tour.
"Brand Sense cannot and should not have to wait several more months to take Ms. Spears' deposition," the company's court papers state. "Ms. Spears has knowledge of all of the facts forming the basis of Brand Sense's claims."
A hearing is scheduled July 11, but Spears' first concert is scheduled for June 16 in Sacramento. She remains under a court-imposed conservatorship established in 2008 and her lawyers in that matter have previously said she is incompetent to testify in a deposition.
Brand Sense filed the lawsuit March 30 in Los Angeles Superior Court. The firm is seeking more than $10 million.
According to the complaint, in 2004 Brand Sense obtained a licensing deal for Spears with Elizabeth Arden that provided for fragrance and other products to be sold using her name.
Brand Sense was entitled to a 35 percent commission on any of the Spears- branded fragrances sold by Elizabeth Arden, according to the suit.
However, last year, Spears contacted the beauty products firm and told them to send all royalties to her, the suit alleges. Brand Sense learned of the breach and asked that it be corrected, according to its court papers.
Jamie Spears, who said his daughter objected to the 35 percent commission as too high, asked for a modification of the deal, according to the complaint.
However, she "secretly made a separate deal with Elizabeth Arden in a sneaky, under-handed effort to circumvent and evade its obligations to Brand Sense," the suit alleges. "Effectively, Britney improperly and illegally cut Brand Sense out of the Elizabeth Arden deal."
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