Donation of Spears' dress OK for Haiti relief

(Agencies)
2010-01-23 18:39
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Donation of Spears' dress OK for Haiti relief<BR>

In this Aug. 9, 2009 file photo, Britney Spears arrives at the Teen Choice Awards in Universal City, Calif. [Agencies]

LOS ANGELES – Britney Spears is lending a hand, or rather a dress, to help out Haiti.

A court commissioner on Friday approved a request allowing the singer to donate the dress she wore to the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards so it can be auctioned, with the proceeds going to help Haitian earthquake victims.

The court's permission was needed because the pop singer remains under a court-ordered conservatorship. Her father, Jamie, who will oversee the donation, controls his 28-year-old daughter's personal and financial affairs.

The court also granted her father authority to get rid of some of Spears' property that was used during last year's "Circus" tour. The items are described as being "valueless" and occupying several storage containers.

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The 2008 MTV VMAs were the start of a public comeback by Spears, who retreated from the public eye after being placed in the conservatorship in February 2008. She won three awards at the show, including video of the year for "Piece of Me."

No other changes to the conservatorship were announced during a brief open session after Spears left the courtroom.

It was Spears' first meeting with Superior Court Commissioner Reva Goetz since the singer concluded a world tour promoting the "Circus" album last year.

Before the hearing, she smiled as she walked in through the courtroom's backdoor and stood next to her father and an attorney.

Spears did not speak before Goetz closed the courtroom to the public and reporters, stating that medical and sensitive personal information would be discussed.

Spears' father and others have controlled the singer's personal and financial affairs for nearly two years.

The conservatorship was created after a series of high-profile hospitalizations and incidents of erratic behavior by the "Womanizer" singer.

Britney Spears has since experienced a career resurgence and had substantial weekly visits with her sons, Sean Preston and Jayden James.