Britney Spears pleaded guilty at her arraignment at Ventura County Superior Court on Monday, two months after she was arrested for DUI.
The 44-year-old, who recently left rehab after a three-week stint following her March 4 arrest, did not appear in court, but entered a guilty plea via her lawyer, Michael Goldstein.
Spears was sentenced to 12 months’ probation, a day in jail, which she’s already served, and ordered to enroll in a three-month alcohol and drug education program after accepting a plea deal in DUI cases known as a ‘wet reckless’.
This allows the driver to plead guilty to reckless driving involving alcohol and/or drugs – a lesser charge that carries a much lighter sentence.
The deal is reserved for defendants with no prior history of DUI, with a low blood alcohol level, when there is no injury or crash, and when the subject shows ‘self-motivation to address underlying issues through rehabilitation or a drug and alcohol program.’
Ventura County Superior Court Commissioner Matthew Nemerson also fined Spears $721 and ordered her to see a psychologist once a week and a psychiatrist twice a month.
Britney Spears pleaded guilty at Ventura County Superior Court on Monday morning to a misdemeanor DUI charge related to her March 4 arrest
At the time, the Daily Mail revealed the pop star was taken into custody by California Highway Patrol at around 9.30pm on March 4 in Ventura County after several 911 calls
He also told the troubled singer not to use alcohol or drugs, apart from prescription medications and ruled that police could search her vehicle without a warrant if she is pulled over again.
In March, Spears was stopped by cops responding to reports that she was allegedly driving her black BMW erratically and at high speed on the 101 freeway.
She later voluntarily entered a substance abuse rehab facility, which she reportedly checked out of just last Wednesday.
After the brief hearing, her lawyer gave a statement outside the court: ‘Miss Spears is doing well. She came home in anticipation of this hearing.’
In a press conference following the arraignment, Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko warned that driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol, ‘recklessly and erratically is an extremely serious crime…with possible catastrophic consequences.
‘If she is stopped again by police officers, she will have to submit to being searched for alcohol and drugs. And her vehicle can be searched.’
The pop star left rehab last week after a three-week stint
Spears’s lawyer, Michael Goldstein, leaves her DUI hearing in Ventura, California, on Monday
Citing the three-month DUI program in which Spears will have to complete 30 hours of education, plus the regular visits to shrinks ordered by the court, Nasarenko added: ‘We do not want Miss Spears to re-offend. That’s why rehabilitation is so important.’
On Thursday, the Daily Mail obtained documents revealing Spears was facing criminal charges as Ventura County prosecutors charged her with one count of misdemeanor DUI.
As it is a misdemeanor charge, she was not required to attend the hearing.
At the time of arrest, the Daily Mail revealed the pop star was taken into custody by California Highway Patrol in Ventura County at around 9.30pm on March 4, after several 911 calls.
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The singer was released the following morning, according to Ventura County Sheriff records.
Representatives for Spears said after her arrest in March: ‘This was an unfortunate incident that is completely inexcusable.
‘Britney is going to take the right steps and comply with the law and hopefully this can be the first step in long overdue change that needs to occur in Britney’s life. Hopefully, she can get the help and support she needs during this difficult time.
‘Her boys are going to be spending time with her,’ the statement added. ‘Her loved ones are going to come up with an overdue needed plan to set her up for success for well-being.’
The singer seemingly expressed immediate remorse as sources told TMZ she was ‘crying a lot’ while being processed at the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office.
When a person gets a DUI in California, their driver’s license is automatically suspended.
There is also potential jail time, a hefty fine of over $1,000 and mandatory DUI education programs.
A first offense typically involves three to five years of probation, a six-month license suspension and about six months of DUI school.
Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko speaks following the hearing
Spears was not required to appear in court for a misdemeanor charge, but pleaded guilty via her attorney
On February 12, Spears was spotted behind the wheel of her Mercedes SUV, taking a spin around Los Angeles, appearing to break the law as she held her cell phone to her face. Talking on the phone is illegal in California under the ‘No Touch’ law. She was not charged in connection with the incident.
It was, however, not an isolated incident for Spears, who, in recent months, was filmed swerving into the wrong lane on a highway after a night out. At the time, sources feared she was ‘spiraling’ amid the release of her ex-husband Kevin Federline’s memoir. The two were married from 2004 to 2007.
Her history with the police also included being cited for a misdemeanor hit-and-run after hitting a parked car in 2007. This was dismissed after Spears paid an undisclosed sum to the owner, it was reported at the time.
She was also cited for driving without a valid California license in 2008, which was later dismissed by a judge.
In 2023, law enforcement visited Spears’s home regarding a video involving knives, but no charges were filed.
Spears has had very public personal struggles for nearly two decades: In 2007, the star famously suffered a harrowing breakdown after exhibiting worrying behavior in the months leading up to her infamous psychiatric hold.
The then 25-year-old had fans concerned after she shaved her head and attacked a paparazzi’s car with a green umbrella – before checking into a rehab facility.
The singer suffered another setback after a disastrous performance at the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards, where her performance of Gimme More was heavily criticized by both fans and critics alike.
Then, in January 2008, she was put under lockdown at a facility after refusing to hand her young son over to ex-husband Federline.
