Britney Spears and Me.

As I arrived at the downtown LA courthouse last week, I encountered a phalanx of reporters, television trucks, photographers, and people carrying placards with political messages scrawled on them. Even a helicopter swirled above.

I thought it was a bit much coverage for a status conference on my client’s real estate case, so I asked a court staff member what all the commotion was about. He said,

“Ms. Britney Spears.”

Apparently she sought an emergency modification to her child custody arrangement. Generally these are known as “ex parte applications.” They require notice to be provided to the opposing party by 10 a.m. the court day before.

So I speculated the press probably didn’t hear about this matter until perhaps the afternoon before the 8:30 hearing. It amazed me how efficient the media is in mobilizing for a story involving a celebrity.

“Ms. Britney Spears” didn’t show anyway, as she didn’t have to. So the unlikely prospect of her appearance causes the media to accomplish logistical feats that would make military commanders mist up.