Judge Refuses To Dismiss Britney Spears' Driving Licence Charge

Britney Spears is facing a trial over a misdemeanour driving licence offence after a Los Angeles judge refused to dismiss the case.

Spears was found to be in possession of an invalid out-of-state licence, from her native Louisiana, when she was questioned by California police over an accident she was involved in last year (07).

The pop star's attorney, Michael Flanagan, had urged L.A. Superior Court Judge James A. Steele to throw out the case in a hearing on Tuesday (02Sep08).

Flanagan told the court he felt his client was being singled out because of her celebrity status, but the judge refused to give an immediate decision until he had reviewed the details of the incident.

And now he has re-examined the legal papers, Judge Steele has declared the prosecution was right to charge Spears with the offence, and the case will continue.

The ruling, made on Wednesday (03Sep08), means the Toxic hitmaker could go on trial for the charge next month (Oct08). A start date has tentatively been set for mid-October.

Flanagan has yet to comment on the decision, but after Tuesday's court date he vowed to appeal if Steele denied his request for dismissal.