Despite some adamant claims to the contrary, Britney Spears' troubles are still very much an L.A. story.  

A U.S. District Court judge has given attorney Jon Eardley—the latest legal eagle enlisted by the "Toxic" songstress to battle her father's conservatorship status—until Feb. 29 to provide a legitimate reason to remove the case from Los Angeles to federal court. (View the order.)

A hearing on the matter has been scheduled for Mar. 17. 

Of course, that's just one of the many strands in Britney's tangled web of a legal docket.

A source close to the embattled pop princess tells E! News that the divorced mother of two has been "emotionally down" since Tuesday's custody hearing, during which Court Commissioner Scott Gordon persisted in refusing to allow her to visit sons Sean Preston and Jayden James.

"She's bummed out," the Spears insider said, adding that Britney's low spirits also led to the cancellation of some upcoming dance rehearsals. "She had hoped for some sort of visitation, but it didn't happen. She's pretty down about it."

Britney last saw her kids Jan. 3, when a bizarre standoff with police at her Beverly Hills home resulted in a brief stay at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center for observation.  

But it was her slightly longer stint in UCLA Medical Center's psych ward a few weeks ago that led to her father's unwelcome new role in her life and her involuntary estrangement from some of her once constant companions.  

Sam Lutfi's publicist filed a petition on Feb. 14 to transfer the conservatorship case on behalf of the New York-based Eardley. The complaint alleged Britney's civil rights had been trampled by the court's refusal to properly investigate her family's claims that she's unfit to manage her finances, choose what company to keep and make various other decisions regarding her welfare.  

Michael Sands, acting as spokesman for both Lutfi and Eardley, said last week that he had filed the documents before a court commissioner extended Jamie Spears' temporary conservatorship until Mar. 10, thereby making the action null and void.

Meanwhile, an L.A. Superior Court spokesperson said Friday that all Britney business remained under their jurisdiction.

"Jon Eardley is very happy that the judge will look at the explosive documentary evidence in the Britney Spears conservatorship railroad," Sands told E! News Tuesday.

"This is a very positive step that the judge is concerned. Jon Eardley will have court papers filed by Feb. 29…This is the first step in the victimization of Britney Spears by L.A. Superior Court."

But just in case Eardley can come up with an argument to sway U.S. District Judge Philip Gutierrez, Britney's father has cooked up plenty of reasons to block the switcheroo. 

Jamie Spears' camp—arguing that Britney isn't capable of hiring counsel and, therefore, Eardley is "an attorney without a client"—filed a motion Tuesday objecting to Lutfi & Co.'s "brazen—but vain—attempt to strip a probate court of jurisdiction before it could enter Orders" prolonging the conservatorship. (View the motion.)


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