A US judge has ordered Britney Spears' former manager and a lawyer to stay away from the pop singer for the next three years.
A Los Angeles superior court judge issued her ruling after hearing evidence and arguments in recent weeks from the men and lawyers for Britney's father, Jamie.
The judge ordered Osama 'Sam' Lutfi and lawyer Jon Eardley to stay away from the 27-year-old pop singer and to not contact, threaten or try to act on her or her sons' behalf for the next three years.
But she refused to extend the same protection to Britney's parents.
The singer's court-appointed lawyer, Samuel Ingham, endorsed issuing the orders during a hearing last week, saying they were in the singer's "best interests".
Lawyers for Lutfi and Eardley promised to appeal the ruling, saying the lengthy hearing did not prove the singer suffered substantial emotional distress as a result of the men's actions.
Lutfi's attorney, Bryan Freedman, said evidence instead pointed to Britney asking his client for help.
"Never before in the history of the world has a restraining order been issued against someone who merely responded to cries for help," Mr Freedman said.
Roger Diamond, who represented Eardley, said it was disappointing that the ruling did not spell out the judge's reasoning for issuing the orders.
