Why Was Britney Spears Released From Hospital Early?

By Access HollywoodFebruary 7, 2008, 9:51 am PST

Britney Spears was released from the psychiatric ward at UCLA Medical Center after just four days of what was supposed to be an extended 14-day stay.

So why was she released early?

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It appears a court representative found "no just cause" to keep her in the hospital, a source told People.

Both of Britney's parents, and the doctor treating her, wanted the pop star to stay, however, the court representative overrode them all.

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As her co-conservator, Britney's father, Jamie, has control of her estate, but cannot make medical decisions on his daughter's behalf. And if Britney is found not to be a danger to herself or others, by law, the hospital has to let her go.

The decision to release Britney was reportedly right in line with the procedure for any patient being held on a 14-day hold.

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Standard procedure requires a hearing, where the court representative (usually a lawyer) interviews the patient and doctor to determine if the hold is justified.

After determining Britney was fit to leave, she left the hospital through a back entrance, without attracting much attention from the paparazzi.

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Following her release, she quickly hopped behind the wheel of a black Mercedes, cruising through town on the way to meet paparazzo pal Adnan Ghalib at the Beverly Hills Hotel.

In typical Britney fashion, a swarm of paparazzi tracked her journey every step of the way.

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