LOS ANGELES -- A mistrial was declared in Britney Spears's court case for driving without a valid license on Tuesday after jurors were unable to reach a verdict.

On their third day of deliberations into the misdemeanor charge against Spears, jurors were deadlocked at 10-2 in favor of acquitting the pop star, who was not required to attend court during the trial.

The trial went ahead after the singer, adamant she had done nothing wrong, rejected a plea deal that would have seen her fined $150 and given one year's probation.

The case stemmed from an August 2007 incident when paparazzi trailing the singer caught her bumping a car in a parking lot and driving away.

Prosecutors said Spears was later discovered not to have a valid California license. She was charged with a misdemeanor -- punishable by jail or a fine.

Spears's defense argued the star held a valid Louisiana license at the time of the incident and so was not legally required to hold a California permit because she was not living permanently in the state.

"She is a Louisiana girl, born there, lived there, and going back there as soon as things are straightened out here," defense lawyer J. Michael Flanagan told jurors in closing arguments.

Spears -- who hit rock bottom in January when she was twice rushed to hospital for psychiatric treatment after losing custody of her two young sons -- appears to have got her career back on track.

Her new single "Womanizer" topped Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart last week, her first No.1 on the ranking since 1999's "Baby One More Time."