Britney Spears: Judge suspends Jamie Spears from conservatorship
Britney Spears’ lawyer has described the #FreeBritney movement as “instrumental” in helping the star finally axe her dad from her conservatorship.
Britney Spears’ lawyer has praised the fans behind the #FreeBritney movement, describing them as “instrumental” in helping the star make progress in her bid for freedom.
Britney today had a major win in her ongoing battle to remove her 13-year long conservatorship, with Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Brenda Penny ruling to suspend her father Jamie Spears as conservator, effective immediately, following explosive testimonies by the singer.
Addressing the crowd outside the Los Angeles Superior Court, Matthew Rosengart described the battle to regain freedom for the star as “a lot of hard work”.
“It’s been intense. I’m proud, Britney’s proud,” Rosengart said.
“I think the support of the #FreeBritney movement has been instrumental. To the extent that it allowed my firm to carry the ball across the finish line, I thank them as well.”
In court this morning, ahead of the decision, Rosengart delivered a powerful speech, telling the judge that Jamie “cannot be in my client’s life for one more day.”
Judge Penny conceded that it was in Britney’s “best interest” to suspend Jamie, 69, from the restrictive legal arrangement that he established in 2008, controlling his famous daughter’s personal, medical and financial affairs.
“The current situation is untenable,” she said after hearing arguments from both sides. “It reflects a toxic environment which requires the suspension of James Spears.”
Jamie must now turn over all books and records associated with the conservatorship. He has temporarily been replaced by John Zabel, a certified public accountant who was nominated by Britney’s legal team.
The next hearing will take place on November 12.
In court today, there was an argument over when to end the conservatorship. Britney’s legal team stated they would not accept Jamie’s recent request for the immediate termination of the conservatorship as they claimed he wanted a settlement and was also attempting to avoid an investigation into the abuse alleged by the singer.
Jamie had been at the helm of Britney’s career and estimated $60 million (A$83.6 million) estate for more than 13 years, in a role which paid him a monthly salary of $16,000 (A$22,300).
Britney was not present in court for the ruling, but her parents, Jamie and Lynne Spears, watched on via a Zoom link.
Huge crowds of her fans gathered outside the Los Angeles court while the hearing took place, carrying homemade signs featuring photos of the singer and #FreeBritney, the viral hashtag supporting the star.
They erupted in celebration as news of the decision spread.
Shortly after the decision was handed down, Britney’s new fiancé, Sam Asghari, took to Instagram with a simple message.
Wednesday’s ruling comes just days after a documentary from the New York Times claimed that Jamie was responsible for illegally bugging his daughter’s home and phones to monitor her private conversations.
Rosengart asked the court to investigate the claims, describing the alleged surveillance “unfathomable”.
Wednesday’s ruling comes after an explosive few months in the case, beginning with Britney telling judge Brenda Penny in June that she wanted the legal arrangement terminated.
The pop star, 39, begged the court to allow her to regain control of her personal affairs and finances during a bombshell hearing in which her court-appointed lawyer, Samuel D. Ingham III, resigned after she claimed he never told her that the conservatorship could end.
During Britney’s blistering 24-minute testimony in June, she called her father an “abusive” conservator and levelled a number of shocking accusations against him, including that he forced her to go on tour in 2018 and sent her to a mental health facility against her will in 2019.
She also claimed her conservators would not allow her to have her IUD (contraceptive device) removed, and once put her on lithium “out of nowhere,” a drug she described as so strong that she “couldn’t even have a conversation” with her parents.
“I shouldn’t be in a conservatorship if I can work and provide money and work for myself and pay other people. It makes no sense,” argued the singer, who performed a four-year, 248-show Las Vegas residency and judged a season of The X Factor while under the conservatorship.
“He loved the control he had over me, one hundred thousand percent,” Britney said of her father, Jamie.
“I’ve lied and told the whole world I’m OK and happy. I’ve been in denial. I’ve been in shock. I am traumatised. I can’t sleep, I’m depressed, I cry every day.”
“But now I’m telling you the truth, I’m not happy. I can’t sleep. I’m so angry it’s insane… I cry everyday.”
Britney said she wanted the conservatorship arrangement to end “without having to be evaluated.”
“I truly believe this conservatorship is abusive,” she said. “It’s my wish and my dream for this to end.”
Britney opened up about her final tour in 2018, claiming she was “forced” to do it and told her management she didn’t want to - that’s when she alleges she was put on lithium, a “strong” drug that made her feel drunk.
Spears also said she would like to have more children and marry her boyfriend Sam Asghari but her wishes are being blocked by the conservatorship.
“I have an IUD (birth control device) in my body right now that won’t let me have a baby and my conservators won’t let me go to the doctor to take it out,” she said.
Finishing up her emotional address, Britney said she was “tired of feeling alone” and wanted “the same rights as anybody else.”
“Basically, this conservatorship is doing me WAY more harm than good. I deserve to have a life, I deserve to have a two, three year break and do what I want to do. I wish I could stay with you on the phone forever because when I get off the phone, I hear all these ‘no’s’. ‘No, no, I feel ganged up on. I feel bullied and I feel left out and alone. I’m tired of feeling alone. I deserve to have the same rights as anybody does by having a child, a family, all of those things. That’s all I wanted to say to you - thank you so much for letting me speak to you today,” she said.
TMZ reported that after Britney spoke, the judge commended her for her bravery.
Her father was given control of her life and finances in 2008, shortly after her very public breakdown amid her divorce from Kevin Federline, with whom she shares sons Sean Preson, 15, and Jayden James, 14.
Since then, Britney has not been allowed to drive or vote, has lived on a strict allowance and has had most key decisions about her life taken out of her control.
Jamie shared the role with a lawyer, Andrew Wallet, for many years.
Wallet resigned from the case in March 2019, and Jamie temporarily stepped down as Britney’s conservator that September due to his ailing health.
A licensed fiduciary, Jodi Montgomery, has been filling in for Jamie ever since, though he still oversees how Britney spends her multimillion-dollar fortune as the conservator of her estate.
Prior to requesting the conservatorship’s termination, Britney had petitioned to have Jamie removed, with Ingham saying in November 2020 that his then-client was “afraid of her father” and would not perform again with him in charge.
During a July hearing, the star told the judge that she wanted her dad to be charged with “conservatorship abuse”.
Jamie has denied mismanaging Britney’s life and career, saying on numerous occasions that he “loves” and “misses” his daughter.
— with NY Post
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