A Judge Removed Britney Spears' Dad From Her Conservatorship. Here's What We Know
Britney Spears scored a long-sought-after win in a Los Angeles courtroom today. Her father, Jamie Spears, was officially suspended from his role as conservator of her estate, effective immediately. This marks the first time since 2008 that the elder Spears will not have some level of control over his daughter's life (via The New York Times).
The move comes after the Princess of Pop delivered harrowing testimony about her life under the conservatorship during a hearing this summer. In it, she alleged a variety of things — including that she was forcibly administered lithium and was forced into a mental health facility. She also stated that she had an IUD implanted, which she is not allowed to remove, and expressed a desire to sue her family for the alleged abuses she suffered over the years. "I've been so angry and I cry every day," she emotionally admitted (via Variety).
Shortly thereafter, Spears was allowed legal counsel from Mathew Rosengart and petitioned to remove her father from the conservatorship (via People). Jamie Spears made headlines when he seemingly agreed to step down from the role (via PopCrush); however, the move came with caveats. Earlier this month he filed to end the conservatorship overall (via NPR).
Going into the hearing today, Jamie questioned the qualifications of John Zabel, the certified public accountant that Rosengart presented as a temporary replacement as conservator (via NBC). Despite Jamie's concerns, Zabel was awarded the position by Judge Brenda Penny.
The move comes as Jamie Spears drew criticism for allegations made in a documentary
Britney Spears' attorney, Mathew Rosengart, spoke frankly about the situation in court. "This man does not belong in her life, your honor, for another day," he said of Jamie Spears. Judge Brenda Penny agreed that the conservatorship's layout was "not tenable" (via The New York Times). The move to remove Jamie Spears from the conservatorship comes as he faces serious allegations that were made about how the conservatorship was managed under his leadership.
Several recently released documentaries delve into Britney's life over the last 13 years. One, "Controlling Britney Spears," alleges that her home was bugged and private conversations monitored without her consent by a security team Jamie hired. Rosengart deemed the allegations "horrifying and unconscionable" in legal documents filed this week. "Regardless of the outcome of the allegations, what cannot be genuinely disputed is how deeply upsetting they are to Ms. Spears," he wrote" (via Rolling Stone). Page Six reported that the FBI is reportedly examining the allegations.
The New York Times noted that Rosengart called for an investigation of Jamie Spears' behaviors while he was conservator of Britney's estate. He's previously labeled him a "reported alcoholic and gambling addict" and questioned his qualifications to manage his daughter's vast fortune (via TMZ).
Britney's attorney, Mathew Rosengart, aims to dissolve the conservatorship by the end of 2021
While fans consider Jamie Spears' suspension from the conservatorship a win, it isn't the end goal. Ultimately, Britney Spears has expressed a desire to dissolve the conservatorship in its entirety. Mathew Rosengart, reportedly, is pushing for the same. The New York Times noted that Rosengart requested a termination hearing be set within the next 30 to 45 days. "My client wants, my client needs, my client deserves an orderly transition," he argued. The next court date is set for November 12. It's unclear what exactly will happen at that time.
Rosengart previously expressed an interest in ending the conservatorship by this fall (via Variety). Spears has requested to have the conservatorship ended without having to undergo another psychiatric evaluation (via Variety). While it remains to be seen if that is possible, this is the closest she has come to her freedom since the motion was put in place. The New York Times recently reported that Britney has expressed an interest in ending the conservatorship for years. Despite that, her requests were not met.
Britney Spears seemingly addressed the court's decision
After the court's decision became public knowledge, Britney Spears' fiance Sam Asghari took to Instagram to celebrate. Several posts in his Instagram story addressed the news. The first simply read, "Free Britney" and "congratulations." A second update was a photo of the pair holding a rose in their hands with Spears' engagement ring visible.
The final was a photo of a lion — Asghari refers to Spears as his lioness — with a heartfelt message about Spears and her fans. "She did this," he wrote. "Her fan base is called the army for a reason." He posted another photo of a lion on his grid. This one was accompanied by a caption reading, "The power of the lioness #freebritney" (via Instagram).
Spears also seemingly addressed the news in a roundabout way. Taking to her account, she posted video footage of her flying a plane. "On cloud 9 right now," she wrote in the caption. "Stay classy, beautiful people" (via Instagram).