5 Key Lessons To Learn From Britney Spears' 13-Year Long Conservatorship Battle

By Seema Sinha

Before we get down to exploring what lessons the public can learn from Britney Spears’s conservatorship battle, reckoning some of our readers may have never heard of the infamous case, here’s a brief overview of the dispute we are trying to base our story on.

Britney Spears, a well-known American pop star, aged 42 as of writing this article, was placed under a conservatorship—in simple words, legal guardianship—in 2008, with the court appointing her father, Jamie Spears, to control the singer’s personal and financial affairs in light of her then-ongoing struggles with mental health.

To simplify the matter even further for our readers, here’s how conservatorship or guardianship is described in legal textbooks. Guardians for adults are sought to manage issues for individuals who are incapacitated. This includes people with physical disabilities, such as individuals in comas, those who suffer from advanced forms of dementia, or those experiencing other serious injuries or challenges. Guardians are also appointed in cases of intellectual disabilities. This is the category Spears’s conservatorship fell under.

Guardians are typically of two types: a personal guardian, who exerts control over the conservatee's personal matters, such as taking care of their medical decisions, and a guardian of estate, who makes financial decisions on the conservatee’s or ward’s behalf. In Spears’s case, her father was in charge of both aspects of her life until 2019, when he stepped down from the formal role due to health reasons. However, he remained in control of her finances until 2021, when the court removed him and allowed Spears to choose her own trusted guardian after she managed to convince the court her father was an inappropriate candidate for the role, citing his unfair treatment of her.

Since we’ve discussed the unfairness one of the biggest pop stars of the late ‘90s and early 2000s endured for over a decade while being involuntarily placed under this legal arrangement, here are five lessons her judicial fight can teach us.

Loss of authority over oneself 

In a brief court appearance in June 2021, according to BBC, Spears labeled her conservatorship as “abusive,” saying the arrangement was doing her “way more harm than good.” It was also during this testimony that she pleaded with the court to return her life to her, highlighting how the singer was deprived of even basic control over her personal and professional affairs. “I want to be able to get married and have a baby. I was told right now in the conservatorship I am not able to get married and have a baby,” Spears added, further emphasizing the lack of control she had over her own life.

Per the aforementioned publication, the singer felt so betrayed by her father’s excessive control over her business that she unapologetically expressed her readiness to press conservatorship abuse charges against him.

The first and foremost lesson we feel our readers can learn from Spears’s conservatorship battle is to trust no one completely when it comes to legal arrangements. Like Mr. Spears, one’s conservators might disguise extreme control over one’s life as decisions made in the best interest of the conservatee.

Opt for professional conservators 

To avoid enduring the ordeal Britney had to bear, it is advisable for conservatees to choose their conservators themselves. Your guardian does not need to be a family member or close friend. There are many professional conservators who would gladly look after your finances or well-being for a fee.

Our advice: it’s best to let your parents, partners, and loved ones remain as such while letting an experienced attorney or professional conservator manage the less emotional aspects of your life. Spears was eventually allowed to choose her preferred guardian after her battle for freedom from her father ended.

LPAs are for people of all ages

 Situations similar to Britney’s can be avoided by having a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) in place to manage your estate or health if you become incapable of doing so yourself. While many believe LPAs are for people nearing the end of life or suffering from illness, recent events—including the Oops!... I Did It Again singer’s case—show that LPAs should be considered by people of all ages.

Know your rights

Entering into any legal arrangement should only come after thoroughly researching your rights in case of abuse of power. In the United States, laws like the Uniform Guardianship, Conservatorship, and Other Protective Arrangements Act (UGCOPAA) and similar state-specific laws have been enacted to reduce the potential harm that arrangements like conservatorship can have on individuals.

Britney Spears’s public testimony raised awareness about conservatorship abuse as she revealed how powerless and out of control she felt while under her father’s control, even though he claimed he acted in her best interests.

Fame comes with a price

Britney Spears’s case highlights that fame often comes with a cost. The pop star’s immense success, along with the pressures of public scrutiny, relentless media attention, and high expectations, contributed to her mental health struggles, which led to her father taking extreme control of her life.

According to her 2023 memoir The Woman in Me, Spears was placed under Jamie’s control after a series of troubling incidents, including shaving her head, hitting a paparazzo’s car with an umbrella, and locking herself in a room with one of her children to avoid handing him over to her ex-husband.

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5 Key Lessons To Learn From Britney Spears' 13-Year Long Conservatorship Battle

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Investigation continues for woman arrested; Charges relate to elder abuse in care of her aunt

by Barry Simms

BALTIMORE — A Baltimore County woman is being held in jail without bond, accused of neglecting the care of a family member, according to charging documents obtained by 11 News Investigates.

The family member is a woman who was a double amputee and had been bedridden for 15 years.

Neighbors told 11 News they are upset and disturbed by what has happened. They did not want to speak on camera, but some said the family had just moved in several months ago.

A medical call brought first responders last week.

Baltimore County police arrested 34-year-old Brittany Brooks on three charges related to abuse and injury of a vulnerable adult.

Police said 56-year-old Antoinette Gray was found in deplorable condition inside a home on Kirkwood Road in Gwynn Oak, according to charging documents.

Brooks called 911 and said her aunt had been depressed and hadn't been eating or acting like herself for about a week.

First responders arrived and entered the home, where they found Gray in a bed in the dining room. They noticed a terrible odor and saw flies, maggots and bed bugs, according to the charging documents. Gray had bedsores and was suffering from an infection. Her condition was so bad that rescuers worried about her going into shock.

The court record read:

"Due to victim Gray's skin being stuck to the mattress, victim Gray was transported to the hospital with the mattress still attached to her back."

"She was unable to move victim Gray so she left victim Gray there until a doctor would approve a lift to move her instead of calling for immediate medical attention," court documents read.

Brooks also said Gray would refuse medical care when needed and would not let anyone tend to her. One officer said they heard Brooks tell her mother she might get arrested for neglect, court documents show.

Gray, who died Aug. 15, said she was under Brooks' care for around a year, according to charging documents. Gray thanked rescuers and medical staff for helping her.

The investigation is ongoing. Brooks has another court date set for Sept. 6.

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Investigation continues for woman arrested; Charges relate to elder abuse in care of her aunt

Disabilities Day Program Employee Sentenced to 230 Days in Jail for Exploiting Vulnerable Adults and Shoplifting

For Immediate Release

U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Columbia

USADC.Media@usdoj.gov

            WASHINGTON — Danielle Marquita Baltimore, 40, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 180 days of incarceration for financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult or elderly person, and 50 days for shoplifting. Each sentence will run concurrent to each other. The announcement was made today by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, and Daniel W. Lucas, Inspector General for the District of Columbia.

            Baltimore pleaded guilty to the two charges on October 2, 2024, before the Honorable Robert Rigsby, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.

            According to the government’s evidence, Baltimore worked as a direct support professional at Innovative Day, LLC, a day program for adults with developmental disabilities. Baltimore’s duties included taking individuals who require assistance or supervision in a safe environment outside the home during the day. Along with her guilty plea, Baltimore admitted that on or about December 20, 2023, Baltimore took two vulnerable adults who suffer from cognitive and developmental disabilities to Walmart, located at 310 Riggs Rd NE, Washington, DC. While at Walmart, Baltimore coerced the two vulnerable adults under her care into shoplifting items on her behalf. Baltimore placed items consisting of sneakers, clothing, and various merchandise in bags and gave the bags to the victims. Baltimore instructed the victims to exit Walmart without paying for the items. After leaving Walmart, Baltimore retrieved all of the concealed items from the victims. One victim stated they felt bad for shoplifting but complied for fear Baltimore would harm them for refusing.

            This prosecution is part of the Office’s wider efforts to combat crimes against seniors and vulnerable adults. In 2018, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia launched an initiative to address the abuse and exploitation of older adults. The Elder Abuse and Financial Exploitation Initiative at the U.S. Attorney’s Office expanded its response to criminal and civil violations targeting older adults. The initiative has enabled the U.S. Attorney’s Office to develop and coordinate further its prosecution of these cases and enhance its overall support of older or vulnerable victims. The team consists of experienced prosecutors and victim advocates from across the Office, to include the Superior Court, Criminal, and Civil Divisions, as well as the Victim Witness Assistance Unit.

            The U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Elder Abuse and Financial Exploitation Initiative partners with the D.C. Office of the Inspector General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU), which is statutorily responsible for investigating and prosecuting District Medicaid provider fraud as well as abuse or neglect of residents in health care facilities and board and care facilities and of District Medicaid beneficiaries in noninstitutional or other settings.

            This prosecution is indicative of the continued collaboration between the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the D.C. Office of the Inspector General to investigate and prosecute cases of this kind. The government urges the public to provide tips and assistance to stop health care fraud. If you have information about individuals committing health care fraud, please call the D.C. Office of the Inspector General at 202-724-TIPS [202-724-8477].

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Inspector General Lucas acknowledged the work of those who investigated and prosecuted the case from the Major Crimes Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Office of Inspector General’s MFCU. They also commended the efforts of Special Assistant United States Attorney Emmanuela Charles, on detail from the MFCU, who prosecuted the case, and MFCU Special Agents Eduardo Torre and Victor Richardson, who investigated the matter.

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Disabilities Day Program Employee Sentenced to 230 Days in Jail for Exploiting Vulnerable Adults and Shoplifting

Rochester woman to pay $80K in restitution after financially exploiting elderly man

Colleen Siverling and her ex-husband were charged with aiding and abetting financial exploitation after writing themselves checks totaling over $125,000. Siverling was sentenced on Sept. 30.

By Olivia Estright

ROCHESTER — A Rochester woman was sentenced to pay nearly $80,000 in restitution after pleading guilty to financially exploiting an elderly man, according to a sentencing order filed on Tuesday.

Colleen Marie Siverling, formerly Siverling-Keigher, 36, was charged with two counts of aiding and abetting the financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult with her now-ex-husband, Corey Jonathon Keigher, 35. The couple was charged separately, and Siverling entered a guilty plea in February.

In exchange for her guilty plea, one count was dismissed. Siverling was sentenced to five years of supervised probation and pay $79,718 in restitution. Olmsted County District Judge Pamela King ordered her to pay a monthly minimum payment of $50.

According to the criminal complaint, the pair wrote themselves checks totaling $125,025.25 from the bank account of a man over whom Siverling had a power of attorney order.

The investigation into the couple began in January 2022 after the Olmsted County Sheriff's Office received a vulnerable adult maltreatment report.

The couple told an investigator with OCSO that they had been working to improve the man's home after he went into a hospital in February 2019 for his fourth stroke.

The man, who is in his 80s, resides in a memory care facility in Olmsted County.

Siverling told the investigator that a lawyer told her to charge $25 an hour while serving as the man's power of attorney.

The couple provided no invoices or proof of any home improvements but did say they used the money to purchase new tires for their camper and bought around $4,000 dollars of jewelry for Siverling.

A pretrial hearing is scheduled for Keigher in March 2025.

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Rochester woman to pay $80K in restitution after financially exploiting elderly man

A 101-year-old former doctor who worked until he was 85 shared his 3 longevity secrets - including eating sardines

William emphasizes the importance of staying active throughout life, stating, "Beware of inactivity. I don't allow myself to become immobile." His daily routine includes walking and lifting weights, showcasing that regular exercise is integral to longevity. Research supports that even 20 minutes of walking daily can have significant health benefits and contribute to a longer life.

Home-cooked meals play a crucial role in William's diet. He believes, "Cooking at home makes it easier to eat fewer unhealthy foods and still enjoy nutritious options. I particularly love sardines; they are packed with nutrients and contribute to my overall health." This underscores the relevance of diet in promoting longevity.

Read at Business Insider

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A 101-year-old former doctor who worked until he was 85 shared his 3 longevity secrets - including eating sardines

Former Miami-Dade Corrections Officer accused of exploiting her elderly neighbor

Investigators say Newbold exploited the 71-year-old man even after he died.

By Jamie Guirola

A former Miami-Dade Corrections Officer is accused of exploiting her elderly neighbor by placing him in an assisted living facility and taking control of all his assets.

The former corrections officer has already had a taste of jail; however, this time, the 51-year-old is an inmate accused of taking advantage of one of the most vulnerable individuals.

“In this situation, it’s really sad to me. It’s very sad because the victim had nobody. His family had all passed on. He was severely mentally disabled, with the mentality of a 9-year-old. He had nobody to take care of him,” said Broward County Property Appraiser Marty Kiar.

The victim, Thomas Chiappetta, couldn’t even depend on his Miramar neighbors. One of them, Carmelia Newbold, is now accused of doing the exact opposite.

Investigators say Newbold exploited the 71-year-old man even after he died.

“And then you have the defendant, who at the time was a corrections officer, a law enforcement person supposed to protect the public, and she allegedly took advantage of him. She allegedly stole his property and his assets,” said Kiar.

According to Kiar and the Broward Sheriff’s Office, a thorough investigation revealed that Chiappetta’s sister died in 2020. She was his sole caregiver. After her death, Newbold allegedly created a power of attorney, supposedly signed by Chiappetta, giving Newbold legal authority over the victim and all his assets.

But investigators say Chiappetta was mentally incapable of signing a power of attorney.

Newbold is accused of using the fraudulent power of attorney to open a probate case for Chiappetta’s sister’s estate, making herself his personal representative.

“And then, right when that happened, the defendant allegedly made a quitclaim deed where the property was then deeded to her. She then allegedly placed the victim in an assisted living facility. She was allegedly receiving the victim's Social Security checks and life insurance from both his sister,” said Kiar.

Newbold also made herself the beneficiary of Chiappetta’s life insurance. He passed away in 2022. “I think it’s disgusting. I think it’s terrible, and unfortunately, we see it all the time,” said Kiar.

Newbold is charged with exploitation of the elderly and organized fraud.

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Former Miami-Dade Corrections Officer accused of exploiting her elderly neighbor

Georgia Nurse Accused of Breaking Bones of Elderly Patients While Stealing Their Jewelry: 'You Lose Faith in Humanity'

"I can't explain the feeling that came over me from horror, nausea, wanting to scream."

by Morgan Music 

A Georgia hospital nurse accused of theft now faces additional charges of elder abuse for stealing jewelry from patients, one of whom suffered a dislocated finger when her ring was forcibly removed.

A former nurse at North Fulton Hospital, Stephanie Phillips-Siwiec, is facing multiple charges after allegedly stealing from elderly patients under her care. Phillips-Siwiec has been charged with three counts of abuse, neglect, or exploitation of the elderly, three counts of robbery, and aggravated battery. These charges come on top of prior felony theft charges according to Roswell police reports.

The investigation began after a 95-year-old patient's daughter reported that her mother's $1,000 gold bracelet went missing while receiving care at the hospital on Sept. 28. An affidavit obtained by Fox 5 revealed further complaints from other patients, including 87-year-old Patricia Gaskins, whose finger was discovered to be dislocated with a cracked bone after Phillips-Siwiec allegedly removed her rings using hand sanitizer.

"I can't explain the feeling that came over me from horror, nausea, wanting to scream," Gaskins' daughter told FOX 5 News. "You lose faith in humanity at that moment, that this happened in a place where someone is supposed to be cared for."

Phillips-Siwiec appeared in court Thursday, where she was heard saying, "Oh my god," and "That's not true," under her breath in response to the allegations. Bail was set at $140,000, and the judge ordered her to avoid contact with anyone over the age of 75 or connected to North Fulton Hospital and prohibited her from working as a nurse.

Wellstar Health System, which operates North Fulton Hospital, placed Phillips-Siwiec on administrative leave. The hospital is cooperating with authorities and issued an apology to affected patients and their families.

"These allegations, if true, go against everything we stand for as caregivers," a hospital spokesperson said. "Every person should feel safe and comfortable when they receive care."

The case is still under investigation, and authorities encourage any other potential victims to contact the Roswell Police Department.

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Georgia Nurse Accused of Breaking Bones of Elderly Patients While Stealing Their Jewelry: 'You Lose Faith in Humanity'