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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Britney Spears' Dad Jamie Accuses Singer of Using Stall Tactics in Attempt to Delay Conservatorship Trial

By:Rebecca Friedman

Britney Spears was freed from her 13-year conservatorship in November 2021 — but the legal aftermath is still ongoing.

The Princess of Pop's father, Jamie Spears, recently filed court documents accusing his daughter of using stall tactics in order to delay the conclusion of their conservatorship trial.

Jamie, who acted as his daughter's conservator throughout the majority of her court-ordered conservatorship, expressed his belief that a global settlement between him and Britney is unlikely to happen, and therefore, he doesn't see a point in moving forward with their upcoming scheduled trial due to a lack of settlement at mediation later this month, according to legal documents obtained by a news publication on Wednesday, February 7.

"There is no reason to stay any portion of the case (as the Court acknowledged at the January 5, 2024 hearing) and there is certainly no basis for staying briefing or any other activity that in any way relates to Jamie’s pending summary judgment motion set for hearing on April 12, 2024," the court papers detailed.

The document continued: "The parties have had months (indeed, years) to discuss settlement. They have not settled. Imposing a stay simply because there is a February 23, 2024 meditation seems certain to result in a trial continuance should the parties not settle at mediation."

The filing further noted a nearly three-year gap between now and when Jamie first filed his Petition for Order Allowing and Approving Payment of Compensation to Conservator and Attorneys for Conservative and Reimbursement of Costs on March 26, 2021. 

Jamie's petition is set to be resolved at the June 2024 trial.

"Meanwhile, Britney consistently tries to delay," Jamie claimed, alleging: "Britney wasted over two years with motion practice regarding the threatened deposition of non-party Robin Greenhill, had the deposition set for January 29, 2024, and unilaterally canceled the deposition the Friday afternoon before the deposition (apparently concluding that the deposition was pointless)."

"The Court cautioned the parties that it will not continue trial. The parties have already spent one month waiting for meditation and waiting for rulings on the outstanding discovery disputes. Every day is critical to ensure the case continues to progress and is ready for trial without the need for a continuance. Accordingly, Jamie requests the Court does not stay this action pending the upcoming mediation and maintains the firm trial dates," he concluded.

The Blast obtained court documents recently filed by Jamie.

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Britney Spears' Dad Jamie Accuses Singer of Using Stall Tactics in Attempt to Delay Conservatorship Trial

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Britney Spears' father files petition to end conservatorship after 13 years at helm of pop star's estate

Britney Spears

Britney Spears' Lawyer Urges Dad Jamie to Reach Conservatorship Settlement With Pop Star as His Health Rapidly Declines: Report

By:Rebecca Friedman

The Princess of Pop's lawyer, Matthew Rosengart, recently sent an email to Jamie's attorney asking to negotiate a settlement for the 71-year-old's alleged wrongdoings during Britney's conservatorship, a new report revealed.

Jamie's lawyer quickly tried to shut down Rosengart's attempt at reaching an agreement, insisting he waited far to long to try to make a deal, as Britney, 41, has been freed from her father's control for nearly two years, two sources with direct knowledge on the situation explained to a news publication.

According to the insiders, Rosengart began his email by expressing his awareness of Jamie's recent health woes, noting his illness is even more of a reason for the dad-of-three to acknowledge the accusations of manipulation, abuse and other harmful behaviors Britney has came forward with and pay the "Toxic" singer an unspecified sum so the legal dispute could be resolved once and for all.

In his detailed message, Britney's lawyer claimed Jamie authorized an illegal surveillance of the pop sensation during the conservatorship —specifically involving her phone — however, Rosengart never filed a lawsuit about the allegations and the statute of limitations closed out more than a year ago.

Jamie's attorney additionally insisted the illegal surveillance claims were completely untrue.

The disgraced dad clapped back at Britney's request for a settlement payment, instead asking her to fork over money for attorneys fees he received in court during her successful attempt to dissolve the conservatorship in November 2021.

Rosengart didn't think twice before informing Jamie that wouldn't be happening.

Jamie's lawyer supposedly offered to withdraw the request a year ago if Rosengart took back Britney's accusations against her father, though the "Circus" singer's attorney said no to that too, the source detailed.

It seems Jamie's legal team won't budge so long as the threats and allegations on Britney's side continue.

With no settlement in sight, the case is scheduled to begin trial in May — and insiders warned there could be explosive evidence ready to be revealed in court that would not be beneficial to Britney's side of the dispute.

Some of Rosengart's strongest claims won't even make it to court due to the lapsed statute of limitations and previous approval from the conservatorship judge involving certain expenditures Britney's attorney is challenging.

TMZ spoke to sources about Rosengart's email to Jamie's attorney.

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Britney Spears' Lawyer Urges Dad Jamie to Reach Conservatorship Settlement With Pop Star as His Health Rapidly Declines: Report

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Britney Spears

Britney Spears Is Reportedly Considering a Reconciliation With Her Dad

The news comes less than two years after the end of her conservatorship.

By Marie Claire

In November 2021, after a 13-year-long conservatorship, a contentious court battle, and a massive public outcry, Britney Spears was finally free from the rigid conservatorship through which her father, Jamie Spears, controlled nearly every aspect of her life, health, and finances. 

Since then, Britney has been outspoken about how the conservatorship was "demoralizing and degrading." She's said that the legal framework under which she was bound prevented her from having a cell phone, conceiving more children, and working on her own terms. During the court hearings that saw Britney plead to end her father's conservatorship, she told the judge, "I want my life back." 

Anyone paying attention to the story at the time—and it was a major story—might have understandably assumed that once Britney was out from under her father's conservatorship, their relationship would be irreconcilable. She even said that she believed her father should be charged with "conservatorship abuse" in the aftermath of the legal battle. 

But sources talking to TMZ have reported that Britney is considering extending an olive branch to her father. If this sounds shocking, the timing does make a little bit of sense: Not only has Britney recently announced her divorce from husband of one year Sam Asghari, but apparently Jamie Spears himself has not been in the best health. According to the sources, Jamie has been in and out of the hospital dealing with an infection from an older knee surgery. The sources speculate that because Jamie is going under the knife again soon, and with Britney going through a tough emotional time herself, she's considering a reconciliation. 

Per TMZ's source, "She knows Jamie has been ill — in and out of the hospital for months — and doesn't want the regret of waiting too long." 

As for Jamie, the publication says he has long been vocal that, despite their fractured relationship, he would love a reconciliation. 

This would be a huge departure from what Britney's said in the past if it ends up coming true. But as Jack Donaghy, Alec Baldwin's character from 30 Rock, once said: "Lemon, life is about minimizing regrets."

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Britney Spears Is Reportedly Considering a Reconciliation With Her Dad

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HBO Max to Release Documentary About Britney Spears’ Conflict With Her Father

By Morning Express 

Britney Spears -Photo: MATT WINKELMEYER/Getty Images

Britney Spears is one of the show business characters that is frequently talked about, not only because of the scandals in which she has been involved, but also because of the consequences of her past, especially because of concerning the long guardianship of his father.

This topic is addressed in depth in the HBO Max documentary ‘Jamie vs. Britney’. Fans of the ‘Princess of Pop’, as well as viewers, will be able to see how Jamie Spears, the singer’s father, took control of her career, as well as passages of the movement that defended the interpreter are seen.

This broadcast, without a doubt, is one of the most relevant proposals in this nascent 2023 on television, since it delves into the conflict between father and daughter regardless of the legal implications that surrounded the case. The documentary is part of the premieres of Family Trials, exclusive content on HBO Max.

‘Jamie vs. Britney’ premieres on January 10 with a two-episode format. These deliveries explain how the conflict occurred, which began in 2007 when Britney shaved her head. This act generated a host of speculation about the mental health of the singer.

The production also addresses the moment in which the interpreter of ‘Crazy’ was hospitalized and taken to a rehabilitation clinic, this led to the controversy over who should take the reins of Britney’s life and her musical career. , it was there that his father took control of everything.

Therefore, Jamie, under the jurisdiction of a Los Angeles court, acquired guardianship of his daughter’s career, thereby, took control of their businesses, their assets. After 13 long years, the guardianship agreement was renegotiated, in part, due to pressure from fans of the singer through the ‘Free Britney’ movement.

In the two installments of the documentary, viewers will see the vision of the two parties to the conflict, with the intention that viewers know the why and how of the two protagonists. What is documented in the production is supported by the testimonies of Britney and Jamie, who will tell how they lived this stage.

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HBO Max to Release Documentary About Britney Spears’ Conflict With Her Father

Britney Spears' Father Jamie Faces Legal Battle With Former Security Member Who Accused Him of Spying on Pop Star

Jamie Spears faces additional legal trouble from a former member of Britney Spears‘ security team.

Alex Vlasov – an employee who worked for Black Box Security, the 41-year-old pop star’s former security company – made a startling allegation that Jamie was abusing his powers as conservator by spying on his daughter through her personal phone calls and text messages. 

The allegations were first revealed in the 2021 documentary The New York Times Presents: Controlling Britney Spears. Similar claims were corroborated by a former FBI agent and private investigator in January 2022, according to court documents filed by Britney‘s lawyer Mathew Rosengart.

Alex is now accusing Jamie of inappropriate behavior in an ongoing legal battle and is asking a judge to sanction or fine him $10,000.

According to legal documents obtained by Radar Online, Alex accused Jamie of “abuse and misuses of the discovery process” after he was subpoenaed for additional information. He further claimed that the Spears patriarch is acting to “punish” him for speaking out.

“Mr. Spears and his counsel have improperly used this proceeding to engage in a scorched earth litigation campaign against Britney Spears and now a third-party witness, Alexander Vlasov, who courageously exposed Mr. Spears’s wrongdoing,” the document reads. “Mr. Spears’ goals appear to have been three-fold: (i) attempt to embarrass and intimidate his daughter; and (ii) generate wasteful legal expenses that he apparently seeks payment of from her estate, while (iii) improperly using this proceeding to harass and punish those who have led to Mr. Spears’ disgraceful removal as conservator. This is litigation vengeance of the highest order. It is improper.”

This is not the first time Jamie has been accused of improper behavior in court.

If you missed it, Jamie opened up about a variety of topics in a new interview, breaking his silence for the first time after his daughter was freed from her conservatorship.

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Britney Spears' Father Jamie Faces Legal Battle With Former Security Member Who Accused Him of Spying on Pop Star

Dad Jamie Breaks Silence ... On Conservatorship

Britney Spears' dad, Jamie Spears, is spilling his guts for the first time about the conservatorship and his role in it ... defending the legal apparatus by calling it necessary.

Jamie spoke to the Daily Mail, explaining that he feels like he saved Britney's life and career by putting her in a conservatorship all those years ago ... noting that, for a time, it was working pretty well for her -- getting her back on track music/performing-wise.

He says, "Not everybody's going to agree with me. It's been one hell of a time. But I love my daughter with all my heart and soul. Where would Britney be right now without that conservatorship? And I don't know if she'd be alive. I don't."

JS also says the conservatorship allowed Britney to have a relationship with her children -- Jayden and Sean -- adding ... "For protecting her, and also protecting the kids, conservatorship was a great tool. Without it, I don't think she would have got the kids back."

Jamie also says he himself deeply misses Sean and Jayden, touching on a falling-out in recent years following an altercation where he was alleged to have gotten physical with one of them. In the wake of that, it seems things are still touchy -- although, Jamie says he's back in touch with their dad, Kevin Federline, and that he's hopeful for a reunion one day.

Of his family as a whole, Jamie says ... "The family's a mess. All we can do is keep praying." Another somewhat shocking claim he makes -- that it was he and Kevin who actually raised the boys together, which is why not being with them hurts so much.

Back to the conservatorship ... he once again sticks by his decision to start one for Britney, saying it allowed her to have a semblance of a normal life again, and pulled her out of financial ruin. Despite a lot of allegations that have been made by both Britney, her lawyer and her legion of #FreeBritney fans ... Jamie says no one really knows the truth.

He says, "I don't mind taking that beating because I know it's not true, and because I don't want to start something else. For my daughter to end up going further down the hole than she had been." He didn't address specific claims of Britney's -- including the notion that she was being spied on at one point, not to mention allegedly being overly-medicated/isolated.

On the issue of a reconciliation, Jamie made it seem like he was closer to coming together with Kevin and the boys before Britney -- he's not on speaking terms with her ... although, the report says he is living with or near her younger sister, Jamie Lynn, in Louisiana.

When asked if he thinks the conservatorship went on too long -- he replies, "I can't answer that question. You can answer it yourself. Just look at how things are now."

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Dad Jamie Breaks Silence ... On Conservatorship

Britney Spears's dad says he 'never' authorized surveillance of her bedroom in sworn statement

Screenshot Yahoo Entertainment

by Suzy Byrne

Britney Spears's dad denies bugging her bedroom.

While her conservatorship was ended in November — and her father, Jamie Spears, was ousted as her conservator 10 months ago — there are many loose ends that need to be tied up. They include payments Jamie is seeking for his former role as well as addressing the allegations of conservatorship abuse made by the pop star.

Among numerous documents filed ahead of the next court date, which is July 13 in Los Angeles, is a sworn declaration from Jamie claiming he did not authorize surveillance of the pop star's bedroom.

"I am informed of the allegation by Britney's counsel that a listening device or 'bug' was placed her bedroom as surveillance during the Conservatorship," the signed document obtained by Yahoo Entertainment states. "This allegation is false. I never conducted or authorized any surveillance of Britney's bedroom at any time, including during the Conservatorship. I am not aware of any such surveillance having occurred."

Notably, Jamie did not deny that Britney's phone use was monitored while he was in charge.

Days before Jamie was ousted as conservator last September, the New York Times released a documentary called Controlling Britney Spears. It claimed that Jamie hired the security company Black Box which monitored the star's digital communications and secretly captured audio recordings ― more than 180 hours' worth ― from her bedroom of private conversations she had with her now-husband, Sam Asghari, and her two children, Preston, 16, and Jayden, 15.

(Screenshot: Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles)

Alex Vlasov, a former employee of Black Box, spoke on the record about the surveillance. He claimed he was once given a USB drive with audio recordings and ordered to delete it. That became another red flag for him after initially thinking the company was working to keep the star safe. He said he came to the realization that the singer wasn't being treated like a "human being" and was living in a "prison." Vlasov, a personal assistant to Black Box founder Edan Yemini — said he "did not want to be complicit in whatever they were involved in." (Yemini denied any misdoing, saying Black Box always acted professionally, ethically and legally.)

Vlasov also claimed that Britney's phone was monitored. He said the iCloud account on her phone was mirrored on an iPad. Vlasov was instructed to encrypt the singer's digital communications captured and send them to Jamie and Robin Greenhill, an employee of Tri Star Sports & Entertainment Group, which was the business manager for Britney's estate. (Greenhill denied any involvement, saying "no one at" the company "ever suggested monitoring [Britney's] electronic communications" nor were they "aware of any hidden electronic surveillance device placed in [her] bedroom.")

The "Oops!... I Did It Again" songstress was placed in a conservatorship, with Jamie in charge, in 2008 after back-to-back hospitalizations. The legal arrangement, in which the conservatee loses their rights and has their life managed by someone else, is usually reserved for the most incapacitated members of society — for instance, someone with dementia. However, Britney went on to perform at a very high level — earning millions for the conservatorship — and yet it never ended. Jamie — and the many lawyers associated with the conservatorship — made $36 million off of it, her attorney, Mathew Rosengart, has claimed.

One year ago, Britney broke her silence about the legal chokehold on her life, alleging conservatorship abuse. For the first time, she was allowed to hire her own attorney, Rosengart, who swiftly ousted Jamie, and ended the conservatorship. Jamie has maintained that he's only ever acted in Britney's "best interests." Rosengart has claimed Jamie continues to "harass, intimidate and bully" the singer.

Rosengart has since been fighting back against the outstanding financials, under Jamie, and is looking into the abuse allegations. Jamie, who Rosengart claims has dodged being deposed, wants his legal fees paid. Britney's mother also wants legal fees covered.

Britney has said she wants to "sue" her family for keeping her in a conservatorship and profiting off of her for 13 years. She claimed she was forced into treatment facilities and made to take birth control against her will. She is estranged from her family now, with none of them invited to her wedding last month. She's writing a book about the ordeal.

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Britney Spears's dad says he 'never' authorized surveillance of her bedroom in sworn statement

Jamie Spears files to have Britney continue to pay his legal fees

By Alex Heigl and Eileen Reslen

Britney Spears and her father, Jamie Spears. Britney Spears/Instagram

Jamie Spears isn’t done telling Britney, “Gimme More.”

The pop star’s estranged father filed documents in court last week to have his daughter’s estate continue to pay for his legal fees, despite having been suspended from her conservatorship in September, Variety reports.

Jamie Spears sought the court’s “confirmation, authorization and direction” to compel the estate to fork over for attorneys “participating in proceedings concerning Jamie’s ongoing fiduciary duties relating to winding up” the conservatorship.

Meanwhile, “Mr. Spears reaped many millions of dollars from Britney as a conservator, while paying his lawyers millions more, all from Britney’s work and hard-earned money,” the 40-year-old Britney’s attorney Matthew Rosengart told Page Six in a statement Monday. 

“The conservatorship has been terminated and Mr. Spears was suspended ignominiously.” 

Rosengart concluded forcefully, “Under the circumstances, his petition is not only legally meritless, it is an abomination. Britney poignantly testified about the pain her father caused her and this only adds to it. This is not what a father who loves his daughter does.”

Spears was forced to foot her father’s legal bills for the duration of the 13-year conservatorship controlling virtually every aspect of her life, meaning she was put in the position of paying for both sides of her battle to free herself. Variety says that Spears’ attorney charges $1,200 per hour; it was not specified if one of Jamie’s attorneys named in the piece, Alex Weingarten, charged that figure.

“Prompt payment on account of Jamie’s attorneys’ fees is necessary to ensure the Conservatorship can be wound up quickly and efficiently to allow Britney to take control of her life as she and Jamie desire,” the 27-page petition, obtained by Variety, reads in part.

“It would be contrary to public policy if Jamie’s years of dedication to protect his daughter … could subject him to personal bankruptcy and ruin defending baseless claims,” the filing reads. “No person would ever want to step into the role as conservator if a conservatee could force a conservator to personally pay substantial legal fees defending unfounded allegations.”

The New York Times reported Sunday that Jamie picked up a $40,000 loan from his daughter’s business manager Lou Taylor‘s firm, Tri Star Sports & Entertainment Group, days before Spears was placed under the conservatorship in 2008. It’s unknown how Jamie, who had previously filed for bankruptcy, used the cash.

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Jamie Spears files to have Britney continue to pay his legal fees

Britney Spears Conservatorship Hearing: What’s at Stake Now?

A judge may take up whether her father should be ousted as her conservator, and whether the arrangement should be ended entirely.

 

The case returns to a Los Angeles courtroom on Wednesday.Credit...Valerie Macon/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

By Joe Coscarelli

Some changes have come quickly in the three months since Britney Spears spoke up publicly for the first time about the conservatorship that has overseen her life for more than 13 years, calling the arrangement abusive and exploitative at a hearing on June 23.

For the first time in the case, Ms. Spears, 39, was allowed to hire her own lawyer, replacing a court-appointed one. A bank that was set to begin managing the singer’s money, alongside her father, resigned, as did her longtime manager. And Ms. Spears, who said she believed the conservatorship would prevent her from getting married or having a baby, got engaged to her boyfriend, Sam Asghari.

But other changes Ms. Spears has been seeking to the conservatorship — in some cases for many years — remain open questions as the case returns to a Los Angeles courtroom for its latest status hearing.

Ms. Spears’s new lawyer, Mathew S. Rosengart, doubled down in recent weeks on his attempts to remove the singer’s father, James P. Spears, as the conservator of her estate, calling him actively harmful to her well-being and asking for further investigation into Mr. Spears’s conduct. Mr. Rosengart has said in court documents that he will move to terminate the conservatorship entirely this fall.

Yet even as Mr. Spears, 69, reversed course this summer, agreeing to step aside eventually before filing to end the conservatorship altogether earlier this month, he has continued to push back against his immediate suspension or removal.

These are some of the questions that could be decided by the probate judge in the case, Brenda Penny, on Wednesday. The hearing is set to begin at 4:30 p.m. ET.

Will the Conservatorship Be Terminated Altogether?

At this point, Ms. Spears has not officially filed to end the conservatorship. In a twist this month, lawyers for Mr. Spears, who had long maintained that the conservatorship was voluntary and necessary, did file to end it, citing the singer’s stated wishes and recent shows of independence. But experts have said that terminating a conservatorship without a medical evaluation — as Ms. Spears and now her father have asked for — is unlikely, and there is no public record of the judge calling for a psychiatric evaluation recently. (In 2016, according to confidential documents obtained by The New York Times, a court investigator said the conservatorship remained in Ms. Spears’s best interest despite her requests to end it, but called for a path to independence.)

Mr. Rosengart has called Mr. Spears’s attempt to terminate the arrangement “vindication” for Ms. Spears, but suggested that the singer’s father was attempting to “avoid accountability and justice, including sitting for a sworn deposition and answering other discovery under oath” by filing to end it.

In a filing last week, Mr. Rosengart said that Ms. Spears “fully consents” to terminating the conservatorship and said that Ms. Spears’s personal conservator since 2019, Jodi Montgomery, backed it as well, “subject to proper transition and asset protection.” But he called for “a temporary, short-term conservator to replace Mr. Spears’s until the conservatorship is completely and inevitably terminated this fall.”

Will Jamie Spears Be Removed as Conservator?

“While the entire conservatorship is promptly wound down and formally terminated, it is clear that Mr. Spears cannot be permitted to hold a position of control over his daughter for another day,” Mr. Rosengart wrote in his filing last week. “Every day Mr. Spears clings to his post is another day of anguish and harm to his daughter.”

Ms. Spears’s lawyer has moved to replace her father on a temporary basis with John Zabel, a certified public accountant in California who has worked in Hollywood.

Yet Mr. Spears maintained in filings this week that while there is “no adequate basis” for his suspension or removal as conservator of the estate, the court should instead focus on terminating the conservatorship — something that is “opposed by no one” and should take priority. (Lawyers for Mr. Spears contend that in 13 years, “not a single medical professional nor the report of a single probate investigator has recommended that Mr. Spears’ presence as Conservator was harming Ms. Spears.”) Ending the conservatorship, Mr. Spears’s lawyers wrote, “would render some of the other pending matters moot” and “would provide an incentive for the resolution of all other matters.”

At the same time, Mr. Spears’s lawyers also argued that Mr. Zabel “does not appear to have the background and experience required to take over a complex, $60 million” estate immediately, pointing to Mr. Zabel’s personal losses in a real estate investment. Mr. Rosengart countered on Tuesday that Mr. Spears has “zero financial background,” a previous bankruptcy and faces allegations of abuse.

Will Mr. Spears and Others Be Investigated Further?

Following Ms. Spears’s comments in June — in which she said she had been forced to take medication and was unable to remove a birth-control device — her father asked the court to investigate the claims, denying his own culpability and instead calling into question the actions of Ms. Montgomery, the singer’s current personal conservator, and others.

Mr. Rosengart has since asked for a future hearing on outstanding financial issues involving the conservatorship, calling mismanagement of Ms. Spears’s estate by her father “evident and ongoing.” He said that Mr. Spears had been served a request for discovery and a sworn deposition in August, before he filed to end the conservatorship.

So far, the judge has not addressed potential investigations, and additional financial matters — including disputed fees for various lawyers in the case and accounting for the conservatorship covering 2019 — remain outstanding. In their filing this week, lawyers for Mr. Spears said that “all pending issues could be resolved” if the judge called for a mandatory settlement conference of private mediation.

“The last thing this Court or this Conservatee needs or wants would be extended and expensive litigation over pending or final accounts and fee petitions,” they wrote.

Will Recent Revelations Be Addressed?

Since the last hearing in July, three documentaries about the Spears conservatorship have been released, in addition to related reporting on the case. “Controlling Britney Spears,” the second documentary on the subject by The New York Times, revealed that an intense surveillance apparatus monitored the singer, including secretly capturing audio recordings from her bedroom and accessing material from her phone.

Recording conversations in a private place and mirroring text messages without the consent of both parties can be a violation of the law. It is unclear if the court overseeing Ms. Spears’s conservatorship approved the surveillance or knew of its existence. Ms. Spears’s lawyer called for an investigation, writing in a court filing on Tuesday that Mr. Spears “crossed unfathomable lines,” further supporting the need to suspend him immediately.

A Netflix film, “Britney Vs. Spears,” reported that Ms. Spears sought to end the conservatorship beginning in 2008 and 2009, raising concerns about her father’s fitness for the role, the money she was making for others and threats involving custody of her children. Documents obtained by the filmmakers also showed that Ms. Spears’s access to medication she liked increased when she worked, including during a stint as a judge on “The X-Factor” in 2012.

 

Full Article & Source:

Britney Spears Conservatorship Hearing: What’s at Stake Now?

 

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Britney Spears' father files petition to end conservatorship after 13 years at helm of pop star's estate

Jamie Spears' filing says his daughter "is entitled to have this Court now seriously consider whether this conservatorship is no longer required."

 

Britney Spears with her father, Jamie Spears, at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas in November 2001.Denise Truscello / WireImage file

By Doha Madani and Diana Dasrath

Britney Spears' father filed a petition to end his daughter's conservatorship Tuesday, a major victory for the singer after her father had held the reins of her estate for more than 13 years.

James "Jamie" Spears' petition to Los Angeles County Superior Court, seen by NBC News, says his daughter "is entitled to have this Court now seriously consider whether this conservatorship is no longer required." The filing went on to say Britney Spears' circumstances have changed "to such an extent that grounds for establishment of a conservatorship may no longer exist."

His petition also argued that probate code doesn't require Britney Spears to undergo a new psychological evaluation to terminate the guardianship, which she told the court she refuses to do.

"The conservatorship has helped Ms. Spears get through a major life crisis, rehabilitate and advance her career, and put her finances and her affairs in order. But recently, things have changed," the filing said. "Ms. Spears is now outspoken in her frustration with the level of control imposed by a conservatorship, and has pleaded with this Court to 'let her have her life back.'"

Britney Spears, 39, has tried to remove her father from her case twice in the last two years, saying last year that she refuses to perform while he retains control over her in any capacity. She told Superior Court Judge Brenda Penny during her testimony June 23 that her father had ruined her life and "loved" to hear her in pain while he exerted his power over her.

She alleged that her conservatorship was "abusive" and that she was told she wouldn't be able to see her children if she didn't comply with the demands of her father or management.

Her newly appointed attorney, Mathew Rosengart, filed a petition to remove Jamie Spears last month and asked the court to replace him with a professional accountant. Rosengart argued that Jamie Spears wasn't acting in his daughter's best interests and indicated that he may have misused her finances.

The petition to end the conservatorship was a mammoth legal victory and "vindication," Rosengart said in a statement Tuesday.

"It appears that Mr. Spears believes he can try to avoid accountability and justice, including sitting for a sworn deposition and answering other discovery under oath, but as we assess his filing — which was inappropriately sent to the media before it was served on counsel — our investigation will continue," Rosengart said.

Penny was expected to rule on the petition at a hearing Sept. 29.

Jamie Spears' petition is a big win for the #FreeBritney fans who have spent years protesting the conservatorship. Many of those in the #FreeBritney community are fans of Britney Spears who expressed fears that her father was exploiting her for his own benefit.

Jamie Spears has repeatedly denied all allegations of abuse, both in legal filings and in public comments.

In a response to the petition to remove him, Jamie Spears indicated that he would be "willing to step down when the time is right, but the transition needs to be orderly and include a resolution of matters." But he still contested his removal, arguing that there was no urgent need for his removal, and he urged the court not to make a decision based on "false allegations."

He specifically addressed allegations made by his ex-wife Lynne Spears, who also provided a declaration that said she didn't believe he was acting in their daughter's best interests. She said Jamie Spears' "absolutely microscopic control" through threats and coercion had reduced his relationship with their daughter to nothing more than "fear and hatred."

Lynne Spears said she became involved in the case during a "time of crisis" that began in 2018 and continued into the next year. She said that in that period, Britney Spears was being treated by a "sports enhancement" doctor, hired by Jamie Spears, who was "prescribing what I and many others thought to be entirely inappropriate medicine to my daughter, who did not want to take the medicine."

Jamie Spears rebutted the allegation, saying Lynne Spears "has not accepted the full extent" of the level of care and treatment their daughter needed for her mental health. The filing argued that the doctor was a Harvard-trained psychiatrist whom Britney Spears approved of after an interview.

He also denied having coerced his daughter to "do anything," including undergo forced inpatient facility treatment.

"If the public knew all the facts of Ms. Spears' personal life, not only her highs but also her lows, all of the addiction and mental health issues that she has struggled with, and all of the challenges of the Conservatorship, they would praise Mr. Spears for the job he has done, not vilify him," the filing said.

"But the public does not know all the facts, and they have no right to know, so there will be no public redemption for Mr. Spears," it said.

Rosengart demanded that Jamie Spears immediately resign last month, accusing him in court documents of attempting to extort money from his daughter's estate before stepping down.

"Mr. Spears and his counsel are now on notice: the status quo is no longer tolerable, and Britney Spears will not be extorted," Rosengart wrote. "Mr. Spears's blatant attempt to barter suspension and removal in exchange for approximately $2 million in payments, on top of the millions already reaped from Ms. Spears's estate by Mr. Spears and his associates, is a non-starter."

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Britney Spears' father files petition to end conservatorship after 13 years at helm of pop star's estate

Britney Spears’ Father Jamie Spears Agrees to Step Down From Conservatorship

by Elizabeth Wagmeister

Britney Spears: Priscilla Grant/Everett Collection; Jamie Spears: AP

Britney Spears’ father, Jamie Spears, has agreed to step down from his daughter’s conservatorship.

The turn of events is a massive win for the international pop star, who has been under a conservatorship for 13 years, ever since Spears placed his famous daughter under the court-ordered arrangement in 2008 when she suffered a very public breakdown.

But, in the 13 years since, Spears has been fit enough to perform, tour, hold a Las Vegas residency and earn hundreds of millions of dollars.

Speaking up more than ever before, Spears has been urging the judge to remove her father from her conservatorship through blistering testimonies this summer, even telling the court that she wants to “press charges” against her father for “conservatorship abuse,” and that she wants him in jail.

Her father’s decision to step down is being praised as a “major victory” by the singer’s new attorney, Mathew Rosengart, who says he intends to investigate Spears’ conduct over the past 13 years, and plans to depose him under oath.

On Thursday, Spears’ father filed in Los Angeles Superior Court his response to the singer’s petition for his suspension, announcing his decision to step down. He said he would cooperate with the court on a transition, but did not give a timetable for his resignation.

His filing also stated that he needed to wrap up certain matters before he could hand over the reins. “When these matters are resolved, Mr. Spears will be in a position to step aside,” the court doc reads. “But there are no urgent circumstances justifying Mr. Spears’ immediate suspension.”

Spears’ attorney cites the “public battle with his daughter” as his reasoning for stepping down, but states that there are “no actual grounds for suspending or removing” him.

Variety has reached out to Spears’ attorney, Vivian Thoreen, for further comment.

“There are, in fact, no actual grounds for suspending or removing Mr. Spears as the Conservator of the Estate. … And it is highly debatable whether a change in conservator at this time would be in Ms. Spears’ best interests,” her father’s court doc, filed on Thursday, states.

“Nevertheless, even as Mr. Spears is the unremitting target of unjustified attacks, he does not believe that a public battle with his daughter over his continuing service as her conservator would be in her best interests,” the filing continues. “So even though he must contest this unjustified Petition for his removal, Mr. Spears intends to work with the Court and his daughter’s new attorney to prepare for an orderly transition to a new conservator. As the Court has likely surmised, before Ms. Spears’ new attorney arrived, Mr. Spears had already been working on such a transition with Ms. Spears’ former court-appointed counsel, Sam Ingham.”

“This is a major victory for Britney Spears and another step toward justice,” the pop star’s attorney, Rosengart, says in a statement obtained by Variety.

“I announced in Court on July 14 that, after 13 years of the status quo, it was time for Mr. Spears to be suspended or removed as conservator and that my firm and I would move aggressively and expeditiously for that outcome,” Rosengart adds. “Twelve days later, my firm filed a Petition for Mr. Spears’s suspension and removal based on strong, insurmountable legal grounds, which were unequivocally supported by the law and all parties involved, including Jodi Montgomery, Britney Spears, and her medical team.”

The singer’s legal team states that while Spears stepping down is a major win for their client, they are still unhappy by her father’s “attacks.”

“We are pleased that Mr. Spears and his lawyer have today conceded in a filing that he must be removed. We are disappointed, however, by their ongoing shameful and reprehensible attacks on Ms. Spears and others,” Rosengart’s statement says.

“We look forward to continuing our vigorous investigation into the conduct of Mr. Spears, and others, over the past 13 years, while he reaped millions of dollars from his daughter’s estate, and I look forward to taking Mr. Spears’s sworn deposition in the near future,” Rosengart adds.

His statement concludes: “In the interim, rather than making false accusations and taking cheap shots at his own daughter, Mr. Spears should remain silent and step aside immediately.”

This summer, Rosengart had publicly called for Spears’ father to resign, but prior to him stepping aside today, he had emphasized that he would not voluntarily resign.

Spears’ father became sole conservator in 2019 after attorney Andrew Wallet resigned from the co-conservatorship. In September 2019, he temporarily relinquished his powers and Jodi Montgomery became the conservator of her person, meaning she is responsible for Spears’ medical and personal well-being. Spears’ father has remained the sole conservator of her estate, managing all of her finances and making a hefty sum of of her annual multi-million-dollar earnings, given that Spears has continued to record music and perform regularly, while under conservatorship.

Just in the past two months, there has been more movement in Spears’ situation than there’s been in more than a decade: aside from being granted her own attorney in Rosengart, her court-appointed attorney, Samuel D. Ingham III, resigned; Spears’ manager of 25 years, Larry Rudolph, quit; and wealth management firm Bessemer Trust pulled out as co-conservator.

In recent filings in his effort to remove or suspend Spears’ father, Rosengart has claimed that he has “dissipated” her multi-million-dollar fortune. He also also alleged that he would not allow his 39-year-old daughter to go on vacation to Hawaii with her “own, hard-earned money.” Spears’ father denied these accusations, and has previously denied any and all wrongdoing, stating that his “sole motivation has been his unconditional love for his daughter and a fierce desire to protect her from those trying to take advantage of her.”

The singer has addressed the court with explosive allegations, such as her father and conservators not allowing her to remove her IUD birth control, despite her desire to get married and have another baby. She has also claimed that her father would not let her drive in a car with her boyfriend, visit friends who live close by, or choose what she wants to eat or drink on any given day.

“Instead of trying to investigate my behavior or my capacity, I want my dad investigated,” Spears told Judge Brenda Penny last month. “This conservatorship is literally allowing my dad to rule my life … that is abuse, and we all know it.”

Many legal experts, who are not affiliated with Spears’ case, have suggested that the elder Spears should remove himself from the conservatorship. A non-family member is typically preferred by the court in conservatorship cases.

Sources close to the singer had previously told Variety that the first step would be to remove her father, before any effort to terminate the conservatorship altogether. Now that her father has voluntarily stepped aside, it remains to be seen whether the star’s legal team will push to end the conservatorship.

Spears has said that she wants to be let out of her conservatorship, altogether, without evaluation. Legal experts have told Variety that scenario is highly unlikely, as part of the process to terminate a conservatorship — in any case — includes proper medical evaluation.

Without Spears’ father involved in her conservatorship case, the goal would be for the singer’s conservators to work together with the eventual goal of safely getting her out of the court-ordered arrangement. As an attorney for Montgomery recently said: “We all need to focus on one thing, and one thing only — the health, well-being and best interests of Britney Spears.”

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Britney Spears’ Father Jamie Spears Agrees to Step Down From Conservatorship

Britney Spears’ dad reveals he recently discussed possibly placing singer back in mental institution

By Ben Feuerherd and Nicholas Hautman

Jamie Spears has said he was not in charge of his daughter's medical decisions in 2018. AFP via Getty Images

Britney Spears’ father on Friday revealed he recently discussed whether to place his daughter back in a mental institution — as he rejected efforts to remove him as co-conservator of her multimillion-dollar estate.

Jamie Spears claimed in documents filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court that he wasn’t responsible for committing his daughter in 2019, a move that sparked the now-famous “#FreeBritney” movement.

But he said he got a call from Jodi Montgomery, who is in charge of the singer’s personal and medical affairs, on July 9 pleading for help over Britney’s “recent behavior” and mental health. 

Montgomery allegedly expressed concern that the pop star hadn’t been taking her medications properly — and brought up the possibility of a 5150 psychiatric hold, which, under California law, allows a person to be held for psychiatric evaluation if they are deemed to be a danger to themselves or others.

“Ms. Montgomery felt that Ms. Spears was spiraling out of control,” Jamie Spears said in a court declaration.

A banner reading “Free Britney” is seen at the Christopher Street Day parade in Berlin.

Jörg Carstensen/picture alliance via Getty Images

He claimed that Montgomery later backtracked and said a 5150 wasn’t needed.

The dad noted that beginning in 2018, he was not in control of Britney’s medical decisions, including her being committed to a mental facility the next year. When it surfaced that the former pop star had allegedly been involuntarily committed, fans took to social-media to demand she be “freed.” 

“Although I did not formally step down as Conservator of the Person until September 2019, I had not been in control of my daughter’s medical treatment since late 2018, when, due to my own personal health issues, I had to step back in this role,” the dad said in the filing.

Instead, Montgomery, who was added to Britney’s conservator team amid Jamie’s health issues, and a lawyer who used to be involved in the case made the decision, the court papers state.

“It was Jodi Montgomery, along with the Conservatee’s former attorney Sam Ingham, who admitted Ms. Spears to a facility in early 2019, including but not limited to signing the admittance documents,” the court filing states.

But Montgomery’s rep fired back in a statement to The Post on Friday, “As Case Manager, Ms. Montgomery worked under the sole direction and control of Jamie Spears. 

“She had no power or authority to place Britney Spears in any facility as a Case Manager – only Jamie Spears had that power in March 2019.

Britney Spears was checked into a mental health facility in 2019.

Ethan Miller/Getty Images

“It is unequivocally NOT TRUE that it was Ms. Montgomery and Sam Ingham ‘who admitted Ms. Spears to a facility in early 2019.’

“It is in Ms. Spears’ best interests that her father step down as her Conservator, so he can go back to just being Ms. Spears’ father, and working on a healthy, supportive father-daughter relationship,” the statement added.

Montgomery’s lawyer also said that though she has concerns about the “Toxic” singer’s mental health, Jamie Spears had misrepresented their conversation. 

“At no time did Ms. Montgomery express to Mr. Spears that Ms. Spears would currently qualify for such a (5150) hold,” Montgomery’s lawyer said in a statement. 

Montgomery believes that having her father as conservator was having a “serious impact” on Britney’s mental health, the statement said.

Jamie Spears’ has been at least one of his daughter’s conservators since 2008, when the star suffered a string of public meltdowns.

Britney has sought to free herself from the conservatorship — and called for her dad and anyone else involved in it to be jailed.

“Ma’am, my dad and anyone involved in this conservatorship, and my management, who played huge roles in punishing me when I said ‘no’ [to going on tour] — ma’am, they should be in jail,” she told a judge last month.

Jamie claims in the new filing that he’s done nothing but try to protect his daughter.

“Throughout his service as Conservator, Mr. Spears’ sole motivation has been his unconditional love for his daughter and a fierce desire to protect her from those trying to take advantage of her,” the papers state.

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Britney Spears’ dad reveals he recently discussed possibly placing singer back in mental institution