Britney Spears’ Attorney Wants To Know What Her Dad Said About Her Hawaii Vacation, Her Allowance, And Her Medication

Spears' attorney has requested that her father provide a slew of documents regarding management company Tri Star and the pop star's recent Hawaii trip, among other issues.

 

by Stephanie Baer

Britney Spears in 2016

Britney Spears' attorney is planning to grill her father over how much money he and her business managers reaped from the pop star's estate, and he's seeking extensive documentation about other actions during the conservatorship, according to documents obtained by BuzzFeed News Tuesday.

The Oct. 28 document, made public Tuesday, formally signed Britney Spears onto the petition to terminate the conservatorship that was previously filed by her father, Jamie Spears. In it, Britney Spears' attorney Mathew Rosengart notes that his team is still waiting for Jamie Spears to respond to requests for documents and other potential evidence and also to sit down for a deposition as they investigate his actions during the legal arrangement that gave him control over his daughter's life and finances.

Rosengart has said that if they uncover evidence that Jamie Spears misappropriated his daughter’s money or engaged in any other misconduct, Britney Spears will sue.

According to the documents, Rosengart has asked Jamie Spears to provide documents regarding nearly 40 issues, including the following:

• All communications between Jamie and any representative of Britney Spears' former business management company Tri Star Sports & Entertainment Group, including Lou Taylor and Robin Greenhill
• "All documents relating to payments or approval for payments made for legal representation of Lou Taylor or Robin Greenhill"
• All communications, including texts and instant messages, with "security services and/or guards" who have worked at Spears' home
• All communications, including texts and instant messages, with individuals who have been contracted to work at Spears' home
• All communications, including texts and instant messages, with Spears' current or past physicians, therapists, or other doctors
• All communications, including texts and instant messages, regarding Spears' medications
• All communications, including texts and instant messages, relating to Spears' "stays at non-hospital, residential medical facilities, including rehabilitation facilities"
• All lease or rental agreements paid for by Spears' estate
• All communications, including texts and instant messages, relating to the monthly allowance that Jamie Spears has allowed to Britney Spears from her estate
• All documents regarding Britney Spears' vacation to Hawaii this past summer
• All documents and communications regarding "the electronic surveillance, monitoring, cloning, or recording of the activity of" Britney Spears' personal phone, "including but not limited to the surveillance, monitoring, cloning, icloud mirroring, or recording of calls, e-mails, text messages, internet browser use or history, and social media use or direct messages on social media"
• All documents and communications regarding "any recording or listening device" in Spears' home or bedroom, the decision to place any such device, and "the records of any such recordings"

The request for documents was sent in late August. Shortly after, on Sept. 7, Jamie Spears filed the petition to terminate the conservatorship.

In the Oct. 28 filing, Rosengart also indicates that he plans to ask Jamie Spears about the money he and any entity he owns have received from his daughter's estate since the conservatorship's creation in early 2008, as well as payments made from her estate to management company Tri Star, its employees, and others "but for the benefit of [Jamie Spears]" and payments made "for the benefit of anyone who works or worked" for Tri Star.

Rosengart first sought to depose Jamie Spears on Oct. 20, according to the documents, but it appears that has not yet happened. It's unclear whether a new date has been set. Jamie Spears' attorney Alex Weingarten did not immediately respond to BuzzFeed News' request for comment.

In a status report filed with the court Monday, Weingarten said his client "has nothing to hide regarding his administration of Britney's estate" and will "unconditionally cooperate in transferring all files" to Rosengart "without delay."

"A substantial portion of that transfer has already been accomplished and the process will continue with alacrity until complete," he wrote. "The time for innuendo, misrepresentations and impudent gossip is over. It does not serve the judicial system and most importantly, it is toxic to Britney and her family. Jamie is committed to full and complete transparency over all of it."

On Sept. 29, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Brenda Penny suspended Jamie Spears as conservator of his daughter's estate, freeing her from the control he held over her life for more than 13 years. The court is expected to terminate Spears’ conservatorship altogether at a hearing on Nov. 12.

"Ms. Spears has made her wishes known about ending the conservatorship she has endured for so long and she has pleaded with this Court to 'let her have her life back,' without an evaluation, recently attending two Court hearings and asking this Court directly to end the conservatorship," Rosengart writes in the newly released filing. "It is respectfully submitted—with the consent of all parties—that the time has come."

 

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Britney Spears’ Attorney Wants To Know What Her Dad Said About Her Hawaii Vacation, Her Allowance, And Her Medication

Britney Spears' father loses bid to retain control of delegating her investments

The joint conservatorship powers were debated in court Thursday amid intensified scrutiny over James Spears' control of his daughter's estate.

 

Britney Spears attends the announcement of her new residency, "Britney: Domination," at Park MGM on Oct. 18, 2018, in Las Vegas.Gabe Ginsberg / FilmMagic

By Doha Madani

Britney Spears’ battle to remove her father’s conservatorship over her estate continued Thursday as a judge denied her father's objections to how her conservatorship will be delegated.

Britney Spears filed a petition with the court last year to remove her father and to place a financial institution as the sole conservator over her estate. Her attorney, Samuel D. Ingham III, argued last year that the singer was afraid of James "Jamie" Spears and would rather a professional financial institution take over her estate.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Brenda Penny denied the singer’s petition last year but appointed Bessemer Trust as a co-conservator along with James Spears.

Objections raised by James Spears' attorney, Vivian Thoreen, on how the co-conservatorship would be delegated were rejected Thursday. One objection raised by Thoreen asked that James Spears have the power to delegate investment powers, an issue that was a point of debate between the two attorneys Thursday.

Ingham told the court that the nature of a co-conservatorship is that James Spears' powers as sole conservator, appointed by the court in 2019, would be reduced. Thoreen argued that the court orders should be consistent with the 2019 order that gave him sole conservatorship.

"There's no intent or desire to create unequal power or decision-making as between the two, your honor," Thoreen argued. "This is a way to make it consistent and to not take away powers that Mr. Spears as a conservator had."

Thoreen also denied a concern raised by Ingham that James Spears would delegate the investment powers to a third party, stating that her client simply wanted "to be able to delegate the investment decision making authority to Bessemer."

The objection was denied by the judge. Both James Spears and Bessemer Trust are expected to work together on a budget and investment proposal for Britney Spears' estate following Thursday's hearing.

“My client looks forward to working with Bessemer to continue an investment strategy in the best interests of his daughter," Thoreen said in a statement after the hearing.

"My client Jamie Spears has diligently and professionally carried out his duties as one of Britney’s conservators, and his love for his daughter and dedication to protecting her is clearly apparent to the court," the statement said.

Another hearing on the conservatorship is scheduled to take place next month.

The pop star’s legal struggle is under new scrutiny following the New York Times’ release of “Framing Britney,” a documentary that followed Britney Spears’ rise to stardom and the media pressure that’s often blamed for her public breakdown in 2007.

James Spears has been her legal conservator for 12 years.

Fans of the singer launched a #FreeBritney movement amid the legal battle, alleging that James Spears has abused what was meant to be a temporary conservatorship. “Framing Britney,” released last week on Hulu, interviewed a number of the activists behind the movement, as well as Britney Spears’ former assistant.

Junior Olivas, a fan who credited Britney Spears’ for helping him through difficult times, was among the #FreeBritney protesters who demonstrated in front of the Los Angeles courthouse while her case was being heard.

“My heart said, ‘No matter what, you’re taking your butt there, and you’re going to help her just the way she helped you,'” Olivas said in the documentary.

A number of celebrities have posted support for Britney Spears following the release of the documentary, including Bette Midler and actress Sarah Jessica Parker.

James Spears defended his conservatorship to Page Six last year, telling the tabloid that he loved his daughter.

“All these conspiracy theorists don’t know anything,” James Spears said. “The world don’t have a clue. It’s up to the court of California to decide what’s best for my daughter. It’s no one else’s business.”

Sam Asghari, who has been dating Britney Spears since 2016, criticized his girlfriend’s father in an Instagram Story on Wednesday and said he had “zero respect” for the man.

“In my opinion, Jamie is a total d---,” Asghari said. “I won't be going into details because I've always respected our privacy but at the same time, I didn't come to this country to not be able to express my opinion and freedom."

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Britney Spears' father loses bid to retain control of delegating her investments

 

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Britney Spears

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

Custody or Captivity? Britney Spears and the Problem with California’s Conservatorship Laws

Britney Spears performing at her Piece of Me residency in Las Vegas in 2014. By Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

By Zachary J. Lech

“Britney Spears hospitalized again”, “Britney on 72-Hour Mental Lockdown”, “Diagnosing Britney Spears,” “Sources: Spears suffering from bipolar disorder.” These news headlines from early 2008 covered the public struggle which, on Feb. 1 of that year, led a California court to hand over control of Britney Spears’ life and finances to her father, Jamie.

Conservatorships are a legal concept governed by state law whereby a court appoints a person or organization called a conservator to care for another person, a conservatee, who is deemed incapable of caring for themselves or their financial affairs. The state of California, in particular, differentiates between the so-called Lanterman-Petris-Short conservatorships (used for individuals with serious mental illness who need special care) and probate conservatorship, which can be either temporary or permanent and covers the person’s life, estate, or both.

When a judge made Britney Spears’ controversial probate conservatorship permanent after eight months, People magazine ran quotes from sources that stated, “This is by no means something that’s going to last forever” and that “People shouldn’t read too much into the word ‘permanent’.” Now in 2021, with the #FreeBritney movement growing, The New York Times’ “Framing Britney Spears” documentary coming out, and the next hearing in the ongoing legal battle scheduled for Apr. 27, one thing seems clear. What was expected to be a temporary arrangement turned into a 13-year-long conservatorship that has left Britney Spears with no legal control over her finances and limited control over her personal life.

What that means in practice is that Britney Spears needs her father’s approval for the most mundane things, be it a purchase of a hypothetical caramel frappuccino or a slightly less hypothetical iPhone, which the singer with a $60 million dollar net worth was actually denied until 2019. That on its own wouldn’t be a problem, however. If Britney’s conservatorship were a typical case, it would be clear why she shouldn’t be allowed to spend her money. Permanent conservatorships are restricted to incapacitated individuals, unable to manage their lives, usually the elderly or people suffering from untreatable mental illness or extensive dissability. Spears’ case is anything but typical, though. “From the little I saw and have seen of Britney Spears, there's no way she would, in my mind, qualify for conservatorship under normal circumstances,” said Don Slater, a California attorney specializing in conservatorships, in an interview with Vice.

Indeed, it’s hard to understand how Spears’ conservatorship has lasted so long, as she clearly is and has been well enough to continue working. In the past 13 years, Britney Spears has done everything from being a judge on “The X Factor” and releasing three new albums to raising a million dollars for the Nevada Childhood Cancer Foundation and engaging in social activism landed her an award from GLAAD in 2018.

Unfortunately, it’s easier to understand why the arrangement is still in place despite doubts over its ethics. While there are legal avenues for the conservatee to end or change the conservatorship by filing a motion in court, these avenues are useless in practice while the arrangement continues. Conservatorship takes away an individual’s right to enter contracts. This might sound innocent enough, but it means that the conservatee cannot hire an attorney without a court’s express permission. In Britney’s case, that meant an uphill legal battle against her father, who controlled her money, just to be able to get a lawyer to represent her. And that has only been the beginning of a long fight. Samuel Ingham, Spears’ court-appointed attorney, sued seeking to replace Jamie Spears as the conservator on Aug. 17, 2020, and there’s still no resolution on the horizon.

“Wouldn’t it be something if the giants of mental health care reform in California turned out to be three men named Lanterman, Petris and Short — and a pop singer by the name of Britney Spears?” asked Patt Morrison in his LA Times article, wondering if the singer’s case could be the push needed to change California’s flawed conservatorship laws. Nothing has come to pass yet. But perhaps now, 13 years after Morrison's piece was originally published, and with more public attention than ever, Britney Spears’ lawsuit could change more than just her conservator: It might impact a California law that can turn custody into captivity with almost no way of regaining control.

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Custody or Captivity? Britney Spears and the Problem with California’s Conservatorship Laws

Britney Spears' Life Post-Conservatorship

By Lauren Conlin

In November 2021, Britney Spears made national headlines when her 13-year conservatorship came to an end, thanks to endless court hearings and the outpouring of support from her fans and #FREEBRITNEY organizers. An ecstatic Spears tweeted, "Good God I love my fans so much it's crazy !!! I think I'm gonna cry the rest of the day !!!! Best day ever ... praise the Lord ... can I get an Amen ????" Accompanying the note was a video of supporters cheering for Spears outside of a Los Angeles courthouse.

During the brutal ordeal where Spears' father, Jamie, controlled her finances and most aspects of her life, the singer says she was forced to perform and wasn't allowed to drink coffee or tea, go on vacations with her boyfriend, or even visit the spa during her Las Vegas residency, to name a few things that hindered her life. "I'm here to remind them all that being treated like an equal individual doesn't require much ... just RESPECT," she wrote on Instagram in January 2022.

Her life post-conservatorship has had its ups and downs. She released her first new music in a long time, collaborating with Elton John on "Hold Me Closer" in August. "I'm learning everyday is a clean slate to try and be a better person and do what makes me happy ... yes I choose happiness today," Spears tweeted when promoting the song. At the same time, Spears' Instagram activity has some onlookers concerned for the pop legend's wellbeing. We're rooting for you, Britney!

 Britney Spears feuded with Jamie Lynn over tell-all book

After Britney Spears' sister Jamie Lynn Spears released a memoir titled "Things I Should Have Said" in early 2022, Britney's lawyer issued a cease and desist letter almost immediately. According to Nylon, Jamie Lynn appeared to be doing a press tour for the book and was discussing her past with Britney. Part of the letter written by Britney's attorney Matthew Rosengart read, "Although Britney has not read and does not intend to read your book, she and millions of her fans were shocked to see how you have exploited her for monetary gain. She will not tolerate it, nor should she." The letter was published online by Variety, and went on to claim that the release of Jamie Lynn's book was timed poorly. Rosengart added, "...we, therefore, demand that you cease and desist from referencing Britney derogatorily during your promotional campaign."

Britney went to Instagram (via Billboard) to detail additional grievances she had against her sister, explaining that while she had to work, Jamie-Lynn was pampered by her parents — getting chocolate milkshakes served to her, being allowed to watch television for hours on end, and floating on a raft in their pool. Britney also mentioned that she was shocked when Jamie Lynn was able to get her own show on Nickelodeon at age 12. Jamie Lynn's memoir garnered many negative reviews before it was actually released.

 Britney Spears suffered a miscarriage

According to Us Weekly, during one of the hearings to end Spears' conservatorship, she spoke out saying that she one day wanted to start a family but was not allowed to remove her IUD. After being freed, Spears happily announced on her favorite social media platform, Instagram, that she and Sam Asghari were expecting. Fans and friends were thrilled for the star as she seemed incredibly excited to start this new chapter of her life.

Unfortunately, about a month later, Spears returned to Instagram to share some devastating news. "It is with our deepest sadness we have to announce that we have lost our miracle baby early in the pregnancy. This is a devastating time for any parent. Perhaps we should have waited to announce until we were further along however we were overly excited to share the good news. Our love for each other is our strength. We will continue trying to expand our beautiful family."

Paris Hilton and many others offered words of support and condolences on her post. Perhaps the sweetest comment came from Asghari himself: "We will have a miracle soon (heart emoji)." Asghari elaborated on wanting to be a father in an interview with GQ, where he expressed continued hope. "Nothing in the world that can take me off that path. My life is too amazing to be able to take my mind off optimism and positivity and all that."

She married Sam Asghari in a surprise wedding

In a shocking and exciting surprise wedding at their Los Angeles home, Britney Spears married Sam Asghari, providing their wedding guests with little to no notice. Spears gushed that celebrities Selena Gomez, Madonna, and Drew Barrymore attended the nuptials. Paris Hilton even told Chelsea Handler (who was filling in for Jimmy Kimmel) that she bailed on a political engagement to attend her friend's celebration. Hilton said, "I was asked by President Biden and their team to deejay for that summit dinner with all the leaders of the world. But it was the same night of Britney's wedding, and then I'm like, 'No, I'm not going to miss that.'" Hilton told Handler that despite the president's people offering her a helicopter to dip in and out of both events, she wouldn't do it. Now, that's a good friend!

Spears wore a custom dress made by Donatella Versace and then changed outfits two more times throughout the night. Celebs "ooohed" and "ahhhed" over the gorgeous pictures that Paris Hilton posted on Instagram, where her caption read, "#Icons only. Had the most incredible time celebrating the fairytale couple. What a beautiful night!" In the "icons only" photo were Hilton, Madonna, Gomez, Versace, Barrymore, and Spears herself. However, no wedding is complete without some drama. TMZ reported that Spears' ex-husband Jason Alexander tried to crash the wedding by breaking into her home! He was apprehended and no one was hurt, thank goodness.

Her sons chose not to attend her wedding

Britney Spears has not been very discreet about the disdain she has for her immediate family, which is why she made it clear that none of them were invited to her wedding — except her sons, Jayden James and Sean Preston. Kevin Federline, the boys' father and Spears' ex, had his attorney issue a statement on behalf of their sons. "Although the boys will not be in attendance, Kevin and the boys are happy for Britney and wish her and Sam all the best going forward," explained attorney Mark Vincent Kaplan, according to TMZ. There were also rumors that Spears was inviting her older brother, Bryan, which turned out to be untrue, Spears shared on Instagram (via Harper's Bazaar).

In the wake of her sons' absence, many were curious as to why the boys did not attend. Some speculated that they had been uncomfortable with their famous mother's use of social media; perhaps the way Spears often posted nude photos of herself didn't sit well with them. Jayden James, 16, sat down with ITV News to shed some light on why their relationship is strained. "It's like almost as if she has to post something on Instagram to get attention. This has gone on for years and years and years, and there's a high chance that this is never gonna really stop, but I'm hoping for me, maybe she will," he said. His mother responded with an Instagram post expressing her sadness and her desire to talk with Jayden in person.

Britney Spears traveled with her husband

After Britney Spears married Sam Asghari, the happy couple wasted no time jumping on a plane to a secret tropical location for their honeymoon. Elaine Renoire, president of the National Association to Stop Guardian Abuse, explained that during Spears' conservatorship, "Anything she wants to do, she has to ask permission, as if she were a child" (via Vox). Spears seemingly has the freedom to take vacations now.

According to E! News, Spears posted about her honeymoon trip on Instagram (the post has since been deleted, like many others), and appeared to be in great spirits, despite the fact that she mentioned the weather wasn't great, wherever she was. It was clear that she was so thrilled to be on a vacation with her husband, at long last, without having to clear it with a lawyer or parent. Spears has posted herself dancing in French Polynesia, she uploaded a birthday picture of herself in the sand on an undisclosed beach, she shared several posts with captions about a trip to Mexico, and she threw it back to a Maui trip featuring agent Cade Hudson.

We hope Britney is relaxing and enjoying herself, although it's hard to tell exactly what she is up to...

Britney's behavior remains odd on social media

Fans became increasingly worried for Britney Spears as her social media posts became more frequent, with more nudity, and more strange captions. Many expressed concerns on Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram, with commentary videos circulating among fans regarding Spears' whereabouts. TV host and TikToker Lauren-Ashley Beck noted the oddity of Britney making a positive post about Jamie Lynn (on Britney's birthday). Though the pics of Jamie Lynn remained on her grid, the supportive caption was removed. Fans also realized in 2022 that Britney oddly changed the Instagram name in her bio to "Channel 8," though she is still using the @britneyspears username.

Britney has deleted her Instagram account more than once — this seemed to be her MO for some time, as well as turning her comments section on and off. The deactivations, Britney has said, have been by accident a couple of times (via TMZ). In December 2022, Sam Asghari responded to his wife's social media use. "Social media can be traumatizing. Sometimes it's good to take a break. She has her voice and is a free woman. I have respect for her privacy and I protect it at all times. Thank you to all of her protective fans," Asghari wrote in an Instagram Story (via BuzzFeed News). He explained that it was stressful for Britney to attend public events, too. BuzzFeed News had previously reported that Britney wasn't happy when Asghari started up an Instagram Live and invited her to say something.

No one knows exactly what her life is like

People on the internet have theorized that Britney Spears went missing. She posted in December 2022 that she and Sam Asghari would visit New York City, but there was no sign of her or paparazzi that week in NYC. TMZ's sources claimed that Spears was going on vacation to Mexico and mentioned New York as a decoy. The outlet reported that her parents, Jamie and Lynne, were in Los Angeles at the time. Similarly, fans were puzzled in January 2023 by TMZ's report that Spears attended Cade Hudson's birthday party — and Spears denied attending any party.

Before these occurrences, Spears wrote a lengthy Instagram post in November to say, "Still breathing ... it's funny the same two people who gave me life are the same exact 2 people who took it away," clearly referencing her parents. Spears also declared, "I hear about people wanting to do movies about my life ... dude I'm not dead !!!" (This after Millie Bobby Brown told Drew Barrymore she'd love to play Spears in a biopic.)

By this point, some might have imagined that Spears would give an interview or release a book — she reportedly signed a $15 million deal with Simon & Schuster in early 2022. However, Spears released a 22-minute, since-deleted voice memo on Twitter in August. In the recording, she reportedly unpacks being treated horribly during her conservatorship and explains that she's declined lucrative offers to talk to Oprah and others. "For me, it's beyond a proper sit-down interview," she says of her story (via Newsweek). 

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Britney Spears' Life Post-Conservatorship

Britney Spears gets own lawyer in bid for freedom

It was an emotional hearing in the legal battle over Britney Spears' conservatorship. A judge in Los Angeles ruled that the pop star may choose her own lawyer.

 

Rally on Wednesday in Washington in support of Britney Spears

Superstar singer Britney Spears will be represented in the future by Mathew Rosengart, who previously worked with renowned clients such as Sean Penn, Keanu Reeves and Steven Spielberg.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Brenda Penny on Wednesday, July 14 approved Spears' hiring of former federal prosecutor Rosengart, who called on Spears' father to immediately resign as her conservator.

"The question remains, why is he involved,'' Rosengart said outside the courthouse. He said he would work quickly and aggressively to end the conservatorship of Britney's father, James Spears.

The 39-year-old pop star took part in the hearing by phone. "My dad needs to be removed today,'' Spears said, adding that she would like to see him charged with abusing his position.

Mathew Rosengart is Britney Spears' new lawyer

Denied 'normal' things

She rejected more "stupid'' psychological evaluations, however, saying she did not want to give people the opportunity "to question my intelligence for the millionth time.''

She described how her 68-year-old father has denied her everyday items such as cups of coffee, her driver's license and "hair vitamins." 

"If this is not abuse, I don't know what is,'' Spears said, at times breaking into sobs. The singer said she was fearful of her father, and recalled that "I thought they were trying to kill me'' in the early years of the conservatorship as she was being overworked and constantly examined.

"I'm not a perfect person ... but their goal is to make me feel like I'm crazy," Spears told the judge.

James Spears' attorney, Vivan Thoreen, said in court that her client would not be stepping down as Rosengart demanded, adding that he has always had his daughter's best interests at heart.

Thoreen claimed that Britney Spears had a host of inaccurate beliefs, among them that "her father is responsible for all the bad things that have happened to her.''

The #FreeBritney movement has gone viral in recent months

Britney feels exploited

Britney had already made accusations against her family, guardians and attorneys in an emotional speech three weeks ago during another court hearing.

In a June hearing, Spears — who catapulted to global stardom with hit albums  "...Baby One More Time"(1999) and "Oops!...I Did It Again" (2000) — had called for an end to guardianship over her person and finances. She said she felt exploited and controlled by her family and by managers, and that she was not permitted to make decisions about her own life.

Following a mental breakdown, Britney Spears has been under court supervision since February 2008, with her family having sought the conservatorship for her protection, they said.

Initially, James Spears managed both the financial assets and private concerns of his pop star daughter. Since 2019, he has been in charge solely of finances. Spears' fortune is estimated at $60 million.

Coming along, folks ... coming along 🖕🏻!!!!! New with real representation today ... I feel GRATITUDE and BLESSED !!!! Thank you to my fans who are supporting me ... You have no idea what it means to me be supported by such awesome fans !!!! God bless you all !!!!! pic.twitter.com/27yexZ5O8J

— Britney Spears (@britneyspears) July 15, 2021

#FreeBritney gets a win 

In court on Wednesday, attorney Rosengart called into question whether the conservatorship should ever have been put into place, adding that he and his legal team would be taking a close look at the details of the arrangement. "This is not working," he said outside the courthouse. "We know that.''

Many celebrities and fans have expressed their support for the singer on social media as part of the #FreeBritney movement. Meanwhile, hundreds of supporters have repeatedly taken to the streets in Los Angeles, Washington, London and other cities demanding freedom for Spears.

Supporters cheered the Wednesday decision to appoint Rosengart, with Spears thanking her "awesome" fans on Twitter and Instagram. With a new lawyer, things are now looking up, she said. 

"I feel gratitude and blessed," the star wrote, saying she had celebrated the victory by riding horseback and doing cartwheels.

 

Full Article & Source:

Britney Spears gets own lawyer in bid for freedom

Britney Spears Officially Files Petition to Remove Dad Jamie as Conservator, Requests Jason Rubin

By Jeff Nelson and Tomás Mier

 

Britney Spears has officially taken steps to oust her father from her conservatorship.

On Monday, the pop star's lawyer, Mathew Rosengart, filed a petition in court to remove her father Jamie Spears as her financial conservator and replace him with Jason Rubin, a certified public accountant at Certified Strategies Inc, to manage her estate, which is worth $58 million, according to court documents obtained by PEOPLE.

According to his employer's website, Rubin has practiced as a forensic accountant since 1993 and has testified as an expert witness in hundreds of cases.

"Ms. Spears respectfully submits that the Court should appoint her nominee; in that, it is an objectively intelligent preference to nominate a highly qualified, professional fiduciary in this circumstance," the documents read. "Moreover, Ms. Spears respectfully submits that, given the Court's recognition at the July 14, 2021, hearing that Ms. Spears has sufficient capacity to choose her own legal counsel, she likewise has sufficient capacity to make this nomination."

Spears' next court date is set for Dec. 13.

Britney Spears; Jamie Spears

| Credit: Getty; Shutterstock

This move is the latest in Britney's ongoing 13-year conservatorship saga. After a public breakdown, Britney was placed under a conservatorship in 2008, and a judge then appointed Jamie as both the conservator of her person and the conservator of her estate.

In 2019, Jamie stepped down as the conservator of her person after an alleged physical altercation with Britney and ex-husband Kevin Federline's son Sean Preston, 15. (The exes are also parents to son Jayden James, 14.) At the time, Jodi Montgomery, a care manager, took over as Britney's conservator of her person.

Jamie and Britney Spears

| Credit: Chris Farina/Corbis/Getty

RELATED: Britney Spears Conservatorship Case: Read Her Full Statement 

On June 23, Britney, 39, delivered emotional testimony in court, telling the judge why she believed Jamie should no longer be the conservator of her estate — and revealing for the first time that she wanted the conservatorship to end.

"I've lied and told the whole world I'm okay and I'm happy. It's a lie. I've been in denial. I've been in shock. I am traumatized. Fake it 'til you make it, but now I'm telling you the truth, okay? I'm not happy. I can't sleep. I'm depressed. I cry every day," Britney said in court.

During the same hearing, Jamie's attorney Vivian Lee Thoreen addressed the court to share a statement from her client, saying, "[Jamie] is sorry to see his daughter in so much pain. [He] loves his daughter and misses her very much."

Following Britney's bombshell testimony, several players involved in the conservatorship resigned, including her longtime court-appointed attorney Sam Ingham III.

At a July 14 hearing, Britney scored a major win in her conservatorship case when the judge allowed her to hire her own attorney, former federal prosecutor Rosengart. In the same hearing, Britney — who called into the hearing over the phone — accused Jamie of abuse.

Britney Spears and Sam Asghari; Jamie Spears

| Credit: Vivien Killilea/Getty; Alex Berliner/BEI/Shutterstock

RELATED: Britney Spears' Conservator Accuses Jamie Spears of Using Over $2M of Singer's Funds to Defend Himself

"I would like to charge my father with conservatorship abuse," she reportedly said in a tearful testimony. "I want to press charges against my father today. I want an investigation into my dad."

At the hearing, Britney also called her conservatorship "f----ing cruelty" and alleged that she was living with severe limitations, including not being able to drink coffee, saying, "If this is not abuse, I don't know what is," according to CNN. (A lawyer for Jamie did not respond to PEOPLE's request for comment at the time.)

One day ahead of Britney's June hearing, The New York Times published a report citing sealed court documents and transcripts from 2016 between Britney and a probate investigator

"She articulated she feels the conservatorship has become an oppressive and controlling tool against her," a court investigator wrote in 2016, adding that Spears reportedly believed the legal system had "too much control."

"She is 'sick of being taken advantage of' and she said she is the one working and earning her money but everyone around her is on her payroll," the investigator added then.

Credit: Kevin Mazur/BCU18/Getty

 

Spears also said that her father was "obsessed" with her and wanted to control everything about her life, according to theTimes. The singer alleged she was unable to make friends, was limited to a $2,000 weekly allowance and was not allowed to spend her own money to make cosmetic changes to her home without her father's permission, the Times reported. (That same year, she met her boyfriend Sam Asghari on the set of her "Slumber Party" music video.)

Britney's 2016 sentiments echo what her former lawyer told a judge during a November 2020 court hearing that she was "afraid of her father" when the judge declined Britney's request to make Montgomery her permanent conservator.

"She will not perform again if her father is in charge of her career," he said at the time. (Thoreen, one of Jamie's attorneys, refuted the claim as hearsay.)

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Britney Spears Officially Files Petition to Remove Dad Jamie as Conservator, Requests Jason Rubin

Britney Spears Is Finally Free From Her Father's Control After More Than 13 Years

A judge suspended the 39-year-old pop star's father, Jamie Spears, as conservator of her estate on Wednesday in a highly anticipated hearing.

 

by Stephanie K. Baer 

Britney Spears in 2017 - Rich Fury / AP

 

LOS ANGELES — A judge on Wednesday removed Britney Spears' father from her conservatorship, releasing the pop star from the power he had over her life for more than 13 years.

During a highly anticipated hearing that came as Spears and her attorney continue to criticize her dad's handling of her affairs, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Brenda Penny granted the 39-year-old singer's request to immediately suspend Jamie Spears as conservator of her estate, a role he has filled since the conservatorship's creation in early 2008. Penny appointed John Zabel, a certified public accountant nominated by Spears herself, to oversee her finances on a temporary basis.

The step marks a pivotal moment in Spears' quest to break free of the court-mandated arrangement that gave her father and a cast of lawyers the reins to her personal affairs, business deals, and fortune.

“Britney Spears deserves to wake up tomorrow without her father as her conservator,” her attorney, Mathew Rosengart, argued in court on Wednesday.

At a hearing set for Nov. 12, the judge will consider whether to terminate the conservatorship altogether, based on a separate petition filed by Jamie Spears. Facing ongoing pressure from his daughter's counsel, who accused him of trying to extort her, he has asked the court to order an end to the arrangement.

Court papers show that the singer had planned to file a petition to terminate the conservatorship herself but only after her father was removed, a series of events that would require him to turn over his full conservatorship files to the temporary conservator.

"I believe in those files we will find evidence of his corruption — and worse," Rosengart said during the hearing on Wednesday.

As he left the courthouse, Rosengart told reporters that Britney Spears would sue her father if it was determined any of her money had been misappropriated. And the attorney appeared to suggest that Jamie Spears could face criminal charges.

"And the ramifications are going to be more severe than just civil litigation against Mr. Spears based upon my present understanding of what happened here," Rosengart said.

Nick Ut / AP

The singer's father, Jamie Spears, leaves court in 2012.

Public interest in the Spears case was reignited in February when the New York Times released the documentary Framing Britney Spears, which questioned the control that her father, Jamie Spears, continued to hold over her financial and physical well-being. A follow-up documentary, Controlling Britney Spears, was released on Friday, in which a former employee of the pop star’s security team alleged that all communication on her phone was monitored and that an audio recorder was even placed in her bedroom. In California, it’s illegal to record people’s private conversations without their knowledge or consent. But because Spears was under the conservatorship, her father, as conservator, could have consented for her, Christa Ramey, an attorney who previously handled a case about conservator liability, told BuzzFeed News.

In a statement last week, Rosengart said they considered Jamie Spears' removal to be "a prerequisite to the immediate restoration" of her "dignity and fundamental rights."

In July, the pop star formally asked the court to immediately suspend her father as conservator. In court papers, Rosengart described Jamie Spears' role in the conservatorship as "toxic" and untenable as he argued that removing him was in his daughter's best interest.

The move was supported by Jodi Montgomery, who has been serving as conservator of the singer's personal life for the last two years, as well as her medical team and her mother, Lynne Spears, according to court documents.

The pop star previously requested in 2020 that her father be suspended from his role as conservator, but that bid was denied despite Sam Ingham, then her court-appointed attorney, telling the court that she was afraid of her father.

At Wednesday's hearing, Jamie Spears' attorney Vivian Thoreen said she “vehemently” objected to her client being suspended, arguing that it was unnecessary to remove him if the conservatorship was going to be terminated anyway.

As she has said in recent court filings, Thoreen argued that the priority should be the petition to terminate, as it is not contested by any of the parties involved. She questioned Rosengart's strategy not to file such a request himself, calling the attempt to suspend her client and replace him with another conservator "actually very confusing."

"If the end is in sight, let's make that the goal," she said.

Thoreen and Rosengart spent much of the afternoon criticizing each other's strategies and accusing each other of trying to delay the resolution of the case. At times, the muffled chants of #FreeBritney supporters demonstrating outside the building could be heard in the courtroom.

Chris Pizzello / AP

Britney Spears supporter Brian Molina celebrates outside the courthouse on Sept. 29 in Los Angeles.

When Rosengart brought up the new allegations of surveillance raised in the Times documentary, Thoreen shot them down, saying, "That's not evidence, and he knows that." But regardless of the truth to those claims, which Rosengart described as "unfathomable," he said Jamie Spears should be suspended immediately or the pop star would be "extraordinarily distraught."

"Your honor, this has been going on for too long," Rosengart said.

The judge's ruling was no doubt due in large part to Spears' public statements in an emotional and explosive hearing on June 23, when she told the court that her conservatorship was abusive and had prevented her from living a full life. During her comments then and again in July, she railed against her father and the power the legal arrangement has given him to "ruin [her] life."

"He loved the control to hurt his own daughter, 100,000%," she said. "He loved it."

Thoreen also questioned the claims Britney Spears made during that previous hearing, saying that "nobody knows the veracity" of her allegations. She again argued that Jamie Spears has served "faithfully" and "loyally."

Rosengart responded later that it didn't matter if Thoreen or Jamie Spears believed his daughter's claims of abuse. What was important was that she herself believed them, he said

"Britney Spears believes he was abusive, cruel, toxic, and she's right," Rosengart said.

Fans once again rallied outside the courthouse on Wednesday, yelling for the conservatorship to end and waving pink flags and signs. #FreeBritney activist Megan Radford told BuzzFeed News the amount of progress in Spears' case in recent months felt indescribable.

"But the job isn’t done, and we’ll be here until the job is done,” she said.

Full Article & Source:

Britney Spears Is Finally Free From Her Father's Control After More Than 13 Years 

 

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Britney Spears