Britney Spears' father asks court to end conservatorship
Wednesday, 8 September 2021 (10:59 IST)
Britney Spears' conservatorship could soon be ended after her father Jamie Spears filed to terminate it on Tuesday, US media reported.
"As Mr. Spears has said again and again, all he wants is what is best for his daughter,'' the documentfiled at the Los Angeles Superior Court states, according to the Associated Press.
"If Ms. Spears wants to terminate the conservatorship and believes that she can handle her own life, Mr. Spears believes that she should get that chance.''
Judge Brenda Penny, who is overseeing the case, will still need to approve the move.
A petition from Britney's lawyer Mathew Rosengart to remove Jamie as conservator was to be heard at the next court hearing, on September 29.
Jamie Spears had announced plans to step down in a filing from August 12. He had previously said on multiple occasions that there was no justification for his removal, adding that he only acted in his daughter's best interest.
Why is Britney under a conservatorship?
Spears' conservatorship, usually reserved for the aged and infirm, was established in 2008 after Britney's mental health struggles became public.
She received vast support from the #FreeBritney campaign launched by fans, which rallied for removal of the control on her life. Subsequently, she received support from other celebrities as well.
In June, Britney had spoken up in court about the "abusive" conservatorship, where she publicly appeared in court in the 13 years since it was imposed. She had addressed the judge before, but the courtroom was always cleared and the transcripts sealed.
A court had previously denied Britney's request to end the conservatorship.
Jamie had then requested the court to probe into "serious allegations regarding forced labor, forced medical treatment and therapy, improper medical care, and limitations on personal rights."
Britney Spears is currently under the care of court-appointed professional Jodi Montgomery, who manages her personal and medical affairs.
In February, a wealth-management company, Bessemer Trust, was allowed to come in as a co-conservator for the financial arm of the arrangement, reported US media outlets.
Court documents say she wants the trust appointed as the "sole conservator." The trust has since tried to withdraw from the arrangement.
