Los Angeles judge officially suspends Jamie Spears 13 year conservatorship over Britney Spears. The judge appointed John Zabel as temporary conservator of her estate. Leaving the #FreeBritneyNOW rejoicing.
Understanding Britney Spears 13 year long battle with her conservatorship
What is a conservatorship?
A conservatorship defined by the California courts is a situation where a judge appoints a responsible person or organization (called the ‘conservator’) to care for another adult (called the ‘conservatee’) who cannot care for himself or herself or manage his or her own finances.”
Britney Spears conservatorship: A timeline
January 2008 | Britney goes to hospital on a 51/50 twice
After not relinquishing custody back to her ex-husband, Britney is taken to the hospital for mental evaluation. She will also be taken a second time at the end of January.
February 2008 | Britney enters a conservatorship with her father Jamie Spears
A day after her second visit to the hospital Jamie Spears orders the LA county supreme court to put his daughter into an emergency temporary conservatorship. Spears is named conservator of her person and shares co-conservators of estate with attorney Andrew Wallet.
October 2008 | Conservatorship is extended indefinitely by the court
Judge Goetz rules that Jamie will remain as conservator of his daughter indefinitely just months before the temporary conservatorship was supposed to end. According to ruetrs judge Goetz “The conservatorship is necessary and appropriate for the complexity of financial and business entities and her being susceptible to undue influence.”
September 2016 | Britney speaks on her conservatorship for the very first time
In an interview with Grace Medford for Pop Crush Spears says “Okay, so I have this conservatorship. I’ve been under this conservatorship for three years and I felt like a lot of decisions were made for me, so I wanted [her ninth studio album Glory] to be my baby and I’ve been really strategic about it.”
January 2019 | Jamie Spears becomes ill / Britney announces hiatus
Britney announces she will not be performing her second Vegas residency stating in an Instagram post Spear’s states “A couple of months ago, my father was hospitalized and almost died. We’re all so grateful that he came out of it alive, but he still has a long road ahead of him.” Adding, “I had to make the difficult decision to put my full focus and energy on my family at this time. I hope you all can understand.”
April 2019 | Britney checks into a mental health treatment center
Spears checks into a 30 day treatment center according to Instagram for “me time.” #FreeBritney followers believe it’s against her will. 30 days later she checks out after completing the program.
September 2019 | Jamie temporarily steps down as the primary conservator
LA superior court judge Brenda Penny approves Jamie’s request to be temporarily removed of his role as conservator due to “personal health reasons.”
August 2020 | Court extends conservatorship
In a sealed, virtual hearing, Judge Penny rules to extend Britneys conservatorship until February 1, 2021. This came two days after, Ingham, Britney’s court-appointed attorney filed a motion expressing his client’s request to have her father removed as conservator. Britney attorney states that her needs and wishes changed upon entering a third phase of the conservatorship; considering her first and second phase as a “triage to her health” followed by her” performing period.
September 2020 | Britney argues to make case public due to the #FreeBritney movement
Britney objects to her fathers motion to reprise her attorney, Wallet; arguing that the public should know what’s happening to her. For a decade Jamie and the conservatorships attorneys successfully had court rooms closed and all filings sealed in the case.
October 2020 | Britneys attorney calls Britneys capacity into question
Comparing Britney to a comatose person, her attorney, Ingham, questions Spears capacity to sign a declaration expressing her wishes to end the conservatorship.
November 3rd 2020 | Britney pleads removal of Jamie as conservator
A court filing request the immediate removal of Jamie Spears from being co-conservator of Britneys finances. The filing also argues for Jamies removal when Bessemer Trust Company “the wealth management firm Britney originally requested in September 2020 to oversee her finances” is appointed as the conservator.
November 10th 2020 | Britney claims due to fear of her father she will not perform
Britneys attorney Ingham, tells judge Penny that she will not resume her career if her father has control over it.
March 10th 2021 | Jamie Spears says he wishes to see conservatorship come to an end
Vivian L. Thoreen, Jamie’s attorney, tells CNN that “Jamie would love nothing more than to see Britney not need a conservatorship. Whether or not there is an end to the conservatorship really depends on Britney. If she wants to end her conservatorship, she can file a petition to end it.”
March 23rd 2021 | Britney requests Jodie Montgomery as conservator
Britney asks that Jodie Montgomery, the court appointed temporary conservator, take the place of Jamie Spears. Documents make it clear that Britney’s request do not indicate her giving up her “the right to petition for the termination of this conservatorship.”
April 20th 2021 | Britney allowed hearing to speak in court
Britney’s attorney requests that she address the court herself on the topic of her conservatorship.
June 22nd 2021 | Confidential records obtained by the New York Times show Britneys fight to end conservatorship
In the court records obtained by the New York Times the pop star is seen as quietly advocating for the end of the conservatorship which “restricted everything from whom she dated to the color of her kitchen cabinets, and resists her father’s role as conservator.”
“She articulated she feels the conservatorship has become an oppressive and controlling tool against her,” a court investigator wrote in a 2016 report, later recalling how Britney said that the 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.”
June 23rd 2021 | Britney tells her story
In a remote hearing, Spears tells judge Penny “I’m not here to be anyones slave.” The pop star explains she was forced to keep working; wants to sue her family; is not allowed to get married; have more children or remove her IUD during a 20 min testimony.
July 1st 2021 | Bessemer Trust ask to reign conservatorship
Bessemer Trust request it’s role to be resigned due to a change in circumstances citing Britneys public disdain for the “abusive arrangement” in the court hearing a week before. According to the New York Times the bank company claims it was told the conservatorship was voluntary and the singer had consented but was surprised to hear her express her want to see the conservatorship end.
July 5th 2021 | Britney Spears manager resigns
Larry Rudolph, Spears manager for 25 years resigned after Spears expressed her desire to retire.
July 6th 2021 | Britneys Spears lawyer resigns
Britney Spear’s court-appointed attorney, Ingham, files to resign after thirteen years of representing Spears.
July 14th 2021 | Britney is allowed to choose her own attorney
In an eventful move, judge Penny, grants Spears permission to hire Hollywood attorney Matthew Rosengart. In a phone hearing with the judge, Spears cried as she told Penny she wanted Jamie Spears charged with conservator abuse. “I want to get my dad removed, ma’am,” the singer said. “I’m angry and I will go there.”
July 16th 2021 | Spears blast dad and sister Jamie Lynn
In a message on Instagram Spears goes for her dad and younger sister saying, “For those of you who choose to criticize my dancing videos … look I’m not gonna be performing on any stages anytime soon with my dad handling what I wear, say, do, or think !!!!” she wrote, before adding, “I don’t like that my sister showed up at an awards show and performed MY SONGS to remixes!!!!!”
July 20th 2021 | Bipartisan “Free Britney” act
After being inspired by Spears emotional June 23rd testimony, Rep. Charlie Crist, a Democrat from Florida, and Rep. Nancy Mace, a Republican from South Carolina, introduced the bipartisan FREE Act. Mace told the New York Times, “The Britney Spears conservatorship, it’s a nightmare. If this can happen to her, it can happen to anybody. The bill would allow those under a conservatorship to request that the conservator be replaced by a public guardian employed by the state, a family member or a private agent who has no personal or financial conflict of interest if it’s passed.
August 12th 2021 | Jamie Spears agrees to step down
In a new motion, Spears reluctantly agreed to step down as Britneys estate. “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,” his lawyer wrote in the filing obtained by Billboard. ““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.”
September 7th 2021 | Jamie files to end conservatorship
Surprising everyone, Jamie Spears files a petition to end the 13 year conservatorship, “as Mr. Spears has said again and again, all he wants is what is best for his daughter,” the document says. “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.”
