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Artist News Legal
Britney Spears asks court to block her father from returning to legal guardian role
By Andy Malt | Published on Thursday 20 August 2020
Britney Spears has asked a court to block her father from re-taking control of her personal and business affairs. The singer has been under Jamie Spears’ conservatorship since 2008, though he temporarily stepped aside from that role last year due to health problems. He now wants to resume the task, but she wants an alternative arrangement.
Twelve years ago, Britney’s life was placed in her father’s guardianship following well-publicised mental health issues. She is not now asking for the entire arrangement to be ended, but rather wants Jodi Montgomery, who took over from her father on a temporary basis last year, to oversee her affairs on a permanent basis.
In a legal filing ahead of a court hearing today, Spears said that being placed in conservatorship “rescued her from a collapse, exploitation by predatory individuals and financial ruin” and left her able to once again become “a world class entertainer”. However, she then argued, changes are now required to meet her current needs.
The dispute over the future of the conservatorship follows the recent fan-led #FreeBritney campaign, via which fans have argued that it is time for Spears to be allowed to make her own life decisions. Her father recently called that campaign a “conspiracy theory”. However, it does follow allegations last year that he placed her in a mental health facility against her will.
Jamie Spears has not commented on his daughter’s filing, but her attorneys have said that they expect him to firmly contest the move.
