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Artist News Legal
Britney Spears calls for “immediate and necessary” removal of her father from conservatorship
By Andy Malt | Published on Thursday 23 September 2021
Britney Spears is seeking to end the conservatorship that controls her personal and financial affairs “this fall”, but wants her father removed from his position in the legal arrangement by the end of this month. In a new court filing, she calls for a temporary conservator to take over Jamie Spears’ role overseeing her finances until the guardianship is brought to an end completely.
In the new filing, Britney’s attorney Mathew Rosengart calls for the “immediate and necessary suspension of Mr Spears, by no later than 29 Sep” – the date of the next status hearing in the case.
“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”, says Rosengart. “Every day Mr Spears clings to his post is another day of anguish and harm to his daughter”.
As well as again accusing Spears Senior of financial mismanagement in relation his daughter’s affairs, Rosengart says that his client’s father’s continued involvement in the conservatorship is impeding the negotiation of a prenuptial agreement following Britney’s recent engagement to boyfriend Sam Asghari.
“The prenuptial agreement process will require communications with and cooperation from the conservator of her estate”, says Rosengart. “Given that Ms Spears’s relationship with that conservator is broken, Mr Spears’s continued involvement would impede the ability to negotiate and consummate a contract that all can agree is in Ms Spears’ best interests”.
In a surprise move earlier this month, Jamie filed a request with the court to end his daughter’s conservatorship after thirteen years, something she herself had started calling for earlier this year. In the new filing, Rosengart reiterates claims that that request was not made in the best interests of Britney, but rather it was an attempt by Jamie to protect himself.
Rosengart claims that Jamie wants to end the conservatorship in order to begin rebuilding his damaged reputation and to avoid an investigation into his “evident and ongoing” mismanagement of his daughter’s finances. In his filing, Jamie requested an initial hearing on his petition to end the conservatorship in January. This latest submission to the court seeks to get the jump on that, and push forward with an earlier request to have Jamie suspended and investigated.
In a statement to Rolling Stone, Rosengart says: “We are pleased by Mr Spears’s recent forced concessions, and my client looks forward to the prompt termination of the conservatorship, and to her freedom. Britney Spears will no longer be bullied. We are moving forward with our 26 Jul 2021 petition for the suspension of James P Spears, which is a prerequisite to the immediate restoration of my client’s dignity and fundamental rights”.
Jamie Spears has not yet responded to the latest filing.
Meanwhile, Netflix has announced a new documentary looking at Britney’s thirteen year conservatorship. This follows two other documentaries – Hulu’s ‘Framing Britney Spears’ and the BBC’s ‘The Battle For Britney: Fans, Cash And A Conservatorship’ – both of which Spears herself accused of being “hypocritical”.
Set for release on 28 Sep – the day before the next hearing in the case – ‘Britney v Spears’ will examine the legal and ethical issues surrounding the conservatorship. Watch a first trailer for the show here:
