Britney Spears is expected to address the Los Angeles court directly on Wednesday, and ahead of her virtual appearance, new details regarding the strict terms of her conservatorship have emerged.
Confidential court records obtained by The New York Times reveal that the 39-year-old singer quietly pushed for years to end her conservatorship, which she’s been under for 13 years. According to the outlet, Britney expressed “serious opposition to the conservatorship earlier and more often than had previously been known” in the court records, and claimed that it restricted everything from “whom she dated to the color of her kitchen cabinets.”
“She articulated she feels the conservatorship has become an oppressive and controlling tool against her,” a court investigator wrote in a 2016 report, per the NYT, adding that Britney informed them that she wanted the conservatorship terminated as soon as possible. “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 NYT reports that in a transcript from 2014, Britney’s lawyer, Samuel Ingham, spoke about his client’s desire to terminate the conservatorship altogether. Per the transcript, Britney allegedly spoke with her attorney about the possibility of “changing her lifestyle and retiring,” but believed the conservatorship would prevent that from happening.
Britney then told a probate investigator in 2016 that she was “very angry” about the way her life was being run, the NYT reports, noting her frustrations included having security around her at all times, having to undergo drug tests numerous times per week and only being able to use her credit card under discretion of her security team or assistant.
Under a legal conservatorship, a judge appoints a responsible person or organization (“conservator”) to care for another adult (“conservatee”) who cannot care for him/herself or manage his/her own finances. Therefore, Britney cannot make any of her own decisions in regard to finances, who she can marry, etcetera.
Britney’s father, Jamie Spears, has been part of her conservatorship since the beginning, though changes have been made to the conservatorship in recent years. A judge appointed Jodi Montgomery — a professionally licensed conservator — as Britney’s temporary conservator of her person in 2019, with Jamie remaining conservator of the estate. A judge then ruled in February that Jamie and Bessemer Trust Company would have equal power over Britney’s finances. Additionally, Jamie and Bessemer Trust have been ordered to work together on an investment plan and budget proposal for the future.
At a hearing back in November, Britney’s mother, Lynne Spears, supported the removal of Jamie as conservator. The NYT reports that through her lawyer, Lynne called Britney and Jamie’s relationship “toxic,” claiming it was “time to start fresh.”
Judge Brenda Penny declined a request from Britney’s legal team to suspend Jamie immediately that day, but agreed to consider removing him in the future. The next hearing, in which Britney is expected to appear remotely to address the court directly, is Wednesday, June 23.
