Britney Spears Fights To End Father’s Legal Control Over Her—She’s Speaking Out About Her Years Of Mistreatment
Britney Spears has been all over the news recently, and that's because she is now appearing in court in an effort to end the conservatorship that she has been in for years.
Her father, Jamie Spears, has controlled his daughter's body, work schedule, and personal life for the past 13 years, and Britney has finally had enough. She spoke in court the other week in order to educate the public about the abuse she has endured during her conservatorship. She wants to be her own person again because, under her father's control, she has the same level of freedom as a young child. Read on to learn more about the situation, and why fans all over the world are calling to #freebritney.
It's Britney, B***h
Britney Spears is arguably one of the biggest pop stars in the world.
And if you know a little bit more about Brit compared to the regular Joe, you'll know that poor Britney has been under a conservatorship for the past 13 years.
Britney Spears' Conservatorship
According to Insider, "Britney Spears hasn't legally controlled her life and fortune for 13 years." But in recent months, it has come to light that Britney has been fighting back.
A conservatorship is a legal guardianship typically enacted for those incapable of making their own decisions. Although Britney is an adult, this form of legal control was approved for her back in 2008. This was after Spears had several public mental breakdowns.
She Has No Personal Authority
Under the conservatorship, Spears has had no authority to make her own financial or personal decisions.
That power was granted to two men in her life: her father, and, until 2019, her attorney Andrew Wallet.
Britney Needs Permission To Do Everything
Because of the conservatorship, Spears needs permission from her father every time she wants to leave the house or wants to spend any of her own money.
Some people would argue that this type of control was needed after Britney's breakdowns. But, in reality, she doesn't even have the freedom to be her own person or decide when she wants to take a much-needed break from working or touring.
How Much Of Britney's Life Does Her Father Control?
In reality, Jamie controls everything—from his daughter's body to her wealth. He has been profiting off of his daughter for years and years. Since February 2009, Britney has had to pay him $16,000 each month, according to court documents reviewed by Forbes.
Britney explains that "my dad and anyone involved in this conservatorship, and my management played a huge role in punishing me when I said no. Ma'am, they should be in jail."
Britney Wants To End The Conservatorship
On Wednesday, June 23, according to CNN and other news outlets, Britney Spears appeared in a court hearing regarding the conservatorship. Finally speaking out, Britney addressed the Los Angeles court by phone, describing the conservatorship as "oppressive, controlling, and abusive."
In her 25-minute speech, Britney said she felt that over the years, she "had been forced to perform, was given no privacy, and was made to use birth control, take medication, and attend therapy sessions against her will."
He Wanted Total Control
According to Britney's statement, her father wanted more than just the money. You can read the entire written version of the testimony here.
"I cried on the phone for an hour, and he loved every minute of it," Spears said. “The control he had over someone as powerful as me… He loved the control to hurt his own daughter. One hundred thousand percent, he loved it.”
Judge Denies Britney's Request To Remove Her Father From Conservatorship
On Wednesday, June 30, documents filed by the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, denied a request made in November 2020 to remove Jamie Spears from the conservatorship.
Deadline reported, "The conservator's request to suspend James P. Spears immediately upon the appointment of Bessemer Trust Company of California as sole conservator of estate is denied without prejudice."
So What Does This Mean?
Despite the timing of this denial, just a week after Britney's testimony, it is not in direct response to the June 23 hearing. According to Variety, "The judge cannot make any ruling based on what she said as she still has yet to file a petition to terminate her conservatorship."
"I didn't know I could petition the conservatorship to end it," Britney said. "I'm sorry for my ignorance, but I honestly didn't know that." Britney and her court-appointed attorney can still take steps to terminate Jamie Spears as conservator.
Britney's Longtime Manager Submits His Resignation
As Britney's story continues to dominate headlines, Larry Rudolph, Britney's longtime manager, has just submitted his formal resignation.
Rudolph has never been part of the conservatorship, nor has he communicated with Britney for more than two and a half years, at which time she discussed an indefinite work hiatus. Rudolph's resignation suggests that Britney may be planning to retire.
The #FreeBritney Movement
If you're a Britney fan, you know that most fans have been very wary of the conservatorship, and many do not believe that it was in her best interest.
So, over the years, the #freebritney movement was born. Recently, many protests have been done in support of Britney and her quest for freedom.
Britney's Brother Shared His Opinion
Recently, Bryan, Britney's brother (right), shared some information about the conservatorship: "She's always wanted to get out of it."
"It's very frustrating to have—whether someone's coming in peace to help or coming in with an attitude, having someone constantly tell you to do something has got to be frustrating. She's wanted to get out of it for quite some time."
Jamie's Response
Father Jamie Spears has requested that the courts investigate the allegations Britney made during her June 23 testimony. He claims to not have had any involvement with his daughter's conservatorship for two years.
Jamie Spears instead lays blame on Britney's court-appointed lawyer and her temporary care manager Jodi Montgomery.
Her Apology On Social Media
According to CNN, Britney has recently apologized to fans for not being honest about the reality of her controversial conservatorship.
She has explained that she "was embarrassed to share what happened to me." She also shared a post on Instagram explaining that she has been pretending to be okay for the past few years.
Justice For Britney
Overall, it's clear that the conservatorship has been far too strict for too many years and has affected Britney's mental health horribly.
She is suffering under her father's control. We hope that as this case moves forward, the courts grant her permission to end the conservatorship once and for all, and Britney can feel safe, healthy, and in control of her life.
