The Britney Spears conservatorship controversy has finally dissolved with the termination of her conservatorship in November 2021. The arrangement had kept the pop star, her personal life, and her assets out of her control for the better part of 13 years. The struggle for her release from the conservatorship has been going on for quite a while now, and the recent development has got the media and the public in a frenzy. 

The conservatorship has been contested by Britney Spears for several years now, spanning numerous court hearings and interviews. She openly voiced her rejection of the conservatorship, and on November 12, 2021, it was finally terminated. This entire debacle has shed light on the controversial side of conservatorship law, and advocates are hoping it may help to push reform to mitigate improper conservatorship use. 

How the Britney Spears Conservatorship Saga Started

Britney Spears has been a public figure since her teens, and her music is loved by people of all ages. Some of her greatest hits are “Baby One More Time,” “Womanizer,” and “Scream and Shout” as ranked by Billboard.

Life seemed rosy for Britney until her divorce from her husband Kevin Federline in 2006. The events that followed raised serious concerns about her mental stability. After her divorce, Britney Spears lost custody of her children to her husband. Afterward, she shaved her hair by herself in a salon in front of cameras when the attendants advised her against it. This brought her again into the limelight and brought up questions about her ability to make rational decisions.

A few days later, after shaving her hair, Britney verbally abused paparazzi photographers and attacked them with an umbrella, trying to avoid her pictures being taken. This was after she had been denied access to her kids, who were in Kevin’s custody.

A few months later, Britney refused to let her children return to their dad after a scheduled visit. She barricaded herself in the bathroom with her younger son and refused to release him to the court-appointed monitor after the police arrived. She stood them down for three hours and had to be taken to the hospital for psychiatric evaluation strapped in a gurney. 

After this final incident, Britney lost her access to her sons and had to be put up for a conservatorship. That’s when her father, James Spears, stepped in as her conservator.

Britney Spears Conservatorship: 13 Years of Control

After her conservatorship commenced, James Spears took charge of all Britney’s decisions concerning her personal life, music, travels, assets, and so on. This is typical of a conservatorship, but over the years, Britney Spears has spoken up that her conservatorship was doing more harm to her than good. She has openly stated this in public on many occasions and had been quietly pushing for it to be ended.

Britney’s case has gained attention and momentum over the years from the press and her fans. In 2019, a group of her fans staged a peaceful protest in front of the West Hollywood City Hall, for instance. They stated their support for the pop star and requested that she be set free from conservatorship. Meanwhile, for years, the hashtag #FreeBritney trended on various social media platforms 

Fueling the fervor, Britney claimed that her father derived joy from seeing her under his control. She accused him of being masochistic in his dealings with her and made it known that the conservatorship had become an oppressive tool used against her.

In July 2021, Ms. Spears’ attorney, Matthew Rosengarts, filed for the removal of her father from the conservatorship. He made it known that the presence of Jamie Spears in the conservatorship was causing his client more harm than good. After several deliberations and consideration, Mr. Spears was suspended from being her conservator.

On the 12th of November, the cries of #FreeBritney changed to #FreedBritney as judge Brenda Penny of the Los Angeles Council terminated the conservatorship. Britney’s lawyer made it known that it was time to end the conservatorship; he stated that financial and personal safety nets had been put in place to ensure smooth transitioning of the star. In clear terms, the judge said that the conservatorship of the person and estate of Britney Jean Spears was no longer required.

Free at Last

Britney celebrating her freedom posted a video on Instagram celebrating her fans and declaring how elated she was. She also vowed to sue her father for conservatorship abuse over the last 13 years. Various celebrities, including Lady Gaga, Paris Hilton, Cher, Halle Berry, and a host of others have congratulated Britney on her freedom from her conservatorship, praising and commending her strength and resilience.

Britney Spears Conservatorship and Overall Conservatorship Law

Britney Spears’ case tells us that, however stringent the laws binding conservatorship, it is possible to gain freedom if a conservatorship is not working. Conservatorships are meant to provide a high degree of protection for the life, assets, and career of the conservatee when used appropriately. However, conservatees can always ask to be released from a conservatorship when they regain the ability to care for themselves and/or the conservator is abusing their power, such as in Britney’s case.

Termination of conservatorship can be a very tedious task to handle; Britney’s case has shown how hard it can be. If you need help with terminating a conservatorship of a person and/or estate, contact A People’s Choice. Our competent document assistants can help you complete and file the required forms in court. Call us today at 800-747-2780 to get started.