Britney Spears‘ conservatorship has ended after 13 years when an L.A. judge granted a petition to terminate the arrangement on Friday.
Terminating the conservatorship frees the former pop star from the legal bindings of her father, Jamie Spears, who had control over her personal affairs and her multimillion-dollar fortune. Jamie controlled who Britney worked with, who she could have contact with and how to spend her money since the arrangement began in 2008.
“The time has come after more than a decade for the conservatorship to be terminated in its entirety,” said Britney’s attorney, Mathew Rosengart.
#FreeBritney Movement
There has long been a public outcry for Britney in her quest to break free from the arrangement as seen in the online #FreeBritney movement. Britney herself kickstarted the movement several months ago when she called the conservatorship “abusive.”
The New York Times also contributed to the unrest when they released the documentary Framing Britney Spears. The documentary explored the dynamic between Britney and Jamie and the power the former held over the latter. Fans chanted in Britney’s name outside the courthouse Friday before the petition was granted.
Jamie Spears leaves court in 2012. Nick Ut/AP.
Britney provided more details into the dire situation with her father in a June hearing. She revealed she would like to marry again and have children, but under the conservatorship, she was unable to make a doctor’s appointment to remove her IUD. She also said she was required to take medication that made her feel drunk and she wasn’t allowed to visit her friends or ride in her boyfriend’s car.
“I just want my life back,” said Britney during a virtual court appearance on June 23. “It’s been 13 years, and it’s enough.”
Rosengart has described Jamie Spears as “toxic” and argued that his removal from the conservatorship was in Brtiney’s best interest. Jamie was resistant to calls to resign from his position and indicated in an August court filing that he would after receiving outstanding payments and resolving other issues.
What Comes Next
Jamie filed to end the conservatorship on Sept. 7 after public pressure continued to grow. He was suspended as a conservator on Sept. 29.
The court will now look to resolve pending requests to pay the attorneys who represented Britney and her conservators. Britney’s legal team will also continue to investigate Jamie’s actions during her role as conservator. According to her team, if it is learned that he misused Britney’s money or engaged in other forms of misconduct, they will sue.
