Britney Spears’ gains co-conservator of her estate

Today was a loss for the #FreeBritney movement as the courts denied her request to revoke the conservatorship/guardianship of her father, James Spears. For the last 12 years, Britney’s father has maintained control of his daughter’s life and financial decisions being her sole conservator of the Spears estate.

Britney’s lawyer, Samuel D Ingham III, requested to revoke her father’s role of conservator in a contentious hearing and Los Angeles Superior Court Judge, Brenda Penny, declined to suspend the court conservatorship. Judge Penny also named a corporate fiduciary, the Bessemer Trust, a co-conservator of Britney’s estate to work alongside her father.

James Spears’ lawyer, Vivian Lee Thoreen, defended her client in the case citing financial records that indicates her client managed the estate from being in debt to building the worth to $60 million. Britney requested the court to grant the Bessemer trust as her new conservator but the judge ruled a 50/50 compromise of both parties.

James Spears was granted conservatorship over Britney in 2008, shortly after Britney was struggling with mental health issues. The conservator arrangement is typically for people with severely diminished ability to made decisions for themselves that was initially intended to be short-term.

James Spears temporarily stepped down from his role as Britney’s conservator citing health reasons and Jodi Montgomery stepped in as his temporary replacement. Britney requested that Montgomery permanently replace her father as her conservator but James Spears had other plans. Britney claims that James had no intention of working with the Bessemer Trust and wanted to retain full control of Britney’s assets.

James’ power as Britney’s conservator gives him the ability to make choices on her behalf without the legal requirement of consulting or notifying Britney herself. Britney’s lawyer cited that her manager resigned and was replaced by James without any knowledge to Britney.

James’ lawyer maintains that he makes these decisions out of the concern and love of his daughter’s best interest despite the family members not speaking to each other for the last year. Britney’s mother and James’ ex-wife, Lynne Spears, is not allowed to be an interested party but feels her daughter shouldn’t be forced to meet the demands of her father and they have a toxic relationship.

Though James Spears maintains Britney’s conservator, the Bessemer Trust will be holding him accountable for Briney’s well-being. Judge Penny also said that she would consider future petitions of outright removal or suspension of the conservatorship and Ingham has plans to file said motions in the future.