Pop star Britney Spears has been under a legal guardianship and financial conservatorship since 2008, when she was hospitalized for mental illness. Her father, Jamie Spears, has been her sole court-appointed conservator since a co-conservator resigned in March 2019. This gave him authority to make financial decisions on her behalf, including matters related to both her personal and business finances. Conservators can sell and acquire property and transact in their wards’ financial accounts. Court-appointed conservators are accountable to the courts and must file regular accountings. They are also entitled to compensation for their efforts.

The 38-year old singer has asked a California court to remove her father from the conservatorship and appoint a professional corporate conservator, Bessemer Trust Company, permanently in his stead. A group of Britney’s fans have been using the hashtag #freebritney, alleging that Jamie Spears has not been acting in his daughter’s best interests but has instead been exploiting her situation and ruining her finances.

Jamie Spears asked the court to seal certain confidential information about the conservatorship, a move Britney and her legal team opposed in the interest of making the case and its details transparent for her fans and the public. For his part, Jamie argues that he has only asked the court to seal information related to Britney’s medical information and sensitive personal information about her life and her children’s lives, and that his motive in making the request was to protect her.

A November 10 hearing has been scheduled for a judge to hear and review Britney’s request. The current conservatorship arrangement over Britney’s affairs, with a temporary professional conservator handling her finances, has been extended to February 2021 pending the court’s decision.

Conservatorships can play an important role in managing personal and financial matters for people who lack the capacity to manage their own affairs. To learn more, contact us today!