James Spears Steps Down From Britney Conservatorship

On Thursday, Aug. 12, 2021, James Spears announced that he was stepping down from Britney Spears’ financial conservatorship during a court filing. But there’s a catch. He won’t be stepping down for a while, especially since there’s no timetable for his removal.

The formal filing said, “Mr. Spears continues to serve dutifully, and he should not be suspended or removed, and certainly not based on false allegations. Mr. Spears is willing to step down when the time is right, but the transition needs to be orderly and include a resolution of matters pending before the Court.”

#FreeBritney has been a movement for years, particularly after the release of the recent documentary “Framing Britney Spears” in 2021.

The celebrity’s two-part conservatorship was put in place in 2008 when she had a public breakdown resulting in her being placed on a “5150 hold” in a psychiatric hospital for a mental health evaluation.

Typically conservatorships are granted by the courts to a person who is overseeing the care of an individual who cannot make their own decisions. James stepped down from the first part of her conservatorship (the estate portion), in 2019 where he was replaced by Jodi Montgomery, a healthcare professional, who Britney has requested be made a permanent conservator over her estate.

In 2019 and 2020, Britney began to be more and more vocal online and with her lawyers saying that she no longer wants her father to maintain financial control over her and so far refuses to perform on stage until he gives up control.

In July, Britney spoke to the court directly for the first time publicly, delivering a passionate, emotional speech.

“I want to end this conservatorship without being evaluated… I deserve to have a life,” Spears said. She spoke in court again on July 14, saying that she was ready to “press charges” against her father.

“I have to get rid of my dad and charge him with conservatorship abuse,” Spears said.

It was at this hearing that a judge told Spears that she could appoint her own lawyer for the first time since 2008.

On August 5, Matthew Rosengart, Britney’s hand-picked lawyer, filed a motion with the court to request Judge Brenda Penny to move up Spears’ next court hearing regarding whether or not her father will be removed from her conservatorship.

For now, the date has been set for September 29, 2021. Judge Penny denied the request, while James Spears filed the beginning paperwork needed to step down as Britney’s conservator.

The next step in her case, at least for now, will be the hearing on Wednesday, September 29, 2021. In the interim, Britney continues to post openly on Instagram, allowing her fans to see her ongoing struggles and journey of mental health and healing.

 

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