With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
Britney Spears Is Finally Free From Her Conservatorship
#FreeBritney activists hold a rally outside the Stanley Mosk Courthouse on Sept. 29, 2021 in downtown Los Angeles.
(
Kevin Winter
/
Getty Images
)
#FreeBritney is no longer an activist rallying cry: it's now a fact. The conservatorship that has controlled Britney Spears' finances, personal life and medical decisions since 2008, and which for many years was controlled by her father, Jamie Spears, was terminated Friday afternoon in a Los Angeles courtroom.
For most of the time she was under the conservatorship, the singer has said, she masked her true feelings about the situation, but she began speaking out publicly this summer, asking for the legal arrangement to be terminated.
Supporters of Britney Spears hold a #FreeBritney rally outside the Tri Star Sports and Entertainment building on November 11, 2021 in West Hollywood.
(
Emma McIntyre
/
Getty Images
)
The conservatorship was split into two parts: the conservatorship of Spears' estate, which controlled all her income and financial decisions, and the conservatorship of Spears' person, which was in charge of her well-being and health. Jamie Spears had been suspended as conservator of her estate in late September, after the singer accused her father of exploiting her. Since then, the conservatorship of her estate was placed with a certified public accountant named John Zabel. Since 2019, the conservator of Britney Spears' person has been a licensed personal fiduciary and care professional named Jodi Montgomery.
Support for LAist comes from
The singer and her lawyer, Mathew Rosengart, had asked the court to end the conservatorship with no further medical or psychological evaluations of Spears.
Britney Spears arrives for the premiere of Sony Pictures' "Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood" at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood on July 22, 2019.
(
VALERIE MACON
/
AFP via Getty Images
)
Still, the battle between the singer and her father is far from over. In a court filing last week, Rosengart requested to depose Jamie Spears and asked for materials related to the alleged surveillance of Britney Spears, which The New York Times reported in a September documentary. Rosengart has also hired forensic accountants to look into how the elder Spears used his daughter's money over the course of the conservatorship.
A Britney Spear supporter at a rally held in conjunction with a hearing on the future of Spears' conservatorship at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse on Sept. 29, 2021 in Los Angeles.
(
Kevin Winter
/
Getty Images
)
Spears' case has thrown a spotlight on thorny issues around conservatorship, which is generally used for elderly people and individuals with significant disabilities.
Activists argue that such legal arrangements are ripe for abuse, or limit conservatees' civil rights. Politicians on both sides of the aisle have used the attention around Britney Spears to champion reforms.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
Tens of thousands of workers across Southern California walk out over pay and staffing issues. -
People in and around recent burn scars should be alert to the risk of debris flows. Typical October weather will be back later this week. -
Jet Propulsion Laboratory leadership says the cuts amount to 11% of the workforce. -
The rock legend joins LAist for a lookback on his career — and the next chapter of his music. -
Yes, it's controversial, but let me explain. -
What do stairs have to do with California’s housing crisis? More than you might think, says this Culver City councilmember.
Best of LAist