Britney Spears: Father Jamie files petition to end conservatorship over pop star’s estate

Her lawyer says the development is ‘vindication’ and that she will ‘continue to explore all options’

Britney Spears’s father Jamie filed a court petition on Tuesday to end the conservatorship arrangement that has controlled the pop star’s finances and estate for more than a decade.

“Recent events related to this conservatorship have called into question whether circumstances have changed to such an extent that grounds for establishment of a conservatorship may no longer exist,” the filing stated.

In the court documents, Spears cited the “Toxic” singer’s “impassioned plea” in two separate instances in June and July to the Los Angeles Superior Court to terminate the 13-year-long conservatorship.

The filing stated that the “Oops I Did It Again” hitmaker sought “to live her life as she chooses without the constraints of a conservator or court proceeding”, including in making her own financial, personal and medical decisions.

“As Mr Spears has said again and again, all he wants is what is best for his daughter,” the document said. “If Ms Spears wants to terminate the conservatorship and believes that she can handle her own life, Mr Spears believes that she should get that chance,” it added.

The pop star’s lawyer Mathew Rosengart in a statement to The Independent said the development was a “massive legal victory for Britney Spears” and “vindication”.

Mr Rosengart continued, “Having exposed his misconduct and improper plan to hold his daughter hostage by trying to extract a multi-million-dollar settlement, Mr. Spears has now effectively surrendered.”

“It appears that Mr Spears believes he can try to avoid accountability and justice, including sitting for a sworn deposition and answering other discovery under oath,” Mr Rosengart said, adding “our investigation into financial mismanagement and other issues will continue.”

The Independent has also reached out to Mr Spears’ legal team for a comment.

A week ago, the “Gimme More” singer’s legal team said her father demanded $2 million in exchange for stepping down as her conservator.

“Regardless of the past, Mr Spears and his counsel are now on notice: the status quo is no longer tolerable, and Britney Spears will not be extorted,” Mr Rosengart had said earlier in a 12-page court filing.

Spears agreed to step down as his daughter’s long-time conservator on 12 August. He said he intended to work with the court and Mr Rosengart to “prepare for an orderly transition to a new conservator.”

Speaking publicly for the first time about the conservatorship that has controlled her life for over a decade, the Grammy-winning singer on 23 June had appealed to the same Los Angeles court and asked judge Brenda Penny to “end” the abusive arrangement immediately without “having to be evaluated.”