Britney Spears has been a household name for decades. With her recent conservatorship updates and the ongoing #freebritney movement, Spears’ story is constantly evolving. Here are some of the latest developments on Britney Spears:
Spears Requests Her Father Be removed From Her Conservatorship
In August 2020, Britney Spears filed legal papers asking that her father, Jamie Spears, be removed as the sole conservator of her estate and person. In California courts, request such as this can only be granted if a doctor certifies that the individual (i.e., Britney) does not have capacity to make decisions or tend to their own well-being.
Judge Appoints Care Manager Instead
Initially, it was reported that another of Britney’s family members would take over control of her finances and medical care from Jamie Spears. However, after further thought, a Los Angeles County judge appointed Bessemer Trust to serve as a temporary conservator for Britney’s affairs and trust company named Jodi Montgomery has been appointed business manager for both of these affairs.
#FreeBritney Movement Goes Viral
The “Free Britney” hashtag first appeared in 2009 following reports that Jamie and Lynne had asked a court to allow them to control their daughter's money and estate more than they already could after she suffered what was termed an emotional breakdown months before the petition was submitted in June 2008. But it wasn't until May 2020 when fans began noting strange goings-on with Britney's social media accounts—including erratic posting, deleted posts shortly after being posted and mysterious captions—that individuals online began wondering if she was having difficulty controlling her own social media accounts during her conservatorship. Since then, #freebritney has taken off, with thousands joining in solidarity with the pop star in calling for an end to the conservatorship arrangement she'd accepted since 2008.
Fans Launch Petition After Court Denies Request
After Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Brenda Penny declined Britney's review petition in November 2020 by saying that should one be approved down-the-line is seemed unlikely given "no meaningful progress of any kind has been made" under Jamie Spear's 12-year tenure at managing his daughter's personal life and fortune supporters have launched a Change.org campaign calling upon Governor Gavin Newsom to alter California law so others might benefit from similar potential arrangements with loved ones while still protecting those who are unable to protect themselves. The intention of this petition is clear: Make sure no one else ever faces an arrangement like hers again—with no oversight into allegedly mismanaged funds or other financial machinations behind closed doors allowed by figures outside the celebrity realm without additional protections put into place first."
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