After public displays of her deteriorating mental health, including shaving her head and attacking a paparazzo’s car with an umbrella, a conservatorship was established for Britney Spears by her father, Jamie, in 2008. Also, known as guardianship, a conservatorship is a legal construct by which someone can be appointed to manage a ward’s (in this case, Britney’s) personal affairs (a Guardian of the Person) financial affairs (a Guardian of the Estate) or both (a General Guardian). Most often, they are used in instances of ailing, older adults suffering from dementia and children under the age of 18 with significant assets.
Earlier this month, Britney asked that her father be removed as co-conservator of her estate and the American Civil Liberties Union recently entered the fray to help her regain her civil liberties from conservatorship. Since its inception, the #FreeBritney movement has trended on social media, gaining renewed momentum of late.
Most recently, Jamie Lynn Spears, Britney’s sister, filed a request in court asking that Britney’s assets be moved into the SJB Revocable Trust, for which Jamie Lynn serves as trustee. The SJB Revocable trust was established by Britney in 2004 to protect her children’s future. If approved, it would transfer Britney’s assets to the trust over which her sister has control and could potentially be used for Britney’s needs in addition to that of her children.
Conservatorship of Spears’ $47 million was recently extended until February 2021 and Spears asked that the current conservator, Jodi Montgomery, be appointed in a permanent capacity. Britney “strongly opposes” her father’s request for reappointment, having stepped down late last year for health reasons. For her part, Britney has been praying and meditating with healing crystals for “guidance” and “confidence” as she navigates the conservatorship process.
If you know someone who needs the protections afforded by the appointment of a guardian, please call us at (704) 457-1010 to schedule a consultation. For more information regarding our firm, attorneys, and practice areas, please visit https://lindleylawoffice.com/.
