Britney Spears' conservatorship questioned by legal specialists, more news
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Conservatorship attorneys question Britney Spears' conservatorship as case returns to court
Amid a new round of scrutiny thanks to the recent New York Times documentary, "Framing Britney Spears," the pop star's conservatorship case returned to court in Los Angeles on Thursday, Feb. 11. In the latest hearing, Judge Brenda Penny denied objections made by Britney's father, Jamie Spears, regarding the delegation of powers between Jamie and Bessemer Trust, which was named a co-conservator last year. NBC News reports the two are now "expected to work together on a budget and investment proposal" for the singer's estate ahead of the next hearing. Meanwhile, California attorneys who specialize in conservatorship law are weighing in with questions about why the singer is still under the grip of her father, 12 years after her mental health issues sparked the conservatorship to be put in place. "Conservatorship essentially strips away a person's ability to make their own decisions," says Barr & Young attorney Don Slater in a new feature for Vice. "It's a very serious matter to take away somebody's personal freedoms and rights like a conservatorship does ... there's no way she would, in my mind, qualify for conservatorship under normal circumstances." Alex Ripps, a conservatorship specialist at the firm Bohm Wildish & Matsen, adds that Britney has no "disease that severely limits her cognitive function, or at least it doesn't appear that way," making it odd that the arrangement would continue for so long. In 2020, Britney's lawyers filed to remove her father, Jamie Spears, from the conservatorship Britney, 39, was placed in at age 27, telling the court she was "afraid of" him. For now, it seems, the addition of Bessemer as the co-conservator will stay in place, with Jamie maintaining some power over his daughter's finances and career. It remains to be seen whether Jamie's role will be affected by interest in the new film, which makes the case that those closest to Britney were complicit in her breakdown all those years ago. Another hearing is scheduled for next month.