Britney Spears Is One Of The Most Iconic Pop Stars Of All Time, With A Career Spanning Over Two Decades And Countless Hits. But Behind Her Success And Fame, There Was A Dark Side That Few People Knew About.
For 13 Years, Britney Lived Under A Legal Guardianship Called A Conservatorship, Which Gave Her Father And Others Control Over Her Finances, Personal Life, And Career Decisions.
She Fought To End This Arrangement In Court, Claiming That It Was Abusive And Oppressive.
On November 12, 2021, She Finally Won Her Freedom After A Judge Terminated The Conservatorship. Here Is A Timeline Of How It All Happened.
Table of Contents
2007: A Year Of Turmoil
In 2007, Britney Faced A Series Of Personal Problems That Led To A Public Mental Health Crisis.
She Divorced Her Husband Kevin Federline, With Whom She Had Two Sons, Sean And Jayden. She Lost Custody Of Her Children After Failing To Comply With Court Orders.
She Shaved Her Head And Attacked A Paparazzo’s Car With An Umbrella. She Checked In And Out Of Rehab Several Times.
She Was Hospitalized Twice Under A Temporary Psychiatric Assessment Ruling, Also Known As A 5150 Hold, After Refusing To Surrender Her Sons To Federline In A Standoff Involving Police.
2008: The Conservatorship Begins
In February 2008, Britney’s Father Jamie Spears And Attorney Andrew Wallet Petitioned The Court To Place Britney Under A Temporary Conservatorship, Claiming That She Was Unable To Take Care Of Herself Or Manage Her Affairs.
A Conservatorship Is A Legal Arrangement That Grants One Or More People The Authority To Make Decisions For Someone Who Is Deemed Incapacitated Or Incompetent.
The Court Granted The Request And Appointed Jamie As The Conservator Of Britney’s Person And Estate, Meaning He Had Control Over Her Medical Care, Living Arrangements, Finances, And Career.
Wallet Was Named As The Co-Conservator Of The Estate. The Conservatorship Was Made Permanent In October 2008.
2008-2019: Britney’s Career Continues
Despite Being Under The Conservatorship, Britney Continued To Work And Release New Music. She Released Three Albums: Circus (2008), Femme Fatale (2011), And Glory (2016).
She Embarked On Four World Tours: The Circus Starring Britney Spears (2009), Femme Fatale Tour (2011), Britney: Live In Concert (2017), And Piece Of Me Tour (2018).
She Also Had A Successful Residency Show In Las Vegas Called Britney: Piece Of Me (2013-2017), Which Grossed Over $137 Million.
She Appeared As A Judge On The Us Version Of The X Factor In 2012 And Made Cameo Appearances In Several Tv Shows And Movies.
2019: The #Freebritney Movement Emerges
In January 2019, Britney Announced That She Was Taking An Indefinite Work Hiatus And Canceling Her Planned Las Vegas Residency Show Domination, Citing Her Father’s Health Issues As The Reason.
However, Some Fans Speculated That There Was More To The Story And That Britney Was Being Forced To Work Against Her Will By Her Conservators.
A Podcast Called Britney’s Gram Claimed To Have Received An Anonymous Voicemail From A Former Member Of Britney’s Legal Team, Who Alleged That Britney Was Being Held In A Mental Health Facility Since January Without Her Consent And That The Domination Show Was Scrapped Because She Refused To Take Medication Prescribed By Her Doctors.
This Sparked The #Freebritney Movement, Which Aimed To Raise Awareness About Britney’s Situation And Support Her Efforts To End The Conservatorship.
2019-2020: Changes In The Conservatorship
In March 2019, Wallet Resigned As Co-Conservator Of Britney’s Estate, Leaving Jamie As The Sole Conservator.
In September 2019, Jamie Temporarily Stepped Down As Conservator Of Britney’s Person Due To Health Reasons And Allegations That He Physically Assaulted Sean During An Argument.
He Remained As Conservator Of Britney’s Estate. The Court Appointed Jodi Montgomery, A Licensed Professional Fiduciary, As The Temporary Conservator Of Britney’s Person.
Montgomery Had Control Over Britney’s Medical Treatment, Visitors, Security, And Daily Activities.
In August 2020, Britney Filed A Petition To Remove Jamie As Conservator Of Her Estate And Appoint Bessemer Trust, A Wealth Management Firm, As The Sole Conservator.
She Stated That She Was “Strongly Opposed” To Having Her Father Involved In Her Affairs And That She Wanted More Say In Who Manages Her Money And Career. She Also Expressed Her Desire To Eventually End The Conservatorship Altogether.
2021: Britney Speaks Out
In February 2021, A Documentary Titled Framing Britney Spears Was Released By The New York Times, Which Explored Britney’s Rise To Fame, Her Struggles With The Media And The Paparazzi, And Her Conservatorship Battle.
The Documentary Sparked A Renewed Interest And Sympathy For Britney’s Plight And Amplified The #Freebritney Movement.
In June 2021, Britney Addressed The Court For The First Time In A Public Hearing, Where She Gave A Shocking And Emotional Testimony About Her Experience Under The Conservatorship.
She Said That She Was “Traumatized” And “Depressed” By The Arrangement And That She Wanted It To End Without Having To Undergo Another Evaluation. She Accused Her Conservators Of Abusing Their Power And Violating Her Human Rights.
She Revealed That She Was Forced To Perform, Take Medication, Go To Therapy, And Use An Iud Against Her Wishes.
She Said That She Wanted To Get Married And Have Another Child, But She Was Not Allowed To Do So. She Pleaded With The Judge To Help Her Regain Control Of Her Life.
In July 2021, Britney Was Granted The Right To Hire Her Own Lawyer, Mathew Rosengart, After Her Court-Appointed Attorney Samuel Ingham Iii Resigned.
Rosengart Filed A Petition To Remove Jamie As Conservator Of Britney’s Estate And Replace Him With Jason Rubin, A Certified Public Accountant.
In September 2021, Jamie Filed A Petition To Terminate The Conservatorship Entirely, Saying That He Believed Britney “Should Get That Chance” To Manage Her Own Affairs.
He Also Agreed To Step Down As Conservator Of Britney’s Estate, But Did Not Specify A Timeline For His Departure.
The Court Suspended Jamie As Conservator Of Britney’s Estate And Appointed John Zabel, A Certified Public Accountant, As The Temporary Conservator.
2021: The Conservatorship Ends
On November 12, 2021, Judge Brenda Penny Ruled That The Conservatorship Was “No Longer Required” And Terminated It Effective Immediately.
Britney Celebrated The News On Social Media, Saying That She Was “On Cloud Nine Right Now” And Thanking Her Fans For Their Support.
She Also Announced That She Was Engaged To Sam Asghari, A Personal Trainer Turned Actor, Whom She Met In 2016 On The Set Of Her Music Video For Slumber Party.
The End Of The Conservatorship Marked A New Chapter In Britney’s Life And Career, As Well As A Historic Victory For The #Freebritney Movement And The Broader Issue Of Conservatorship Reform.
Britney Is Now Free To Make Her Own Decisions And Pursue Her Own Happiness, Without Any Legal Restrictions Or Interference.
Conclusion
Britney Spears’ Conservatorship Battle Is A Saga That Has Captivated And Outraged The World For Over A Decade.
It Is A Story Of A Pop Star Who Rose To Fame And Fortune, Only To Lose Her Freedom And Agency To A Legal Arrangement That Was Supposed To Protect Her.
It Is Also A Story Of A Woman Who Fought Back Against The System That Oppressed Her, With The Help Of Her Fans, Allies, And Lawyers. It Is A Story Of Resilience, Courage, And Triumph.
Britney Spears Is Finally Free From Her Conservatorship, And She Can Now Live Her Life On Her Own Terms.
She Is An Inspiration To Millions Of People Who Have Faced Or Are Facing Similar Challenges. She Is A Survivor, A Legend, And A Hero. She Is Britney Spears.
Related Faqs
What Is A Conservatorship?
A Conservatorship Is A Legal Arrangement That Grants One Or More People The Authority To Make Decisions For Someone Who Is Deemed Incapacitated Or Incompetent. A Conservatorship Can Cover The Person’s Estate And Financial Affairs, As Well As Their Personal Matters Such As Medical Care, Living Arrangements, And Social Contacts.
Why Does Britney Spears Have A Conservatorship?
Britney Spears Was Placed Under A Conservatorship In 2008 After A Series Of Personal Problems And A Public Mental Health Crisis. The Conservatorship Was Implemented To Protect Her From Harm And Exploitation, As Well As To Help Her Manage Her Finances And Career.
What Is The #Freebritney Movement?
The #Freebritney Movement Is A Grassroots Campaign That Supports Britney Spears’ Legal Battle Over Her Conservatorship. The Movement Aims To Raise Awareness About Britney’s Situation And Advocate For Her Freedom And Autonomy. The Movement Consists Of Fans, Celebrities, Activists, Lawyers, And Media Outlets Who Have Rallied Behind Britney And Protested Outside The Court During Her Hearings.
How Did Britney Spears End Her Conservatorship?
Britney Spears Ended Her Conservatorship On November 12, 2021, After A Judge Ruled That It Was No Longer Required. The Judge Terminated The Conservatorship Effective Immediately, Without Requiring Any Further Evaluation Or Transition Plan. The Decision Came After Britney’s Father Filed A Petition To End The Conservatorship In September 2021, Saying That He Believed Britney Should Get That Chance To Manage Her Own Affairs.