After a 13 year ordeal, Britney Spears’ dad, Jamie Spears has chosen to relinquish control as his daughter’s conservator.
The paperwork lodged through Spears’ lawyers to the Los Angeles Superior Court will ensure he no longer holds power over Britney’s estate.
However the pop star’s father maintains his decision to step down is done reluctantly; he does not believe the outcome to be in the best interest of his daughter.
“There are, in fact, no actual grounds for suspending or removing Mr. Spears as the Conservator of the Estate … and it is highly debatable whether a change in conservator at this time would be in Ms. Spears’ best interests,” the court documents read, according to TMZ.
“Nevertheless, even as Mr. Spears is the unremitting target of unjustified attacks, he does not believe that a public battle with his daughter over his continuing service as her conservator would be in her best interests.
“So, even though he must contest this unjustified Petition for his removal, Mr. Spears intends to work with the Court and his daughter’s new lawyer to prepare for an orderly transition to a new conservator.
“Regardless of his formal title, Mr. Spears will always be Ms. Spears’ father, he will always love her unconditionally, and he will always look out for her best interests.”
It is understood that Jamie will not step down immediately either, but will rather wait until the court appoints Britney’s new conservator.
Mathew Rosengart, Britney’s new lawyer, said he was “pleased” with the outcome but disappointed Jamie refused to step aside immediately.
“We are pleased but not necessarily surprised that Mr. Spears and his lawyer finally recognise that he must be removed. We are disappointed, however, by their ongoing shameful and reprehensible attacks on Ms. Spears and others,” he said.
“We look forward to continuing our vigorous investigation into the conduct of Mr. Spears, and others, over the past 13 years, while he reaped millions of dollars from his daughter’s estate, and I look forward to taking Mr. Spears’s sworn deposition in the near future.
“In the interim, rather than making false accusations and taking cheap shots at his own daughter, Mr. Spears should step aside immediately.”
The decision comes after months of speculation and a heated, public battle between father and daughter over the unusual legal arrangement.
Two months ago, Britney Spears told a Los Angeles judge that her court-ordered conservatorship was “abusive” and preventing her from living her full life.
Condemning her father, she asked that the conservatorship be ended without her being evaluated.
“I’ve been in denial, I’ve been in shock, I am traumatised. I just want my life back,” she said.
Spears noted debilitating constraints to her life such as her inability to have a baby with her boyfriend of several years, Sam Asghari. Under the terms of her conservatorship she was unable to get married again or have a doctor remove her contraceptive IUD.
“I feel ganged up on. I feel bullied and I feel left out and alone…..In California, the only similar thing to this is called sex trafficking, making anyone work against their will, taking all their possessions away credit card, cash, phone, passport.”
Following her legal declaration, Spears posted on Instagram last month, telling fans she quit.
“I’m not gonna be performing on any stages anytime soon with my dad handling what I wear, say, do, or think,” she said.
“I’ve done that for the past 13 years … I’d much rather share videos YES from my living room instead of onstage in Vegas.”
“I’m not gonna put on heavy makeup and try try try on stage again and not be able to do the real deal with remixes of my songs for years and begging to put my new music in my show for MY fans … so I quit !!!!”
She said the conservatorship had killed her dreams, but that she would always maintain hope.
“This conservatorship killed my dreams … so all I have is hope and hope is the only thing in this world that is very hard to kill.”
With this major win, and now free from her father’s control, it seems hope was worth holding onto.