Britney Spears wants to make conservatorship battle public, new filing shows
Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty ImagesBritney Spears has opposed her father’s request to have the legal proceedings related to her conservatorship sealed. In a court document filed with the Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday, Spears’ attorney argued…
By ABC Audio on September 4, 2020
Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty ImagesBritney Spears has opposed her father’s request to have the legal proceedings related to her conservatorship sealed.
In a court document filed with the Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday, Spears’ attorney argued that the pop star is “vehemently opposed” to keeping her “legal struggle hidden away as a family secret.”‘
The “Toxic” singer, who has been under a legal conservatorship for more than a decade, is currently at odds with her father, James “Jamie” Spears, over who should control her personal affairs and finances.
The #FreeBritney campaign has regained momentum since last year: Fans believe Britney is being controlled against her will — and the filing seems to acknowledge that.
“Britney’s conservatorship has attracted an unprecedented level of scrutiny from mainstream media and social media alike. Far from being a conspiracy theory or a ‘joke’ as James reportedly told the media, in large part this scrutiny is a reasonable and even predictable result of James’ aggressive use of the sealing procedure over the years to minimize the amount of meaningful information made available to the public,” the star’s latest filing reads.
“Transparency is an essential component in order for this Court to earn and retain the public’s confidence with respect to protective proceedings like this one. In this case, it is not an exaggeration to say that the whole world is watching.”
Britney Spears’ attorney stated in court documents filed in August that the singer’s needs have changed since her conservatorship began. Phase one of the conservatorship was considered “triage,” in which her conservators “rescued her from a collapse, exploitation by predatory individuals and financial ruin.”
Phase two involved her return to performing, but the current third phase “reflects Britney’s stated desire not to perform at this time.” The filing asks for the conservatorship to be “changed substantially in order to reflect the major changes in her current lifestyle and her stated wishes.”
By Lesley Messer and Anthony McMahon
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