Britney Spears asks to address court over controversial conservatorship case

US pop singer Britney Spears has requested to speak in court in the controversial legal battle over her father’s conservatorship. The 39 year old was placed under conservatorship of her father back in 2008 when she apparently had a mental breakdown, which was widely publicised. Now, after 13 years, adamant fans are demanding for her conservatorship to end amid speculations that her father is using it to control her. A #FreeBritney online campaign has been circulating, calling for an end to the legal ties between her and her father.

A documentary that was released in February “Framing Britney Spears,” which focused on her mental health issues and her father’s legal guardianship over her finances, has helped spur a movement by her fans to “free” her. But Spears has made little public comments over the documentary, except to say that she was “embarrassed by the doc’s portrayal of her.

Spears filed to remove her father, Jamie Spears from the conservatorship and give sole power of her financial estate to a financial institution. Her court-appointed lawyer noted that she was “afraid” of her father. In February, a court gave power jointly to Jamie Spears and Bessemer Trust, denying his request to solely control her investments. The case, however, is ongoing. Jamie Spear’s lawyers say, in his defense, that he has done an excellent job of managing his daughter’s finances.

Jamie Spears also accused his ex-wife Lynne Spears of having “exploited her daughter’s pain and trauma for personal profit,” in the latest round of the exes slinging accusations against each other.

The singer’s request to address the court comes with no known reason, but a Los Angeles judge has set a hearing for June 23 to allow her to speak. It has been more than 2 years since Spears has spoken in court with the last time being on May 10, 2019. That address was sealed, with none of what she said being made public.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post/USA Today