Jamie Spears slams ‘wrong’ decision to suspend him as Britney’s conservator because he ‘revived her career and always did what was best for her’ – despite being accused of ‘alcoholism and and putting camera in her bedroom’
- An LA judge ruled on Wednesday to suspend Britney Spears’ father Jamie as the conservator of her estate
- Jamie’s lawyer said in statement Thursday, ‘Respectfully, the court was wrong to suspend Mr. Spears, put a stranger in his place to manage Britney’s estate’
- ‘He has tried to do what is in her best interests,’ it reads. ‘This included helping her revive her career and re-establish a relationship with her children’
- Effective immediately, Jamie will no longer have control of Britney’s personal life and $60 million estate after 13 years
- Accountant John Zabel was appointed as a temporary conservator instead
- For over a year, Britney has been calling for her father to be fired and for an end to ‘abusive’ conservatorship
- The final termination hearing to end the conservatorship and ‘free Britney’ is scheduled for 45 days from now
Jamie Spears has slammed the judge’s ruling to remove him as his daughter Britney’s conservator.
‘Respectfully, the court was wrong to suspend Mr. Spears, put a stranger in his place to manage Britney’s estate, and extend the very conservatorship that Britney begged the court to terminate earlier this summer,’ his lawyer Vivian L. Thoreen said in a statement Thursday morning.
‘Mr. Spears loves his daughter Britney unconditionally. For thirteen years, he has tried to do what is in her best interests, whether as a conservator or her father,’ the statement continues. ‘This included helping her revive her career and re-establish a relationship with her children.’
On Wednesday LA Superior Court Judge Brenda Penny suspended Jamie as the conservator of Britney’s personal life and $60 million estate after 13 years, appointing accountant John Zabel as a temporary conservator.
The suspension comes as allegations of his mistreatment of his daughter – including secretly recording her calls and messages – have ramped up the furor over his conservatorship.
An LA judge ruled on Wednesday to suspend Britney Spears’ father Jamie as the conservator of her estate. Jamie’s lawyer said in statement Thursday, ‘Respectfully, the court was wrong to suspend Mr. Spears, put a stranger in his place to manage Britney’s estate’
For over a year, Britney has been calling for her father to be fired and for an end to ‘abusive’ conservatorship
Dozens of fans and supporters of what has become known as the #FreeBritney movement gathered outside the court, waving banners and changing ‘Free Britney’ and ‘Jamie for jail’
The statement continues, ‘For anyone who has tried to help a family member dealing with mental health issues, they can appreciate the tremendous amount of daily worry and work this required. For Mr. Spears, this also meant biting his tongue and not responding to all the false, speculative, and unsubstantiated attacks on him by certain members of the public, media, or more recently, Britney’s own attorney.
The judge removed Jamie as the conservator of Britney’s personal life and $60 million estate after 13 years
‘These facts make the outcome of yesterday’s hearing all the more disappointing, and frankly, a loss for Britney.
‘Again, it was Mr. Spears who took the initiative to file the petition to terminate the conservatorship when neither Britney’s former court-appointed counsel nor her new privately-retained attorney would do so. It was
‘Mr. Spears who asked the court at yesterday’s hearing to immediately terminate the conservatorship while Britney’s own attorney argued against it.
‘Despite the suspension, Mr. Spears will continue to look out for the best interests of his daughter and work in good faith towards a positive resolution of all matters.’
Dozens of fans and supporters of what has become known as the #FreeBritney movement gathered outside the court, waving banners and changing ‘Free Britney’ and ‘Jamie for jail’.
Britney’s lawyer, Mathew Rosengart, thanked the movement for its support, which he said had been ‘instrumental’.
He noted that while Wednesday’s ruling was a ‘substantial step toward [Britney’s] freedom’ there are still further allegations of Britney’s mistreatment that are being investigated by state and federal authorities.
‘Today’s a great day. It’s a great day for Britney Spears and it’s a great day for justice. And there’s definitely something to celebrate. But it’s also a solemn day. Britney Spears has been faced with a decade-long nightmare orchestrated by her father and others,’ Rosengart said following Wednesday’s hearing.
‘I’m so proud of her for her courage, her strength… and she’s so pleased and so thankful to all of you,’ he said addressing the public.
‘I think the support of the Free Britney movement has been instrumental.’
LA Superior Court Judge Brenda Penny (pictured) ordered Jamie to step down as Britney’s conservator appointing accountant John Zabel as the temporary replacement conservator
Britney’s lawyer Mathew Rosengart (pictured) addressed the crowd outside the Stanley Mosk Courthouse following Britney’s win
Rosengart said that Britney should ‘absolutely’ sue her father if there is evidence that proves that Jamie misappropriated money.
Britney reportedly ‘burst into tears’ on Wednesday after she learned that her father had been suspended. ‘On cloud 9 right now!!!,’ the pop star wrote in an Instagram post alongside pictures and video of her flying a prop plane for the first time.
In making her ruling on Wednesday, Judge Penny told the court, ‘I do believe that the suspension of James Spears is in the best instants of Ms. Spears.’
She added that pleadings from Britney’s legal team, ‘reflect a toxic environment that requires the suspension of Mr. Spears.’
The suspension will require Jamie to hand over all books and files he kept during the 13 years he ran his famous daughter’s conservatorship.
But Jamie – who had originally fought against terminating the conservatorship – doesn’t want to open the books to prying eyes, Rosengart told the court.
‘He did a 180… Now he’s saying let’s terminate the entire conservatorship. He wants to terminate because he doesn’t want to be deposed under oath or give discovery,’ Rosengart said. ‘What he is afraid of is the revelations of his corruption.’
Britney shared a video on Instagram showing her flying a prop plane for the first time. The post comes after a judge suspended her father from serving as her conservator after 13 years
Spears’ fans and the wider #FreeBritney movement has been campaigning for years to draw attention to the conditions of the singer’s conservatorship
Pictured: Fans show off their homemade signs supporting Britney during a #FreeBritney rally held in conjunction with the hearing on Wednesday
For more than a year, Britney has been calling for her father to be fired as her conservator and for an end to the conservatorship which she’s called ‘abusive.’
She has said that she’s ‘afraid ‘ of her dad and declared that she would not perform again until he was no longer in charge of the conservatorship he’s been overseeing since her much-publicized breakdown in 2008.
One of her most heart-wrenching revelations came during a tearful phone appearance at Judge Penny’s court last June when she said that she wanted to have a baby with her fiancé, personal trainer Sam Asghari, but the strict conservatorship wouldn’t allow her to remove her IUD birth control.
‘I feel ganged up on and bullied and alone,’ Britney told the court during that emotional statement. ‘I just want my life back.’
She also told the judge that she felt ‘enslaved’ by her dad, whom she, added, ‘should be in jail.’
Last year, at her father’s request, the conservatorship (the one dealing with Britney’s personal affairs, not the conservatorship controlling her finances) was temporarily transferred from Jamie to her long-time caregiver Jodi Montgomery.
While he blamed his stepping down on health issues, Jamie’s decision came amid accusations that he had gotten into an altercation with Britney’s then 14 year-old son Sean Preston, now 16.
TIMELINE OF BRITNEY’S COMPLEX CONSERVATORSHIP AND HOW IT BEGAN
Britney with her father, brother and mother in 2006. Her parents separated
2002: Jamie Spears and Lynne Spears divorce.
Britney breaks up with Justin Timberlake around the same time.
2004: Britney marries Kevin Federline.
2005: Britney and Kevin welcome their first child, Sean Preston Federline.
2006: Jayden James Federline, Britney and Kevin’s second child, is born.
2007: Britney, struggling through a custody battle and split with Kevin, shaves her head and attacks a paparazzo’s car.
2008: Jamie Spears files for conservatorship of Britney, claiming she is not legally well enough to make her own decisions.
Britney in 2008 for a custody hearing as part of her split with Kevin Federline. Jamie Spears in court in 2008 getting the conservatorship
2009-2019: QUIET CONSERVATORSHIP YEARS
The conservatorship – which had been temporary – is extended every year.
In court papers, Jamie’s attorneys describe how she is making more money.
JANUARY 2019: THE ARRANGEMENT STARTS TO CRUMBLE
Britney in 2019, in the grips of the conservatorship, in Las Vegas at her residency
Britney announces an ‘indefinite’ work hiatus and cancels her lucrative Las Vegas residency.
Jamie files paperwork asking for the conservatorship to be extended beyond California, to apply in Hawaii, Louisiana and Florida as well.
He steps down as her primary conservator after allegations he abused one of her sons but is still listed as one of those in charge.
EARLY 2020: Britney, Jamie and Jamie-Lynne are in Louisiana together for two weeks.
The #FreeBritney movement is picking up.
Jamie’s attorneys claim everyone is happy together and enjoying spending time together in quarantine.
NOVEMBER 2020: Britney’s attorneys claim in papers that she is afraid of her father and asks for Bessemer Trust to be put in charge.
Her fans start speculating over her cryptic Instagram posts and videos that she wants a way out.
DECEMBER 2020: The conservatorship is extended until September 2021.
FEBRUARY 5, 2021: Framing Britney Spears debuts on Hulu.
The conservatorship that Britney was put under is ordinarily used in situations where older, perhaps senile people, can no longer look after their own affairs.
Fans are concerned for her well-being and have demanded that she be released from the control of her father, Jamie
It gives control over to an appointed conservator for the best interest of the recipient but in most cases, the recipient is not healthy enough to make their own money, unlike Britney who makes millions. Under the rules of the probate conservatorship, Jamie now has equal control over her estate to a third party and an attorney, Andrew Wallet.
Wallet derives a salary of $426,000 a year from Britney’s estate.
He, Jamie and the third party who was brought on recently can make deals on her behalf and restrict her visitors.
JUNE 23, 2021 – BRITNEY SPEAKS OUT IN COURT
Britney and her boyfriend Sam Asghari
In an emotional testimony, Britney told the court that she had suffered psychologically for years as a result of the conservatorship which she said was so restrictive, she wasn’t allowed to remove her IUD birth control.
JUNE 30, 2021 – JUDGE DENIES BRITNEY’S REQUEST TO REMOVE JAMIE
Judge Brenda Penny, responding to Britney’s November 2020 request, refuses to remove Jamie from the agreement.
She doesn’t say why but she does invite her attorney to file paperwork to end it, which he doesn’t.
JULY 1, 2021 – BESSEMER TRUST RESIGNS AFTER BEING PUT IN CHARGE WITH JAMIE
A day after the judge’s ruling, Bessemer Trust, which had been brought on, resigned, saying they were never aware that Britney wanted to end the conservatorship.
In a court filing, the company’s attorneys said: ‘We heard her and respect her wishes.’
JULY 5, 2021 – BRITNEY’S LONG-TIME MANAGER RESIGNS
Larry Rudolph wrote a letter to Jamie and the conservatorship to say he was no longer needed since Britney wanted to retire.
He said he hadn’t spoken to her for two years but had been told by others that she wanted to step down.
JULY 6, 2021 – BRITNEY’S ATTORNEY STEPS DOWN
Sam Ingham, the attorney appointed to represent Britney in 2008, steps down after failing to file paperwork to terminate the conservatorship, despite her pleas.
JULY 14, 2021 -BRITNEY WINS RIGHT TO CHOOSE HER OWN LAWYER
A Los Angeles court granted Britney the right to choose a lawyer to help her end her conservatorship, after she told a judge the current situation was ‘allowing my dad to ruin my life.’ She chose former federal prosecutor Mathew Rosengart as her new attorney.
JULY 23, 2021 – BRITNEY FLASHES HER BOOBS ON INSTAGRAM
Singer’s semi-nude post was hailed by fans including Paris Hilton as evidence of her determination to become a ‘free woman’.
JULY 27, 2021 – LYNNE SPEARS AGREES TO TESTIFY IN SUPPORT OF HER DAUGHTER
The singer’s mother’s attack on Jamie gives her a powerful new ally in her bid to be freed.
AUGUST 12, 2021 – JAMIE SPEARS AGREES TO STEP DOWN AS CONSERVATOR
Jamie’s lawyers filed court documents saying that he will step down, and provide an orderly transition to another conservator.
He said that he was doing so because he felt a public argument with his daughter was not in her best interests.
SEPTEMBER 7, 2021 – JAMIE SPEARS FILES TO END THE CONSERVATORSHIP
Jamie states that his daughter ‘is entitled to have this Court now seriously consider whether this conservatorship is no longer required.’
The filing went on to say that Britney Spears’ circumstances have changed ‘to such an extent that grounds for establishment of a conservatorship may no longer exist.’
SEPTEMBER 29, 2021 – JAMIE SUSPENDED FROM CONSERVATORSHIP
LA Superior Court Judge Brenda Penny ruled to suspend Jamie as the conservator of Britney’s estate.
Accountant John Zabel has been named as the temporary replacement conservator.
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