Britney Spears conservatorship case
On February 1, 2008, American musician Britney Spears was involuntarily placed under a conservatorship by Judge Reva Goetz, with her father, James "Jamie" Spears, and attorney Andrew M. Wallet, as conservators. The conservatorship lasted until November 2021.
Britney Spears conservatorship dispute
February 1, 2008 – November 12, 2021
(13 years, 9 months and 11 days)Allegations of abuse originating from fan speculation, media investigation, and public testimony
Termination of conservatorship, investigations into alleged abuse, guardianship reform
Conservatorship terminated
In re the Conservatorship of the Person and Estate of Britney Jean Spears, Conservatee
February 1, 2008
The conservatorship of both the person and estate were terminated on November 12, 2021
Brenda J. Penny (2015–2021), previously Reva Goetz (2008–2015; retired)
The management of the conservatorship by Jamie, Wallet, and Spears's former business manager Lou M. Taylor, among other parties, generated controversy almost immediately. While Spears was held on an involuntary psychiatric hold in early 2008 for alleged mental health concerns, there was initially a temporary conservatorship intended to last only days. It was extended to months and eventually made permanent, against the objections of Spears.
In 2019, Spears's career was put on hiatus when her father was hospitalized and she checked into a mental health facility, citing stress over her father's health. Shortly thereafter, details of the conservatorship leaked from inside the management team. Spears's longtime discontent with the conservatorship came to light in personal accounts and investigative reporting. Jamie's legal team maintained that the conservatorship was in Spears's best interests, and sought to keep it in place. In 2020, a social movement calling for termination of the conservatorship, #FreeBritney, attracted worldwide media attention, and grew dramatically following the release of a 2021 television documentary on the issue.
In June 2021, Spears made her first public statement in court proceedings and asked to terminate her conservatorship. She accused her father, family, and management of abuse, detailing instances of mistreatment, coercion, and conflict of interest. On July 14, Judge Brenda Penny granted Spears the right to choose her own attorney, former federal prosecutor Mathew Rosengart of Greenberg Traurig. On September 7, Jamie and his team reversed position, filing to terminate the conservatorship to allegedly avoid discovery and deposition. Judge Penny suspended Jamie on September 29, replacing him with accountant John Zabel; this allowed the conservatorship to continue until its termination. On November 12, Judge Penny formally terminated the conservatorship.
The dispute and subsequent termination made Spears a symbol of conservatorship law reform and human rights across the United States, and served as precedent for legislation designed to combat such abuse on a state and federal level. The revelations of abuse and mistreatment endured by Spears during this arrangement as well as years in public life led to a reassessment of her legacy and public image, which was heavily distorted by the media and tabloids in years leading up to her highly publicized breakdown.
Responses[edit]
Spears's family[edit]
In September 2022, Spears's former husband Kevin Federline said in an interview with 60 Minutes, that he 100 percent believed the conservatorship saved her life, saying: "I feel like he [Jamie] saved her back then."[213][214] Spears's son Jayden Federline stated in the same interview that Jamie Spears had good intentions, saying: "He was trying to be like any father, like, pursue his daughter's dream of being a superstar, working and doing all these concerts and performing. But I think some people are just, like, ceasing to realize how much he cares about her."[215]
Jamie Spears has not given interviews or made comments about the conservatorship, except in December 2022, when he told UK's The Mail on Sunday: "Not everybody's going to agree with me. It's been one hell of a time. But I love my daughter with all my heart and soul. Where would Britney be right now without that conservatorship? And I don't know if she'd be alive. I don’t. For protecting her, and also protecting the kids, conservatorship was a great tool. Without it, I don't think she would have got the kids back."[216] Jamie stated that he wanted to ensure that Spears's children saw their mother, saying: "We could take the kids to Europe. They didn't miss time with their mother. They didn't miss time with their father. Not many people knew that. The main purpose was to get Britney back with her kids in a comfortable relationship. We did everything in the world with them. My relationship with Kevin gave them a sense of peace, and of protection. Kevin will tell you this too – it was us who raised the kids. I just did what I was supposed to do, or felt like I needed to do."[216]