Finally free! A timeline of Britney Spears’ conservatorship battle
Britney Spears is a free woman now. The pop star entered into conservatorship with her father Jamie Spears in February 2008, after a mental breakdown. The conservatorship gave her father Jamie Spears control over her life, career and money for the last 13 years. On November 12, a judge in Los Angeles approved the termination and gave back Britney her life back!
Marking the day of victory, we have compiled a timeline of the major events in Britney's conservatorship over the last decade.
The beginning
Following a year of seemingly erratic behaviour—such as shaving her head and attacking a paparazzo's car with an umbrella — Britney Spears was twice hospitalised under psychiatric hold and later her father, Jamie and attorney Andrew Wallet are granted conservatorship after they had petitioned the Los Angeles County Superior Court for an emergency "temporary conservatorship" over his daughter, as per the Los Angeles Times.
(Photograph:Twitter)
Complete control
Spears' conservatorship was extended indefinitely, Jamie, now 69, was given complete control over the singer's estate and physical well-being while co-conservator and attorney, Andrew Wallet, was to oversee her finances.
“The conservatorship is necessary and appropriate for the complexity of financial and business entities and her being susceptible to undue influence,” said Judge Goetz at the time, according to Reuters.
(Photograph:Twitter)
#FreeBritneySpears
In 2009, her fans launched the now-famous movement #FreeBritneySpears, which played a huge part in Spears' conservatorship. Fans took to streets with banners and holdings and protested outside courts on the hearing dates, questioning the necessity and validity of the legal guardianship.
(Photograph:Twitter)
Britney Spears & her conservatorship
Britney Spears is a free woman now. The pop star entered into conservatorship with her father Jamie Spears in February 2008, after a mental breakdown. The conservatorship gave her father Jamie Spears control over her life, career and money for the last 13 years. On November 12, a judge in Los Angeles approved the termination and gave back Britney her life back!
(Photograph:Twitter)
Britney is allowed to pick her own attorney
After Britney's explosive testimony, several of her close aides resigned including her manager Larry Rudolph who had handled her career for over 25 years and her lawyer of 13 years, Samuel Ingham.
Soon after Britney is allowed to pick her own attorney, the singer chooses Hollywood power lawyer Mathew Rosengart of Greenberg Traurig in her pursuit to end the arrangement.
(Photograph:Twitter)
Engagement!
Two days after Sam Asghari posted a photo of a giant ring on Instagram and subsequently deleted it, his then girlfriend Britney Spears revealed that the couple had gotten engaged.
The two shared the news on Instagram. "I can't f---ng believe it [?]!!!!!!" she captioned a video of herself showing off a giant ring on her ring finger.
Sam is a fitness trainer and met Spears in 2016 on the sets of her music video 'Slumber Party'.
(Photograph:Twitter)
New documentary
A new documentary revealed shocking details on how Britney's calls and even her bedroom was bugged by security on her father's orders. The film also revealed how the singer's medication was increased during her stint as a celebrity judge on the 2012 reality show 'The X Factor'.
(Photograph:Twitter)
Father suspended, finally
After years of fight, in September 2021, a Los Angeles judge finally suspended her father, Jamie Spears, from his 13-year role as the controller of the singer's business affairs.
"The current situation is not tenable. It reflects a toxic environment which requires the suspension of Jamie Spears effective today," Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Brenda Penny had said during a court hearing.
(Photograph:Twitter)
