Celebrity News July 14, 2021
The Latest on Britney Spears’ Conservatorship Hearing
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Britney Spears’ conservatorship case was back in court Wednesday, following the pop star’s bombshell testimony last month.
The New York Times reports that Judge Brenda Penny approved Britney’s request to choose her own lawyer, and her longtime court-appointed attorney Samuel D. Ingham’s request to resign.
During her June testimony, Spears said, “I haven’t really had the opportunity by my own self to actually handpick my own lawyer. I would like to be able to do that.”
In Wednesday's hearing, the judge granted Spears permission to hire famed lawyer Mathew S. Rosengart.
Rosengart has represented stars like Sean Penn, Casey Affleck and Winona Ryder. Rosengart, however, is a litigator, not a probate lawyer. He has not publicly commented on the reports.
Page Six reported Judge Brenda Penny was set to hear multiple petitions in the case during a hearing at Stanley Mosk Courthouse in L.A.
Britney was not expected to be in court, but she made accusations against her dad Jamie Spears during Wednesday’s hearing. According to Us Weekly, she told the judge that she was “extremely scared” of Jamie, adding, “I’m here to get rid of my dad and charge him with conservatorship abuse… This conservatorship has allowed my dad to ruin my life.”
Wednesday’s hearing will most likely address Bessemer Trust’s request to be removed as co-conservator. The wealth management firm filed a petition stating, “As a result of the conservatee’s testimony at the June 23 hearing, however, Petitioner has become aware that the conservatee objects to the continuance of her conservatorship and desires to terminate the conservatorship. Petitioner has heard the conservatee and respects her wishes.”
When Spears took her conservatorship case before the judge in June, she wanted to end her father Jamie Spears’ control over her supersized bank account — and every aspect of her life. Britney made many startling claims, seeming to verify the worst fears of the online #FreeBritney movement.
Jamie is still a co-conservator of her $60-million estate, and Jodi Montgomery is still the conservator of her person.
After Britney’s testimony, Jamie filed legal docs claiming he’s not the one to blame, while asking the court to investigate her allegations.
Montgomery's lawyer Lauriann Wright also spoke out, telling Us Weekly that Jodi is working on Britney’s behalf, and the goal is “to assist and encourage Britney in her path to no longer needing a conservatorship of the person.”
