In a massive win for Britney Spears, her father filed a petition on Tuesday to end the conservatorship that has allowed him to control various aspects of her life for the past 13 years.
The petition the pop icon’s father, James Spears, filed to a Los Angeles court said his daughter “is entitled to have this Court now seriously consider whether this conservatorship is no longer required,” NBC News reported.
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The older Spears filed the petition against the backdrop of growing criticism—from both the public and his daughter—about his role.
The petition said that Britney Spears wouldn’t need to undergo a psychological evaluation to end the conservatorship and restore her independence. The singer has refused to undergo such tests, which are sometimes required by the court to determine how stable the conservatee is.
James Spears’ role as conservator, which was first appointed in 2008 following concerns about his daughter’s mental health, gave him control of the now 39-year-old singer’s finances, including her roughly $60 million estate.
Britney Spears has repeatedly called the conservatorship abusive, saying that she’s been prohibited from removing an IUD that would allow her to have more children, and forced to perform against her will.
“After I’ve told the whole world I’m OK, it’s a lie,” Britney Spears said before a court in June, her first time speaking publicly about her conservatorship. “I’m not happy, I can’t sleep, I’m depressed, I cry every day.”
Britney Spears has also accused her father of taking away her driver’s license for eight months, and of depriving her of coffee and vitamins.
In 2019, James Spears gave up control of his daughter’s life decisions—a responsibility turned over to a court-appointed professional—but continued to control her money.
The singer has tried to terminate her conservatorship twice in the last two years. The #FreeBritney movement on social media, which has long supported the star, has helped propel some changes.
Britney Spears’ newly appointed lawyer Mathew Rosengart, whom she hired independently for her July 14 hearing, filed a petition the same month to remove her father from the conservatorship and replace him with a professional accountant, who would be more qualified to handle her finances. A New York Times investigation found puzzling financial records under James Spears’ conservatorship, in which the singer’s father earned $16,000 monthly for his role, though the singer, a worldwide icon, was only allowed an $8,000 monthly allowance.
Britney Spears said in June that she was previously not aware that she could file a petition to terminate her conservatorship.
In a court filing dated Aug. 12, James Spears indicated that he’d step down as conservator, but denied allegations of abuse.
Tuesday’s petition is a monumental legal win for Britney Spears, her lawyer Rosengart said in a statement to CNN.
“This filing represents another legal victory for Britney Spears—a massive one—as well as vindication for Ms. Spears,” Rosengart said.
Brenda Penny, the appointed judge for Britney Spears’ case, will need to approve James Spears’ petition. The next hearing in the case will be on Sept. 29.
