BRITNEY Spears has officially been released from a 13-year long conservatorship that controlled many aspects of the singer’s life.
A judge in Los Angeles on Friday ended the conservatorship set up by the 39-year-old singer’s father in 2008 with immediate effect.
As part of the ruling, Judge Penny said an accountant who served as a temporary conservator should retain some powers to settle ongoing financial issues.
Spears described the termination of a legal arrangement that controlled many aspects of her life for 13 years as “the best day ever”.
“I think I’m gonna cry,” she told her 35 million Instagram followers.
Fans had gathered outside the LA court to support Spears, who had described the guardianship as abusive.
Good God I love my fans so much it’s crazy 🥺❤️ !!! I think I’m gonna cry the rest of the day !!!! Best day ever … praise the Lord … can I get an Amen 🙏🏼☀️🙌🏼 ???? #FreedBritney
— Britney Spears (@britneyspears) November 12, 2021
🎥: @AbbyShalawylo pic.twitter.com/yk1vO3H02L
Addressing the crowd outside the court, Spears’ lawyer Mathew Rosengart praised the singer’s “courage” throughout the court hearings.
He said he was proud that she had “shined a light on conservatorships from California to New York”, and that as a result of her testimony, new legislation had been passed “to try to ensure that conservatorships like this… do not happen again”.
“Her life was in shambles and she was in physical, emotional, mental and financial distress,” lawyers representing Jamie Spears said in earlier court filings.
The conservatorship had power over her finances and career decisions plus major personal matters, such as her visits with her teenage sons and whether she can get remarried.
BBC