Britney Spears has scored a legal victory after her father Jamie agreed to relinquish control of her $60 million estate.
The Toxic singer has been fighting to remove her father from the controlling role he has held for 13 years while seeking an end to the overall conservatorship, which has left her “traumatised” and “depressed”.
In new legal documents, obtained by TMZ, Jamie’s lawyer says his client will work with lawmakers on an exit strategy off the back of “unjustified attacks” from Britney’s supporters and members of his own family.
“There are, in fact, no actual grounds for suspending or removing Mr. Spears as the Conservator of the Estate… and it is highly debatable whether a change in conservator at this time would be in Ms. Spears’ best interests,” he insists.
“Nevertheless, even as Mr. Spears is the unremitting target of unjustified attacks, he does not believe that a public battle with his daughter over his continuing service as her conservator would be in her best interests.
“So, even though he must contest this unjustified Petition for his removal, Mr. Spears intends to work with the Court and his daughter’s new attorney to prepare for an orderly transition to a new conservator.”
The lawyer adds: “Regardless of his formal title, Mr. Spears will always be Ms. Spears’ father, he will always love her unconditionally, and he will always look out for her best interests.
“Not only was she suffering mentally and emotionally, she was also being manipulated by predators and in financial distress. Mr. Spears came to his daughter’s rescue to protect her.”
After Jamie’s paperwork was filed, Britney’s lawyer Mathew Rosengart issued his own statement in which he said he was happy over the outcome, while reiterating his commitment to ending the conservatorship.
“I announced in Court on July 14 that, after 13 years of the status quo, it was time for Mr. Spears to be suspended or removed as conservator and that my firm and I would move aggressively and expeditiously for that outcome,” he shared.
“Twelve days later, my firm filed a Petition for Mr. Spears’s suspension and removal based on strong, insurmountable legal grounds, which were unequivocally supported by the law and all parties involved, including Jodi Montgomery, Britney Spears, and her medical team.
“We are pleased that Mr. Spears and his lawyer have conceded in a filing that he must be removed. It is vindication for Britney.
“We are disappointed, however, by their ongoing shameful and reprehensible attacks on Ms. Spears and others.
“We look forward to continuing our vigorous investigation into the conduct of Mr. Spears, and others, over the past 13 years, while he reaped millions of dollars from his daughter’s estate, and I look forward to taking Mr. Spears’s sworn deposition in the near future.”
Back in June, Britney pleaded with a Los Angeles judge to call time on the conservatorship and shared her wish to cut ties with her father and open legal proceedings against her family.
Following the hearing, fans supporting the #FreeBritney movement and stars took to social media to lend their support to the hitmaker.