A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge ruled Tuesday, that Britney Spears' father, James "Jamie" Spears will remain the singer's conservator.
Pop star Britney Spears is reportedly vowing to put a pause on performing so long as her father stays in control of her career and finances. The singer, who is now 38, says she is "afraid of her father" who has controlled her career and finances ever since she started having serious mental struggles nearly 12 years ago, the Los Angeles Times reported.
“My client has informed me that she is afraid of her father,” attorney Samuel D. Ingham told the judge. “She will not perform again if her father is in charge of her career.”
A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge ruled Tuesday in a hearing set to review accounting that her father, James "Jamie" Spears will remain the singer's conservator. But the judge said the option of ousting her father remains a possibility. A small feat for the singer who has been in and out of court fighting to reclaim control of her career.
Attorneys for Spears and her mother, Lynne, asked that the singer's dad give up his role as conservator. The judge appointed, per the singer's request, a financial fiduciary, as a co-conservator, according to court documents the Los Angeles Times obtained.
Fans of the "...Baby One More Time" and "Oops! I Did it Again" singer have been outward supporters of the pop singer — even supporting a widespread #FreeBritney movement on social media — ever since her father, Jamie, took control of her life and career as a way to reportedly salvage it in 2008.
Fans have claimed that, over the years, the pop star has been utilizing her social media as a way to send encrypted messages as a cry for help.
Her father has reportedly dismissed supporters of the viral campaign as "conspiracy theorists," the Times reported.
Spears has taken a hiatus from her career since early 2019. She reportedly canceled her "Britney: Domination" show to spend time with her "ailing father." Shortly after, she was checked into a mental health facility.
The attorney for the pop star's dad, Vivian Lee Thoreen, told the judge that her client has preserved Spears' net worth — getting her out of debt and earning well over $60 million, the Associated Press reported. Thoreen added that without her client's role in Spears' finances, there will be more harm done.
Legal experts have chimed in, calling it "unusual" for someone as "seemingly young and productive" as the singer is to be in such a conservatorship, the Times reported.
The arrangement was reportedly only intended to be temporary as provide protection over her estate. Her father stepped down from his role as conservator of her person in Sept. 2019 due to "personal health problems" the Times reported but remained in control of her estate.
Most recently in August, the singer has requested that her father be removed entirely.
Another hearing has been scheduled for Dec. 16.
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