Spears wants Dad out now, claims extort
Britney Spears expects her 13year conservatorship to end this fall and wants her father removed from the controversial arrangement immediately, her lawyer said in a court filing Wednesday.
Attorney Mathew Rosengart urged a Los Angeles County judge to replace Jamie Spears as the singer’s conservator by Sept. 29 and give the job to someone who can do it on a “temporary, short-term” basis, according to the latest motion.
The request comes two weeks after Jamie Spears formally asked the court to end the conservatorship following a high-profile legal battle that saw the pop star publicly accuse her dad of controlling her entire life. She then claimed he was trying to extort $2 million in payments to his lawyers, himself and others as a condition for his exit.
“We are pleased by Mr. Spears’s recent forced concessions, and my client looks forward to the prompt termination of the conservatorship, and to her freedom,” Rosengart said in an emailed statement. “We have exposed Mr. Spears’ efforts to obtain a large quid pro quo payout, while also making clear that Britney Spears will no longer be bullied.”
Court records show Jamie Spears wants his daughter’s estate to cover the $1.36 million he allegedly spent in legal fees between October and June. He’s also seeking additional cash that includes “the outrageous sum of $540,000” for unspecified media matters, Rosengart said in Wednesday’s filing.
The latest motion argues that suspending Jamie Spears is a necessary step “toward Ms. Spears’ freedom and ending the Kafkaesque nightmare imposed upon her by her father, so that her dignity and basic liberties can be restored.”
The pop star’s repeated attempts to end the conservatorship culminated in a stunning June hearing where she detailed her grievances with her dad, saying she felt “enslaved” by the “abusive” arrangement. The court-ordered conservatorship began in 2008 following a series of highly publicized mental health crises and hospitalizations involving the beloved “Toxic” singer.
Britney Spears, who’s now 39, recently got engaged to longtime boyfriend Sam Asghari and is about to craft a prenuptial agreement, a process that would require her conservator’s approval.
Given that her relationship with her dad is “broken,” having Jamie Spears involved in her affairs would “impede the ability to negotiate and consummate a contract” that is in her best interest, Rosengart told the judge.