Brit plays hardball
New lawyer ‘moving aggressively’ to end control by dad
LOS ANGELES — Britney Spears is wasting no time siccing her new lawyer on her dad to oust him from her contested conservatorship.
The singer’s self-selected counsel Mathew Rosengart appeared on her behalf at a hearing Monday and said afterward that Jamie Spears is running out of time to voluntarily relinquish his grip on his daughter’s $60 million fortune.
“My firm and I are moving aggressively and expeditiously to file a petition to remove Jamie Spears unless he resigns first,” Rosengart said.
The former federal prosecutor also thanked his client’s fans for their “overwhelming” support and hailed the “Toxic” singer “for her courage, for her strength.”
Rosengart made the comments after all sides told Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Brenda Penny that they’re close to reaching a deal on co-conservator Jodi Montgomery’s request for round-the-clock security in the wake of death threats.
Montgomery is the temporary conservator of Britney’s person, meaning she manages the entertainer’s personal security and medical care. Jamie, meanwhile, is now the sole conservator of his daughter’s estate.
Britney, 39, has been under a court-managed conservatorship since 2008 after she was involuntarily hospitalized for mental health concerns amid a child custody battle with ex-husband Kevin Federline.
She scored a major victory last
Wednesday when Judge Penny agreed to let Rosengart take over from Britney’s former court-appointed lawyer, Samuel Ingham, who asked to resign.
Spears broke down in tears during sworn testimony delivered over a phone line during the Wednesday hearing.
“This conservatorship is literally allowing my dad to ruin my life,” she said. “I’m here to press charges for abuse because I am angry and I will go there.”
It was her second surprise address to Judge Penny after giving a blockbuster address June 23 that erased all doubt over whether she wants her 13-year guardianship case to end.
She called the conservatorship “abusive” and “demoralizing,” saying it forced her labor, cut her off from friends, put her on medication that made her feel “drunk” and blocked her ability to remove an IUD.
Over the weekend, she doubled down on her vow to not perform again until her dad is removed from any position of power.
“I’m not gonna be performing on any stages anytime soon with my dad handling what I wear, say, do, or think,” Spears wrote in an Instagram post Saturday.
“And no I’m not gonna put on heavy makeup and try try try on stage again and not be able to do the real deal with remixes of my songs for years and begging to put my new music in my show for MY fans ... so I quit !!!! ” Spears wrote.
“This conservatorship killed my dreams,” she said while also calling out her sister, Jamie Lynn Spears, writing, “I don’t like that my sister showed up at an awards show and performed MY SONGS to remixes !!!!! ”
The reference followed after Jamie Lynn publicly responded to questions about her loyalty to her big sister, saying she was “proud” of her superstar sibling for using her voice.
When Jamie Lynn posted a photo of herself Sunday in a red ensemble and a caption that stated, “May the peace of the Lord be with you,” Britney appeared to respond again.
“May the Lord wrap your mean a— up in joy today,” Britney said in a caption that also referenced the color red. The post was later edited down to remove the similar phrasing.
Jamie Lynn also edited her original caption, removing all the words, leaving only emojis, and turning off comments to the post.