Britney Spears hearing deals with aftermath of bombshell testimony
A new attorney has been appointed to represent Britney Spears in her conservatorship after a hearing in which the singer tearfully spoke about the case’s impact on her life.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Brenda Penny today approved Spears hiring former federal prosecutor Mathew Rosengart to represent her. The ruling was cheered by fans outside the courthouse.
Ms Spears spoke for the second hearing in a row, at one point calling the acts of the conservatorship that has governed her personal and financial affairs since early 2008 “cruelty.”
She asked that the case end immediately, but not if she has to go through more “stupid” evaluations.
Ms Spears spoke rapidly while addressing the court, breaking down in tears toward the end of her remarks.
Three weeks after her dramatic comments in court condemning the conservatorship that has controlled her life for 13 years, a Los Angeles judge and others with legal power over the pop star are convening today to deal with the aftermath.
Ms Spears’ remarks led to the resignation of her court-appointed lawyer, the withdrawal of an estate-management company that was supposed to oversee her finances, and a volley of accusations between her father and a professional conservator over who’s to blame for the legal circumstances she says are “abusive” and need to end.
At the June 23 hearing, her first public words in court on the matter, Ms Spears said she was being forced to take medication and use an intrauterine device for birth control, said she was not allowed to marry her boyfriend, and said she wanted to own her own money. “I just want my life back,” she said.
She was harshly critical of her father, who serves as conservator of her finances, and had more measured criticism for Jodi Montgomery, the court-appointed professional who serves as conservator of her person, overseeing her life choices.
James Spears said in a legal filing that the court needs to investigate the allegations and Ms Montgomery’s role, pointing out that his daughter’s personal life has been beyond his control since he resigned as conservator of her person in 2019, a role he played for 11 years.
He opposed Ms Montgomery’s request for money to hire security because of recent death threats, saying he has been subjected to similar threats for years.
Ms Montgomery denied that Britney Spears was prevented from marrying or forced to use birth control. She lashed back at James Spears, saying that Britney Spears has expressed no desire to oust her as she has with her father.
Ms Montgomery said she is committed to staying on the job and is putting a care plan in place to help end the conservatorship, something she said James Spears has expressed no desire to do.
“Mr Spears, as the Conservator of the Estate, and Ms Montgomery, as the Conservator of the Person, should be working as a team to ensure that Ms Spears’ best interest are being met, that she is on a path to recovery and termination of her conservatorship, and that she is living her best life possible,” Ms Montgomery said in a court filing.
“Instead, Mr Spears has decided it is time to start the finger-pointing and media attacks – The mud-slinging by Mr Spears and his new ‘It wasn’t me!’ strategy — after being her sole or co-conservator for more than 13 years — leaves Ms Montgomery no other choice but to defend herself.”
Despite nearly two years on the job, Ms Montgomery’s status is still technically temporary. She appeared to be on track for permanent appointment before recent events.
Britney Spears longtime court-appointed lawyer, Samuel Ingham III, filed documents last week saying he resigned, effective as soon as she got a new attorney, which at the June hearing she said she wanted.
The Bessemer Trust, a financial company that Ms Spears had sought as a replacement for her father last year but was instead appointed to work alongside him, also withdrew from the conservatorship last week, saying it no longer wanted to take part in a legal arrangement that she didn’t want.
