Less than a month after agreeing to step down as conservator of Britney Spears’ finances and estate, the pop star’s father made it official on Tuesday.
“As Mr. Spears has said again and again, all he wants is what is best for his daughter,” reads the petition Jamie Spears filed in Los Angeles Superior Court. “If Ms. Spears wants to terminate the conservatorship and believes that she can handle her own life, Mr. Spears believes that she should get that chance.”
Jamie, who stepped down as co-conservator of Britney’s person in 2019, told the court on Aug. 12 that he would quit as conservator of her finances and estate but did not say when.
“There are, in fact, no actual grounds for suspending or removing Mr. Spears as the Conservator of the Estate under Probate Code section 2650,” read the July filing. “And it is highly debatable whether a change in conservator at this time would be in Ms. Spears’ best interests.
“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.”
Jamie promised to “work with the Court and his daughter’s new attorney to prepare for an orderly transition to a new conservator.”
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Late last month, Britney’s lawyer Mathew Rosengart accused Jamie of demanding $2 million U.S. in legal fees and other payments before he steps down. Rosengart called it “a non-starter.”
On Tuesday, Rosengart told the Associated Press that the filing “represents another legal victory for Britney Spears — a massive one — as well as vindication for Ms. Spears.”
Jamie’s petition will have to be approved by Judge Brenda Penny. The next scheduled hearing is Sept. 29.
Jamie was appointed co-conservator of his famous daughter on Feb. 1, 2008 after she suffered a mental health breakdown. The conservatorship was made permanent on Oct. 7, 2008.
On July 26, Rosengart filed to have Jamie ousted and replaced by certified public accountant Jason Rubin.
In his filing, Rosengart described the conservatorship as a “Kafkaesque nightmare” and said the relationship between Jamie and his daughter is “venomous.” The documents allege “potential misconduct, including conflicts of interest [and] conservatorship abuse.”
It was the first time Spears formally sought to remove her father from his role as conservator of her finances and estate. To date, no application has been made to replace or remove Jodi Montgomery, who is Spears’ conservator of person.
In her address to Penny on June 23, Britney fumed: “My dad and anyone involved in this conservatorship and my management who played a huge role in punishing me when I said no — ma’am, they should be in jail.”
In an Instagram post in July, Britney told fans: “I'm not gonna be performing on any stages anytime soon with my dad handling what I wear, say, do, or think.”