After 13 Years, Britney Spears is Finally Free

Since 2008, legendary pop star and singer Britney Spears has been in a conservatorship from her father, Jamie Spears. “After the hearing on Wednesday,” the New York Times reports, “Judge Brenda Penny granted a petition by the singer’s new lawyer, suspending James P. Spears, 69, from his position as conservator of his daughter’s $60 million estate.” 

For those unaware of the conservatorship and what has been occurring for Britney for the last 13 years, here’s the rundown. 

Her father Jamie Spears put her into a conservatorship which basically gives him complete control over Britney. It is usually done in times of medical, financial or mental health crises and practically puts a dictatorship on a person and their life. 

Spears’ fans began to notice that Britney was different and her life was being controlled, and when news came out that Spears was being controlled by her father, they began rioting for her freedom. The #FreeBritney movement has gained immense popularity within the past few years. Fans have become obsessed with the case and have advocated for her rights and freedom. 

Jamie has now been suspended from the conservatorship. Now age 39, she is free at last to post what she pleases, go where she pleases, and discuss her issues publicly. Spears’ father claims he took control over her in order to help her get through dark times. “The conservatorship has helped Ms. Spears get through a major life crisis, rehabilitate and advance her career, and put her finances and her affairs in order,” NBC news states.

“But recently, things have changed…Ms. Spears is now outspoken in her frustration with the level of control imposed by a conservatorship, and has pleaded with this Court to ‘let her have her life back,” NBC news reports.

Releasing a conservatorship is very difficult and it’s rare that a conservatee will successfully petition their court for freedom. Britney’s case has been heard and denied multiple times by the court in the last few years. This time, her father actually filed to end the conservatorship, as this is one of the only ways she could be released. 

This was not an easy process and immense amounts of time and effort went into actually progressing and finishing this case. Once being semi-freed from conservatorship, Spears had to speak in court several times and hire different lawyers and managers. There had to be a mutual decision between Spears and her father before any change progressed, and this was the thing stopping her for 13 years.

Spears stated in her testimony that the control of her father was not only unconstitutional but literal abuse. In her testimony, Spears also claimed her father got her driver’s license taken away, made sure she couldn’t drink coffee, controlled her diet, and took away her “pink hair vitamins.” “That’s not abuse. That’s just fucking cruelty,” she testified. 

Spears was scared of her father throughout most of her childhood, as she stated in her testimony that their history and relationship was rocky. “I was always extremely scared of my dad and scared he was going to show up drunk somewhere.” 

Although it has been a long and tough ride, the public and Britney’s fans are more than thrilled that she is finally free. They only hope that now with her new freedom she can live her life as she pleases and go back to being the true Britney she is.