A California judge granted Brtiney Spears’ petition, Wednesday, removing her father, Jamie Spears, from overseeing the pop icon’s multi-million dollar fortune, and shifting Britney Spears’ financial conservatorship to an independent accountant who will handle her estate until the full conservatorship comes to a close.
“[F]or the first time since 2008, Ms. Spears, 39, will be without her father’s oversight, a Los Angeles judge has ruled, as the singer moves toward terminating her conservatorship altogether,” the New York Times reported late Wednesday. “At a hearing on Wednesday, Judge Brenda Penny granted a petition by Ms. Spears’s lawyer, suspending Mr. Spears, 69, from his position as overseer of his daughter’s $60 million estate — a move Ms. Spears was pleading for, her lawyer said.”
Judge Brenda Penny, who is presiding over the current assessment of Britney Spears’ conservatorship — a complicated life management schematic that the singer has lived under for the past 13 years — said Wednesday in her ruling that the current situation is “not tenable,” and that Jamie Spears is suspended from handling Britney’s accounts.
“She named a California accountant, John Zabel, as the temporary conservator of the singer’s finances,” taking a recommendation from Britney Spears’ lawyer.
Interestingly, Penny did not fully terminate Jamie Spears’ relationship with the conservatorship, conceding to Britney Spears’ wishes. Britney’s attorneys had requested Jamie Spears remain connected to the matter so that they could “further investigate” his conduct, according to the New York Times.
Penny also has yet to rule on the full conservatorship. While Jamie Spears controlled Britney’s finances, a separate conservator handled Britney’s life, health, and household decisions. Issues related to that conservatorship may be resolved in October when the court is scheduled for another hearing.
Jamie Spears issued a lengthy statement following the hearing defending himself from critics and excoriating the court for placing “a stranger in his place to manage Britney’s estate.”
“For thirteen years, he has tried to do what is in her best interests, whether as a conservator or her father. This started with agreeing to serve as her conservator when she voluntarily entered into the conservatorship,” he said through his attorney. “This included helping her revive her career and re-establish a relationship with her children. For anyone who has tried to help a family member dealing with mental health issues, they can appreciate the tremendous amount of daily worry and work this required.”
Spears’ attorney would only say that his client is “very happy” with the outcome of Wednesday’s hearing. He added that Jamie Spears’ suggestion that Britney’s lawyers argued to keep the conservatorship was incorrect, and that Jamie Spears sought to terminate the conservatorship altogether in order to “avoid accountability and justice, including sitting for a sworn deposition and answering other discovery under oath.”
Issues with Britney Spears’ conservatorship came to light earlier this summer when the pop star finally won the ability to testify in open court about her treatment under the rigid legal structure that, she claimed, manages nearly all of her life decisions. In an emotional statement, Spears laid much of the blame for her mistreatment on her father, though he denied wrongdoing.
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Source: Dailywire
