Britney Spears asks court to end power father has held over her for 12 years

Britney Spears has asked a court to end her father’s strict control over her life, which he has exerted for more than a decade.

Documents filed by the star’s court-appointed lawyer say she has asked that her father is not reappointed as her conservator, which handed him the power to control almost every aspect of her life and career.

Jamie Spears temporarily stepped down as his daughter’s conservator last year, citing health problems, but was due to resume the role this year.

Conservatorship is when a guardian or protector is appointed by a court to manage the life of someone due to physical or mental limitations.

Spears was put under her father’s care in 2008 amid struggles with her mental health, but has consistently fought back against the order.

For the first 11 years of the conservatorship, her father was co-conservator with lawyer Andrew M Wallet, who resigned in 2019, giving Jamie Spears sole control over her life – a situation she does not want to see repeated.

Jamie Spears, who still oversees his daughter’s finances, has been contacted for comment.

Britney Spears wants Jodi Montgomery, who has been her temporary guardian, to take the role on permanently, but adds that does not mean she is going to stop seeking an end to the agreement altogether.

The court documents also add that Spears will not be performing again any time soon.

She has rarely spoken about the arrangement in public.

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Last year, however, she addressed the court at her own request, to ask for changes to the arrangement.

She has praised the work of the conservatorship in general in the court filings, saying it “rescued her from a collapse, exploitation by predatory individuals and financial ruin” and that it made her “able to regain her position as a world-class entertainer”.

The filing was made a day before a status hearing on the arrangement in court, which will be closed to the public and the media.

Spears’ lawyer expects her father to contest the request, adding that she has suggested they keep a lawyer on hand that has expertise in complex financial court rights.

Spears’ arrangement has been the subject of widespread online protests in recent months, with many arguing it is doing the performer more harm than good.

Over recent years, Spears’ career choices, her personal life and her relationship with her children have all been under the control of her father.

Kevin Federline, her ex-husband, has custody of her teenage sons, and Spears is allowed frequent visits.

(c) Sky News 2020: Britney Spears asks court to end power father has held over her for 12 years