Judge denies Britney Spears’ request to remove father ‘immediately’
Britney Spears in 2017. (Scott Dudelson/Getty)
Britney Spears has opened up about feeling “completely hopeless” after a judge denied her request to remove her father from her conservatorship.
Los Angeles probate judge Brenda Penny denied attorney Matthew Rosengart’s request made last week to move forward a September hearing on whether to strip or suspend the singer’s father to next week.
The one-page ruling, made Monday (9 August), dashed Rosengart’s efforts to expedite Jamie’s removal – but Penny did deny it without prejudice, leaving room for him to resubmit with additional evidence.
No reason was listed as to why the application was denied, NME reported.
Britney Spears feels ‘hopeless’ as she hits back at ‘nasty’ news with social media break
After it was confirmed that the ruling will not be pushed forward, Britney took to Instagram to tell fans they “only know half” of what is going on as she announced she is distancing herself from social media.
“In a system where I’ve felt completely hopeless for so long, at least I do have a platform to share !!!!” she said.
“As Selena Gomez says it best – The world can be a nasty place … I know it … you know it … kill them with kindness !!!
“Unfortunately the news has been pretty nasty saying horrible and mean lies about me so I’m gonna post a little less from now on !!!!”
“Love you, Britney Spears!” Gomez replied in the comments.
But it nevertheless throws a wrench into the years-long Free Britney movement, a grassroots, fan-driven campaign to dissolve the arrangement that sees Britney’s personal and financial affairs controlled by others for good.
And Britney signalled her appreciation for the movement by posting a video of a fan hanging up a pink flag that reads “#FreeBritney” on it.
View this post on Instagram
“Geez look at that flag !!!!” she wrote. “I was like: ‘My flag up over the American Flag !?!?’ … Yes … I’m tooting my own horn.”
Britney clarified how her followers “only know half” of her situation before stressing: “And for a lot of you who say I should be cautious with what I post … I mean if you REALLY THINK ABOUT IT.
“With what I’ve been through I believe I been WAAAY TOO CAUTIOUS !!!! One day I will live on the edge !!!! One day.”
Rosengart has sought to speed up efforts to oust Jamie from his role as conservator of her estate, a post he has held since 2008. Britney has described the conservatorship as abusive and traumatising, singling out her father’s role in it.
In Rosengarts paperwork, he wrote that “serious questions abound concerning Mr Spears’ potential misconduct, including conflicts of interest, conservatorship abuse and the evident dissipation of Ms Spears’ fortune”.
Jamie Spears’ lawyer, Vivian Lee Thoreen, also agreed to the hearing being moved from 29 September to as early as 23 August.
Rosengart’s request to strip Jamie of his power over the “Toxic” hitmaker has drawn immense support from not only fans, but members of Britney’s own family and party, including her mother and personal conservator Jodi Montgomery.
