Britney Spears Conservatorship Hit With Another Major Shakeup Following Court Decision

Britney Spears‘ legal attempt to remove the conservatorship that she’s been under for the last 13 years has hit another snag. Bessemer Trust, the financial organization that was previously named co-conservator of Spears’ estate, is pulling out of the arrangement. Due to the controversy surrounding the hearing, Bessemer Trust is bailing because the case is “a hornet’s nest.” According to TMZ, Bessemer Trust “does not want to get involved because it’s become gun-shy over all the controversy surrounding the conservatorship,” while also not wanting to deal with her father, Jamie Spears, anymore. This move makes Jamie the sole conservator of Spears’ estate.

This new development comes on the heels of the news that a judge has shot down Britney Spears‘ request to take control of her life and her finances. In new paperwork filed on Wednesday by the Los Angeles Superior Court, it shows that Judge Brenda Penny has denied the request by Spears’ attorney Samuel Ingham III to remove her father, Jamie Spears, as her conservator. Variety reports that the documents state “the conservator’s request to suspend James P. Spears immediately upon the appointment of Bessemer Trust Company of California as sole conservator of estate is denied without prejudice.”

Ingham initially filed the request to remove Spears’ father in November 2020, revealing that his client was “afraid of her father” and would refuse to perform as long as her father controlled her career, assets, and personal autonomy. Back in November, Judge Brenda Penny declined to suspend her father from the conservatorship but did not rule out the possibility of future petitions for his removal or suspension. Penny also appointed the financial company Bessemer Trust as a co-conservator of Spears’ estate. Today’s paperwork approves Bessemer Trust as the co-conservator, as well as reiterates Jamie’s position as co-conservatory. It also reveals that Penny approved these decisions on June 30, after Spears gave her harrowing testimony about her life under the conservatorship.

Spears gave a 23-minute testimony during the conservatorship hearing on June 23, calling the current legal arrangement “abusive” and revealed that she was forced to perform while sick, was overmedicated with lithium against her will, was forced into rehab, and was not allowed to remove her IUD and start a family with her boyfriend Sam Asghari. “I’ve lied and told the whole world I’m OK, and I’m happy. It’s a lie,” Spears said. “I thought, just maybe if I said that enough, maybe I might become happy because I’ve been in denial. I’ve been in shock. I am traumatized. You know, fake it till you make it. But now I’m telling you the truth, OK. I’m not happy. I can’t sleep. I’m so angry, it’s insane and I’m depressed. I cry every day.”