Britney Spears conservatorship: A look at the drama after her father requests to temporarily stop managing her money
The battle over Britney Spears’ conservatorship continues, as her father Jamie Spears requested to step down as her conservator, but only temporarily.
According to legal documents obtained by TMZ, Spears’ father has asked the courts "to temporarily relinquish the powers of conservatorship ... due to personal health reasons," while requesting Britney's care manager, Jodi Montgomery, to take on the responsibilities of the pop singer’s estate, at least through January 20, 2020.
Spears’ father is currently in the midst of a criminal investigation regarding an Aug. 24 confrontation he had with Britney's 13-year-old son, Sean, after Spears’ ex-husband and father to her two sons Kevin Federline filed a police report alleging abuse.
Jamie is currently looking to grant Montgomery with the following powers until at least next year:
- The power to restrict or limit visitors by any means.
- The power to retain caretakers and security for Britney on a 24-hour basis.
- The power to prosecute civil harassment restraining orders.
- The power to communicate with expert medical personnel regarding Britney and to have full access to her medical and psychiatric records.
Montgomery has already agreed to act as the temporary conservator, with Spear’s father requesting a hearing to be expedited to next Monday to grant her temporary conservatorship, while claiming Britney is "able but unwilling" to appear at the upcoming hearing in question.
Meanwhile, his ongoing intestinal issues have been going on for almost a year, having multiple surgeries to fix a ruptured colon late last year.
Spears conservatorship saga has been an ongoing issue since 2008, when her father was granted temporary and then permanent control over her assets.
The 37-year-old has had a well-documented difficult past decade, with her custody battle and ongoing mental health problems making headlines over the years. Spears current net worth sits around $215 million.
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Here's a look at how the drama has unfolded over the years, and how Spears' father came to manage her finances:
2006 - 2008
News reports begin documenting what many considered to be erratic public behavior by Britney.
January 2008
The pop star is placed on an involuntary psychiatric hold twice. Folded into her hospitalization: a custody stand-off with the father of her children, Kevin Federline.
Feb. 1, 2008
A temporary conservatorship is issued to Jamie Spears by a Los Angeles court, which is eventually made permanent six months later and has been in effect ever since.
Spears' father also had the court issue a restraining order against Sam Lutfi, Spears’s friend and sometime manager, giving the court permission to change the locks on the then 26-year-old's estate and remove anyone inside there.
July 18, 2008
Britney Spears and Kevin Federline finally reach an agreement in their custody battle over sons Sean Preston and Jayden James, which grants her more visitations with her children, however Federline still retains full custody.
Meanwhile, the custody trial that was scheduled for August is cancelled.
January 4, 2019
Spears cancels her Domination residency in Las Vegas amid her father's health struggles, and announces an indefinite work hiatus.
March 4, 2019
Spears' attoreny Andrew Wallet resigns from his position as her co-conservator. Spears' father is now the sole conservator over Spears' life and estate. Wallet does not provide a reason for his resignation.
Prior to this date, Wallet was responsible for handling the pop singer's financial assets, but the lawyer ultimately requested that his resignation be accepted "immediately and without delay" to prevent disruptions to any ongoing business activities, according to Us Weekly.
April 3, 2019
Spears posts an Instagram picture advocating for self-care in the photo's caption. Reports that she has entered a mental health facility begin to circulate almost immediately after.
"Britney's father's health has been weighing on her, and affecting her emotional well-being," a source told E! News at the time.
The source revealed that "Britney decided to do this (admit herself to a mental health facility) on her own" so that she can be allowed to "rejuvenate and rest."
April 11, 2019
Spears is spotted at a Los Angeles hair salon, with an eyewitness telling E! News, "She seemed fine and content... [She] was definitely excited to her hair done."
April 16, 2019
The #FreeBritney movement begins on social media, when Tess Barker and Barbara Gray, who host the Britney's Gram podcast, reveal that they received a voicemail regarding "an anonymous tip from a credible source."
The tipster, who claims to be a former paralegal of an attorney connected to the conservatorship, alleges that Britney is being controlled by her father.
April 16-17, 2019
Britney's mom, Lynne Spears, begins to like posts on social media that express support for the #FreeBritney movement, with one tweet stating, "I really hope you are supporting Britney in trying to end [her] conservatorship. I really hope your ailing ex-husband isn't keeping your daughter somewhere against her will."
April 22, 2019
Fans of the pop singer gather in West Hollywood to demand action from lawmakers over Britney's ongoing conservatorship.
April 23, 2019
In a video posted to Instagram, Britney addresses the rumors surrounding her conservatorship.
"I wanted to say hi, because things that are being said have just gotten out of control!!! Wow!!! There's rumors, death threats to my family and my team, and just so many things crazy things being said," Spears says in the video. "I am trying to take a moment for myself, but everything that's happening is just making it harder for me."
She also accuses her former manager, Sam Lutfi, of circulating "fake emails," while imploring her fans to not "believe everything you read and hear."
"Britney's Instagram post has accused me of fabricating e-mails of hers that have been circulating recently. I can unequivocally state that I never wrote nor had access to her e-mail," Lufti responded later that evening. "Her team's desperate attempt to deflect negative attention onto me (yet again) is a rather ineffective way to overshadow the FreeBritney movement. In addition to making certain people in her camp look bad, the e-mails in question show a woman capable of running her own life, a narrative they apparently want to hide."
April 25, 2019
E! News reports a source confirmed that the singer has checked out of the mental health facility and is "very happy to be home."
"She's feeling more stable and a little bit better, but it's a work in progress," the source revealed.
The source also gives an update on Spears' father, telling the news outlet that his health is improving, while adding "they are trying to keep her stress level as low as possible and to just have her relax and take small steps...Britney's feeling happier and healthier, but there's a ways to go."
May 6, 2019
Britney's mom files a request asking the court to be informed of every update and detail regarding Spears and her conservatorship, according to court documents obtained by E! News, with sources close to the situation revealing to The Blast that Lynne discussed the matter with Jamie before filing the request.
Britney's management team expresses support of Lynne's involvement with the ongoing conservatorship battle, but she still has not made an attempt to become Spears' conservator.
May 7, 2019
"Lynne and Jamie Lynne flew out to LA to try and figure out what's really going on," a source reveals to E! News. "They are staying with Britney and trying to make heads or tails of the situation," while adding that Lynne is "extremely upset to see Britney in the condition she is and [feels] that she can't help her."
Spears' mom "wants to know what's really going on so that she can sleep at night. The anxiety and worry is taking its toll. She wants to see Britney get better and to be healthy and happy and right now that's not happening," the source said.
May 8, 2019
The court grants Britney a temporary restraining order against Lufti after he allegedly sends threatening texts to her family. Her former manager is ordered by the court to remain at least 200 yards away from her at all times, as well as her parents and her two sons Sean and Jayden, who are 13-years-old and 12-years-old, respectively.
The singer's legal team alleges that "shortly after Ms. Spears checked herself into a mental health facility, Lutfi began a new campaign of harassment against Ms. Spears and her family" and had recently "made dozens of disparaging and threatening comments on social media and in interviews" and "sent threatening texts to Ms. Spears' family, he has leaked confidential information, and is considering leaking more of Ms. Spears' (actual and fabricated) private information."
"We are disappointed in the result, and feel it is overly broad and violates Mr. Lutfi's constitutional rights," Lutfi's attorney wrote in response to the restraining order in a statement to CNN. "This order is only temporary, and we look forward to arguing the matter more fully in the upcoming hearing for a regular restraining order."
May 10, 2019
Britney, joined by her mom, dad and court-appointed lawyer, appear together at a Los Angeles courthouse at her own request to speak to a judge who oversees her conservatorship, specifically to address issues with medical care, minor children and trade secrets. The judge orders a legal expert to evaluate Spears' situation.
Photographers spot the singer leaving the courthouse without shoes on.
May 14, 2019
The judge orders a court investigator's report on Britney's conservatorship to be due on Sept. 18, the date of Spears' next hearing, which the singer is not required to attend.
May 15, 2019
Larry Rudolph, Britney's longtime manager, tells TMZ that her Domination residency show in Las Vegas had to be cancelled "because her meds stopped working and she was distraught over her dad's illness."
"Last summer, when she wanted to tour, she called me every day. She was excited. She hasn't called me in months. Crickets," he revealed. "She clearly doesn't want to perform now."
"I don't want her to work again 'till she's ready, physically, mentally and passionately," Rudolph added. "If that time never comes again it will never come again. I have no desire or ability to make her work again. I am only here for her when she wants to work. And, if she ever does want to work again, I'm here to tell her if it's a good idea or a bad idea."
May 22, 2019
Britney's dad requests to expand her conservatorship outside of California and into Florida, her home state of Louisiana, and Hawaii, where she often vacations, according to court documents obtained by E! News.
September 3, 2019
Spears and ex-husband Kevin Federline reach a new agreement over the custody of their two sons, with Federline being awarded 70 percent custody and Spears receiving 30 percent.
Just hours after news of the new custordy agreement breaks, Federline files a police report against Britney's father, alleging that Jamie got into a physical confrontation with Sean, Britney and Kevin's eldest son.
Shortly thereafter, the court grants Sean and Jayden a restraining order against their grandfather.