For the longest time, it seemed as though Britney Spears’ dark days were finally behind her. After suffering a much-publicized breakdown in 2007 and 2008, the Princess of Pop came out on top, taking home one award after another and landing a four-year Las Vegas residency that grossed nearly $138 million.
In February 2019, Spears was set to return to the Las Vegas Strip for Piece of Me’s follow-up, Domination. However, she announced a month before the scheduled kickoff date that she would be taking an indefinite work hiatus to care for her ailing father, Jamie Spears, who underwent a life-threatening surgery after his colon spontaneously ruptured the previous fall.
Britney subsequently went dark on social media, only posting in mid-January 2019 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of her debut album, …Baby One More Time. She did not return until April 2019, when she posted on Instagram that she was taking “a little ‘me time.’” Within minutes, news broke that Britney had quietly checked into a California mental health facility in late March for a 30-day stay. A source told Us Weekly exclusively that the Grammy winner decided to seek help after the stress of her dad’s hospitalization and the complex process of changing the medications she had been taking for an undisclosed mental illness.
The news rocked the Britney Army, which began speculating about the pop star’s well-being and picking up the #FreeBritney movement launched by the cohosts of a podcast dedicated to Britney’s Instagram. Her sister, Jamie Lynn Spears, was quick to shut down unfounded rumors surrounding the “Toxic” singer, writing via Instagram, “I have been here long before anyone else, and I’ll be here long after. I love my sister with everything I have. So, anyone or anything that speaks to the contrary can GTFOH with all the comments about what you don’t understand. Do not come for me or the ones I love anymore.” Britney herself spoke out later that day, assuring fans in a video message that “all is well.”
The Crossroads actress has been unable to make major personal or financial decisions in her life without the approval of her father since a court-approved conservatorship was put in place in February 2008 after her meltdown and divorce from Kevin Federline, with whom she shares sons Preston and Jayden. As a result, co-conservators Jamie and attorney Andrew Wallett had long been credited with saving Britney’s life. Wallett abruptly resigned in March 2019, leaving Jamie as the sole conservator until he temporarily stepped down that September following an alleged altercation with Preston. (Jamie was later cleared of wrongdoing.) Licensed fiduciary Jodi Montgomery has since assumed Jamie’s position, though he still has partial control of Britney’s estate.
Scroll down to stay up-to-date on the conservatorship.
With reporting by Marjorie Hernandez
The Louisiana native announced on January 4, 2019, that she would be putting Domination on hold “to put my full focus and energy on my family at this time.” A source later told Us, “Family is — and always has been — the most important thing to her. After all, her family was there for her when she needed them the most a decade ago.”
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After Us confirmed that Britney was seeking treatment, a source explained, “Britney was distraught when her dad first got sick. … She couldn’t emotionally handle the thought of potentially losing him. It was her breaking point.” Her sons stayed with their dad, Federline, while she was away. In a statement, the DJ commended his ex-wife for “taking the reasonable steps to deal with her situation in a responsible way.”
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The entertainer was spotted for the first time in three months when she stepped out at the Montage hotel in Beverly Hills on April 21, 2019, to celebrate Easter with her boyfriend of two-plus years, Sam Asghari. Two days later, the personal trainer told TMZ that Britney was “doing amazing” and would “be back soon.”
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Britney took to Instagram on April 23, 2019, to slam the “rumors, death threats to my family and my team, and just so many things crazy things being said” while she was in treatment. “Everything that’s happening is just making it harder for me,” she wrote.
Courtesy Britney Spears/Instagram
The former Mouseketeer checked out of the wellness center on April 25, 2019. Asghari picked her up and drove her back to her mansion in Thousand Oaks, California. “She feels rejuvenated,” a source told Us.
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Britney and Asghari spent a long weekend with her sons, Preston and Jayden, after returning home. “Britney’s visit with the boys went extremely well,” a source told Us. “She thrives around them.”
Courtesy Britney Spears/Instagram
The former X Factor judge’s mother, Lynne Spears, filed court documents on May 6, 2019, to request to be updated on the details of Britney’s conservatorship. (She and Jamie divorced in 2002.) “Legally Jamie, as the conservator, has more of a say in Britney’s life than Lynne, as the mother,” a source explained to Us. “This filing is not Lynne’s attempt to take control of the conservatorship from Jamie; she simply wants to know what’s going on and feels she should have that right just as much as Jamie does.”
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In separate court documents, Lynne requested to have her attorney, Gladstone N. Jones III, participate in a conservatorship hearing scheduled for May 10, 2019. The motion was quickly granted.
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On May 8, 2019, Britney was granted a restraining order against Sam Lutfi, who once claimed to be her manager and had been accused of drugging her in 2008, which he denied. The singer’s attorneys said in court documents that she wanted protection for herself, her parents and her sons against the “severe mental trauma” that Lutfi allegedly caused by sending threatening messages about #FreeBritney to her family. Lutfi claimed he had not contacted Britney since 2009, and his attorney alleged that the restraining order being granted violated his client’s “constitutional rights.”
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Britney appeared in court on May 10, 2019, for a hearing about her conservatorship. She arrived with Lynne and stayed in the judge’s chambers until members of the public and media cleared out of the courtroom. Her attorney requested to make the hearing private because personal finances and Britney’s minor children would be discussed. After Britney, Lynne and Jamie spoke, the judge ordered a 730 expert evaluation, which is “a very comprehensive report prepared by a team of Britney’s doctors and possibly a court-appointed medical professional,” according to a source. The insider explained that Britney is “exploring formally petitioning the court to end the conservatorship,” with the evaluation being “the first step in the process.”
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The “Slumber Party” songstress’ longtime manager, Larry Rudolph, made headlines on May 15, 2019, when he said she may never perform again. “It’s clear to me she should not be going back to do this Vegas residency [Domination]. Not in the near future and possibly never again,” he told TMZ, adding that he is “only here for her when she wants to work.” Later that day, Rudolph attempted to clarify his comments, telling Billboard that Britney may never tour again but another Vegas residency is still an option. The entertainer seemingly hit back at Rudolph’s claims the next day by posting a video on Instagram of herself dancing to Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson’s “Scream.”
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Jamie filed a request to extend the California-based conservatorship to Florida, Louisiana and Hawaii on May 21, 2019. Britney regularly travels to Hawaii, and the Spears family has properties in Louisiana and Florida.
Courtesy Britney Spears/Instagram
The “Work Bitch” singer’s temporary restraining order against Lutfi was extended through June 13, 2019, during a May 28, 2019, court hearing. The judge disagreed with Lutfi’s dispute of the order after he claimed in documents obtained by Us that it “would violate the first amendment, because it prohibits speech that has not been deemed defamatory, is vague as to what speech is banned and is overbroad because it restricts speech about Ms. Spears rather than speech to Ms. Spears.”
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After Jamie and Lutfi’s testimonies on June 13, 2019, a Los Angeles judge granted Britney a five-year restraining order against Lutfi. During the court hearing, Jamie admitted that his and the singer’s “relationship has always been strained.” A source later told Us that “Britney absolutely still wants the conservatorship to end,” although her father has given her “full access to her social media accounts,” among other “additional privileges that weren’t [previously] in place.”
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Us obtained court documents on September 6, 2019, detailing Jamie's request to “temporarily relinquish the powers of conservatorship” due to “personal health reasons.” Montgomery subsequently assumed the position after being approved by an L.A. judge.
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A source confirmed to Us on September 3, 2019, that Britney and Federline altered their custody agreement from 50-50 to 30-70, respectively, after Jamie allegedly “shook” Preston during an argument the month prior. K-Fed filed a police report and obtained a restraining order against his former father-in-law after the incident. Ventura County District Attorney Gregory D. Totten announced on September 17 that criminal charges would not be filed against Jamie.
Courtesy of Britney Spears/Instagram
Jayden made headlines on March 3, 2020, when he went live on Instagram and told fans that his famous mom might stop making music. “I remember one time I asked her, I said, ‘Mom, what happened to your music?’ and she was like, ‘I don’t know, honey. I think I might just quit it,’” he recalled. “I’m like, ‘What? What are you saying? Like, do you know how much bank you make off of that stuff?’” A source later confirmed to Us, “Britney is in no rush to start recording music again. The thought barely crosses her mind. This is the longest break between album cycles in her career — it’s coming up on four years since Glory was released — and she’s perfectly content with it.”
Courtesy of Britney Spears/Instagram
Us exclusively reported that Britney flew to her hometown of Kentwood, Louisiana, in early April 2020 to spend time with Jamie, Lynne, Jamie Lynn and her nieces amid the COVID-19 pandemic. They also celebrated the Zoey 101 alum’s birthday while Britney was in town. After she returned to California later that month, Federline asked his ex-wife to quarantine for two weeks before seeing their sons.
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Britney’s former photographer Andrew Gallery, who worked on her 2008 MTV documentary, Britney: For the Record, went viral on TikTok on July 10, 2020, after reading a third-person letter that she allegedly once wrote about her conservatorship. In the letter, she was quoted as saying that she has “no rights … as long as people are getting paid.”
Courtesy of Britney Spears/Instagram
The Through the Storm author filed court documents on July 13, 2020, to demand “special notice” of “all matters” involving the SJB Revocable Trust, which her eldest daughter established in 2004 to protect her multimillion-dollar fortune.
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Britney’s brother, Bryan Spears, spoke out in a rare interview on July 23, 2020, as the #FreeBritney campaign started to gain traction again on social media. “She’s always wanted to get out of [the conservatorship],” he said on the “As Not Seen on TV” podcast. “It’s very frustrating to have. Whether someone’s coming in peace to help or coming in with an attitude, having someone constantly tell you to do something has got to be frustrating.”
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Jamie shut down speculation about Britney's conservatorship when he fired back at #FreeBritney "conspiracy theorists" on August 1, 2020. "The world don’t have a clue. It’s up to the court of California to decide what’s best for my daughter. It’s no one else’s business," he told Page Six. “I love my daughter. I love all my kids. But this is our business. It’s private."
Jamie also denied rumors that he's stolen from his eldest daughter's estate, saying, “I have to report every nickel and dime spent to the court every year. How the hell would I steal something?”
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Britney requested to have Jamie removed as “the conservator of her person” and as the “sole conservator of her estate” on August 17, 2020, stating in court documents that she is “strongly opposed” to him returning and that she wants Montgomery to permanently take over. In the filing, her attorney also broke down Britney’s case into three phases: “triage” (2008), her “performing years” and present day, stating that she has no “desire … to perform at this time.” A source later exclusively told Us, “Britney does want the conservatorship of her as a person to end, but she was concerned that Jamie could attempt to have the temporary conservator removed. There has been significant improvement in Britney’s overall medical treatment plan, which has been attributed to no longer having her father in charge of her personal life.”
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The Britney and Kevin: Chaotic alum’s first ex-husband, to whom she was married for a mere 55 hours in January 2004, returned to the spotlight on August 18, 2020, when he attended a #FreeBritney protest in Los Angeles. “I’ve been quiet for 10 years, and I feel [like] what a good time to come forward now with the movement making noise and the conservatorship hearings going on,” Alexander exclusively told Us before claiming that he and Britney “stay in contact pretty regularly” and had texted the night before.
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Jamie filed a petition on August 19, 2020, requesting that Wallet return as co-conservator of the estate following the attorney’s exit 17 months prior. Additionally, Wallet signed an affidavit saying he consents to working with Britney’s father again. However, the lawyer withdrew the petition on October 2, 2020.
Courtesy of Wallet Law
Us obtained court documents on August 25, 2020, that showed Jamie Lynn being named as trustee of Britney’s SJB Revocable Trust in the event of the pop star's death. The move would have put the Zoey 101 alum in charge of distributing Britney’s fortune to Preston and Jayden by following out the trust’s rules. However, after a court hearing on November 2, 2020, Us confirmed that Jamie Lynn withdrew her petition to become a trustee.
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Britney showed support for the social media campaign in a court filing on September 2, 2020, saying she is “vehemently opposed” to Jamie’s motion to keep her conservatorship case closed to the public and “hidden away in the closet as a family secret.” Her lawyer also slammed Jamie for calling #FreeBritney a “joke,” saying in the documents, “[Britney] is trying to regain some measure of personal autonomy [and] welcomes and appreciates the informed support of her many fans.”
Days later, Jamie accused his daughter’s attorney of grandstanding. He also argued that her medical and financial issues are “inextricably entwined” and that unsealing the details of one could expose the other.
Courtesy Britney Spears/Instagram
Britney objected to the reappointment of Wallet as co-conservator of her estate in court documents filed on September 11, 2020, saying the attorney is “uniquely unsuitable to fill that role” and “had little or no direct contact” with her over the years. Her lawyer, Ingham, argued that bringing Wallet back onto the case would be “a very poor value that Britney cannot afford” given she has not performed in years.
The paperwork then laid out the exorbitant amounts of money that Britney has paid her team. On top of his $426,000 annual salary, Wallet received a $100,000 “golden parachute” after his “voluntary resignation” in March 2019. Then, in December 2019, Jamie “modified the compensation” of Britney’s business manager Lou Taylor’s firm, Tri Star Sports & Entertainment Group, to “a minimum annual fee of $500,000,” which was “more than double the amount” that Tri Star previously received.
“[Jamie] has taken the position that Britney’s decision not to perform will require him to undertake drastic changes to her budget. Apparently, this frugality does not extend to the fees [Jamie] pays from the conservatorship to the financial professionals with whom he surrounds himself,” Ingham said in the documents. “Apart from the fact that Mr. Wallet has been extremely expensive in the past, based on what occurred over the 11 years he served as her co-conservator there is no reason to believe that Mr. Wallet will be able to work with Britney to explain and implement any difficult budgetary choices that must be made.”
In response three days later, Jamie claimed that Britney’s filing was full of “untrue” and “misleading” statements and denied that Tri Star is compensated more now than the firm had been in the past. He requested a court hearing to further discuss the matter.
Courtesy of Britney Spears/Instagram
Britney's court-appointed attorney, Ingham, filed documents on September 18, 2020, to ask the judge to approve the law firm Loeb & Loeb LLP to help him with the case. Ingham made the move to seek additional lawyers with expertise in conservatorship litigation to help him prepare for upcoming hearings.
The judge in the case ruled in Britney's favor on October 14, 2020, and allowed the firm to be brought on to help the pop star regain control of her estate. “The mere presence of Loeb & Loeb has already provoked a massive change,” Ingham said during an hourlong court hearing, referencing Jamie dropping his petition to bring back Wallet. Jamie's attorney Geraldine Wyle, however, argued that there was no need to bring in additional attorneys who would only take away more money from Britney's estate.
Courtesy Britney Spears/Instagram
According to court documents obtained by Us on September 29, 2020, Ingham requested for Bessemer Trust Company, a private wealth management firm, to take over Britney’s estate. A judge is set to sign off on an official decision in November. Jamie responded on October 5, 2020, and indicated that he is willing to work with Britney and her attorney on finding the “most efficient and effective” plan to manage her estate.
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During a court hearing on October 7, 2020, Montgomery’s attorney, Lauriann Wright, acknowledged that “Britney’s right to privacy does not belong to” the fiduciary. Jamie’s lawyer Wyle agreed, saying that Britney’s desire to unseal certain court documents related to her conservatorship is up to her and her attorney, Ingham, who noted that the singer “is not legally capable to execute a declaration” in the case. The judge ordered both parties to discuss the issue and gave them due dates to file various briefs ahead of a hearing on November 10, 2020.
In his response on October 23, 2020, Jamie denied Ingham’s claim that Britney “lacks the capacity” to speak for herself, arguing that she has the “right to be heard” even as a conservatee. Jamie’s legal team also rebutted Ingham’s assertion that he is Britney’s “exclusive voice” as her court-appointed attorney.
Courtesy of Britney Spears/Instagram
Britney assured her fan base on November 2, 2020, that she is hanging in there amid her conservatorship battle. “I know that there have been a lot of comments and a lot of people saying a lot of different things about me, but I just want to let you guys know that I am fine,” she said in an Instagram video. “I’m the happiest I’ve ever been in my life.”
Courtesy Britney Spears/Instagram
Britney’s attorney filed court documents on November 3, 2020, requesting that Jamie be removed as co-conservator of the singer’s estate once and for all. The filing addressed a letter that Jamie had filed in October, in which he agreed to have Bessemer Trust as a co-conservator after Britney asked for the trust to be the sole conservator of her estate moving forward. Britney’s lawyer claimed that Jamie hired a new business manager without consulting his daughter after Taylor of Tri Star Sports and Entertainment Group “suddenly” resigned from the role.
"The October 28 letter is a blatant attempt by James to retain full functional control of her assets, books and records in the face of Britney's objections, Tri Star's resignation and the appointment of Bessemer Trust,” the document read. “His simple litigation strategy is to introduce a new gatekeeper who admittedly has a major working relationship with his legal team.”
The paperwork continued: “It is now obvious that any effort to create a viable working relationship between and among Britney, Bessemeer Trust and James would be doomed to failure even without the added stress of litigating Britney's objections to the Account.”
Jamie made a case for why he should remain co-conservator of the estate in court documents obtained by TMZ on November 8, 2020. He argued that he succeeded in managing her business affairs and assets for years and even saved her from debt at one point. Jamie also took credit for making sure that Britney had a business manager, Taylor, whom he claimed resigned over death threats from fans.
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A court hearing was held on November 10, 2020, to determine whether Jamie would remain the co-conservator of Britney’s estate. However, the judge ultimately decided not to suspend Jamie, saying the matter can be further discussed “down the road.” She did, however, approve Bessemer Trust to oversee the estate with Jamie.
During the hearing, Ingham alleged that Britney informed him “she is afraid of her father” and that she “will not perform as long as her father is in charge of her career.” Jamie’s lawyer denied the claim. Lynne’s attorney, meanwhile, said the matriarch supports Britney and wants her ex-husband “to be a part of [Britney’s] life,” although “it has broken her heart to watch” the family’s court drama unfold.
Ahead of the hearing, Britney filed an objection to her dad’s financial report, claiming Jamie approved a $308,975 payment to Tri Star without her knowledge. “Objector [Britney] believes that the retroactive fees paid to Tri Star ... are excessive and should be disallowed in their entirety as a credit on the accounting,” Ingham said in court documents obtained by Us.
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Jamie told CNN on December 15, 2020, that he had not spoken to his daughter since that August — and believed it was the fault of Britney's lawyers.
"I love my daughter and I miss her very much," he said. "When a family member needs special care and protection, families need to step up, as I have done for the last 12-plus years, to safeguard, protect and continue to love Britney unconditionally. I have and will continue to provide unwavering love and fierce protection against those with self-serving interests and those who seek to harm her or my family."
At the time, Ingham declined to comment on Jamie's interview.
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Jamie’s attorney, Vivian Thoreen, argued in a January 27, 2021, court filing that Britney’s lawyer, Ingham, could not ask the judge to remove Jamie as co-conservator of the estate because a previous court order stated that changes could only be made if Jamie himself agreed to step down.
In a response filed on February 2, 2021, Ingham pointed out that Jamie could have objected to the co-conservatorship with the “highly sophisticated” Bessemer Trust but failed to do so.
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Britney’s social media manager, Cassie Petrey, took to Instagram on February 2, 2021, to shut down rumors that the entertainer had been sending hidden messages in the captions of her posts.
“People continue to believe conspiracy theories over what Britney says over and over again,” the Crowd Surf cofounder wrote. “Britney is not ‘asking for help’ or leaving secret messages in her social media. She is literally just living her life and trying to have fun on instagram.”
Courtesy of Britney Spears/Instagram
On February 5, 2021, FX and Hulu released the “Framing Britney Spears” episode of their series, The New York Times Presents, which looked back on Britney’s life and career and included interviews with her former assistant Felicia Culotta, record executive Kim Kaiman and lawyers involved in the conservatorship. After the documentary premiered, the hashtag #FreeBritney trended on Twitter again as fans and celebrities called for the general public to apologize to the star for the way she was treated in the mid-aughts.
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During a hearing on February 11, 2021, the judge ordered that Jamie would share equal power with Bessemer Trust as co-conservators of the estate. The judge left it open for Britney’s lawyers to file another petition in the future should she still want to have Jamie removed.
“It is no secret that my client does not want her father as co-conservator, but we recognize that removal is a separate issue,” Ingham said in court before requesting that Jamie and the trust company “work together” to come up with an investment plan and a proposed budget for Britney.
After the hearing, Jamie’s attorney, Thoreen, said in a statement to Us, “The probate court’s rulings today show the court’s confidence in our client Jamie Spears and Bessemer Trust to manage the conservatorship of Ms. Spears’ estate together. My client looks forward to working with Bessemer to continue an investment strategy in the best interests of his daughter. The probate court is highly experienced in these matters and takes them very seriously.”
Thoreen continued, “From the beginning, the court has closely monitored Britney’s situation, including annual accountings and in-depth reviews and recommendations from a highly experienced and dedicated court investigator. Britney’s conservatorship of the estate was comanaged by a private professional fiduciary and her father until early 2019. At that time, Britney requested in court papers that her father be the sole conservator of her estate. Her conservatorship of the person is not managed by her father but by a licensed personal care professional and is similarly subject to the scrutiny of interviews, audits and detailed reports to the judge by the court investigator. My client Jamie Spears has diligently and professionally carried out his duties as one of Britney’s conservators, and his love for his daughter and dedication to protecting her is clearly apparent to the court.”
Courtesy of Britney Spears/Instagram
During a Good Morning America appearance on February 25, 2021, Thoreen insisted that Britney “never asked [Jamie] to step aside” from the conservatorship despite the pop star’s attorney filing multiple court documents stating the opposite. Thoreen also applauded her client for creating “a safe environment” for Britney and for bringing “her finances back from disaster.” She added, “Britney knows that her daddy loves her and that he will be there for her whenever and if she needs him, just as he always has been — conservatorship or not.” Thoreen did not, however, have an answer when Amy Robach asked why Britney has not put an end to the speculation surrounding her conservatorship, responding, “You’ll have to ask Britney.”
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According to documents filed on March 26, Jamie’s attorneys are asking the court to approve a $16,000 per month salary for himself as the co-conservator and an extra $2,000 to maintain an office. Britney’s father also wants the singer’s estate to pay more than $3 million in legal fees.
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