Britney Spears will address the judge who oversees the conservatorship that has governed Britney’s finances and affairs since 2008. This is the most anticipated hearing in this case in years.
If Brenda Penny, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge, does not make a decision Wednesday night to close the proceedings in full, Spears’ words may be heard openly in the 13 year conservatorship.
Fans of the #FreeBritney movement eagerly await the hearing. They feel that she is being controlled unfairly and will likely gather in large numbers outside the courthouse.
Spears, who was scheduled to participate remotely, requested the hearing so that she could directly address the court.
Samuel Ingham III, her court-appointed attorney, requested the request at an April 28, hearing . The 39-year-old pop singer did not give any indication as to what he wanted to say.
Recent court filings show that Spears sought to have a greater say in who manages the conservatorship. She asked for her father’s resignation, as he had a lot of power over her finances and life.
Ingham said that Spears would not perform again, and will work a lot longer hours than usual. “>She fears James Spears and will not allow a 2-1/2-year pause in her career to end as long as he retains control.
James Spears was not removed from the courtroom, but he is now playing a smaller part. He is co-conservator of her financial affairs and the estate management firm, The Bessemer Trust. In 2019, he relinquished his conservatorship over his daughter’s choices to a court-appointed professional.
Britney Spears stated last week on Instagram, that she was not sure if she will perform live again.
She replied, “I don’t know,” to a fan asking when she would take the stage. “I am having fun right now. I’m going through a transition in life, and I’m having fun. That’s it.
Britney Spears has spoken before in court under conservatorship, but the courtroom was cleared and transcripts sealed.
She last addressed the judge in May 2019.
Spears has requested more transparency from the court in the past, and Penny has made it much easier for her to keep this information private.
Although she has not asked for the conservatorship to be ended entirely by the court, she has stated in documents that she is open to doing so.
She had a mental crisis in 2008 and needed it to help her. It saved her money and kept her a top-flight pop star, she says.
Her father and attorneys stressed that her and her fortune (court records show it to be more than $50m) are still vulnerable to manipulation and fraud. Spears would have to prove that she is competent to be released.