'It Is Vindication For Britney': Jamie Spears Agrees To Step Down As Conservator Of Britney Spears' Estate
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Britney Spears' father Jamie Spears has agreed to step down as conservator of his daughter's estate.
Jamie's lawyer filed legal documents Thursday saying, "There are, in fact, no actual grounds for suspending or removing Mr. Spears as the Conservator of the Estate ... and it is highly debatable whether a change in conservator at this time would be in Ms. Spears' best interests."
"Nevertheless, even as Mr. Spears is the unremitting target of unjustified attacks, he does not believe that a public battle with his daughter over his continuing service as her conservator would be in her best interests. So, even though he must contest this unjustified Petition for his removal, Mr. Spears intends to work with the Court and his daughter's new attorney to prepare for an orderly transition to a new conservator."
On Aug. 5, Britney's lawyer filed court papers asking a judge to expedite a hearing on the singer's request to have her father removed as the conservator of her estate.
Her attorney Matt Rosengart argued that every day Jamie remains the conservator is "another day of avoidable harm."
"I announced in Court on July 14 that, after 13 years of the status quo, it was time for Mr. Spears to be suspended or removed as conservator and that my firm and I would move aggressively and expeditiously for that outcome," Rosengart said in a statement following Thursday's filing. "Twelve days later, my firm filed a Petition for Mr. Spears's suspension and removal based on strong, insurmountable legal grounds, which were unequivocally supported by the law and all parties involved, including Jodi Montgomery, Britney Spears, and her medical team."
He continued, "We are pleased that Mr. Spears and his lawyer have today conceded in a filing that he must be removed. It is vindication for Britney. We are disappointed, however, by their ongoing shameful and reprehensible attacks on Ms. Spears and others. We look forward to continuing our vigorous investigation into the conduct of Mr. Spears, and others, over the past 13 years, while he reaped millions of dollars from his daughter's estate, and I look forward to taking Mr. Spears's sworn deposition in the near future. In the interim, rather than making false accusations and taking cheap shots at his own daughter, Mr. Spears should remain silent and step aside immediately."
The long-lingering conservatorship has prompted Spears' fans to launch an online FreeBritney movement, calling for an end to the oversight of the 39-year-old singer's life and affairs.