Britney Spears and Conservatorships

Exactly one month ago today, Britney Spear’s conservatorship was ended in one of the most heavily publicized legal battles. Spear’s conservatorship had lasted over 14 years due to the judgement that she was unable to take care of herself. Her estate, medical decisions, and mental health were in the hands of her father, Jamie Spears, and care professional Jodi Montgomery.

Spears has made it clear that this conservatorship has caused her immense emotional trauma and suffering. Under her conservatorship, Spears was barred from making any important decisions for herself.

In a groundbreaking decision, Judge Brenda Penny ended Spears conservatorship after a brief hearing and without any further psychological assessments, which is very rare.

Spears’s case has brought much public attention to conservatorships, leading many people to wonder, under what circumstances would someone actually need a conservator?

Conservatorships are typically constrained to those who are extremely old or severely disabled to the point that they are completely incapable of taking care of themselves. In the case of Britney Spears, who was working a rigorous schedule in Las Vegas during her conservatorship, it is extremely odd that someone who had the mental capacity to perform and work would be put under the control of a conservator.

Although we may never know the full extent leading up to Spears’s conservatorship, many around the country celebrated Spears’s freedom and has brought the ethics of conservatorship to the public eye.

Sources: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/12/arts/music/britney-spears-conservatorship-ends.html

https://www.npr.org/2021/11/12/1054860726/britney-spears-conservatorship-ended