Britney Spears loses fight for freedom: conservatorship remains unchanged after court hearing as the troubled star fights for freedom from her dad in the wake of #FreeBritney protests

Britney loses fight for freedom: Judge rules that singer’s father must remain in charge of her affairs and conservatorship cannot be passed to her care manager – as #FreeBritney protesters descend on the LA court 

Britney Spears’s conservatorship remains intact after the first court hearing in which she started fighting for freedom from her dad.  

The 38-year-old pop star filed paper in Los Angeles Superior Court Tuesday asking the court to end her father Jamie Spears’s conservatorship which essentials gives him control of her finances and career decisions.  

The 68-year-old has been his daughter’s legal guardian since her very public meltdown 12 years ago – an arrangement the superstar’s loyal fans have blasted claiming she is being manipulated and controlled. 

Due to health reasons, Jamie was forced to temporarily hand over the reins last year to Jodi Montgomery, who was already working as Britney’s care manager meaning she assesses the star’s needs and works with healthcare professionals to help her get the right treatment.   

Britney is now fighting to keep Montgomery as her conservator, the court records show.

#FreeBritney protesters descended on the court Wednesday in support of the star after worried fans have been sharing conspiracy theories online in recent months claiming Britney is being held against her will. 

Britney Spears’s (left) conservatorship remains unchanged following the first court hearing where the troubled star began her fight for freedom from her dad Jamie Spears (right) in the wake of #FreeBritney protests

The star failed to remove her dad from controlling her business and personal affairs Wednesday after the court made no immediate changes to the conservatorship. 

The closed door court hearing extended the current arrangements until February 2021, according to a court document posted online by fans.

Reuters was not immediately able to verify the authenticity of the document. 

Sources told TMZ the matter of her conservatorship cannot be changed or go before a judge until certain other legal documents are filed by Britney’s team.  

The sources also said Britney – who is thought to be worth around $58 million – has been declared unable to make important life decisions due to her mental illness and has been unwell for more than a year.

This means her need for a conservatorship could impact any decision to allow her to break free from her father’s powers. 

Britney fans gather outside a courthouse in downtown LA for a #FreeBritney protest Wednesday – the same day the star failed to remove her dad from controlling her business and personal affairs Wednesday after the court made no immediate changes to the conservatorship

The 38-year-old pop star filed documents in Los Angeles Superior Court Tuesday asking the court to stop her father taking back control of her life and career. Protesters hold up signs outside the LA courthouse Wednesday 

THE ROLE OF CONSERVATOR: 

Under California law a conservator is appointed by a judge to care for another adult who cannot care for themself or manage their own finances. 

The role of a conservator of the person involves: 

• Arranging the conservatee’s care and protection
• Decide where they live 
• Make arrangements for their meals, healthcare, clothing, personal care, housekeeping, transportation, shelter, recreation, and well-being. 
• Get court approval for decisions about the conservatee’s health care or living arrangements
• Report to the court on their status 

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on Wednesday offered its support to Britney in her fight for freedom.

‘If Britney Spears wants to regain her civil liberties and get out of her conservatorship, we are here to help her,’ the ACLU wrote in a tweet.   

Britney’s lawyer filed legal documents Tuesday asking a court to permanently replace her dad with Montgomery as the conservator over her person.

‘Britney is strongly opposed to James return as conservator of her person,’ the document says. 

The documents gave no details for the star’s strong opposition.  

Jamie was appointed conservator by a court back in 2008 after the pop star was hospitalized for psychiatric treatment.  

This gave him power over his daughter’s major life decisions from 2008 until September, when he temporarily stepped aside due to unspecified health problems. 

Montgomery took over in a temporary capacity at this time with the arrangement extended until at least August 22. 

Britney says in Tuesday’s court records that she wishes to continue with this arrangement.

The star also says in the papers this doesn’t mean she is waiving her right to seek an end to the entire arrangement. 

The closed door court hearing extended the current arrangements until February 2021, according to a court document posted online by fans (pictured)

THE ROLE OF CARE MANAGER: 

Montgomery was Britney’s care manager for about a year before being named her conservator.

As care manager her role is to: 

• Assess her needs
• Work with healthcare professionals to help her get the right treatments
• Keep track of her medical records, 
• Manage healthcare payments and insurance

In the papers, Britney praises the 12-year conservatorship overall, saying it ‘rescued her from a collapse, exploitation by predatory individuals and financial ruin’ and made her ‘able to regain her position as a world class entertainer.’  

The documents also reveal the troubled star has no plans to perform again anytime soon after she canceled her Las Vegas residency last year and briefly checked in to a mental health facility.  

Her attorney said he expects Jamie will aggressively fight back against being sidelined and that Britney has suggested they retain a lawyer with expertise in complex financial court fights. 

Britney has long stayed silent about her conservatorship with her court filing this week marking a major step change for the 38-year-old. 

A crowd of Britney fans gathered outside the courthouse Wednesday in a show of support for the pop star.

The #FreeBritney demonstrators held up banners reading ‘Freedom for Britney 2020’ and shouted ‘The conservatorship has got to go!’ 

One fan flew in for the rally from Minneapolis. 

A crowd of Britney fans gathered outside the courthouse Wednesday in a show of support for the pop star

The #FreeBritney demonstrators held up banners reading ‘Freedom for Britney 2020’ and shouted ‘The conservatorship has got to go!’

The #FreeBritney campaign claims Britney is being kept prisoner and that she is sending cryptic signals begging to be freed through her social media accounts, which usually consist of selfies or her dancing at home

Other fans took to social media demanding the star be granted her ‘freedom’

‘I’m here to support Britney and I believe that she deserves her basic civil rights and to be able to spend her money on her terms,’ said 26-year-old Timothy. 

Other fans took to social media demanding the star be granted her ‘freedom’.  

The #FreeBritney campaign began building last year following Britney’s brief stay in a mental health facility and was trending on social media this week following the latest developments around her conservatorship.

The campaign claims Britney is being kept prisoner and that she is sending cryptic signals begging to be freed through her social media accounts, which usually consist of selfies or her dancing at home. 

In July, one conspiracy theory gained momentum when the star shared an Instagram of herself in her ‘favorite’ yellow top after fans asked her to wear yellow as a sign she needed help.  

More than 130,000 people signed a petition last month requesting the White House step in and end respond her conservatorship. 

The administration must reply to any petition with more than 100,000 signatories. 

Britney has not publicly commented on the #FreeBritney campaign but her father lashed out at the movement describing the anger directed at him as ‘a joke’ and insisting that the outside world does not understand his daughter’s fragile mental state.   

‘All these conspiracy theorists don’t know anything,’ he told the New York Post earlier this month.

‘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.’

‘Britney is strongly opposed to James return as conservator,’ court documents say. The star pictured on stage in 2018

From l-r: Jamie Spears, Britney Spears, her brother Bryan Spears and mother Lynne at the launch party for the Palms Home Poker Host software held in Las Vegas in 2006. Jamie has been Britney’s legal guardian since her public breakdown 12 years ago

Jamie denied long-standing rumors that he or anyone else is skimming money off the singer’s estate.

‘I have to report every nickel and dime spent to the court every year,’ he said. ‘How the hell would I steal something?’   

Several celebrities have begun joining the ‘campaign’.

Last year, at a concert in Memphis, Miley Cyrus was heard screaming ‘Free Britney’ while singing her hit ‘Party in the U.S.A,’ which makes a shout-out to her in the lyrics.

In January Cher mused that abuse of the singer was ‘possible’.

‘Just enough meds to keep her working, but not enough to have a life,’ she wrote.   

The #FreeBritney crusaders have carpeted social media with posts, purporting to show that Spears claimed his daughter had dementia in 2008, and that Spears and the star’s business manager, Lou Taylor of Tri Star Sports and Management, are embezzling from her.

Lately, Britney’s camp has started striking back.

Taylor recently settled with #FreeBritney supporter Bryan Kuchar after suing him last year for creating websites that called Taylor the ‘mastermind controlling the pop star.’    

In July, one conspiracy theory gained momentum when the star shared an Instagram of herself in her ‘favorite’ yellow top after fans asked her to wear yellow as a sign she needed help (pictured)

Protesters gathered outside the LA courthouse on July 22, ahead of a hearing in her case

The singer’s fans speculate that she is being manipulated by her father – something he denies

The Mississippi-born, Louisiana-raised singer rocketed to stardom at age 17 with her first single, ‘Baby One More Time’. 

Her first eyebrow-raising behavior was in 2004, when she married a childhood friend on a whim and got an annulment 55 hours later.

Concern mounted in 2006, following her marriage to backing dancer Kevin Federline and the birth of their eldest son, Sean. 

Child Services repeatedly checked in on the family, including after the baby fell out of a high chair and was seen in a vehicle on Britney’s lap rather than in a car seat.

The next year was a whirlwind of ­unhinged TV appearances; divorce two months after the birth of her second son with Federline, Jayden; and a series of paparazzi photos of Britney partying hard with Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan.

Then, in early 2007, Britney checked in and quickly out of rehab.

Next came the infamous moments where she showed up at an Los Angeles beauty shop and shaved off her hair, and later attacked a paparazzo’s car with an umbrella. 

She went back to rehab and lost custody of her children to Federline and her father was granted the conservator role in 2008. 

Last year Jamie was accused of physically abusing her oldest son during an argument, prompting Federline to order a restraining order against the boy’s grandfather.

A police report obtained by Us Weekly detailed an August 24, 2019, incident involving Spears and Sean. No charges were filed.