Britney Spears is not only free, but the pop singer is now free to sign her own estate paperwork and manage her finances for the first time since 2008.
One month after Spears’ conservatorship was terminated, a California judge ruled Wednesday that Spears, 40, now has the power to execute documents herself, the Los Angeles Times reported. The ruling by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Brenda J. Penny means that Spears “has the power to do whatever she wants to do,” the singer’s attorney, Mathew Rosengart, told reporters.
Penny ended the conservatorship on Nov. 12, ruling that it was no longer necessary. Accountant John Zabel was given power of execution of Spears’ estate and the power to transfer assets into the trust at a November hearing, Variety reported.
The order was needed because the singer’s father, James “Jamie” Spears, allegedly “planted a term” in her prior estate-planning documents that kept her “unnecessarily tethered to the court” to request any changes, Zabel said in court filings.
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“Can we just have relief from that provision, revoking that provision, so Ms. Spears, as an independent woman not under a conservatorship anymore, can execute the papers? And we will know if that happens that they will have full force and effect?” Rosengart asked Penny, according to Rolling Stone.
More legal details will be considered at a hearing on Jan. 19, 2022, according to the Times.
Jamie Spears, filed a petition in September seeking an end to the conservatorship weeks after he agreed to step down as her financial conservator.
He sought a conservatorship for his daughter in 2008, as Britney Spears underwent a series of public mental health struggles.
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Rosengart told reporters Wednesday that the singer “is a free woman after 13 years of an abusive conservatorship that we believe was corrupted, and I’ll leave it at that.”
Here are some memorable moments from pop star Britney Spears’ life in the public eye.
1998: Britney Spears at the 1998 American Music Awards.
1999: Teen pop sensation Britney Spears performing at Universal Ampitheater for her "Baby One More Time" tour in Universal City, California, on July 31, 1999.
2000: Perfromer Britney Spears, winner of the awards for "Albums of the Year" and "Biggest One Week Sales of an Album by a Female Artist," arrives at the 2000 Billboard Music Awards on December 5, 2000, at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas.
2001: Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake of N’Sync at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.
2001: Britney Spears onstage performing at the 2001 MTV Video Music Awards held at the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center in New York City on September 6, 2001.
2002: Britney Spears and boyfriend Justin Timberlake arrive at the premiere of her movie "Crossroads" at the Mann Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California, on Feb. 11, 2002.
2003: Singers Britney Spears (left), Madonna and Christina Aguilera perform onstage during the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards at Radio City Music Hall on August 28, 2003, in New York City.
2004: Singer Britney Spears and husband Kevin Federline arrive at the 2004 Billboard Music Awards on December 8, 2004, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, in Las Vegas.
2005: Musicians Britney Spears and Kevin Federline arrive at the 2006 Grammy Nominees party with Kanye West, hosted by Verizon Wireless and Rolling Stone Magazine, at the Avalon Hollywood on February 6, 2005, in Hollywood, California.
2006: Singer Britney Spears and husband Kevin Federline arrive at the Sony BMG Grammy Party held at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel on February 8, 2006, in Hollywood, California.
2007: Singer Britney Spears performs on stage during the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards held at The Palms Hotel and Casino on September 9, 2007, in Las Vegas.
2008: Singer Britney Spears performs during the Bambi Awards 2008 Show on November 27, 2008, in Offenburg, Germany.
2009: Singer Britney Spears arrives at the 2009 Teen Choice Awards held at Gibson Amphitheatre on August 9, 2009, in Universal City, California.
2010: Singer Britney Spears and Jason Trawick arrive at the 52nd annual Grammy Awards held at Staples Center on January 31, 2010, in Los Angeles.
2011: Singers Britney Spears and Rihanna perform onstage during the 2011 Billboard Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 22, 2011, in Las Vegas.
2012: TV personality Kim Kardashian, honoree Sir Richard Branson and singer Britney Spears attend Clive Davis and the Recording Academy’s 2012 Pre-Grammy Gala and Salute to Industry Icons Honoring Richard Branson held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on February 11, 2012, in Beverly Hills, California.
2013: In this handout photo provided by the LA Dodgers, Britney Spears poses with sons Jayden James Federline (left) and Sean Preston Federline during a game against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium on April 17, 2013, in Los Angeles.
2014: Singer Britney Spears (right) and cast members from the "Jubilee" show attend a "Britney Day" event at The LINQ Promenade held to celebrate Spears’ Las Vegas residency show "Britney: Piece of Me" on November 5, 2014, in Las Vegas.
2015: Musician Iggy Azalea and musician Britney Spears attend the 2015 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 17, 2015, in Las Vegas.
2016: Singer Britney Spears performs at the Jingle Ball 2016 on December 2, 2016, in Los Angeles.
2017: Singer Britney Spears attends Pre-Grammy Gala and Salute to Industry Icons Honoring Debra Lee at the Beverly Hilton on February 11, 2017, in Los Angeles.
2018: Honoree Britney Spears attends the 29th annual GLAAD Media Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on April 12, 2018, in Beverly Hills, California.
2019: Britney Spears and Sam Asghari attend Sony Pictures’ "Once Upon A Time … in Hollywood" Los Angeles Premiere on July 22, 2019, in Hollywood, California.