Britney Spears poses at the premiere of “Once Upon a Time In Hollywood” in Los Angeles, California, July 22, 2019.
Mario Anzuoni | Reuters
Britney Spears is allowed to hire her own lawyer, decided the judge who oversees the singer’s guardianship.
The news comes three weeks after Spears denounced the conservatory, which has long controlled her finances and personal life.
Wednesday’s trial looked at the resignation of Spear’s court-appointed attorney Samuel D. Ingham III, who has been handling the celebrity case since 2008. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Brenda Penny approved Ingham’s departure and Spear’s elected successor, Mathew Rosengart.
Rosengart is a prominent Hollywood attorney and former federal attorney. He is expected to be more aggressively pushing for the end of Spear’s 13-year conservatory career.
Loeb & Loeb, a law firm that Ingham recently brought in to assist him, also filed a letter of resignation, which was accepted by the judge.
Last month, Spears asked the court to choose her own attorney, claiming that Ingham had not advised her of her right to quit conservatory. The pop star said she wanted to end guardianship and regain independence, including her medical care.
In an attempt to dissolve the Conservatory, Spears has indicted her father, James Spears, of abuse, claiming he used the agreement for personal gain. James Spears has publicly denied these allegations.
When James Spears encountered health issues in 2019, Jodi Montgomery, a licensed private trustee, was appointed to a temporary position within the Conservatory group. Montgomery is reportedly on board with Spears’ desire to lift guardianship and is very much liked by the singer.
Last year, Spears began proceedings to remove her father from her conservatory administration, but her motion was denied by the court. Instead, Bessemer Trust, a finance and asset management group, joined as co-curator.
Bessemer Trust, meanwhile, has petitioned to step down from the position, saying it was unknown that Spears intended to quit the conservatory and no longer wanted to be involved in it.
Court records currently estimate Spears’ net worth at around $ 50 million. Her father and his lawyers suspect that this money is still vulnerable to fraud and manipulation. Spears and her new attorney must prove to the court that she has jurisdiction to obtain a release and make their own financial decisions.
