A judge overruled the objections of Britney Spears’s father on Thursday to establishing Bessemer Trust as co-conservator of the pop star’s estate.
After appointing Bessemer Trust as co-conservator in November along with the original conservator, James Spears, Judge Brenda Penny reaffirmed the decision despite objections over the division of power of the estate.
November’s decision was in response to Britney Spears’s objections to her father as sole conservator. Her attorney, Samuel Ingham III, argued that his client was afraid of James Spears. Rather than grant sole conservatorship to a professional financial institution, as was Britney Spears’s request, Penny granted a co-conservatorship to Bessemer Trust and James Spears.
On Friday, the New York Times released a documentary titled Framing Britney Spears, in which it discussed the conservatorship, which many view as unjust. The special went viral, with Twitter reporting it inspired more than 1 million tweets.
Conservatorships are typically reserved for the elderly or those who are mentally incapacitated and are supposed to be viewed as a last resort. Britney Spears’s was granted to James Spears after she was hospitalized for mental health issues. Not only is James Spears the co-conservator of her estate, he is the sole conservator of her person, giving him significant control over her day-to-day activities, though a temporary professional conservator has been appointed to oversee Britney Spears due to her father’s health issues.
Britney Spears has requested that the professional conservator be given the position permanently. The singer could also still move to have the conservatorship terminated fully.
“Without in any way waiving her right to seek termination of this conservatorship in the future,” Ingham wrote last summer, “Britney would like Ms. Montgomery’s appointment as conservator of her person to be made permanent.”
The next court hearing between the two parties is scheduled for Mar. 17.
