It has the power to take out restraining orders in her name, which it has used more than once to keep away interlopers deemed shady.
From 2008 until 2019, he had power over her life choices, and he and attorney Andrew Wallet controlled her money.
Fans who dote on Britney Spears’ social media posts and public statements, trying to decipher her every utterance, dance move or shared meme, have increasingly coalesced into a movement after becoming convinced she was being controlled unfairly.
Now, even minor hearings can bring dozens of protesters to the courthouse, carrying signs like “CONSERVATORSHIP IS SLAVERY” and “THIS IS TOXIC.” Many say they relate to her struggles with mental health and the system.
In 2007 and 2008, shortly after she became a mother, she began to have very public mental struggles, with media outlets obsessed over each moment.
The mandatory secrecy of medical records has kept murky the reasons why Britney Spears must remain in hers, but it’s clear that it involves psychiatric issues.
Even with required secrecy, it’s usually no mystery why someone must stay in a conservatorship, says Sarah Wentz, an attorney who specializes in estates.
Spears’ father and his attorneys have emphasized that she is especially susceptible to people who seek to take advantage of her money and fame.
But she has sought more say in who runs it, has emphasized that she reserves the right to seek to end it at any time and has welcomed the scrutiny of #FreeBritney fans.