#FreeBritney: Britney Spears Addresses Los Angeles Court On Conservatorship
Britney Spears publicly addressed her conservatorship in a Los Angeles courtroom for the first time on Wednesday.
Britney Spears has appeared in court to speak publicly about her father's conservatorship for the first time.
Speaking in Los Angeles on Wednesday via video link, the 39-year-old confirmed she wanted the 'abusive' conservatorship to end with immediate effect, saying: "I just want my life back. All I want is to own my money and for my boyfriend to be able to drive me in his car. I want to sue my family."
The mother-of-two added: "It's not OK to force me to do anything I don't want to. The conservatorship should end. I truly believe this conservatorship is abusive.
"I am not happy, I can't sleep. I'm so angry, it's insane. And I'm depressed."
The conservatorship was arranged by her father Jamie Spears in 2008 following Britney's psychiatric hospitalisation earlier that year.
The legal contract gives him complete control over the pop star's career, estate and aspects of her personal life; she is battling to have Jamie removed as her conservator for good.
While the court initially ruled that the conservatorship was supposed to be temporary, Britney has asked repeatedly for her freedom.
In August 2020, the singer said she no longer wanted her father to be in control of her conservatorship, later asking that he be removed as the co-conservator of her estate. She even stated that she would no longer be performing while he was in control of her career.
The court hearing has been a topic of interest for Britney's fans across the world. They have come together in support of the singer under the hashtag #FreeBritney in an attempt to put an end to the conservatorship.
The #FreeBritney movement made headlines worldwide after The New York Times released its bombshell documentary Framing Britney Spears back in February.
The shocking doc delved into the ups and downs of Britney's career, from her debut as a 'Mouseketeer' with Christina Aguilera and future boyfriend Justin Timberlake, to pop superstardom with smash hits like Toxic and Baby One More Time.
The media coverage surrounding her public breakdown in 2007 and old clips from interviews and game shows that mocked the singer's mental health came under renewed scrutiny in the wake of the doc.
Britney had another hearing in February 2021, in which the judge rejected her father's objection to sharing control of her investments, and her estate with another party - Bessemer Trust.
While some fans saw this as a positive step, Britney's lawyer responded that his removal altogether was a "separate issue".
Following the singer's appearance court via video link this week, the next hearing to remove Jamie won't be assessed by a judge until July 14th.
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Gregory Robinson