Britney Spears new attorney files to remove Jamie Spears as conservator

 

Britney Spears’ new attorney filed a motion Monday to remove her father as her conservator, including new testimony that the singer's medical team has advised his removal in favor of her emotional well-being.

 

Former federal prosecutor Mathew Rosengart, who was hired onto Britney Spears’ team July 14, told the court he intended to make the filing after he was approved to take the singer’s case. James “Jamie” Spears has been accused by his daughter in court of abusing his power over her and ruining her life through the conservatorship.

 

The filing Monday requests the court remove him and replace him with Jason Rubin, calling it an "objectively intelligent preference to nominate a highly qualified, professional fiduciary in this circumstance."

 

"This petition is being filed concurrently with a petition for removal of current conservator of the estate, James Spears," the motion to appoint Rubin said.

 

The text adds that the petition to appoint Rubin is not waiving Britney Spears' rights to seek termination of her conservatorship. Rubin did not immediately return NBC News' request for comment.

 

Representatives for Jamie Spears initially declined to comment on the petition Monday. They did not immediately respond to a second request for comment in regard to the statements in the petition for his removal.

 

His legal team has repeatedly denied any allegations of wrongdoing.

 

The petition to remove Jamie Spears includes declarations of support from the singer's mother, Lynne Spears, and conservator-of-the-person Jodi Montgomery. Both women testified in statements dated Thursday that his relationship with Britney Spears is detrimental to the singer's wellbeing. "

 

Montgomery, who was appointed to Britney Spears' case in 2019, said she has personally witnessed the relationship, calling their dynamic "not psychologically healthy" for the singer's mental health. She called Jamie Spears' removal critical to Britney Spears' mental health and added that it is her belief that no relative should be in charge of the case.

 

"I have had numerous, ongoing conversations with the medical team, and we all agree that it would be best for Ms. Spears' well-being and mental health that her father stop acting as her Conservator," Montgomery said.

 

Lynne Spears noted that she became involved in her daughter's case during a "time of crisis" that began in 2018 and continued into the next year. She said that in that period Britney Spears was being treated by a "sports enhancement" doctor hired by Jamie Spears who was "prescribing what I and many others thought to be entirely inappropriate medicine to my daughter, who did not want to take the medicine."

 

She also said that Jamie Spears' "absolutely microscopic control" through threats and coercion has reduced his relationship with his daughter to nothing more than "fear and hatred."

 

Lynne Spears testified in her declaration that Jamie Spears has used his daughter's medical aides, household staff and security detail to "inform on and report back to him each and every detail of every action.

 

"Such scrutiny is exhausting and terrifying, like living in custody," Lynne Spears said.

 

Rosengart spoke to reporters briefly outside the Stanley Mosk courthouse Monday afternoon following a short hearing where the petitions were scheduled to be heard at a later date.

 

"Less than two weeks ago, we pledged that after 13 years of status quo we would move aggressively to suspend and remove James Spears," Rosengart said. "It is now a matter of public record that we have done so in less than two weeks. We look forward to litigating the matter in court."

 

In the petition to remove Jamie Spears, Rosengart hinted at possible further legal action and wrote that the court may one day have to decide whether Jamie Spears is "guilty of misfeasance or malfeasance" in his daughter's case.

 

Rosengart said noted that Jamie Spears has profited from his daughter's estate, taking a salary of $16,000 a month in addition to costs for office space and taking fees from her performance contracts.

 

"Although it is common for managers, agents and other industry professionals to receive a percentage of an artists’ earnings, Mr. Spears is none of those," the petition said. "He is a conservator, and, as a conservator, his role is to be burdened by, rather than benefit from, the conservatorship."

 

~ Via NBC News