Britney Spears conquers conservatorship

Britney Spears has become the poster child of conservatorship since 2019. On Nov. 12, the pop star successfully escaped her 13-year conservatorship.

When a person is considered to have a severely diminished mental capacity, a court can grant someone the power to make financial decisions and major life choices for that person, according to AP News.

California law, which Spears abides under, states a conservatorship is justified for a “person who is unable to provide properly for their personal needs for physical health, food, clothing or shelter,” or for someone who is “substantially unable to manage their financial resources, resist fraud or undue influence.”

In Feb. 2008, Britney suffered a mental breakdown during a custody battle with her ex-husband, Kevin Federline. A picture captured Spears with her head shaved and a few days later, she smashed a paparazzi’s SUV repeatedly with an umbrella, according to Billboard.

According to USA Today, her father, James Spears, was appointed her co-conservator in 2008 with a lawyer, Andrew Wallet, who has since resigned. Last month, James temporarily stepped aside because of his health issues but still handled her finances.

“I want to be able to get married and have a baby. I was told right now in the conservatorship I am not able to get married and have a baby,” Spears said in June to a court. The conservators wouldn’t let her have her birth control removed, she claimed, according to Billboard.

While Britney’s conservatorship is the first on your Google feed, it is not the only case where adult celebrities have someone control their lives and finances either by choice or force.

According to ALOT Living, Randy Meisner, a member of the Eagles band, requested a conservatorship for himself. He said he was in “a lot of pain” following the death of his wife. His longtime friend, Author Ford, and Meisner’s accountant, Thomas DeLong, were initially appointed as conservator and finance manager, respectively.