Judge Rejects Britney Spears' Plea to Remove Her Father From the Conservatorship

Britney Spears was hit with another setback in her battle for freedom on June 30th. According to Variety, updated documents from court proceedings show that the judge overseeing the case denied Spears' request to remove her father as the primary conservator. But, this was just the beginning.

The ruling was based on a request that Britney's lawyer, Samuel Ingham III, filed in the fall of 2020. Britney and her attorney were fighting to get Jamie Spears to step down as the sole conservator, and instead, appoint Bessemer Trust Company of California to fulfill the role instead. But Judge Brenda Penny put her foot down and shut the plan down. "“The conservator’s request to suspend James P. Spears immediately upon the appointment of Bessemer Trust Company of California as sole conservator of estate is denied without prejudice,” the court filings outlined.

Although the ruling was a clear disappointment for Britney and her legal party, it was more of a "not now," rather than a "never." The ruling specifically applied to the appointment of Bessemer Trust as co-conservator, which left Britney with options for further appeals. It did, however, further cement Jamie Spears' continued control in the conservatorship. And, despite the specific nature of this latest ruling in the conservatorship, there was one fact that was particularly devastating for champions of the #FreeBritney movement.

Judge Penny's ruling "without prejudice," spoke to the fact that Britney's emotional 20-minute court appearance from earlier in June was not taken into consideration. Britney outlined the "abusive" control she experienced under her father's control. But when she called for the outright end of the conservatorship, it meant that a new petition would be needed altogether. But still, the Judge's signature came a week after she commended Britney on her "courageous" appearance in court.

This latest decision from Judge Brenda Penny came as a tough blow for the 39-year-old pop star but based on her passionate speech, Britney will continue on with the fight. Be sure to check back with us soon. From what we can tell, the legal battle is far from over...