The #FreeBritney movement has been on a wild ride in 2020 - look inside the 12-year conservatorship that prevents Britney Spears from controlling her life and $59 million fortune

Hillary HoffowerDec 9, 2020, 23:56 IST

Britney Spears has been under a conservatorship for 12 years.David Becker/Getty

Britney Spears' conservatorship, also known as a legal guardianship, was implemented in 2008 after Spears experienced several mental breakdowns.
Under the arrangement, Spears has no legal control over her estate or financial and personal assets — those rights were granted to her father and a lawyer.
While supporters of the #FreeBritney movement say Spears is being manipulated, those involved in the conservatorship say she's very involved in decision-making.
In 2020, the conservatorship was extended three times and Spears requested her father be removed as conservator twice. Both times, she was declined.

Britney Spears hasn't legally controlled her life and fortune for 12 years.

The conservatorship - a legal guardianship typically enacted for those incapable of making their own decisions - was approved in Los Angeles Superior Court in 2008 after Spears had several public mental breakdowns. The arrangement put her estate, financial assets, and some personal assets under the control of her father and a lawyer.

So far in 2020, Spears' conservatorship has been extended three times. Most recently, a judge opted to extend it in its current form through February 1 of next year. Spears has also requested to have her father removed as conservator twice this year, only to be declined by the judge both times.

Since its implementation, the conservatorship has generated a lot of controversy among Spears' fans. Some think she's being controlled and manipulated, which has fueled the #FreeBritney movement. But those close to Spears have told several media outlets over the years that the conservatorship is meant to help the pop icon and that she is very involved in business decisions.

A recent court filing revealed that Spears wants her future court hearings open to the public, reported Natalie Morin for Refinery29. Her lawyer wrote that the #FreeBritney movement is "far from being a conspiracy theory."

A representative for Spears didn't immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment on this story.

Here's a look inside the complex arrangement that is Spears' conservatorship.

In the late 2000s, Britney Spears had several highly publicized mental breakdowns.

Gus Ruelas/AP

This tumultuous period led to Spears' court-approved conservatorship, which was implemented at the end of 2008.

GABRIEL BOUYS/Getty Images

Under the conservatorship, Spears has no control over financial or personal decisions. That power was granted to her father, Jamie Spears, and her attorney, Andrew Wallet.

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Under the conservatorship, Spears has no control over financial or personal decisions. That power was granted to her father, Jamie Spears, and her attorney, Andrew Wallet.

The exact details of the arrangement aren't known, but all of Spears' financial decisions must be documented in court reports.

Philip Ramey Photography, LLC / Contributor

The conservatorship is intended not only to prevent Spears from making poor financial and business decisions but also to protect her from potentially toxic people.

Toby Canham/Getty Images

But not everyone feels the conservatorship is a good thing. Some fans think Spears is being controlled and have pushed the conservatorship in and out of the spotlight with the #FreeBritney movement.

Image Group LA/Getty Images

But not everyone feels the conservatorship is a good thing. Some fans think Spears is being controlled and have pushed the conservatorship in and out of the spotlight with the #FreeBritney movement.

Sources close to Spears have insisted she hasn't been manipulated, saying fans don't grasp the mental-health and legal specifics behind the conservatorship.

This April 12, 2018 file photo shows Britney Spears at the 29th annual GLAAD Media Awards in Beverly Hills, Calif. Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File

And Spears has remained incredibly active in her career since her conservatorship was implemented.

Ethan Miller/Getty Images

But in the beginning of 2019, Spears took a step back from her career to check into a mental-health facility, which prompted the #FreeBritney supporters to express concern yet again.

Jason Merritt/Getty Images

But in the beginning of 2019, Spears took a step back from her career to check into a mental-health facility, which prompted the #FreeBritney supporters to express concern yet again.

Around this time, Spears' lawyer, Wallet, resigned as co-conservator but didn't give a reason for his resignation. This left her father, Jamie, as the sole conservator.

Jason Merritt/ Getty Images

During a status hearing in May 2019, Spears reportedly asked the judge to consider ending the conservatorship.

Britney Spears and Sam Lutfi. Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

In a second hearing in September 2019, Jamie asked to be temporarily removed as a conservator. The role was temporarily appointed to Britney Spears' care manager.

flickr.com

Jamie received another court win that year after suing the Absolute Britney blogger Anthony Elia, a source of the #FreeBritney movement, accusing him of spreading false and defamatory information.

Britney Spears performs at the third annual Jingle Ball in 2003. Kevin Winter/ Getty Images

Jamie received another court win that year after suing the Absolute Britney blogger Anthony Elia, a source of the #FreeBritney movement, accusing him of spreading false and defamatory information.

Spears' mother, Lynne Spears, made attempts in 2019 to get involved in the conservatorship. She's also reportedly engaged with the #FreeBritney movement.

Arnaldo Magnani/Getty Images

Spears' conservatorship was extended twice in early 2020.

Kevin Winter/Getty

And the #FreeBritney movement was in the limelight yet again in July. It prompted Spears' former photographer Andrew Gallery to read a letter on TikTok that he says Spears wrote about her conservatorship.

Supporters of Britney Spears gather outside a courthouse in downtown for a #FreeBritney protest as a hearing regarding Spears' conservatorship is in session on July 22, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

And the #FreeBritney movement was in the limelight yet again in July. It prompted Spears' former photographer Andrew Gallery to read a letter on TikTok that he says Spears wrote about her conservatorship.

In August, Spears asked the courts for the removal of her father as sole conservator of her estate. Instead, the judge extended the conservatorship through February 1, 2021.

Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images

In August, Spears asked the courts for the removal of her father as sole conservator of her estate. Instead, the judge extended the conservatorship through February 1, 2021.

The same month, court documents revealed that Spears' sister, Jamie Lynn Spears, was secretly named a trustee. She recently filed for more control over Spears' financial affairs.

Image Group LA/Getty Images

The same month, court documents revealed that Spears' sister, Jamie Lynn Spears, was secretly named a trustee. She recently filed for more control over Spears' financial affairs.

In September, Spears' attorney filed a request to open her future court hearings to the public, suggesting that Spears supports the #FreeBritney movement.

Mario Anzuoni / Reuters

Spears had also argued against her father's petition to reinstate Wallet, her former lawyer, as co-conservator. Jamie Spears withdrew this petition in October.

Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images

In November, Spears' attorney again asked the court to immediately remove her father as co-conservator after Spears learned her business manager had resigned. The court declined.

Denise Truscello/BSLV/Getty Images

In November, Spears' attorney again asked the court to immediately remove her father as co-conservator after Spears learned her business manager had resigned. The court declined.

Spears' case is being handled in a probate court, where conservatorships can go on indefinitely.

Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images

To end the conservatorship, Spears needs to prove she doesn't need it to get through life.

MARIO ANZUONI/Reuters

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The #FreeBritney movement has been on a wild ride in 2020 - look inside the 12-year conservatorship that prevents Britney Spears from controlling her life and $59 million fortune

In the late 2000s, Britney Spears had several highly publicized mental breakdowns.

This tumultuous period led to Spears' court-approved conservatorship, which was implemented at the end of 2008.

Under the conservatorship, Spears has no control over financial or personal decisions. That power was granted to her father, Jamie Spears, and her attorney, Andrew Wallet.

The exact details of the arrangement aren't known, but all of Spears' financial decisions must be documented in court reports.

The conservatorship is intended not only to prevent Spears from making poor financial and business decisions but also to protect her from potentially toxic people.

But not everyone feels the conservatorship is a good thing. Some fans think Spears is being controlled and have pushed the conservatorship in and out of the spotlight with the #FreeBritney movement.

Sources close to Spears have insisted she hasn't been manipulated, saying fans don't grasp the mental-health and legal specifics behind the conservatorship.

And Spears has remained incredibly active in her career since her conservatorship was implemented.

But in the beginning of 2019, Spears took a step back from her career to check into a mental-health facility, which prompted the #FreeBritney supporters to express concern yet again.

Around this time, Spears' lawyer, Wallet, resigned as co-conservator but didn't give a reason for his resignation. This left her father, Jamie, as the sole conservator.

During a status hearing in May 2019, Spears reportedly asked the judge to consider ending the conservatorship.

In a second hearing in September 2019, Jamie asked to be temporarily removed as a conservator. The role was temporarily appointed to Britney Spears' care manager.

Jamie received another court win that year after suing the Absolute Britney blogger Anthony Elia, a source of the #FreeBritney movement, accusing him of spreading false and defamatory information.

Spears' mother, Lynne Spears, made attempts in 2019 to get involved in the conservatorship. She's also reportedly engaged with the #FreeBritney movement.

Spears' conservatorship was extended twice in early 2020.

And the #FreeBritney movement was in the limelight yet again in July. It prompted Spears' former photographer Andrew Gallery to read a letter on TikTok that he says Spears wrote about her conservatorship.

In August, Spears asked the courts for the removal of her father as sole conservator of her estate. Instead, the judge extended the conservatorship through February 1, 2021.

The same month, court documents revealed that Spears' sister, Jamie Lynn Spears, was secretly named a trustee. She recently filed for more control over Spears' financial affairs.

In September, Spears' attorney filed a request to open her future court hearings to the public, suggesting that Spears supports the #FreeBritney movement.

Spears had also argued against her father's petition to reinstate Wallet, her former lawyer, as co-conservator. Jamie Spears withdrew this petition in October.

In November, Spears' attorney again asked the court to immediately remove her father as co-conservator after Spears learned her business manager had resigned. The court declined.

Spears' case is being handled in a probate court, where conservatorships can go on indefinitely.

To end the conservatorship, Spears needs to prove she doesn't need it to get through life.