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 Here is how conservatorships
work in California:
WHAT IS A CONSERVATORSHIP?
A court-approved arrangement in which a person
or organization is chosen to protect and manage
the personal care and/or finances of a person
whom a judge has found to be unable to manage
his or her own affairs.
IN WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES IS A CONSERVATORSHIP
APPROVED BY THE COURTS?
When someone needs help taking care of his or
her daily needs, managing their finances, or
gives away large sums of money to strangers.
Many are elderly people, or developmentally
disabled, or people with temporary or permanent
mental or physical disabilities. Details about
the personal health of the conservatee is not
made public. A court-appointed investigator is
required to make a personal visit and submit a
status report about the conservatorship every
two years.
WHAT ARE THE DUTIES OF A CONSERVATOR?
A conservator can be a relative, friend or
professional entity. Duties include deciding
where the conservatee will live, making
arrangements for their health care,
housekeeping, transportation, managing finances,
paying taxes and bills, making investments,
protecting assets, accounting to the court for
management of finances and reporting to the
court on the status of the conservatee. Any
changes require court approval.
WHO ARE THE CONSERVATORS IN THE BRITNEY SPEARS
CASE?
The singer's father Jamie is a joint conservator
of her personal affairs with care manager Jodi
Montgomery. Jamie Spears is also a joint
conservator of her financial affairs with
financial firm Bessemer Trust. Spears has an
attorney to represent her. In 2020, Spears began
her attempts to remove Jamie Spears as her
personal conservator.
HOW MUCH FREEDOM DOES A PERSON UNDER A
CONSERVATORSHP HAVE?
Restrictions are determined by the court
depending on individual circumstances. Since
2008, Spears has performed multiple concerts,
been on several tours, recorded several albums,
goes shopping, posts frequently to her Instagram
account, has a boyfriend, gets an allowance and
has gone on vacation.
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HOW CAN A CONSERVATORSHIP BE BROUGHT TO AN END?
The conservatee, or a relative or friend, can
ask the judge at any time to end the
conservatorship. A court appointed investigator
would evaluate the case and hear from all sides.
The conservatee must prove they can handle their
own personal and financial affairs. The judge
would make a decision. Spears has not made such
a request. The court can remove a conservator
who is failing to perform their duties and
appoint a new one.
WHY HAS THE
BRITNEY SPEARS CASE ATTRACTED SO MUCH ATTENTION?
It is unusual for someone of Spears' age and
high profile to have been under such an
arrangement for 13 years. Details of her mental
health issues have never been revealed. The
fan-based #FreeBritney movement, started in
2019, believes Spears is being held against her
will and that she is sending cryptic messages
through her Instagram postings. The 2021 TV
documentary "Framing Britney Spears" brought
wider attention to the case.
WHAT IS BRITNEY SPEARS EXPECTED TO SAY ON
WEDNESDAY?
Neither Spears nor any of the attorneys in the
case have said what the singer plans to speak
about. She is not expected to attend the Los
Angeles court in person but to speak via audio
and/or video link. The last time she spoke to
the judge, in May 2019, the hearing was closed
to the public and her testimony was sealed.
(Reporting by Jill Serjeant; editing by Grant
McCool)
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