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What she will say, and whether her fans and the
media will hear it, is anyone's guess.
The former teen phenomenon, now 39, is not expected to appear in
person on Wednesday but to talk to the judge by audio link. The
last time Spears did so was in May 2019 but the court was closed
to the public and her testimony was sealed.
Spears has been subject to a conservatorship, or guardianship,
since 2008 when she suffered a breakdown. A year later she
returned with a new album and world tour and worked solidly
until late 2018. Details of her mental health have never been
disclosed.
The singer's status as a pop culture icon, and the mystery
surrounding her mental health, has focused attention on
Wednesday's hearing.
"She was America's sweetheart ... She's a slice of Americana,
and her history and watching her troubles and resurrection is
also part of the American story," said Scott Rahn, a Los Angeles
attorney who specializes in trust and conservatorship issues.
Last year, Spears began the legal process to remove her father,
Jamie Spears, from handling personal affairs ranging from her
medical care to who visits her secluded villa outside Los
Angeles. Her request has still to be considered in detail. Jamie
Spears also is a joint conservator of the singer's finances.
The "Piece of Me" singer has never formally requested that the
conservatorship be brought to an end. But the New York Times
this week said it obtained confidential court documents that
showed Spears has been chafing against the restrictions since
2014. She also said she had been forced into a mental health
facility two years ago, the newspaper reported.
An attorney for Jamie Spears did not respond to a request for
comment on the New York Times report.
"I can only imagine that she's going to address any number of
those issues - why it's working, why it's not working, what
changes she might like to see," said Rahn.
"She may just be asking to be heard on lifting some
restrictions," Rahn said.
Spears, who now communicates to the world through frequent
Instagram posts consisting mainly of dance videos, has given no
hint of her intentions. But she said last week that she had no
idea whether she would ever perform again.
"I'm having fun right now, I'm in a transition in my life and
I'm enjoying myself," she added on Instagram. In November she
said she was "the happiest I've ever been."
The #FreeBritney fan movement plans a rally on Wednesday near
the courthouse to highlight its concerns that the singer is
sending cryptic messages through her Instagram platform and is
begging to be liberated.
Family law attorney Christopher Melcher says he hopes Spears
addresses her fans directly "about whether she is being
controlled, whether this is voluntarily impressed upon her, that
these are her wishes, (and) to reassure them that she is OK."
(Reporting by Jill Serjeant; Additional reporting by Rollo Ross;
editing by Grant McCool)
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