Britney Spears wants to avoid a return to the past of the last 12 years.
The American singer expressed before a California court her "strong opposition" to her sole legal guardianship being returned to her father, Jamie Spears, who from 2008 to 2019 had control of her legal affairs and finances due to the mental health problems of his daughter.
In that period, her fans have interpreted that the artist -now 38 years old- has been forced to be in that situation and have supported the #FreeBritney campaign with which they ask that she be "released".
Jamie Spears temporarily stepped away from the supervisory role in 2019, due to his own health issues. Attorney and manager Jodi Montgomery took over.
Faced with the possibility that her father resumes legal guardianship of her, the singer filed a petition against it in the Superior Court of California in Los Angeles.
"Britney is strongly opposed to Jamie ever becoming her guardian again," she says in a court document in which she asks that Montgomery continue as supervisor.
However, the singer acknowledges that the measure rescued her "from a collapse, exploitation by predatory individuals and financial ruin", in addition to making her "capable of recovering" her position as an international artist.
"Guardianship must change"
In addition to her legal decisions, Jamie Spears has overseen her daughter's financial affairs, taking sole control over those matters last year when her co-guardian, attorney Montgomery, resigned.
However, the artist asked the court that a "qualified corporate trustee" now take over her finances.
Her lawyer has already anticipated that Jamie Spears will "aggressively" challenge the petition.
"We are now at a point where the conservatorship must be substantially changed to reflect significant changes in her current lifestyle and her stated wishes," the document filed with the court says.
It also reveals that Britney has no plans to return to the stage any time soon.
The last time she performed live was in October 2018, before canceling a permanent Las Vegas show in 2019 due to her father's failing health.
What is the conservatorship of Spears?
Britney Spears has not controlled many of her legal, financial, and even personal affairs since 2008 when an agreement was issued in court.
Generally, guardianship is imposed on those who cannot make their own decisions, including people with dementia or other mental illnesses.
For the past 12 years, Jamie Spears and a lawyer had managed her assets and her personal life, including being able to restrict visits and communicate with doctors about her treatments.
The star began behaving erratically in 2007 after her divorce from Kevin Federline, plus she lost custody of her two children (whom she is allowed to visit).
Some of her alleged mental breakdowns took place in public view.
She made headlines for shaving her head and was photographed hitting a paparazzo's car with an umbrella, in addition to being committed to rehab centers multiple times.
The singer was placed under psychiatric care after refusing to hand over her children to the police. After that, she started guardianship in early 2008.
In these years under her supervision, she released three albums, spent two years performing on a Las Vegas stage, and served as a judge on The X Factor.
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