Britney Spears’ father, Jamie Spears, has agreed to step down from his role as her conservator (Getty)
Britney Spears’ father has finally agreed to step down as her conservator, according to court filings from his lawyers.
Jamie Spears, 69, had previously resisted calls to stand down from the conservatorship that has dominated the star’s life for the last 13 years, insisting the court-ordered arrangement remained in her best interests.
But after Britney’s blistering testimonies and threats to sue him for “conservatorship abuse”, he finally agreed to cede control – though he’s yet to give a timetable for his resignation.
Jamie Spears “intends to work with the Court and his daughter’s new attorney to prepare for an orderly transition to a new conservator,” TMZ reported on Thursday (12 August), citing new legal documents.
His attorney cites the “public battle with his daughter” as his reasoning for stepping down, but claimed that there are “no actual grounds for suspending or removing” him.
“It is highly debatable whether a change in conservator at this time would be in Ms Spears’ best interests,” his lawyers said.
“Nevertheless, even as Mr Spears is the unremitting target of unjustified attacks, he does not believe that a public battle with his daughter over his continuing service as her conservator would be in her best interests.
“So, even though he must contest this unjustified Petition for his removal, Mr Spears intends to work with the Court and his daughter’s new attorney to prepare for an orderly transition to a new conservator.”
The filing then states that Jamie “will always be Ms Spears’ father, he will always love her unconditionally, and he will always look out for her best interests”.
‘Vigorous investigation’ of Britney Spears conservatorship continues
The turn of events was praised as a “major victory” by the Britney Spears’ new attorney, Mathew Rosengart, who says he intends to investigate Spears’ conduct over the past 13 years, and plans to depose him under oath.
“This is a major victory for Britney Spears and another step toward justice,” he said in a statement to Variety.
“We are pleased that Mr Spears and his lawyer have today conceded in a filing that he must be removed. We are disappointed, however, by their ongoing shameful and reprehensible attacks on Ms Spears and others.
“We look forward to continuing our vigorous investigation into the conduct of Mr Spears, and others, over the past 13 years, while he reaped millions of dollars from his daughter’s estate, and I look forward to taking Mr Spears’s sworn deposition in the near future,” Rosengart added.
“In the interim, rather than making false accusations and taking cheap shots at his own daughter, Mr Spears should remain silent and step aside immediately.”