Britney Spears’ team in limbo as multiple people, including attorney, want to resign
Britney Spears isn’t the only person who wants out of her conservatorship.
Samuel Ingham III, who has served as the singer’s court-appointed attorney since her conservatorship began in 2008, reportedly will file documents Tuesday requesting that the court remove him from the job, according to TMZ.
Ingham did not respond to The Times’ request for confirmation Tuesday. TMZ reported that Ingham was “extremely upset” by Spears’ claim that he never told her she could ask to end the arrangement, which was his legal duty. Sources told the site that he repeatedly told the singer about her options.
Additionally, Spears’ longtime manager, Larry Rudolph, has reportedly resigned, and Bessemer Trust, cited as co-conservator of her estate since November, has requested an exit from the job it apparently never started.
Addressing the court for the first time in two years, pop star Britney Spears was candid and emotional at her conservatorship hearing Wednesday.
Rudolph, who has managed the “Toxic” singer’s musical career on and off — mostly on — since the mid-1990s, announced his intentions Monday in an email to Jamie Spears and Jodi Montgomery, the conservators of Britney’s estate and person, respectively, Deadline reported.
Rudolph said that he and Spears hadn’t communicated in more than 2½ years, since she told him she wanted to take an indefinite work hiatus, but that he had recently learned of her intention to retire.
“As you know, I have never been a part of the conservatorship nor its operations, so I am not privy to many of these details,” the email reportedly said, in part, presumably referring to things Spears said in court June 23.
“I was originally hired at Britney’s request to help manage and assist her with her career. And as her manager, I believe it is in Britney’s best interest for me to resign from her team as my professional services are no longer needed.”
If she can free herself from her conservatorship, Britney Spears could become an even bigger pop star than she was in the early 2000s, experts say.
That comes after the Bessemer Trust, which was appointed in November as co-conservator of Spears’ financial affairs and her considerable estate, filed papers Friday asking the court to approve its resignation “due to changed circumstances.” Bessemer said it had been waiting on paperwork before starting its work for the estate and had collected no fees.
“Petitioner has heard the Conservatee and respects her wishes,” the document says, referring to Spears’ expressed desire to end her conservatorship.
If Bessemer’s resignation is accepted immediately by the court, per its request, Jamie Spears would remain the sole conservator of the 39-year-old performer’s estate.
Britney Spears’ plight shows that conservatorship laws need reform to ensure that they don’t harm those they are supposed to protect.
Ingham has not yet filed to end the 13-year conservatorship, known elsewhere as a legal guardianship, even though the singer made it clear in her June 23 court appearance that she wants out of the arrangement.
“I truly believe this conservatorship is abusive,” the pop star said via telephone at the hearing. “I want to end the conservatorship without being evaluated.”
The next court date is set for July 14.
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