Britney Spears has landed a huge win in her legal battle against her father, Jamie Spears.
TMZ reports that Jamie has now agreed to abdicate the role of conservator over his daughter’s estate. According to court documents obtained by the outlet, he wants the court and Britney’s lawyers to “prepare for an orderly transition to a new conservator.”
The legal docs also say that Jamie believes that, “There are, in fact, no actual grounds for suspending or removing Mr. Spears as the Conservator of the Estate … and it is highly debatable whether a change in conservator at this time would be in Ms. Spears’ best interests.”
The docs continue, “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.”
Jamie sticks by his decision to become Britney’s conservator, saying that doing so helped save her when she was “in crisis, desperately in need of help” in 2008. “Not only was she suffering mentally and emotionally, she was also being manipulated by predators and in financial distress. Mr. Spears came to his daughter’s rescue to protect her,” the docs said.
He added that he will always love his daughter “unconditionally” and “look out for her best interests.” He also denounced Britney’s mother, Lynne Spears, saying that she hasn’t taken an interest in Britney’s life since Jamie became her conservator.
Britney’s lawyer, Mat Rosengart issued a statement regarding Jamie’s announcement, telling TMZ, “We are pleased but not necessarily surprised that Mr. Spears and his lawyer finally recognize that he must be removed. We are disappointed, however, by their ongoing shameful and reprehensible attacks on Ms. Spears and others.”
He continued, “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. In the interim, rather than making false accusations and taking cheap shots at his own daughter, Mr. Spears should step aside immediately.”
Jamie’s decision follows Britney’s testimony from June, where she requested that the court terminate her conservatorship with her father. Britney has since filed a petition, asking the court to appoint CPA Jason Rubin as her conservator instead, as well as grant him powers of attorney over her career and health care decisions.
