On Wednesday, #FreeBritney may become more than just a hashtag: A hearing in Los Angeles today may either result in the removal of Britney Spears' father Jamie Spears as her conservator, or the actual termination of the conservatorship.
Team Britney’s top priority in this hearing is to have Jamie Spears removed, but Jamie is pushing to end the conservatorship now, which would make discussion of his removal a moot point. The judge simply needs to decide what’s in Britney’s best interests.
Britney's lawyer Mathew Rosengart has petitioned the judge to suspend or remove Jamie if he doesn’t resign, and claims he has “overwhelming evidence" proving why this should happen immediately. And while Rosengart has said he wants the 13-year conservatorship "formally wound down” this fall, he's hasn't filed the paperwork to do that just yet.
Jamie Spears is actually the one who petitioned the court for the conservatorship to be terminated, noting that it is “opposed by no one.” He says if it is terminated, then other issues before the court -- like his removal -- become unnecessary. Mr. Spears has said, essentially, that there's no "basis " for his removal, but if Britney is so convinced that she can handle her own life, then she "should get that chance."
Rosengart says this is just a "desperate effort" to deflect attention from Mr. Spears' "egregious incompetence" [and] "gross misconduct." However, he doesn't need to prove this today: He just needs to convince the judge that Jamie’s removal is in the “best interests” of Britney Spears.
Meanwhile, Jodi Montgomery, Britney's Conservator of Person, who handles the star's medical records and personal affairs, says that Britney has asked her to “continue to serve.” There are reports that Britney wants Montgomery on her payroll indefinitely, beyond the life of the conservatorship.
Stay tuned.