Britney Spears

Britney Spears Requests to Address Court at Hearing on Her Conservatorship

The pop star has been under a legal conservatorship for more than 12 years and has rarely issued public statements over her father's legal guardianship

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Britney Spears has asked to address the court to talk about the conservatorship that has controlled her life and finances for 13 years, her attorney said Tuesday, and a judge scheduled a June date to hear from her.

Spears' court-appointed attorney, Samuel Ingham III, said in a hearing in Los Angeles Superior Court that she had asked to speak to the court soon, and agreed with Judge Brenda Penny on a June 23 date. He did not say what she would specifically like to say.

It would be the first known time in more than two years that the 39-year-old pop star has spoken in court. The last time, on May 10, 2019, the courtroom was sealed. None of what she said became public.

Conservatorship attorney Gillian Smith breaks down why Britney Spears has been unable to escape her court-induced conservatorship for the past 12 years.

The judge may also close the June hearing to the media and public. But Spears, through Ingham, has been pushing for more transparency in the court proceedings and documents of the conservatorship.

Spears did not take part in Tuesday's hearing, and she very rarely attends them.

As with nearly every Spears hearing, about 50 fans from the so-called #FreeBritney movement picketed outside the downtown courthouse.

On Tuesday, they carried signs that read "CONSERVATORSHIP IS SLAVERY" and “THIS IS TOXIC."

Britney Spears is speaking out. The pop star took to Instagram to share a message with fans, sharing a video of her performing “Toxic” onstage and writing in part, “I’ll always love being on stage …. But I am taking the time to learn and be a normal person ….. I love simply enjoying the basics of every day life !!!! Each person has their story and their take on other people’s stories !!!! We all have so many different beautiful lives."

One woman, wearing a #FreeBritney T-shirt, had her head shaved during the demonstration in solidarity with Spears, who famously shaved her own head just before the conservatorship was put in place in 2008.

Spears herself has said in court documents and on social media that she welcomes the support for her and scrutiny of her circumstances that have come from fans.

Through Ingham, she has been pushing in court to incrementally exercise more control over her life and finances. But she has yet to request that the court end the conservatorship.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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