Example of a conservatorship
One of the most publicized examples of a conservatorship involved pop superstar Britney Spears and her father, Jamie Spears. In 2008, Britney Spears was placed in a conservatorship after her father petitioned a California court. The day before her father filed the petition, the pop star had been admitted to UCLA Medical Center on a psychiatric hold after police came to her home over a child custody dispute.
Jamie Spears was named both conservator of the estate and conservator of the person for his daughter, though he stepped down from his role as conservator of the person in 2019 and was replaced by a court-appointed third party. He remained the conservator of the estate for 13 years.
The arrangement drew scrutiny when Britney Spears began publicly speaking out against it and as her fans mounted the #FreeBritney campaign. Advocates for Britney Spears pointed out that despite her father’s claims that she couldn’t manage her own affairs, the star was able to record three albums and maintain a grueling performance schedule while the conservatorship was in effect. Documents obtained by The New York Times revealed that while Britney Spears received a $2,000 weekly allowance, her father received $16,000 a month for his role, plus $2,000 for office space.
