Britney Spears asks court to curb father’s power over her
Video report by ITV News Correspondent Geraint Vincent
Pop star Britney Spears has asked a court to prevent her father from returning to a role that gave him broad control over her life and career that he has had for nearly 12 years.
Documents filed by her lawyer give a rare glimpse of the wishes of the 38-year-old superstar, as she requests that her father not return to the role of conservator of her person.
The conservatorship arrangement has had vast power over Ms Spears for over a decade.
The position gave her father power over her major life decisions from 2008 until 2019, including her relationship with her teenage sons.
But the court documents reveal: "Britney is strongly opposed to James return as conservator of her person".
James Spears has kept his separate role in power of his daughter's finances, but temporarily stepped aside from conservator of her person in 2019 - citing health problems.
For the first 11 years of the conservatorship, Mr Spears served as co-conservator with lawyer Andrew M Wallet - he resigned from the role early last year.
For a brief time her father was in sole power over Ms Spears' life, money and career - a situation she now says she very much wants to avoid repeating.
Association Press contacted James Spears' lawyers for a response but have not yet had a reply.
In her request to the court, Ms Spears says she wants Jodi Montgomery to take over as conservator of her person.
Ms Montgomery has been acting as conservator of her person temporarily.
The pop star says the request does not mean she is waiving her right to seek an end to the entire arrangement.
The documents also reveal that Britney Spears has no plans to perform again anytime soon.
She last performed live in October 2018, and early in 2019, cancelled a planned Las Vegas residency.
The 38-year-old has almost never spoken publicly about the conservatorship arrangements.
The related court hearings and documents in the case are cloaked in secrecy, though last year she addressed the court at her request, suggesting she was seeking changes.
In the recently released papers, Ms Spears praises the conservatorship and its work overall, saying it "rescued her from a collapse, exploitation by predatory individuals and financial ruin".
She said it made her "able to regain her position as a world-class entertainer."
The document was filed a day before a status hearing on the conservatorship - expected to be closed to the media and public.
Britney Spears' lawyer said that he expects James Spears will aggressively contest being marginalised, and said that Britney Spears has suggested they keep a lawyer on board with expertise in complex financial court fights.
Ms Spears' ex-husband Kevin Federline has custody of their teenage sons, but she has frequent visits with them.