Published by
Reuters

By Jill Serjeant

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -Jamie Spears has agreed to step down from his 13-year role as conservator of his daughter Britney’s estate, in what the pop star’s attorney on Thursday called a major victory.

“We are pleased that Mr Spears and his lawyer have today conceded in a filing that he must be removed,” the singer’s lawyer Mathew Rosengart said in a statement.

Spears, who has controlled much of his daughter’s affairs since she suffered a mental health breakdown in 2008, agreed to step aside in court documents filed on Thursday.

The “Toxic” pop star has been seeking for months to remove her father from any say in her life. A court hearing to discuss the matter had been set for late September in Los Angeles.

Rosengart called the decision by Jamie Spears “a major victory for Britney Spears and another step toward justice.”

Thursday’s court document did not say when Jamie Spears would step down from his role in handling his daughter’s $60 million estate and said that he felt there were no grounds for immediately removing or suspending him.

But it added: “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.”

“Mr Spears intends to work with the court and his daughter’s new attorney to prepare for an orderly transition to a new conservator,” the court filing added.

Britney Spears, 39, remains under the care of professional Jodi Montgomery, who mangers her medical and personal affairs. The nature of the singer’s mental health issues have never been publicly revealed.

Spears spoke out emotionally in June and July against the court-appointed conservatorship, calling it humiliating and abusive and accusing her father of ruining her life. Spears has not performed since 2018 and has said she will not return to the stage while her father retains control over her career.

The singer, who posts frequently on social media, made no immediate reference on Thursday to her father’s decision to step aside.

Thursday’s court document said Jamie Spears has always had his daughter’s best interests at heart and has not coerced her to do anything.

“By her own admission, Ms Spears is strong and stands up for what she wants. Mr Spears has tried to do everything in his power to accommodate Ms Spears’ wishes, whether regarding her personal life, family, or career, while fulfilling his duties and obligations as conservator (and) protecting her from others seeking to take advantage of her,” the document said.

(Reporting by Jill Serjeant;Editing by Dan Grebler and Stephen Coates)