Britney Spears’ Dad to Remain Conservator After Judge Denies Removal Request

Decision comes even after the pop star testified about alleged “abusive” behavior

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Britney Spears’ father will remain on as conservator over his daughter’s estate, at least for now, after a judge declined to remove him from the role.

The initial request to have Jamie Spears removed from the position came all the way back in November but was part of a filing to have Bessemer Trust added as a co-conservator. The judge finally approved Bessemer today, according to court documents obtained by TheWrap, which came with another denial to remove Spears.

The order read, “The conservatee’s request to suspend JAMES P. SPEARS immediately upon the appointment of BESSEMER TRUST COMPANY OF CALIFORNIA, N.A. as sole conservator of estate is denied without prejudice.”

Excerpt of the judge’s order

Jamie Spears also traded legal barbs with Britney’s personal conservator, Jodi Montgomery, on Wednesday. After Jamie filed legal docs faulting her for Britney Spears’ current limitations under her conservatorship, Montgomery responded with her own missive, courtesy of her attorney.

In a statement obtained by TheWrap, Montgomery said she is “a tireless advocate for Britney and for her well-being,” and said that since the beginning of her appointment in March, she “had one primary goal – to assist and encourage Britney in her path to no longer needing a conservatorship.”

Britney appeared in court last week and made a number of damning allegations against Jamie, including that she was not allowed to have her IUD removed. The singer also said she was informed that while under the conservatorship, the two were prohibited from getting married.

In Montgomery’s statement, she contends that Britney’s ability to marry or start a family was not impeded as long as she has been a conservator. “As to Britney’s right to marry, that is unaffected by the conservatorship,” Montgomery said. “As to family planning, that is also unaffected by the conservatorship.”

Jamie has maintained that he has never tried to inhibit her plans for marriage and said that he approved her engagement to Jason Trawick while she under conservatorship in 2011.

Montgomery’s statement also made it a point to mention that “she does not control Britney’s financial assets,” and all of her “fees and costs are approved by the Court,” noting that any spending is approved or denied by Jamie.

While Jamie has argued that he has “been cut off from communicating” with Britney for almost two years, the pop star referenced incidents in which she found the conservatorship too restrictive that occurred sometime before Montgomery was brought on.

Montgomery concluded her statement by saying, “While it is Ms. Montgomery’s professional duty to be Britney’s protector and advocate, honoring her wishes and seeing to her best interests while Britney is under conservatorship, it is her sincere personal wish that Britney continues to make meaningful progress in her well-being so that her conservatorship of the person can be terminated. Ms. Montgomery looks forward to presenting a comprehensive Care Plan to the Court setting forth a path for termination of the conservatorship for Britney, and Ms. Montgomery looks forward to supporting Britney through that process.”

Pamela Chelin contributed to this report.

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