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Britney Spears' Dad Wants Her To Pay Legal Fees, A Request Her Lawyer Calls ‘Shameful’
Jamie Spears argues that in order for him to wrap up his fiduciary duties as his daughter's former conservator, she should continue to pay his attorney's fees.
Britney Spears’ father is asking for the pop icon to continue to pay his legal fees, despite being removed as conservator if her estate.
Jamie Spears, 69, petitioned last week for his daughter’s estate to pay the lawyers who are “participating in proceedings concerning Jamie’s ongoing fiduciary duties relating to winding up” the conservatorship, according to court documents obtained by Variety. An attorney representing Jamie costs around $1,200 an hour, according to the outlet.
The conservatorship that Britney, 40, was under for more than 13 years required her to foot the bill for all her dad’s legal bills. Now Jamie is arguing that he needs her to help him pay those bills so the conservatorship can get wrapped up.
“Prompt payment on account of Jamie’s attorneys’ fees is necessary to ensure the Conservatorship can be wound up quickly and efficiently to allow Britney to take control of her life as she and Jamie desire,” the 27-page petition states.
The petition also commends Jamie's work as conservator, claiming he kept “opportunistic and wholly self-interested parties at bay.”
“It would be contrary to public policy if Jamie’s years of dedication to protect his daughter…could subject him to personal bankruptcy and ruin defending baseless claims,” the filing states. “No person would ever want to step into the role as conservator if a conservatee could force a conservator to personally pay substantial legal fees defending unfounded allegations.”
Britney’s conservatorship was dissolved last month by Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Brenda Penny. The decision came after months of intense criticism of the conservatorship by the “Overprotected” star and her supporters. Jamie had been his daughter’s conservator of estate for more than 13 years. He was also her conservator of person from 2008 until 2019 when he stepped down from that role.
Mathew Rosengart, Britney’s lawyer, has indicated in recent months that he's investigating some of the allegations that Britney and others have made, including one that Jamie secretly bugged her bedroom. He has also said he is looking into Jamie's management of Britney's estate for possible misconduct.
Regarding Jamie’s newest request, Rosengart called it an “abomination.”
“The request is shameful," Rosengart said in a statement obtained by USA Today. "Mr. Spears reaped many millions of dollars from Britney as a conservator, while paying his lawyers millions more, all from Britney’s work and hard-earned money."
He went on to say that “under the circumstances, his petition is not only legally meritless, it is an abomination. Britney poignantly testified about the pain her father caused her and this only adds to it. This is not what a father who loves his daughter does.”
Spears broke her public silence about her conservatorship in June, when she called the arrangement "abusive” and suggested that her father and other relatives should go to jail for such abuse. She told the court that, at one point during the 13-years conservatorship, she had been placed in a psychiatric hold against her will. She also alleged that she was forced to perform at times while ill, as well as to take lithium, and was told that she could not get her IUD removed.
