Britney Spears’ conservatorship team is apparently experiencing some in-house schism.
On Tuesday, the pop star’s father submitted a court filing claiming his daughter’s court-appointed attorney, Samuel Ingham III, and temporary conservator of her person, Jodi Montgomery, are the people pulling the strings which the singer alleges disallowed her to freely make her own decisions regarding medical and personal care choices.
James P. Spears – otherwise known as Jamie – said in the filing obtained by Fox News that Montgomery “has served continuously as the sole Conservator of the Person of Ms. Spears since September 2019 and continues to serve in that capacity.”
“Ms. Montgomery has been fully in charge of Ms. Spears’ personal care and medical treatment in consultations with Mr. Ingham – and which consultations specifically excluded Mr. Spears. Mr. Spears, therefore, was greatly saddened to hear of his daughter’s difficulties and suffering, and he believes that there must be an investigation into those claims,” the court filing reads.
Jamie is now calling for an evidentiary hearing in order for the court to determine whether or not to grant Ingham III’s petition to appoint Montgomery as a permanent conservator. He also stated that Britney’s claims in court made last week – the most damning that she has been prevented from removing an intrauterine device (IUD) – have left him concerned.
The singer’s father claims he’s been completely “cut-off” from communicating with his daughter in any capacity.
#FreeBritney activists protest at Los Angeles Grand Park during a conservatorship hearing for Britney Spears on June 23, 2021, in Los Angeles, Calif. (Photo by Rich Fury/Getty Images)
Now, Montgomery – whom Britney has raved about through her attorney in the past – is responding to Jamie Spears’ filing and claims through a statement released by her attorney Lauriann Wright that while Britney’s conservatorship “includes multiple layers of protection” Montgomery has “unequivocally been a tireless advocate for Britney and for her well-being.”
“Ms. Montgomery is a licensed private professional fiduciary who, unlike family members who serve as conservators, is required to follow a Code of Ethics,” the statement reads. “While she does not control Britney’s financial assets, she is responsible for her personal care, and if Britney wants any issue brought up to the Court, Ms. Montgomery is and has always been ready, willing, and able to do so.”
FEDERLINE MAY REQUEST EVALUATION BEFORE BRITNEY SPEARS’ CONSERVATORSHIP ENDS
The statement further maintains that since Montgomery was appointed as temporary conservator of Britney’s person in September 2019, “Ms. Montgomery and the medical team that she assembled have had one primary goal – to assist and encourage Britney in her path to no longer needing a conservatorship of the person.”
The statement also slammed Britney’s court account in which she stated for the record that the conservatorship has blocked her from getting married and removing her contraceptive in order to have more kids as “unaffected” by the conservatorship, citing Probate Code §1900.
Britney Spears’ father Jamie.
(Getty Images)
“As to family planning, that is also unaffected by the conservatorship,” the memorandum states. “If Britney needs any assistance with either, Ms. Montgomery has and will be there to provide any assistance needed to Britney.”
“Britney’s choice to marry and to start a family have never been impacted by the conservatorship while Ms. Montgomery has been conservator of the person,” the statement pressed.
Montgomery’s attorney writes that her client has acted in Britney’s best interest since her first day on the job and said all of the decisions that have been made were approved by her doctors and the oversight of the court.
“Because Ms. Montgomery does not have any power or authority over the conservatorship of the estate, every expenditure made by Ms. Montgomery for Britney has had to be first approved by Jamie Spears as the conservator of the estate,” the statement reads in response to Jamie Spears’ claim that he has been cast aside in the decision-making processes within the conservatorship.
“Some expenses are pre-approved, but if new services or an increase in existing services is sought, Mr. Spears has to approve that expenditure,” it continues. “Practically speaking, since everything costs money, no expenditures can happen without going through Mr. Spears and Mr. Spears approving them.”
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“Ms. Montgomery has advocated on Britney’s behalf for any expenditures that Britney has requested as well as for expenditures recommended by Britney’s medical team,” it reads, adding that “not every requested expenditure has been approved” and “Jamie Spears, as conservator of the estate, has a duty to make decisions in the best interests of the estate, and sometimes that has meant requested expenditures have been denied or limited.”
A source familiar with the matter relayed to People magazine on Tuesday that Montgomery is “working with a team of experts concentrated on giving Britney the tools to get better” and “the hope is that [Britney] can eventually get out of the conservatorship.”
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Montgomery’s attorney echoed the sentiment in her statement on Wednesday, writing; “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,” the statement concludes, “and Ms. Montgomery looks forward to supporting Britney through that process.”
Fox News’ Melissa Roberto contributed to this report