Jubilation erupted outside the courthouse,with fans cheering and shouting after the decision was announced. The crowd chanted “Britney! Britney! Britney!” and fans sang and danced to Spears’ songStronger.
The move by Superior Court Judge Brenda Penny was expected,with little support left for prolonging the legal arrangement. But Judge Penny offered no clear signals about what she would decide. As recently as last (US) spring,it appeared that the conservatorship could continue for years. Then it unravelled with surprising speed.
“As of today,the conservatorship of the person and estate of Britney Jean Spears is hereby terminated,” Judge Brenda Penny said.
Key to the unravelling was a speech Spears made at a hearing in June when she passionately described the restrictions and scrutiny of her life as “abusive”. She demanded that the conservatorship end without any prying evaluation of her mental state.
Legal experts at the time said that was unlikely to happen,and would represent a departure from common court practice.
But a judge allowed her to hire an lawyer of her choice,Mathew Rosengart,at a July hearing in which she again complained about the grief the conservatorship caused and demanded that it end.