Britney Spears鈥� father said in a court filing Friday that there are 鈥渘o grounds whatsoever鈥� for removing him from the conservatorship that controls her money and affairs.
James Spears 鈥渉as dutifully and faithfully served as the conservator of his daughter鈥檚 estate without any blemishes on his record,鈥� the filing said.
James Spears鈥� filing also says that court-appointed professional Jodi Montgomery, who oversees Britney Spears鈥� life decisions while her father handles her money, called him, distraught, last month and sought his help with his daughter鈥檚 mental health struggles. Montgomery and her lawyer said in response that James Spears 鈥渕isrepresented and manipulated鈥� the call to use it to his own advantage.
James Spears鈥� filing came in response to court papers filed a day earlier by Britney Spears鈥� new attorney Matthew Rosengart, which requested an emergency hearing as soon as possible to suspend him from the conservatorship.
James Spears said Rosengart 鈥渄oes not (and cannot) specify what the wrongdoing is鈥� to prompt such a suspension.
James Spears stepped aside from the part of the conservatorship that controls his daughter鈥檚 life decisions in 2019, with Montgomery taking over, though her official status remains temporary.
The allegations made by Britney Spears at hearings in June and July that seem to have spurred Rosengart鈥檚 call for her father鈥檚 removal, including 鈥渟erious allegations regarding forced medical treatment and therapy, improper medical care, and limitations on personal rights,鈥� are 鈥渦ntested鈥� and involve issues that have long been Montgomery鈥檚 responsibility, not his, said Jamie Spears鈥� filing.
James Spears says the call for his urgent removal is 鈥渋ronic鈥� considering the call he received from Montgomery on July 9.
鈥淢s. Montgomery sounded very distraught and expressed how concerned she was about my daughters鈥� recent behavior and overall mental health,鈥� James Spears said in a personal declaration included with his court filing. 鈥淢s. Montgomery explained that my daughter was not timely or properly taking her medications, was not listening to the recommendations of her medical team, and refused to even see some of her doctors. Ms. Montgomery said she was very worried about the direction my daughter was heading in and directly asked for my help to address these issues.鈥�
James Spears said they discussed the possibility of hospitalizing Britney Spears on an emergency psychiatric hold.
Montgomery acknowledged, in a statement through her attorney Lauriann Wright, having concerns about Britney Spears鈥� behavior and mental health, but said James Spears鈥� stepping down would only help.
The statement said 鈥渉aving her father Jamie Spears continuing to serve as her Conservator instead of a neutral professional fiduciary is having a serious impact on Ms. Spears鈥� mental health.鈥�
At no time during the phone call did Montgomery suggest Britney Spears qualifies for a psychiatric hold, the statement said.
Montgomery reached out to Jamie Spears because she was concerned that an investigation of Britney Spears鈥� allegations, which he was seeking, would be harmful to her.
鈥淭he concern that Ms. Montgomery did raise to Mr. Spears during their telephone call is that forcing Ms. Spears to take the stand to testify or to have her evaluated would move the needle in the wrong direction for her mental health,鈥� the statement said.
Montgomery was 鈥渟addened鈥� that the call 鈥渋s now being misrepresented and manipulated鈥� by James Spears 鈥渢o gain some sort of tactical advantage in the pending proceedings to remove him.鈥�
The fighting between those involved in the conservatorship has grown increasingly heated, and increasingly public, since Spears鈥� dramatic testimony at a hearing on June 23, when she told a judge 鈥� I just want my life back.鈥�
A hearing to address Rosengart鈥檚 petition to remove James Spears is scheduled for Sept. 29, unless the judge grants his request to hold one sooner.
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Andrew Dalton, The Associated Press
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