Britney Spears asked a judge Wednesday to end the court conservatorship that has controlled her life and money since 2008.
The dramatic request at a Los Angeles hearing came with her first words in open court in the conservatorship during its 13-year existence.
Spears called the conservatorship 鈥渁busive,鈥� and condemned her father and the others who have controlled it.
鈥淚 want to end this conservatorship without being evaluated,鈥� Spears said by phone in a long, emotional and sometimes profane speech, in which she condemned the legal arrangement and her father, who has controlled it for most of its existence.
鈥淭his conservatorship is doing me way more harm than good,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 deserve to have a life.鈥�
Spears said she wants to marry her boyfriend Sam Asghari and have a baby, but the conservatorship won鈥檛 allow her to. She told the court she鈥檚 being forced to take birth control against her will.
鈥淎ll I want is to own my money and for this to end and for my boyfriend to be able to drive me in his (expletive) car,鈥� Spears said.
In the written speech that lasted more than 20 minutes, Spears revealed many details that have been carefully guarded for years by the court.
When an attorney representing her co-conservator said the hearing and transcript should be kept sealed if private medical information was to be revealed, Spears shouted her down to say her words should be public.
鈥淭hey鈥檝e interfered with my life so I feel like it should be an open court hearing and they should listen and hear what I have to say,鈥� Spears said.
She went on to say she was forced to take lithium against her will after rehearsals broke down for a planned Vegas residency in 2019, which was subsequently canceled.
She said all she had done was disagree with one part of the show鈥檚 choreography.
鈥淚鈥檓 not here to be anyone鈥檚 slave,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 can say no to a dance move.鈥�
Spears was interrupted once by the judge and once by the court reporter. Both told her to talk slower.
More than 100 fans from the so called #FreeBritney movement gathered outside the courthouse before the hearing, holding signs that read 鈥淔ree Britney now!鈥� and 鈥淕et out of Britney鈥檚 life!鈥�
One fan inside the courtroom cried and occasionally clapped during the remarks.
Spears said she has not felt heard in any of her previous appearances before the court, all of which were kept sealed from the public.
The judge thanked her for her remarks, which she called 鈥渃ourageous,鈥� but made no further comment.
Vivian Thoreen, attorney for Spears鈥� father James Spears, gave a brief statement on his behalf after conferring with him during a recess.
鈥淗e is sorry to see his daughter suffering and in so much pain,鈥� Thoreen said. 鈥淢r. Spears loves his daughter, and misses her very much.鈥�
James Spears serves as co-conservator of his daughter鈥檚 finances, and also had control of her life decisions for most of the conservatorship.
Other attorneys in the room also said this was not the venue for them to respond to the remarks, but agreed they were courageous.
Jennifer Preston, 33, crossed the country from Richmond, Virginia, to be outside the hearing because, she says, 鈥淚鈥檓 a mom and I鈥檓 a fan.鈥�
鈥淲e鈥檙e here to hear what she has to say,鈥� Preston said. 鈥淪he鈥檚 been treated like a child for the last 13 years, she hasn鈥檛 had control of her life or her finances, even though she鈥檚 clearly capable enough to do those things.鈥�
Her court-appointed attorney, Samuel Ingham III, made a request for the pop star to address the court at an . He said Spears has not officially asked him to file a petition to end the conservatorship.
The conservatorship was put in place as she underwent a mental health crisis in 2008. She has credited it with saving her from financial ruin and keeping her a top flight pop star.
Her father and his attorneys have emphasized that she and her fortune, which court records put at more than $50 million, remain vulnerable to fraud and manipulation. Under the law, the burden would be on Spears to prove she is competent before the case could end.
鈥擜ndrew Dalton, The Associated Press
