Advocates of Britney Spears have anxiously anticipated today – this exact Tuesday afternoon – for over 12 years. April 21st was hoped to be the day the pop star was finally “set free.”
If you’re just joining the story: In early 2008, Spears was placed under her father’s care via an emergency conservatorship order. Mr. Jamie Spears then immediately became his adult daughter’s legal guardian – a “deal” which included full control over her medical decisions, career moves, and massive estate (to name a few).
On Monday, an extra-perky Spears was seen twirling around her Calabasas home in a pink sports bra while listening to George Michael’s ‘Freedom’ – and the Britney Army was fully convinced that this Instagram update was a symbol of Spears’ own excitement for her court appointment this afternoon.
Spears’ legal situation is a matter of public scrutiny – and public record. So, if you want to pour over every detail contained in the almost 150 months worth of court documents pertaining to Brit’s battle – all you need to do is punch the number above into the LA County Court’s website. It was by doing this that a very influential fan account learned that there had been a major change in Tuesday’s plans.
Needless to say, their Monday night findings put a stop to any next-day celebrations.
https://twitter.com/BritneyHiatus/status/1252397637845676032
“Wait a second,” @BritneyHiatus tweeted last night. “They had a court order hearing TODAY around Britney Spears’ conservatorship and the judge made an order.”
The fan returned in a half-hour to report that Spears’ April 21st hearing had been pushed back – by three months.
“In response to Covid-19, the need for social distancing, and pursuant to the General Order issued by the Presiding Judge, the court finds good cause to continue this matter as follows.” The hours-old filing said Spears’ appointment will be rescheduled to July 22nd, and that “all temporary orders and letters are extended” until August 22nd.
https://twitter.com/BritneyHiatus/status/1252407038761529344
In other words: It sadly looks like the Spears conservatorship might enter its “teenage years” if these new summer dates face any sort of hold up.
One fan chose to see the positive in the schedule change, expressing that its delay provides “more time for us to pray AND spread the #FreeBritney movement.”
Other commenters naturally said the news was “frustrating but expected,” also adding that they were “disappointed but not surprised.”
On Sunday, original informant @BritneyHiatus developed an easily-digestable Twitter thread that visually highlights the most haunting moments across the Spears conservatorship timeline. It’s a great place to start if you’re looking for the facts.
CLICK TO HEAR THE SOBERING #FREEBRITNEY PODCAST THAT STARTED IT ALL
The thread declares that “Britney Spears was silenced, denied her right to retain a lawyer and coerced into a conservatorship that she never wanted.”
Its bite-sized clips of Brit – who, at the story’s beginning, was barely 26 years old (and a young mother) – contain footage of her being forced into psychiatric care on a 5150 order…while countless other photographers fight over space to snap their camera’s flashes into the blaring ambulance’s tiny window.
It’s bound to have you feeling some type of way.
She is under a probate conservatorship under her father – which is for people in a vegetive state, having dementia & people that can't provide shelter and food for themselves. None of which applies to Britney. #FreeBritney
Here is a thread ⬇️https://t.co/6tFvMHh2Iq
— Octobers Journey (@JourneyOctobers) April 21, 2020