David J. Glass explained what Judge Brenda J. Penny ‘hung her hat on’ to end Britney Spears’ 13-year-long conservatorship.
After a lengthy legal battle, Britney Spears, 39, is finally free of her conservatorship. Judge Brenda J. Penny formally made the decision in Los Angeles Supreme Court on Friday, Nov. 12 — and California family lawyer David J. Glass of Enenstein Law shared the “bombshell” Penny revealed before making her highly anticipated decision EXCLUSIVELY with HollywoodLife.
“Judge Penny hung her hat on the fact that this conservatorship started voluntarily and then dropped what I thought was a bombshell – that there had not been a psychological or psychiatric report on Britney’s capacity at the start,” Glass tells HL. “So the court said Britney did not need to show that she has regained capacity. The only question was, ‘Was the conservatorship still needed’ and since nobody opposed termination, that is what the judge did,” he explained.
Britney Spears’ 13 year long conservatorship ended on Nov. 12. (MEGA)As a result of the Nov. 12 ruling, both sides of Britney’s conservatorship — meaning the one overseeing the estate and the one overseeing her person — are both over. Notably, Britney’s dad Jamie Spears, 68, was conservator of her estate — meaning her business affairs and music catalogue — for the majority of the legal arrangement.
After Britney’s powerful back-to-back court testimonies in June and July, Jamie stepped down from the role in August and was replaced with certified public accountant John Zabel. Jodi Montgomery was conservator of Britney’s person as of Sept. 2019. “Both sides of the conservatorship are now terminated – both the control of her estate and the control over her person. She is free to begin making all choices for herself, by herself. There are no more restrictions on her,” David also said. Britney’s request to have the conservatorship end without an evaluation was also agreed upon, per Judge Penny.
Overall, the family lawyer says, the courtroom was “anticlimactic” as many knew what the the outcome would be going into Nov. 12. “The attorneys resigned to the fact that they had largely worked out the details. None of the argument from past hearings, none of the showboating. Just recitation that everyone agreed it should be terminated ASAP,” he said, confirming that Britney did not appear or speak, that that there were virtual appearances (but no statements) from her dad and mom Lynne Spears, 66.
“Britney now has a second chance at happiness and running her own life. Hopefully, she picks a good team around her to help her make decisions. But these advisors won’t be making the decisions for her — just advising,” he shared.
