Entertainment

Britney’s Conservator Pushes Back After Dad Claims Brit Needs 5150 Hold

by Julie Scagell
Kevin Mazur/WireImage/VALERIE MACON/Getty

Britney Spears’s father Jamie continues to battle for control over his daughter

Jamie Spears is firing back after the most recent move by his daughter’s lawyer asking him to be removed immediately and is now claiming Britney Spears needs to be placed under a 5150 psychiatric hold. Jamie still has control over Britney’s finances, but Britney’s “personal conservator” is Jodi Montgomery and in new court documents, the singer’s father claims that Montgomery told him that his daughter is “mentally sick” and that she should be considered for a psychiatric hold. In a statement obtained by Variety, Montgomery not only denies that she said that, but she again is asking Jamie to step down from Britney’s conservatorship.

“Ms. Montgomery implores Mr. Spears to stop the attacks,” Montgomery’s statement said, in part. “It does no good; it only does harm. We all need to focus on one thing, and one thing only — the health, well-being, and best interests of Britney Spears.”

Britney’s father is the conservator of her estate, managing all financial decisions, though Montgomery is the conservator of her person, managing all personal and medical decisions.

“On July 9, 2021, I received a phone call from Ms. Montgomery,” Jamie alleged in court documents. “During our call, Ms. Montgomery sounded very distraught and expressed how concerned she was about my daughter’s recent behavior and overall mental health. Ms. 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.”

In response to these claims, Montgomery fired back through an attorney, Laurieann Wright, telling Variety: “Ms. Montgomery does have concerns about Ms. Spears’ ‘recent behavior and overall mental health,’ as set forth in Jamie Spears’ Declaration dated August 6, 2021. Due to medical privacy, Ms. Montgomery cannot go into those concerns with any further detail except to say that having her father Jamie Spears continuing to serve as her Conservator instead of a neutral professional fiduciary is having a serious impact on Ms. Spears’ mental health.”

The petition filed in Los Angeles probate court this week by Britney’s attorney Mathew Rosengart seeks to speed up Jamie’s removal before the September 29, 2021, original request to remove him goes before a court. The lawyer wrote in his filing that “every day that passes is another day of avoidable harm and prejudice to Ms. Spears and the Estate.” Montgomery agreed with Rosengart in wanting to remove Jamie from the conservatorship.

“Notably, Jamie Spears has yet to resign as Ms. Spears’ Conservator of the Person, which is why Ms. Montgomery continues to serve as Temporary Conservator of the Person,” Montgomery’s statement continued. “It is in Ms. Spears’ best interests that her father step down as her Conservator, so he can go back to just being Ms. Spears’ father, and working on a healthy, supportive father-daughter relationship.”

Translation: Montgomery is basically saying, I’m here because we can’t seem to get rid of Jamie.

Montgomery denies saying that Britney should be put under a 5150 hold, stating that she would not qualify for such a hold. “The 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.”

This is all so sad and complex. As always, we only want the best for Brit.