Britney Spears' conservatorship has been terminated after 13 years

Photo credit:  Michael Buckner/WireImage - Getty Images
Photo credit: Michael Buckner/WireImage - Getty Images

Britney Spears has been released from her controversial conservatorship after 13 years.

During a court hearing on November 12, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Brenda Penny decided to terminate the conservatorship, which was formed in 2008, with immediate effect. Britney herself had passionately called for the arrangement to come to an end earlier this year.

The singer called into a status hearing in June, in which she directly asked the courts for the conservatorship to be dissolved, saying that she was "done" and that the arrangement "makes no sense at all" to her.

In Friday's ruling, Penny said (via The Guardian): "The conservatorship of the person and of the estate of Britney Jean Spears is hereby terminated."

The ruling means that going forward, Spears will now be able to take control of her estate, and also won't need to have professionals and attorneys oversee her personal and financial affairs.

However, Penny confirmed at the hearing that John Zabel, an accountant involved on the financial side of the conservatorship, will temporarily assume a limited role to resolve some outstanding administrative issues.

Photo credit: Kevin Winter - Getty Images
Photo credit: Kevin Winter - Getty Images

Related: Britney Spears responds after deactivating her Instagram account

Just hours before the hearing, Britney's fiancé Sam Asghari shared a video of the singer on Instagram sporting a #FreeBritney t-shirt with the slogan "It's a human rights issue."

The latest development comes after Britney's father Jamie Spears was suspended from the conservatorship after 13 years in late September.

At that hearing, Penny ultimately agreed to remove Jamie from a position of power after Britney's attorney Mathew Rosengart, appointed by her in July, accused him of "cruel" and "abusive" conduct.

Jamie has denied wrongdoing and repeatedly maintained that he acted in his daughter's best interests. A few weeks before he was suspended from the conservatorship by the court, he had filed a petition to end it.

Photo credit: Steve Granitz - Getty Images
Photo credit: Steve Granitz - Getty Images

Speaking in public and in detail about the conservatorship for the first time via phone call in June, Britney described it as "abusive" and said that she was "so angry I can't sleep, and I am depressed", adding: "I want to be heard... I want changes and I want changes going forward. I deserve changes."

She further added in her testimony: "I have an IUD in my body right now that won't let me have a baby and my conservators won’t let me go to the doctor to take it out… I want to be able to get married and have a baby."

Since the June hearing, Britney and Sam have announced their engagement.

Photo credit: Vivien Killilea for GLAAD - Getty Images
Photo credit: Vivien Killilea for GLAAD - Getty Images

Related: Britney Spears shares heartfelt messages thanking Free Britney movement

The conservatorship case has attracted global attention, most notably via support for the star from the #FreeBritney movement. A number of Britney's supporters were present outside the court on Friday, and celebrated on hearing news of the judge's ruling.

US politicians have also invited Britney to speak to Congress about the conservatorship, and a number of documentaries about the situation have been made by the likes of Netflix, the New York Times, CNN and the BBC.

Britney has criticised all of the documentaries about her story, specifically saying she'd "scratched [her] head a few times" while trying to watch the CNN special.

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