Britney Spears’ conservatorship has finally ended after 13 years

Hit me baby one more time because Britney Spears is finally free from the abusive conservatorship that has engulfed her life for the last 13 years.

The decision came today (November 12) after a long-fought battle between Britney and her father, Jamie Spears, who – until recently – has staunchly defended his authoritarian control over the singer’s estate, finances, career, and personal life. The singer was placed under conservatorship in 2008, following a five-day admission to a psychiatric hospital – it was supposed to end in 2009.

“The conservatorship of the person and of the estate of Britney Jean Spears is hereby terminated,” the Los Angeles judge said when announcing the ruling, as reported by The Guardian.

In August, Jamie agreed to step down as his daughter’s conservator, and was removed from the position the following month. Before leaving his post, he filed to officially end the conservatorship, saying “recent events” called into question whether Britney still needs a court to oversee her life.

The recent events in question were sparked by the momentous fan-launched #FreeBritney movement, which helped the case get mass media attention. From there, multiple documentaries about the pop star’s life, career, and legal arrangement emerged, including two viral films by The New York Times, titled Framing Britney Spears and Controlling Britney Spears, and Netflix’s Britney vs Spears. Following the premiere of Framing Britney Spears, a number of celebrities, including Paris Hilton, Miley Cyrus, Chistina Aguilera, and Courtney Love expressed their support for the singer.

A key moment in the case came when Britney made a rare address to court in June. Ahead of her testimony, newly-surfaced court records revealed that the musician had “expressed serious opposition” to her conservatorship as early as 2014. On June 23, Britney directly asked to end her conservatorship, telling the court it was “doing me way more harm than good. I deserve to have a life”.

In her emotional 23-minute speech, Britney explained how she was forbidden from marrying her boyfriend (now fiancé) Sam Asghari under the rules of the conservatorship, and claimed that she was forced to have an IUD in her body so they couldn’t have a baby. “I feel ganged up on,” she said. “I feel bullied, and I feel left out and alone. I am not happy, I can’t sleep. I’m so angry, it’s insane. And I’m depressed. My dad and anyone involved in this conservatorship, including my management… they should be in jail.”

And, thanks to Controlling Britney Spears, one day they might be. In the documentary, a former security employee alleged that Jamie secretly recorded Britney in her bedroom and during meetings with her lawyers. “Mr Spears has crossed unfathomable lines,” the musician’s lawyer, Matthew Rosengart, said in a July petition to remove Jamie as Britney’s conservator. “While they are not evidence, the allegations warrant serious investigation.” According to Deadline, the FBI is reportedly looking into the accusations.

Ahead of today’s court hearing, Asghari shared a video of himself and Britney in t-shirts that read, ‘#FreeBritney. It’s a human rights movement’. Now she’s finally free, the pair can get to work planning their wedding – Britney already hired Donatella Versace to design her dress – and Britney can continue writing her book about a ghost (now no longer!) stuck in limbo.