Press Association

Jamie Spears calls conservatorship suspension 'a loss for Britney' in new statement

Jamie Spears reluctantly agreed in August to "work with the Court and his daughter's new attorney to prepare for an orderly transition to a new conservator" after serving as conservator of his daughter Britney Spears' estate since her court-ordered conservatorship began in 2008.

On Wednesday, Judge Brenda Penny granted a petition by Mathew Rosengart, Britney's lawyer, to suspend Jamie as conservator during yet another conservatorship hearing in Los Angeles Superior Court.

The elder Spears is cooperating, but he isn't pleased.

The 69-year-old issued a statement Thursday through his attorney, Vivian Thoreen, which was relayed by Variety:

"Mr. Spears loves his daughter Britney unconditionally. For thirteen years, he has tried to do what is in her best interests, whether as a conservator or her father. This started with agreeing to serve as her conservator when she voluntarily entered into the conservatorship. This included helping her revive her career and re-establish a relationship with her children. For anyone who has tried to help a family member dealing with mental health issues, they can appreciate the tremendous amount of daily worry and work this required. For Mr. Spears, this also meant biting his tongue and not responding to all the false, speculative, and unsubstantiated attacks on him by certain members of the public, media, or more recently, Britney's own attorney. These facts make the outcome of yesterday's hearing all the more disappointing, and frankly, a loss for Britney. Respectfully, the court was wrong to suspend Mr. Spears, put a stranger in his place to manage Britney's estate, and extend the very conservatorship that Britney begged the court to terminate earlier this summer.  Again, it was Mr. Spears who took the initiative to file the petition to terminate the conservatorship when neither Britney's former court-appointed counsel nor her new privately retained attorney would do so. It was Mr. Spears who asked the court at yesterday's hearing to immediately terminate the conservatorship while Britney's own attorney argued against it. "Despite the suspension, Mr. Spears will continue to look out for the best interests of his daughter and work in good faith towards a positive resolution of all matters."

During the hearing Wednesday, Rosengart called Jamie a "cruel, toxic and abusive man."

The 39-year-old pop star didn't hold back on her father during her bombshell 24-minute testimony on June 23, her first time addressing the court in her own case in two years. Spears called her conservatorship "abusive" and specifically called Jamie "ignorant" while detailing all the instances she felt his actions have harmed her.

Legal analyst Lisa Green dissected what the latest move could mean for Jamie, especially related to recent allegations that Britney was living under surveillance in the new Controlling Britney Spears documentary:

A termination hearing is set for Nov. 12, where it will be decided whether Spears' conservatorship will finally be ended altogether.

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