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Britney Spears' fans are in an uproar over her conservatorship these days, but her ex-husband Kevin Federline's attorney feels differently.
While Spears' conservatorship has been a point of controversy for some time now, interest in the matter was renewed after the documentary "Framing Britney Spears" aired on FX and Hulu earlier this month.
Fans are participating in the #FreeBritney movement, demanding the star be released from her legal guardianship, claiming that her father Jamie, who serves as co-conservator, has been oppressive and even skimmed from her fortune -- he's denied such rumors.
On Thursday, the court ruled that Jamie would remain co-conservator over his daughter's estate alongside Bessemer Trust Co., a decision that Federline's family attorney, Mark Vincent Kaplan seems to think was strong.
"I think there are many different layers of protection for Britney Spears as a conservatee, and I don’t think anyone should be worried that in some way it’s being abused for persons who have control with a conflict of interest...," Kaplan told Stephanie Weaver Fox Television Stations. "I don’t think that’s a valid — it’s a concern, but I don’t think it’s one that’s founded in actuality."
Britney Spears is currently under a conservatorship overseen by her father Jamies and Bessemer Trust Co. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Intimate Britney Spears)
Spears, now 39, was placed under the conservatorship over a decade ago after her public downfall, and recently she said she's chosen to halt her performing career until she's released from the guardianship.
"Prior to the conservatorship being placed over Ms. Spears, her finances were in a terrible state of disarray, there were multiple lawsuits around for breaches of contract and things like that, and now based on what I’ve seen in the press, her estate is north of $50, $60 million, so from that standpoint it seems to me the conservatorship has benefited her financially in that regard," Kaplan argued. "The tradeoff as far as how it impacts her personal freedom or creativity, I can’t speak on that."
Business Insider reported in Dec. 2020 that the pop star's net worth was about $59 million. She hasn't performed live since 2018 and in the following year, checked into a mental health facility.
BRITNEY SPEARS' FATHER JAMIE AND BESSEMER TRUST CO. TO CONTINUE CO-CONSERVATORSHIP, JUDGE SAYS
The attorney noted that Federline "expresses no opinion" regarding his ex-wife's legal situation "and has no desire to get involved on that side."
"The only thing he’s considered about is whether the existence of the conservatorship enhances the ability for the boys to be in a safe and structured environment when they’re with their mom, and we have no reason to believe that that isn’t a beneficial factor in that decision," Kaplan added.
Federline and Spears share two sons: Sean Preston, 15, and Jayden James, 14. They share 70% of their time with their father and the remainder with Spears, though they have "voluntarily" modified that number, giving Federline more time with the boys.
Britney Spears and Kevin Federline were married from 2004-2007. They share two sons. (Photo by Jason Merritt/FilmMagic)
According to Kaplan, the kids are "doing really well, and Kevin is enjoying watching them grow into young men."
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Additionally, he said should the conservatorship be terminated, he'd "probably turn a more cautious eye to make sure that everything is stable and structured over there when the boys go see their mom."
Spears is reportedly afraid of her own father and previously requested that he not return as her sole conservator after a brief recess in which he received medical treatment.
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"I know there’s been turmoil seemingly with Britney and her father, and his role has changed somewhat, but that’s an internal matter between them," said Federline's attorney.
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