Britney Spears’ 13-year conservatorship case could result in a trial as she tries to end the legal arrangement.
Spears chose former federal prosecutor Mathew Rosengart to represent her after receiving permission from the judge to hire a personal attorney. It is expected that Rosengart will file a petition to terminate the conservatorship.
But, if one of the conservators objects, then the case will head to a trial, according to LA-based probate litigator Troy Martin.
"The court can’t decide it on the papers. There’s going to have to be an evidentiary hearing with witnesses," he said.
The pop star’s recent court filings have attracted extreme media attention, but Martin said a trial could be even more explosive.
"That’s going to be quite a spectacle," he said.
Even after everything Spears has said about the conservatorship in recent court hearings, Martin said there are likely to be more bombshells.
"I don't think the other side knows the half of what she’s going to bring into court. They’ve got to be very nervous at this point," said Martin.
The pop star has described the guardianship as a form of "cruelty," saying she has felt forced to perform and take medication. Spears also alleged she has an IUD that she is not allowed to remove in a particularly stunning bit of her testimony.
Confidential court records obtained by the New York Times revealed Spears has been quietly pushing for the conservatorship to end for years, despite her public silence.
In the weeks since Spears' public testimony, her manager has resigned and the wealth management firm that acted as a co-conservator for Spears' estate, Bessemer Trust, has submitted paperwork to withdraw from the arrangement.
Spears has also accused her father, Jamie Spears, of abuse. She wants him removed as a conservator, investigated and charged.
Martin said it would be extraordinary to have a conservator removed. "Generally, conservatees are not able to express themselves," said Martin, emphasizing how irregular this legal arrangement is for a person who was able to tour internationally, release music and guest star on television shows.
Spears has been under a conservatorship since 2008.
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