Britney Spears asks court to end her conservatorship

Here's what happened today:

• Fans rally support: Spears fans and activists gathered in Grand Park in downtown Los Angeles as part of a “#FreeBritney” rally. Multiple other, similar rallies were scheduled for today across the country and internationally. Those attending hoped to bring an end to Britney Spears’ conservatorship case, which leaves Spears' father, Jamie Spears, in control of her $60 million estate.
• A life of trauma: "I've told the world I'm happy and OK," Spears said in court about the arrangement that has been in place for nearly 13 years. "I'm traumatized. I'm not happy, I can't sleep."
• On her family: Spears requested to address Judge Brenda Penny to speak out about the arrangement. The singer attended the hearing virtually by phone. Spears spoke more than 20 minutes as she read from a letter. Spears said, "A lot has happened since two years ago...the last time I was in court," she began. "I haven't been back to court in a long time because I don't think I was heard on any level when I came to court the last time." Spears went on to say that she felt she had been forced to go on tour in 2018 and perform in Las Vegas during her residency. In response to her remarks, Vivian Thoreen, an attorney for Jamie Spears told CNN, "Mr. Spears loves his daughter and misses her very much."
• On medication: Spears said on Wednesday that she was put on lithium against her will. "I felt drunk. I couldn't even stick up for myself. I couldn't even have a conversation with my mom or dad about anything. I told them I was scared and they had six different nurses come to my home to monitor me while I was on this medication that I didn't want to be on to begin with." Lithium is commonly used to treat bipolar disorder, which often causes episodes of depression and mania, a feeling of uncontrolled irritability or excitement. It can also be used to treat depression. In court today, Spears did not mention any possible medical condition.
• On starting a family: Spears also said that she wants to start a family with her boyfriend, Sam Asghari. "I was told right now in the conservatorship, I'm not able to get married or have a baby," Spears said. "I have an I[U]D inside of myself right now so I don't get pregnant. I wanted to take the IUD out so I could start trying to have another baby, but this so-called team won't let me go to the doctor to take it out because they don't want me to have children, any more children."
• Pleading with the court: Spears pleaded with a judge to take her concerns seriously at a court hearing regarding her court-ordered conservatorship. "The last time I spoke to you...made me feel like I was dead, like I didn't matter, like nothing had been done to me, like you thought I was lying," Spears said. "I want to be heard. I'm telling you this again so that maybe you understand the depth and degree and the damage...I want and deserve changes going forward."
• What happens next: Following her remarks, the court took a recess and then stopped the public audio feed of the proceedings, citing live tweets of the hearing. A previously scheduled court hearing is set for July 14.

Britney Spears pleaded with a judge to take her concerns seriously at a court hearing regarding her court-ordered conservatorship.

"The last time I spoke to you, it made me feel like I was dead, like I didn't matter, like you thought I was lying. I'm not lying, so that maybe you understand the depth and degree, I deserve changes."

Spears also said that she wants to start a family with her boyfriend, Sam Asghari.

"I want to be able to get married and have a baby. I was told I can't get married. I have an IUD inside me but this so called team won't let me go to the doctor to remove it because they don't want me to have anymore children. This conservatorship is doing me way more harm than good."

She also added that she hasn't been allowed to even ride in her boyfriend's car alone.

"I'd like to be able to share my story with the world," she said. "I want to be able to be heard. By making me keep this in for so long, it's not good for my heart. It concerns me I'm not allowed to be able to heard. I have the right to use my voice. My attorney says I can't let the public know what they did to me ... I shouldn't be able to be in a conservatorship. The laws need to change. Ma'am, I've worked since I was 17 years old. I can't go somewhere unless I meet someone every week in an office. I truly believe this conservatorship is abusive, but ma'am there are a thousand conservatorships that are abusive as well. I want to end the conservatorship.

Spears ended her remarks by saying, "I deserve to have a two to three year break. I feel open, and I'm OK to talk to you about this. I feel ganged up on, bullied, left out and alone. I'm tired of feeling alone. I deserve to have the same rights, having a child or any of those things."

Addressing the court today, Britney Spears described her court-ordered conservatorship as "abusive" and said she just wants her life back.

In her 20-minute address, the singer said she has been "traumatized."

This was the first time she has spoken in court since her court-appointed attorney filed to suspend her father Jamie Spears as the conservator of her estimated $60 million estate last year.

Britney Spears broke her silence in a court hearing regarding her court-ordered conservatorship that has been in place for nearly 13 years.

Spears requested to address Judge Brenda Penny to speak out about the arrangement. The singer attended the hearing virtually by phone. Spears spoke more than 20 minutes as she read from a letter.

Spears said, "A lot has happened since two years ago, the last time I was in court. I haven't been back to court because I didn't feel I was heard."

Spears went on to say that she felt she had been forced to go on tour in 2018 and perform in Las Vegas during her residency.

After she announced her hiatus publicly, Spears said on Wednesday that she was put on lithium against her will.

"It's a strong drug. You can go mentally impaired if you stay on it longer than 5 months. I felt drunk, I couldn't even have a conversation with my mom or dad about anything. They had me with six different nurses."

Lithium is commonly used to treat bipolar disorder, which often causes episodes of depression and mania, a feeling of uncontrolled irritability or excitement. It can also be used to treat depression. In court today, Spears did not mention any possible medical condition.

She criticized how her family, including her father Jamie Spears, has handled her conservatorship and responded to her concerns about her care.

"My family didn't do a God damn thing," she said. "Anything I had to do, [my dad] was the one who approved all of it. My whole family did nothing."

Britney Spears just finished addressing the court during a hearing over her conservatorship.

The singer attended the hearing virtually by phone. Spears spoke more than 20 minutes as she read from a letter.

Today marked the first time she has addressed the court since her court-appointed attorney filed to suspend her father Jamie Spears as the conservator of her estimated $60 million estate last year.

Britney Spears said she would like to petition to end her court-ordered conservatorship without the condition of clearing a health evaluation.

Her attorney, Sam Ingham III, said she has not yet directed him to formally file that request on her behalf.

Britney Spears is expressing her anger, frustration and sadness over her ongoing court-ordered conservatorship. 

"I've told the world I'm happy and OK," the singer said about the arrangement that has been in place for nearly 13 years.

"I'm traumatized. I'm not happy, I can't sleep," she continued. 

This is the first time she has addressed the court since her court-appointed attorney, Samuel Ingham III, filed to suspend her father Jamie Spears as the conservator of her estimated $60 million estate last year.

Britney Spears is currently addressing her conservatorship in a probate court hearing in Los Angeles.

Spears requested her remarks not be closed to the public.

Multiple other, similar rallies are scheduled for today across the country and internationally. Those attending hope to bring an end to Britney Spears’ conservatorship case, which leaves Britney Spears' father, Jamie Spears, in control of her $60 million estate.