Altogether now, celebrity gossip fans:
It’s time to party in the USA!
On Thursday, Jamie Spears filed paperwork in which he agreed to step down as the conservator of his famous daughter’s state, a role he has essentially held since 2008.
Eventually he’ll step down, that is.
“There are, in fact, no actual grounds for suspending or removing Mr. Spears as the Conservator of the Estate," wrote Jamie’s legal teamin these documents.
"And it is highly debatable whether a change in conservator at this time would be in Ms. Spears’ best interests."
Britney Spears, of course, has strongly argued that it would be.
Via multiple testimonials this summer, the singer outlined all the ways in which her dad controls her life, even asking a court to investigate Jamie for abuse.
Continued Jamie in his motion a day ago:
“Nevertheless, even as Mr. Spears is the unremitting target of unjustified attacks, he does not believe that a public battle with his daughter over his continuing service as her conservator would be in her best interests.
"So, even though he must contest this unjustified Petition for his removal, Mr. Spears intends to work with the Court and his daughter’s new attorney to prepare for an orderly transition to a new conservator.”
A judge must sign off on Jamie’s request.
And Mr. Spears did not offer any actual time frame for his departure from this job — which has allegedly earned him an obscene amount of money.
But still:
This is a huge deal. This is the first time Jamie has come out and said he’ll leave Britney alone at some point.
“Regardless of his formal title, Mr. Spears will always be Ms. Spears’ father, he will always love her unconditionally, and he will always look out for her best interests," reads the estranged dad’s paperworrk.
"Mr. Spears continues to serve dutifully, and he should not be suspended or removed, and certainly not based on false allegations.
"Mr. Spears is willing to step down when the time is right, but the transition needs to be orderly and include a resolution of matters pending before the Court.”
Jamie also went on to trash his ex-wife, Lynne.
After remaining silent for the duration of her child’s conservatorship — which went into place after Britney shaved her own head amid a mental breakdown 13 years ago — Lynne has offered up her support of late.
Britney has fired back each time her mom has done so, and now Jamie has also taken a shot at his former spouse.
Alleges Jamie in his just-submitted paperwork:
"Lynne’s credibility is undermined by the fact that [Britney] refused Lynne’s request to visit her when [Britney] was at the [mental] facility [in 2019], even as [Britney] welcomed other visitors."
Through her own attorney, meanwhile, Lynne said the following last night:
"Lynne Spears is pleased Jamie has agreed to step down.
"Lynne entered into this conservatorship to protect her daughter almost three years ago. She has accomplished what she set out to do.
"She will have no further comment."
As for Britney?
Her new lawyer, Mathew Rosengart, addressed the landmark development on Thursday, saying in a statement.
“This is a major victory for Britney Spears and another step toward justice.
"I announced in Court on July 14 that, after 13 years of the status quo, it was time for Mr. Spears to be suspended or removed as conservator and that my firm and I would move aggressively and expeditiously for that outcome.
"Twelve days later, my firm filed a Petition for Mr. Spears’s suspension and removal based on strong, insurmountable legal grounds, which were unequivocally supported by the law and all parties involved, including Jodi Montgomery, Britney Spears, and her medical team."
Concluded Rosengart:
We are pleased that Mr. Spears and his lawyer have today conceded in a filing that he must be removed.
We are disappointed, however, by their ongoing shameful and reprehensible attacks on Ms. Spears and others.
The attorney also made it clear that this matter won’t simply be settled when Britney is free from her dad’s legal control.
He added:
We look forward to continuing our vigorous investigation into the conduct of Mr. Spears, and others, over the past 13 years, while he reaped millions of dollars from his daughter’s estate.
I look forward to taking Mr. Spears’s sworn deposition in the near future.
In the interim, rather than making false accusations and taking cheap shots at his own daughter, Mr. Spears should remain silent and step aside immediately.
For his part, of course, Jamie still views himself as a hero.
In these doocuments, he basically says he saved Britney when she was "in crisis, desperately in need of help" 13 years ago, adding:
"Not only was she suffering mentally and emotionally, she was also being manipulated by predators and in financial distress.
"Mr. Spears came to his daughter’s rescue to protect her."