In the two weeks sinceBritney Spears' explosiveJune 23court testimony, there’s been one ever-present question on everyone’s mind: When will her lawyer Sam Ingham file a petition to start the process of potentially ending her conservatorship?
A source close to the situation tells PEOPLE in this week’s issue, on newsstands Friday, that the pop superstar, 39, has yet to take that step because she is concerned about themental health evaluation typically required. In court, Britney made it clear that she would like her conservatorship to end without one.
“She doesn’t have much trust for the doctors that she has worked with so far,” the source says of Britney, who has never revealed a mental health diagnosis and whose medical records are sealed. “She feels like they have failed her.”
Days after the hearing, Britney’s personal conservator Jodi Montgomery and her father, Jamie Spears, 69, clashed over who’s to blame for the allegations the singer made in court, including that she was forced to perform, use birth control and in 2019 get mental health treatment.
Britney Spears.Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP/Shutterstock
On June 30, Jamie requested an investigation into Britney’s claims and blamed Montgomery — who was appointed temporary conservator of Britney’s person in 2019 after Jamie stepped down due to his own health issues — for his daughter’s “suffering.” (Jamie is still a conservator of Britney’s estate. Bessemer Trust, a private fiduciary firm, waspermitted to resign as co-conservatoron July 2.)
Montgomery’s attorneyhit back with a statementhours after his court filing, saying: “Practically speaking, since everything costs money, no expenditures can happen without going through Mr. Spears.”
While longtime members of Britney’s team have resigned from their positions in the days since her testimony, including Bessemer Trust and her managerLarry Rudolph, Montgomery’s attorney revealed on Tuesday that she “has no plans to step down” from her role as conservator. (Also on Tuesday, TMZ reported that Ingham, who has represented Britney since she was first placed under a conservatorship in 2008, planned to file documents imminently asking to be dismissed as her counsel.)
“She remains committed to steadfastly supporting Ms. Spears in every way she can within the scope of her duties as a conservator of the person,” Montgomery’s lawyer Lauriann Wright told PEOPLE in a statement. “Ms. Spears as recently as yesterday has asked Ms. Montgomery to continue to serve. Ms. Montgomery will continue to serve as a conservator for as long as Ms. Spears and the Court desire her to do so.”
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“Britney is following everything closely,” says a Spears family source, who adds that her boyfriend, model Sam Asghari, “continues to be her rock. She is hopeful that there will be huge changes.”
For all the details on what’s next for Britney Spears, pick up the latest issue ofPEOPLE, on newsstands everywhere Friday.
source: people.com
