LOS ANGELES — Britney Spears is finally free.
A Los Angeles judge Friday agreed to terminate the pop megastar’s extraordinary legal conservatorship — after a sensational lengthy battle over whether the singer was mentally sound enough to control her $60 million estate.
The fight had pitted the former Mouseketeer-turned-pop princess against her family, primarily her father Jamie Spears, who had been appointed her conservator in 2008.
“The court finds the conservatorship of the person and estate of Britney Spears is no longer required,” Judge Brenda Penny announced during the afternoon hearing in Los Angeles County Superior Court.
Britney took to Instagram soon after the ruling to say it was the “best day ever.
“Good God I love my fans so much it’s crazy !!! I think I’m gonna cry the rest of the day !!!!,” the 39-year-old pop icon wrote — adding the new hashtag “#FreedBritney.”
Throngs of supporters cheered and danced as they heard the news outside the courthouse.
“This is a monumental day for Britney Spears,’’ her lawyer, Mathew Rosengart, told reporters amid the celebration.
“I’m so proud of [Britney], I thank her, I thank her for her courage and poise and power.”
But he added, “It’s also a somber day for me, for Britney, and I think for a lot of us who have been following conservatorships and how they operate.
Friday’s win for Spears comes after her dad was booted from his role as her conservator in late September, with even Penny saying at the time that having him at the helm of his daughter’s estate was “untenable” and reflective of a “toxic environment.”
A certified public accountant, John Zabel, took over as Spears’ conservator Sept. 29. Zabel will now need to start the process of disengaging the conservatorship, Penny said.
Over the summer, the 39-year-old Grammy winner broke her silence on the conservatorship for the first time in 13 years and gave two days of dramatic court testimony.
She called the legal arrangement “abusive” and said it had been used to “ruin” her life.
“I’ve lied and told the whole world I’m OK, and I’m happy. It’s a lie,’’ Spears said during the explosive June hearing as she called for her father to be jailed.
“I’ve been in shock. I am traumatized. You know, fake it till you make it. But now I’m telling you the truth.
“It’s my wish and my dream for all of this to end,” Britney said.
Britney’s fiance, Sam Ashgari, shared a video early Friday of them both smiling in “#FreeBritney” T-shirts, and earlier this week, Spears wrote about the upcoming hearing in an Instagram post.
“This week is gonna be very interesting for me!” wrote Spears, who wasn’t present for the hearing, in the post. “I haven’t prayed for something more in my life!”
Spears’ father has denied any wrongdoing and says he always had his daughter’s best interests at heart.
During Friday’s hearing, Rosengart reiterated arguments as to why the 13-year conservatorship must immediately end without his client needing to be evaluated again.
“After more than a decade, the time has come for the conservatorship to be terminated permanently,” Rosengart said to the judge.
Jodi Montgomery, the court-appointed conservator who oversaw Britney’s health care, mental health plans, and other personal matters starting in 2019, filed a “termination” plan outlining how the singer would transition out of the conservatorship, said Montgomery’s attorney, Laurianne Wright.
Wright said the fiduciary would still be available to help Britney even after the conservatorship is terminated.
“Ms. Montgomery will stay in her life,” Wright told the judge. “She will be there for her. There is no reason why the conservatorship can’t be terminated and Ms. Spears can have a safe and happy life.”
Rosengart said Spears’ former business manager, Tri Star Sports & Entertainment Group — which has been accused of recording her phone calls, browser history, and text messages — is trying to suppress information that Britney wants.
“We were forced to issue two subpoenas to Tri Star Sports and Entertainment because they wouldn’t voluntarily cooperate with Britney Spears,’’ the lawyer said.
“That is why we issued subpoenas to Tri-Star. Rather than voluntarily complying with those subpoenas, Tri Star refused, and they filed a motion to suppress those subpoenas and suppress information that Britney Spears has requested.
“The most notable questions that we’ve asked on behalf of Britney of TriStar, is the following very simple question: How much money did you take from the estate? How much money did you receive from the estate?
Tri Star — and I’m not drawing any conclusions right now, but you can draw your own inference — has refused to answer that question.”
Meanwhile, Britney’s fans were beyond overjoyed at the judge’s decision.
Jason Rivera, 31, of Connecticut, waved a “FREE BRITNEY” flag alongside his friend, James Barry, 39.
