One week before the all-important court hearing that will decide if Jamie Spears is finally removed from his role as conservator of daughter Britney’s estate, Britney’s attorneys have filed a supplement to her petition to have Jason Rubin, a professional fiduciary and forensic accountant, replace Jamie in the role of conservator.
Instead of Jason Rubin, Britney has requested that John Zabel, a certified public accountant, act as conservator. The Britney attorneys have filed an ex parte petition, to have this matter heard on an expedited basis. What is significant is that the proposed conservators, both Rubin and now Zabel, are qualified to handle Britney’s money, not her personal life. These people would, presumably, not be making decisions about Britney’s marital status or birth control, as her father did for so long.
In fact, Britney’s court papers specifically state that Jamie should be replaced quickly by a temporary conservator, because Jamie remaining in the position “would impede the ability to negotiate and consummate” a prenuptial agreement, which is needed by reason of Britney’s recently engagement to Sam Asghari. Everyone will recall that Asghari joked on Instagram after seeing all the comments advising Britney to get a prenup, once their engagement was announced. “Thank you to everyone who is concerned about the prenup. Of course, we’re getting an ironclad prenup to protect my Jeep and shoe collection in case she dumps me one day,” Asghari adorned his post with laughing emojis.
Clearly, Britney doesn’t want Jamie in control one second longer than he needs to be. Even though there’s already a court hearing scheduled for next week, she is asking that he be removed sooner than that.
Probate Code Section allows Britney to nominate her preference for temporary conservator, provided that she has the mental capacity to do so and unless the court thinks that appointment of the proposed nominee would not be in Britney’s best interest.
If this petition to temporarily nominate Zabel is granted, it would indicate that the Court believes that Britney has sufficient capacity to form intelligent decisions regarding her estate, which is a positive indicator if Britney hopes to have the court eliminate the conservatorship completely. Alternatively, the conservatorship can be dissolved in baby steps, so that Britney gradually regains control over specified aspects of her life, health, real estate, work, investments, personal expenses, etc. A conservator with control over matters involving Britney’s finances would still be a vast improvement over Jamie Spears, who had seemingly unlimited control over all parts of her life.
Britney’s ultimate goal is to end the conservatorship, but her immediate need is to have her father booted. “While the entire conservatorship is promptly wound down and formally terminated, it is clear that Mr. Spears cannot be permitted to hold a position of control over his daughter for another day,” Mr. Matthew Rosengart, of the Greenberg Traurig, LLP firm wrote. Rosengart is a former federal prosecutor who took over as Britney’s representative in July. “Every day Mr. Spears clings to his post is another day of anguish and harm to his daughter.”
Britney’s candidate for temporary conservator is John Zabel, CEO, of Media Finance Structures, LLC. He has 35 years of experience with Hollywood major studios and in independent financing. He has worked not just for the film community, but with entertainment lawyers. Clearly, a powerful team is organizing behind Britney, whereas in the past, it seemed like her advocates lacked the expertise or inclination to battle Jamie Spears and the legal team he was able to hire, funded by Britney’s estate.
Furthermore, with talk of the prenuptial agreement, it doesn’t sound like Britney is planning a long engagement. After all this time, her attitude seems to be wait, for what?