Britney Spears’ father to step down as her estate’s conservator

Jamie Spears is stepping down from his longtime role as conservator of his daughter Britney Spears’ estate, says the pop star’s lawyer.

“We are pleased that Mr. Spears and his lawyer have today conceded in a filing that he must be removed,” the singer’s lawyer Mathew Rosengart said in a statement on Thursday.

Spears, who has controlled his daughter’s affairs since she suffered a mental health breakdown in 2008, agreed to step aside in court documents filed on Thursday.

The “Toxic” pop star has been seeking for months to remove her father from any say in her affairs. A court hearing to discuss her request had been set for late September in Los Angeles.

Rosengart called the decision by Jamie Spears “a major victory for Britney Spears and another step toward justice”.

Reuters could not immediately access a copy of the court documents filed by Jamie Spears.

The variety and celebrity website TMZ.com said that while the court filing said there were no grounds for removing Jamie Spears as conservator, “he does not believe that a public battle with his daughter over his continuing service as her conservator would be in her best interests.

“Mr. Spears intends to work with the Court and his daughter’s new attorney to prepare for an orderly transition to a new conservator,” the court filing added.

Britney Spears, 39, remains under the care of a personal conservator, professional Jodi Montgomery. The nature of the singer’s mental health issues has never been publicly revealed.

She spoke out emotionally in June against the court-appointed conservatorship, calling it abusive and humiliating.