Britney Spears’ father Jamie removed from conservatorship

Britney Spears’ life will no longer be controlled by her father.

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Brenda Penny ruled Wednesday that the 39-year-old pop star should no longer live under her father’s rule, ousting Jamie Spears as the conservator of her estate.

“The current situation is untenable,” Penny said, calling it a “toxic environment.”

After months of public battles over Britney’s freedom, fueled by the FX/Hulu documentary “Framing Britney Spears,” Penny agreed with lawyer Mathew Rosengart that Jamie should no longer be conservator of Britney’s estate.

The conservatorship is still in place, and Penny appointed a temporary conservator, but Jamie’s removal could be the first step in ending the arrangement. The temporary conservator, certified public accountant John Zabel, was chosen by Britney and her legal team.

The removal of Jamie was met with cheers from a large crowd of Britney fans and supporters, many wearing pink, who gathered outside the courtroom. They arrived around 1 p.m. local time, armed with signs and their voices while enjoying free rein of Grand Avenue in downtown Los Angeles, which was closed to cars ahead of the highly anticipated hearing.

Earlier this month, Jamie Spears, 69, filed paperwork to end the conservatorship, claiming that “all he wants is what is best for his daughter.”

“If Ms. Spears wants to terminate the conservatorship and believes that she can handle her own life, Mr. Spears believes that she should get that chance,” the filing reads.

Rosengart said last week in his own filing that Jamie should be removed immediately, calling it “a necessary first — and substantial — step toward Ms. Spears’s freedom and ending the Kafkaesque nightmare imposed upon her by her father, so that her dignity and basic liberties can be restored.”

On Monday, Rosengart called for Jamie Spears to be investigated after a New York Times revelation in its own documentary, “Controlling Britney Spears,” that he was surveilling and recording her without her permission or knowledge, including making audio recordings from inside her bedroom.

The “Toxic” singer did not appear at Wednesday’s hearing. At a June proceeding, she spoke remotely, giving explosive testimony begging for her freedom.

“I’ve lied and told the whole world I’m OK and I’m happy. It’s a lie. I thought I just — maybe I said that enough, maybe I might become happy because I’ve been in denial,” she said, breathless and crying. “I’ve been in shock. I am traumatized, you know, ‘fake it till you make it.’ But now I’m telling you the truth, OK? I’m not happy. I can’t sleep. I’m so angry. It’s insane and I’m depressed. I cry every day.”