BBC

Britney Spears' lawyer has formally asked a judge to permanently remove the pop star's father from his role overseeing her personal affairs.

The singer's life has been controlled by a court-ordered conservatorship since 2008 after her public breakdown.

A temporary conservator, Jodi Montgomery, was appointed in 2019 after her father Jamie Spears stepped down due to health issues.

Spears is now requesting that Montgomery be made permanent.

What are the conservatorships?

Spears' conservatorship is split into two parts - one is for her estate and financial affairs, the other is for her as a person.

The singer's father Jamie used to be in control of both, but stepped down from being her personal conservator in 2019 due to health reasons.

He remained a co-conservator of her estate alongside financial company the Bessemer Trust.

Jodi Montgomery, a care professional, replaced Jamie Spears as the singer's personal conservator on what has been a temporary basis.

At the most recent hearing into 39-year-old's conservatorship, Britney Spears' lawyer Samuel D Ingham III told a judge in Los Angeles he would file a petition to make Montgomery's appointment permanent.

In addition, court papers show Spears has asked her father to resign from his role overseeing her personal life.

The legal documents also state Spears reserves the right to eventually request an end to the conservatorship.

The papers say: "Petitioner expressly reserves the right to petition for termination of this conservatorship under Probate Code section 1861. Nothing in the within petition shall be deemed to constitute a waiver of that right."

Britney Spears' lawyer previously told the court she was scared of her father and would not be returning to the stage while he remained in control of her life.

Earlier this year, Jamie Spears' lawyer Vivian Thoreen said he is "a fiercely loving, dedicated and loyal father" who had stopped Britney from being exploited.

What powers would Jodi Montgomery have?

As her permanent personal conservator, Montgomery would have the power to "restrict and limit" visitors - aside from Ingham - to Spears.

Montgomery would also be able to speak with medical professionals about Spears and would have access to her medical records.

She would also have the ability to retain caretakers and security guards for the singer, and powers to prosecute civil harassment restraining orders on the star's behalf.

What powers does Britney's father have?

Although he is not currently acting as his daughter's personal conservator, Jamie Spears remains a co-conservator of his daughter's finances.

He oversees her estimated $60m (£43.8m) estate alongside private wealth management firm the Bessemer Trust.

Jamie Spears previously requested the financial company be removed as co-conservator, but a judge ruled in February that he must continue to share the financial conservatorship with the trust.

Under the current legal agreement, Britney Spears has not controlled her own finances since 2008.

The next hearing in the case is set to take place in April.

Britney Spears' life and career returned to the headlines following last month's release of the acclaimed documentary, Framing Britney Spears.