Britney Spears' lawyer has claimed that the pop star lacks the mental capability to sign a sworn declaration that would provide a first-hand account of her feelings towards her conservatorship case, according to a new report. Britney's lawyer, Sam Ingham, made the comment on Wednesday in a hearing for the conservatorship case during which the judge questioned Britney's request for a co-conservator of her estate, reported TMZ.
The star’s lawyer also says she doesn’t want to perform again but her father is pushing her too.
The "Toxic" hitmaker has been locked in a legal battle with her father, Jamie Spears, over who will oversee her personal and financial affairs. Jamie recently filed a petition requesting that he and attorney Andrew Wallet regain power as conservators, but Britney requested Jodie Montgomery, a licensed conservator, to act as conservator of her estate.
On Wednesday, the judge asked Ingham if Britney would sign a legal document that attested to her feelings on the matter, but Ingham claimed Britney was not mentally competent to sign the declaration and likened her to a comatose patient.
The topic of discussion came about in court when Ingham argued that Britney did not want to perform music again while her father was putting pressure on her to resume her career. At issue is that Britney has not revealed what her intentions are for her career. This prompted Ingham and the judge to speak about whether or not Britney's feelings about the conversation were hearsay.
In August, it emerged that Britney's conservatorship, which has been in place since 2008, has been extended until February 2021. In recent documents filed in court, Ingham emphasized the need to have the conservatorship altered to better suit Britney's wishes.
"We are now at a point where the conservatorship must be changed substantially in order to reflect the major changes in her current lifestyle and her stated wishes," he said.