Britney Spears’ court-appointed attorney, Samuel Ingham III, resigns from the pop star’s conservatorship case.
Ingham filed paperwork asking the Los Angeles Superior Court to dismiss him as Spears’ legal representative.
“Samuel D. Ingham III hereby resigns as court-appointed counsel for Britney Jean Spears, conservatee, effective upon the appointment of new court-appointed counsel,” the court filings read.
Ingham has been Spears’ legal representative for the entirety of her 13-year conservatorship. In 2008, the court instituted the arrangement, with her father, Jamie Spears, as her sole conservator. Ingham and Spears’ working relationship came into question when the singer gave an explosive testimony, stating that her conservatorship relationship was ‘abusive’ and addressing the court for the first time in her 13-year conservatorship.
During the time she made a court statement that lasted for 24 minutes, Spears took aim at her father, but also informed the court that Ingham had advised her not to come forward with her claims regarding her conservatorship. She requested that the judge should give her an opportunity to appoint her own lawyer.
She also informed the judge that she has built a relationship with “Sam” and she called her attorney during the hearing, and stated that they have been in communication three times a week. It was also apparent that the pop star did not consult Ingham about her testimony, as Ingham informed the judge that he was unaware of what she was about to say.
“These are entirely her words.”
At the end of her testimony, Ingham stated that he would resign, if that was his client’s wish.
“My lawyer, Sam, has been very scared for me to go forward,” Spears told the judge last month. “He told me I should keep it to myself,” she added.
While Ingham did not respond to any of the assertions made by Spears, a legal expert stated that Spears should have been informed of her rights regularly over the course of 13 years. Prior to this hearing, New York Times reported, citing private legal documents, showing that Spears had made attempts to end her conservatorship for years, citing mismanagement by her father and the exorbitant legal fees she has incurred by the terms of the conservatorship.
Ingham has filed legal paperwork on Spears’ behalf, asking the court to remove her father from the conservatorship, stating that the pop star is afraid of her father would remove to perform as long as her father is involved.
Meanwhile, Spears’ long-time manager, Larry Rudolph, resigned after 25 years with the pop star. In his letter, Rudolph stated that he has not been in communication with Spears for more than two years and had no involvement with the conservatorship.
According to an investigation by Ronan Farrow and Jia Tolentino in the New Yorker, Spears called 911 to report conservatorship abuse the night before her June 23 testimony.
Now with Ingham’s resignation, Spears’ next step would be to appoint a new attorney with the approval of the court.
