Does Britney's court-appointed lawyer get more weekly allowance than her?
Ever since Princess of Pop Britney Spears gave a statement in court, seeking an end to her conservatorship, the whole system set up to control her personal, financial, professional life has come under more scrutiny. As per a new detailed report, Spears's court-appointed lawyer, Samuel Ingham III, gets an annual salary of $520,000 (Rs. 3.8cr), which is more than the singer's spending allowance.
This means the 39-year-old has been paying an attorney, whom she didn't choose, more than her own living expenses. A recent The New Yorker report says Spears's living expenses in 2019 were $438,360 (Rs. 3cr). However, it doesn't mean Ingham takes home $520K every year, but it's the maximum amount he can get as his salary is capped at $10,000 (Rs. 7 lakh)/ week.
According to The New York Times, the lawyer is paid in accordance with the hours he puts in, and ever since he was appointed in 2008, he has been paid around $3 million (Rs. 22cr). The portal added how Spears is limited to a $2,000 (Rs. 1L) weekly allowance. Interestingly, it is also Spears who pays the attorney fees of those representing her conservators.
To recall, the raw court statement, which was the first time the Toxic singer was speaking in open court, has further fueled the #FreeBritney movement. Calling the conservatorship "abusive," Spears had revealed she was compelled to use birth control and go on tours. Since then, her father Jamie Spears, who was the chief conservator till 2019, has tried to dust off responsibility.
The New Yorker report also gave a new insight into the statement incident. It claimed Spears had called 911 to report herself as a victim of conservatorship abuse, a day before her June 23 hearing. Notably, the conservatorship is voluntary and Spears can file a petition to terminate it, after which the court will examine her competency. However, she is yet to file one.
