The free Britney campaign

The legal standing and rights of Britney Spears has gained a lot of attention in recent months, with fans calling for an end to the conservatorship that she has lived under for more than ten years. Despite the fact that the singer has maintained a highly successful career as a singer and has brought in millions each year, since a ruling by a judge in 2008 the singer has needed to seek the permission of her father to do things as simple as drive a car, leave her home, hire a lawyer or even to vote. Conservatorships are designed to allow guardians to make decisions about people who cannot take care of themselves, the idea being that guardians will be tasked with looking after the healthcare and financial decisions of their charge. The conservatorship for the singer was only supposed to be temporary, following her 2007 breakdown and time spent in rehab, but it has been extended on several occasions.

Now, with the increased attention many fans are questioning whether the singer  can even vote despite her passionate political stances. At the start of her conservatorship it is likely that she was ineligible to vote because of California law, although it has since change and now means that she will be recognised as able to vote unless proven incompetent in a courtroom.

The singers conservatorship is reviewed on a yearly basis (or every two years) under California law, although the singer can petition the court to review her case at any point in time. Unable to speak out on the specifics of her conservatorship and with the details under lock and key, most people can only speculate about what the singer feels about the situation. With the singer seemingly capable of maintaining a high profile career, calls to review the arrangement do not seem unreasonable.