Celebrity conservatorships are a popular issue right now, especially in the documentary Framing Britney Spears by The New York Times. Although the pop diva is now the most well-known conservatorship instance, she is far from the first celebrity who has been placed under legal supervision. Amanda Bynes and a few other celebrities have previously been placed under conservatorship.

What does it mean to be in a conservatorship?

A conservatorship is a court order that empowers a judge to take charge of a conservatee’s finances if they are unable to handle them due to physical or mental limitations. Conservators have the same authority over a conservatee’s estate, assets, and, in some situations, their “person.” When a conservator has authority over a conservatee’s person, they are responsible for all aspects of their daily life, including health treatment and housing circumstances.

1. The details regarding Amanda Bynes’ conservatorship

Bynes, like Spears, is presently under the legal restrictions of a conservatorship. The Nickelodeon actress revealed her bipolar diagnosis on Twitter in 2014. More facts regarding Bynes’ drug use surfaced after her mental health became public.

Bynes’ drug usage at the time rendered her unable to make rational judgments. As a result, her mother, Lynn Organ, was given the authority to act as her conservator. Bynes, like Spears, can no longer make decisions without the approval of her guardian. Bynes turned to Instagram in February 2020 to explain her position to her fans. She also requested their help since she no longer believes she needs the services of a conservator. Despite Bynes’ protests, her conservatorship was extended until 2020.

2. The Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson’s conservatorship in the 1990s

In the 1960s, Dr. Eugene Landy was a well-known celebrity therapist. He collaborated with musicians such as Alice Cooper, Rod Steiger, and Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys. Marilyn Wilson, Wilson’s first wife, recruited Landy in 1975 to “address the reclusive Beach Boy’s drug habit, weight gain, and weird behavior.” Unfortunately, Landy misdiagnosed Wilson as a paranoid schizophrenic due to his lack of qualifications.

Wilson’s mental health deteriorated once he began aggressively overmedicating himself. Landy’s treatment of Wilson devolved into an abusive relationship in which Wilson’s “every move [was] controlled,” according to Wilson (via AP News). Wilson’s relatives petitioned the Superior Court in May 1990 to appoint a conservator for him. Since 1992, Landy has been forbidden from communicating with Wilson.

3. Singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell had a conservator after suffering a brain aneurysm

Joni Mitchell died of a brain aneurysm in her home in 2015. She was airlifted to UCLA Medical Center, where she was pronounced unconscious. Mitchell later issued a statement on her website stating that she was aware of the incident (via CNN). Regardless, a longtime friend of the songwriter, Leslie Morris, filed a conservatorship petition.

Mitchell was still in conservatorship as of July 2015. “While (Mitchell) has made significant progress toward rehabilitation,” lawyer Rebecca Thyne wrote, “she lacks the capacity to make informed medical decisions.” Mitchell told The Guardian in October 2020 that she was “concentrating on getting [her] health back.”

Source:cheatsheet-com