Talking about the legal and factual considerations involved in conservatorship (or ‘guardianship’ depending on the state)—and why calls to abolish it altogether are dangerous. As fmr Court Attorney to a NY Supreme Court guardianship Judge, I see some red flags in the Britney Spears case, but there's so much we don’t know. Regardless of the legal posture, regardless of what the best answer ends up being for Britney Spears, has been exploited by family and strangers alike since she first showed talent. Here’s hoping her case’s attention can somehow lead her to some peace, independence, and privacy.