Amanda Bynes to be freed from nine-year conservatorship: ‘She’s looking forward to her next step’
(Photo by David Livingston/Getty Images)
Amanda Bynes is set to be freed from her nine-year-long conservatorship, a judge has indicated.
After she petitioned the court to end the arrangement in February – three months after Britney Spears successfully filed for release from her own conservatorship after 13 years – a judge is expected to hand Amanda Bynes her freedom on Thursday (22 March).
The former Nickelodeon child star was placed under a conservatorship in 2013, after her involuntarily hospitalisation on a psychiatric hold for allegedly starting a small fire in a driveway.
Her mother has served as her official conservator since 2014, and Bynes has largely kept out of the limelight since announcing her acting hiatus in 2010.
Judge Roger L. Lund wrote in a document issued Monday (21 March) that Bynes had “provided facts that the conservatorship is no longer needed.”
“The court intends to grant the petition for termination and order the conservatorship of the person of Amanda Bynes be terminated.”
Bynes has lived in a facility for women in need since 2020 in order to deal with medical issues, according to Variety.
Her lawyer David A Esquibias would not comment on her situation, but told Variety ahead of the hearing: “I’m excited for her. She is excited. We’re all excited and we’re all anxiously looking forward to Amanda living a life as a private and normal citizen.”
Since being placed under the conservatorship, Amanda Bynes has earned an associate’s degree at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles, California, and is currently studying for a bachelor’s degree.
According to Esquibias, she intends to continue “trying to find an outlet” for her creativity once the conservatorship is over.
“Besides normalcy as a person and a student, I know that she is looking forward to what her next step is going to be,” he told Variety. “One of the things that she’s talking about is a fragrance line and possibly a clothing line, while she is concentrating on school.”
Although she has not expressed any imminent plans to return to acting, Esquibias has also said that he “wouldn’t rule that out”.
Her mother, Lynn Bynes, has stated that she does not disagree with her daughter’s release. Last month, lawyers stated that the conservatorship was always “intended to be temporary”.
“Lynn is extremely happy and thrilled and proud of Amanda and ready to terminate this conservatorship based on the hard work Amanda has done,” they said.
“The parents are happy, thrilled to get this good news,” said their lawyer, Tamar Arminak, to NBC News. “The professionals say she is ready to make her own life choices and decisions and are so proud of her.”
