Amanda Bynes conservatorship terminated after nine years
Former actress and child star Amanda Bynes has had her nine-year conservatorship terminated by a judge.
Bynes, 35, star of films including She’s The Man, Hairspray, What A Girl Wants and Easy A in the 2000s, was placed under a legal guardianship – similar to Britney Spears – in 2013.
The conservatorship was put in place following what she had previously described as a dark period in her life.
Bynes’ petition for termination stated that she has consistently tested negative for illicit substances, has managed her mental health and that her psychiatrist has asserted she has the “capacity to give informed consent to any form of medical treatment”, Sky News’ US partner NBC reports.
Since 2020, she has lived in a “structured community for women” where she has been able to maintain an “independent” lifestyle and have regular check-ins with a case manager.
‘I am excited about my upcoming endeavours’
A judge in California has now dissolved the arrangement, with the support of her parents Lynn and Rick Bynes.
This means the end of a personal conservatorship; a conservatorship of the estate had already been terminated in 2017 after her assets were moved into a trust.
Following the ruling, Bynes released a statement through her attorney, David Esquibias, thanking both her fans and her parents for their support.
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“In the last several years, I have been working hard to improve my health so that I can live and work independently, and I will continue to prioritise my wellbeing in this next chapter,” she said. “I am excited about my upcoming endeavours – including my fragrance line – and look forward to sharing more when I can.”
Tamar Arminak, attorney for Bynes’ parents, said Lynn Bynes “could not be more proud of what Amanda has accomplished getting through the last few difficult years”.
He added: “Both mother and daughter I know are happy to restart a relationship that doesn’t include this conservatorship and focus on the endless possibilities available to Amanda now that the conservatorship is over.”
Judge praises Bynes as agreement is dissolved
Ventura Superior Court Judge Roger L Lund had previously said that evidence presented to the court showed that “grounds for establishment of a conservatorship of the person no longer exist”.
He said during the latest hearing that Bynes’ had done everything the court has asked of her during the process.
“Congratulations to Ms Bynes and good luck… fantastic job, everyone,” the judge said at the end of the hearing.
Bynes is now studying at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles.
In a brief Instagram video posted weeks prior to her hearing, she thanked fans for all their “love and support”.
