Britney Spears’ mother Lynne petitioned a Los Angeles court Wednesday to allow her daughter to select her own lawyer, saying the singer has been able to care for herself for years despite being subject to a legal arrangement normally reserved for the severely disabled. Britney Spears attempted to hire her own lawyers when the conservatorship began in 2008 but was blocked by her father. Lynne Spears’ lawyers wrote, “Now, and for the past many years, Conservatee is able to care for her person and in fact has, within the parameters of this conservatorship, earned literally hundreds of millions of dollars as an international celebrity… Her capacity is certainly different today than it was in 2008.” Lynne and Jamie Spears divorced in 2002.

Britney’s lawyer Sam Ingham, appointed by the court in 2008, filed to resign earlier this week in the wake of dramatic testimony by the pop star about how the conservatorship has exerted an “abusive” degree of control over her life. His resignation is subject to court approval and the appointment of a new lawyer for Spears.