Amanda Bynes Freed From Conservatorship Following Judge’s Ruling (UPDATE)
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Amanda Bynes is expected to be freed from her conservatorship on Tuesday after a California judge issued a tentative ruling the day before.
“The court determines that the conservatorship is no longer required and that grounds for establishment of a conservatorship of the person no longer exist,” Judge Roger Lund of the Ventura County Superior Court wrote. “The court intends to grant the petition for termination and order the conservatorship of the person of Amanda Bynes be terminated.”
The ruling was based on Bynes’s ability to “state facts showing that the conservatorship is no longer required,” which the court ultimately determined she was able to do.
“Petitioner has provided facts that the conservatorship is no longer needed,” added the tentative ruling. “The confidential Capacity Declaration filed [Feb. 22, 2022] concludes that conservatee has capacity to give informed consent to any form of medical treatment.”
Bynes, who rose to fame as a child actor on Nickelodeon, has been under a nearly nine-year-long conservatorship and last month filed a petition with her attorney David Esquibias claiming she no longer needs the protection of the court and is now capable of living freely.
“She has a doctor’s declaration that indicates that she is able to manage her own financial affairs, that she’s able to live independently,” Esquibias said while on GMA in February.
Esquibias also shared that Bynes’ mother Lynn Bynes and other members of her family fully support her decision, adding that the actress’ individual freedoms were never taken away from her amid the conservatorship.
Lynn Bynes was initially granted temporary conservatorship over her daughter in 2013 after the actress reportedly set fire to a driveway, later regaining control of the conservatorship in 2014, as Bynes’ conservatorship has been reviewed roughly every two years.
Judge Lund is expected to terminate Bynes’s conservatorship at a hearing on Tuesday at the Ventura County Superior Court.
Update — March 22, 2:18 p.m. ET: Judge Lund officially terminated Bynes’ conservatorship during a Tuesday hearing at the Ventura County Superior Court.
The conservatorship was of both her person and estate, meaning Bynes now has control over her life, her finances, and her day-to-day responsibilities. The decision to terminate the conservatorship was met with full support from her family.
