Britney Spears' lawyer, Mathew Rosengart, has issued her sister, Jamie Lynn Spears, with a cease-and-desist letter threatening legal action if she continues to speak about her during the promotion of her new memoir.
Jamie Lynn’s book — titled Things I Should Have Said, which charts her life and experiences — hit shelves on Jan. 18.
In the days ahead of the memoir’s release, the Zoey 101 actor made several public appearances to discuss some of its contents. She quickly found herself facing a large amount of criticism for repeatedly commenting on her sister’s decadelong conservatorship over the book’s promotional run.
Britney has been vocal about how she felt constrained and abused under the legal arrangement, which saw her life and financial affairs controlled by her father and other lawyers from 2008 until November 2021. Speaking out against the conservatorship in court last year, the singer memorably accused her family, including Jamie Lynn, of doing “nothing” to help.
In light of the fact that the “Toxic” singer hasn’t formally discussed the conservatorship since it was terminated, and particularly her recent remarks about being “scared” to do interviews, several people — including Britney herself — have condemned Jamie Lynn for not only choosing to release a memoir now, but also for participating in televised interviews to promote it.
And though Britney herself has made her feelings about Jamie Lynn’s memoir very clear — even accusing her of selling the book at her “expense” just last week — things have now taken a more serious turn.
It looks like Britney has called on the help of her attorney Rosengart — who played an instrumental role in terminating the conservatorship — to make a more serious appeal.
Filing a formal cease-and-desist letter on Jan. 17, Rosengart requested that Jamie Lynn refrain from mentioning Britney throughout the rest of her promotional campaign.
“Dear Ms. Spears: As you know, I represent your sister Britney Spears, and I write at her request concerning the above-referenced matter. We write with some hesitation because the last thing Britney wants is to bring more attention to your ill-timed book and its misleading or outrageous claims about her,” reads the letter, which was obtained by Page Six.
“Although Britney has not read and does not intend to read your book, she and millions of her fans were shocked to see how you have exploited her for monetary gain. She will not tolerate it, nor should she,” it states.
“You of all people know the abuse and wrongdoing Britney had to endure during the conservatorship, after initially growing up with a ‘ruinous,’ alcoholic father. In fact, your own book reportedly states that your father ‘spent most of my life in that cycle of ruinous behavior. His bouts of drinking caused me periods of torment and sorrow,’” the letter says.
“As I have previously stated, having endured a 13-year conservatorship that stripped her of civil rights and fundamental liberties, Britney will no longer be bullied by her father or anyone else,” it adds.
Rosengart goes on to emphasize that Britney was the family “breadwinner” — perhaps referencing the Spears’ family denials that they've used her money to their benefit.
“Publicly airing false or fantastical grievances is wrong, especially when designed to sell books. It is also potentially unlawful and defamatory,” the letter reads.
“You recently reportedly stated that the book was ‘not about her,’" it states. "She takes you at your word and we, therefore, demand that you cease and desist from referencing Britney derogatorily during your promotional campaign. If you fail to do so or defame her, Britney will be forced to consider and take all appropriate legal action."
As Rosengart notes, Jamie Lynn makes several references to Britney throughout the personal memoir, in spite of her public claims that the book “is not about her.”
Following Jamie Lynn’s recent appearance on Good Morning America last week — which saw the actor repeatedly affirming her love for Britney while discussing the traumatic conservatorship — the “Gimme More” singer quickly accused her sister of selling a book at her “expense.”
“The two things that did bother me that my sister said was that my behavior was out of control," Britney said in a Twitter post. "She was never around me much 15 years ago at that time, so why are they even talking about that unless she wants to sell a book at my expense?”
In a near-immediate response, Jamie Lynn shared a statement to Instagram rebuking the idea that the memoir was about Britney.
“I hate to burst my sister’s bubble, but my book is not about her. I can’t help that I was born a Spears too, and that some of my experiences involve my sister,” she wrote.
“I’ve worked hard since before I was even a teenager, and I’ve built my career in spite of just being someone’s little sister,” she added.
And though Britney initially hit back at the post and called her Jamie Lynn “scum,” she went on to insist that she has unconditional love for her sister in a separate Twitter post, while calling their feud “tacky.”
“I know you worked hard for the life you have and you have done amazing!!!! But I think we would both have to agree to the fact that the family has never been remotely as hard on you as they have been on me,” she wrote.
“All I know is I love you unconditionally,” she went on. “So go ahead and say whatever you want... it's so tacky for a family to fight publicly like this!!! You say you love me... yet your loyalty is still with the people that hurt me the most.”
Hopping onto Instagram shortly after, Jamie Lynn begged her sister to call her, so that they could sort things out away from the public eye.
But ironically, just days after Jamie Lynn urged Britney to handle things privately, she appeared on the popular podcast Call Her Daddy to discuss the matter once again.
Sitting down with host Alex Cooper for an in-depth chat, Jamie Lynn got incredibly candid about the complex dynamics of the Spears family, especially opening up about the impact that her father’s alcohol abuse had on the household.
Going on to discuss how she felt like an “afterthought” in the family, Jamie Lynn mentioned that “the world” has long been comparing her and Britney, before breaking down into tears while questioning her own worth.
“It’s like my whole life I felt like I didn’t matter,” she said in tears.
She also reflected on Britney’s past relationship with Justin Timberlake — whom she describes as “one of the first healthy, male, father figures” in her life — and their infamous 2002 breakup.
“I remember him fondly because that was probably one of the best times in the whole family’s life,” she said. “You know, things were good.”
Speaking about how she was affected by the split — which saw Britney being scrutinized in the media for years — Jamie Lynn said she was “so sad.”
“I think everybody thought it was forever,” she said. “I was so sad [because] my sister was so sad.”
Since its release, the podcast appearance has attracted criticism online, with fans arguing — once again — that Jamie Lynn shouldn’t be speaking out on such a large platform before Britney has had the chance to do so.
Well, it wasn’t long before Britney entered the discussion herself to let everyone — namely Jamie Lynn — know how she was feeling.
Firstly sharing a video of herself rocking a nostalgic fit, Britney reminded people of the hardships she’s faced throughout her life.
“In life a lot of people say “DO I MATTER ????”… try eating alone for 4 months morning… noon… and night Jamie Lynn,” she wrote.
“I asked myself every day 'DOES ANYBODY CARE ??? WTF ??? DO I MATTER ???' I would honestly be very interested to see your pretty face in the setting I was forced to be in and asking yourself 'DO I MATTER ???'” she added.
“I didn’t get to cry… I had to be strong … TOO STRONG,” she wrote. “So yes … YOU DO MATTER and don’t you ever think for one fucking second you don’t.”
In a second post shared moments later, Britney directly addressed her sister’s comments on her and Justin’s breakup.
“I flew home to Jamie Lynn on the couch watching her tv shows right after Justin and I broke up… I was a ghost there,” Britney wrote. “I had worked my whole life and I didn’t know how to be served by Mamma.”
“Sit there and get served the chocolate milkshakes with the perfectly crushed ice with the secret chunky sugar meanwhile Jamie Lynn is 12, she indulges with the TV for hours then goes to lay out on a raft at the pool … I’m in shock because this was never my life,” she went on.
“Justin’s family was all I knew for many years ... Things were different now and Jamie Lynn had a new Nickelodeon show … All I remember saying was “DAMN !!! How the hell does a 12 year old land a Nickelodeon show ????” she added.
Going on to address the highly publicized interview she did following the breakup, Britney wrote, “It was a People Magazine cover … The people show up and as Jamie Lynn says, I was scared,” adding that she might have needed “a little support.”
“My Mamma was on pain medication and could barely hold a conversation in the house because her and my dad split and she was more messed up than anything !!!! I remember her sitting on the floor in a conversation and she never got up,” she added.
And following her emotional and candid reflection on the breakup, Britney rounded things off with a very upfront message directed toward her sister.
“I’m sorry Jamie Lynn, I wasn’t strong enough to do what should have been done … slapped you and Mamma right across your fucking faces,” she wrote.
Jamie Lynn has yet to comment on the latest installment in this ongoing feud, and she has not publicly addressed the cease-and-desist letter. But if the past week is anything to go by, we can assume she’ll be responding soon.
