Amanda Bynes speaks out after 9-year conservatorship ends
Amanda Bynes has broken her silence after a judge ruled to terminate her nearly nine-year-long conservatorship wherein her mother was put in charge of managing her personal and financial affairs.
In a statement shared with People Magazine via her lawyer David A. Esquibias, the former actor-turned-fashion student expressed her gratitude while sharing insight into her future plans. "Following today's decision by the judge to terminate my conservatorship, I would like to thank my fans for their love and well wishes during this time. I would also like to thank my lawyer and my parents for their support over the last nine years," said Bynes, 35.
"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 well-being in this next chapter. I am excited about my upcoming endeavours—including my fragrance line—and look forward to sharing more when I can," she concluded.
During the brief hearing, Judge Roger L Lund said, "The conservatorship is no longer needed or required. She has done everything the court has asked."
Bynes' mother, Lynn, was granted temporary conservatorship over the star back in August 2013 following a series of concerning behavior.
It came about after the actor, then 27, was placed on an involuntary psychiatric hold for allegedly starting a fire in an elderly woman's driveway.
She was placed under another involuntary hold and tweeted in November 2014 that she had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
Bynes announced in November 2018 that she had maintained sobriety for the last four years but checked herself back into treatment two months later for a reported "stress-related relapse."
However, since then, the 'Hairspray' star is seemingly doing better. Over the last several years, Bynes has been living out of the spotlight as she finishes her degree at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. She previously earned her associate's degree in 2019 and celebrated the milestone on social media.
Since filing to end her conservatorship in February, Bynes has been taking steps towards independence, most recently locating an LA rental to move into with her fiance Paul Michael. (ANI)