Amanda Bynes's conservatorship terminated after 8 years
Amanda Bynes is free from her conservatorship after nearly nine years.
Bynes, who turns 36 next month, did not attend the hearing in Los Angeles on Tuesday where a judge followed through with his tentative ruling that the conservatorship of the person is terminated. Bynes's mother, Lynn, has been in control of the actress's medical and personal affairs since 2013.
In his ruling, Judge Roger L. Lund declared that Bynes has the "capacity [to] give informed consent to any form of medical treatment" and "that the conservatorship is no longer required and that grounds for establishment of a conservatorship of the person no longer exist."
Bynes issued a statement following Tuesday's ruling.
"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," the actress tells People via her attorney.
"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 prioritize my well-being in this next chapter. I am excited about my upcoming endeavors — including my fragrance line — and look forward to sharing more when I can," she concludes.
Unlike Britney Spears's bombshell case, Bynes's hearing was drama-free as both parents supported the conservatorship ending. A conservatorship of the estate ended in 2017 and the former child star's assets were moved into a trust. Bynes's father, Rick, was named as trustee. The judge noted in his ruling how that was not part of his scope.
"As the trust is not part of the conservatorship estate, a petition for accounting would need to be filed in a separate trust case for the court to entertain such a request. However, based on the Conservator/Trustee's response filed 3/10/2022, perhaps an accounting by the trustee can be arranged outside of a formal court case," the document reads.
Bynes's parents were overseeing the actress's conservatorship since 2013. The legal hold was established after the All That alum had a string of erratic behavior, including DUI arrests and a hit and run. She started a fire in the driveway of a Thousand Oaks, Calif. home and was placed in an involuntary psychiatric hold. Bynes's parents claimed she spent $1.2 million in only a few months and was using drugs. In 2014, the She's the Man star was involuntarily hospitalized again and the conservatorship was made permanent. The star said she was diagnosed with bipolar affective disorder and manic depression.
Bynes left Hollywood and graduated from the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising. In 2019, the actress sought treatment after a relapse. She met her fiancé, Paul Michael, while in a sober living home. Bynes marked 14 months of sobriety in March 2020. She and Michael plan to rent a home in the L.A. area now that the conservatorship is terminated.
MORE: Amanda Bynes speaks out after filing to end conservatorship of nearly 9 years