Amanda Bynes’ parents, Rick Bynes and Lynn Organ, are currently waiting to hear from Judge Glen M. Reiser if they will be granted conservatorship over their daughter.
The 27-year-old actress is currently undergoing a 14-day psychiatric evaluation at a California hospital following her driveway fire-setting stint. Bynes is due back in court on August 9 for the next conservatorship hearing.
Conservatorships are most commonly utilized in elder care situations where family members seek to gain control of the personal and financial affairs of the elder. They are usually incapacitated physically and/or mentally; often, suffering from diseases such as Alzheimer’s or dementia.
The particular conservatorship that Bynes’ parents are seeking is when someone petitions the state for temporary control over the affairs of a person with a substance abuse problem or a mental illness.
In cases of mental illness and drug dependency, the control over the person is usually temporary. The goal is to allow the person to rehabilitate themselves and regain control over their own affairs.
If Bynes’ parents do gain conservatorship over her personal affairs, she wouldn’t be able to move without their approval, for example. She wouldn’t be able to make major purchases without their consent due to the financial control of a conservatorship.
Are there other celebrities under a conservatorship? Oh yes, Britney Spears. Her father filed for and was granted conservatorship over her affairs in 2008.
According to reports, Bynes is reportedly estranged from her parents and often tweets negative things about them. If they gain conservatorship, this could get interesting