Amanda Bynes’ 9-Year Conservatorship Was Terminated And She Said She’ll “Prioritize” Her Well-Being

Amanda Bynes was just 10 years old when she first shot to fame in the Nickelodeon series All That in 1996. Thanks to her breakout success, she landed her own self-titled spinoff, The Amanda Show, three years later.

As the years went on, child star Amanda carved a successful career for herself, appearing in more TV shows, as well as movies such as She’s the Man and Easy A.

But in 2012, Amanda began to exhibit concerning behavior when she was arrested for driving under the influence. The following year, she was charged with reckless endangerment and marijuana possession.

In July 2013, Amanda was detained after she allegedly lit a fire in the driveway of a stranger’s home. Her parents petitioned to put her under a conservatorship while she was involuntarily hospitalized for a mental health evaluation.

The following month, Amanda’s mom, Lynn, was granted a temporary conservatorship over Amanda’s finances and personal affairs.

But in October 2014, Amanda sparked concern again when she accused her dad, Rick, of emotional and sexual abuse in a series of tweets. Her parents vehemently denied the claims, and Amanda later tweeted that he had never abused her.

She worried followers as she went on to tweet: “The microchip in my brain made me say those things but he’s the one that ordered them to microchip me.”

This is when Amanda’s mom became her conservator for a second time, and shortly afterward it was announced that Amanda had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

With the help of her parents, Amanda revealed in 2018 that she had been sober for four years as she apologized for what she’d said on social media before getting help.

“I’m really ashamed and embarrassed with the things I said. I can’t turn back time but if I could, I would. And I’m so sorry to whoever I hurt and whoever I lied about because it truly eats away at me,” she said at the time.

Amanda also admitted that she’d experimented with cocaine and MDMA before getting sober, but it was her prescribed ADHD medication of Adderall that she “abused the most.”

In August of that year, legal paperwork to extend her conservatorship until August 2020 was filed.

She did not publicly address her legal arrangement until 2020, which was around the same time that Britney Spears’ controversial conservatorship was gaining media attention.

“There’s no reason why I shouldn’t go to a therapist who takes my insurance for $5,000 less a month. This is why I’ve asked to see the judge next week regarding this conservatorship issue,” she added. “I’m sorry that this is what I’m dealing with, and I’m sorry that I put my problems onto the internet, but this is what life has come to.”

Amanda was immediately sent a flurry of support from fans, but in September 2021 the star was dealt a blow when a judge ruled that her conservatorship should be extended until at least 2023.

Last month, Amanda, now 35, filed a petition to terminate the conservatorship, with the support of both her parents and her attorney David Esquibias.

While waiting for her court date, Amanda took steps toward independence by relocating to a new home with her fiancé in Los Angeles.

Two weeks before the judge’s decision was expected to be made, Amanda shared a video to a new Instagram account where she thanked her fans for their “love and support.”

And on Tuesday, Mar. 22, Judge Roger L. Lund terminated Amanda’s conservatorship after almost nine years, saying: “The conservatorship is no longer needed or required. She has done everything the court has asked.”

In a statement, Amanda shared her joy at the decision as she thanked her loved ones for supporting her and vowed to “continue to prioritize” her well-being.

“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,” she said in a statement to People. “I would also like to thank my lawyer and my parents for their support over the last nine years.”

“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,” she added. “I am excited about my upcoming endeavors — including my fragrance line — and look forward to sharing more when I can.”

Needless to say, Amanda’s fans have been left thrilled on her behalf, with many drawing comparisons to Britney’s conservatorship, which was terminated in November after 13 years.

However, TMZ reported that the similar timing is purely coincidental, with Amanda’s lawyer telling them that Amanda had never mentioned Britney’s battle in her own fight for freedom.

He went on to add that, unlike in Britney’s situation, Amanda’s parents fully supported the end of her conservatorship and acknowledged that it wasn’t supposed to be in place for the rest of Amanda’s life, especially as she has made such significant progress in recent years.

Amanda has not issued any further statements, nor has she posted to her Instagram page since the conservatorship ended.