LOS ANGELES (CNS) - Carol Burnett and her husband have nominated the same woman who serves as Britney Spears' personal conservator to be the temporary personal guardian of the comedian's teenage grandson -- whose mother allegedly has a history of drug abuse -- but a judge today delayed ruling on the petition until next week.
Attorney Gabrielle A. Vidal, on behalf of Burnett and the 88-year-old entertainer's spouse, Brian Miller, told Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Deborah L. Christian that Jodi Montgomery began serving as case manager for 15-year-old Dylan Hamilton-West in May, but that they would now like her to take over the temporary guardianship role in which they have served since they were first appointed on Sept. 1, 2020.
"Miss Montgomery assists (Dylan) with setting up his medical appointments and coordinates them with his school to ensure his absence is excused," Vidal wrote in the Burnett-Miller petition.
"She has conferred with his therapist and dentist. She also confers with (Dylan's) school advisers and dean about his education as well as his time away from the (Ojai) boarding school."
Lawyer Stefanie M. Bennett, appointed by the judge to represent Dylan's interests, said she would have a report prepared with her thoughts for the judge by the Nov. 8 hearing. The Burnett-Miller temporary guardianship officially expires Nov. 30, but will end sooner if Montgomery's appointment is approved before then.
Burnett did not take part in Monday's hearing because she was on location with another obligation, according to Vidal, but Miller appeared virtually with several other people, including Dylan's mother, Erin Hamilton, father, Tony West, and Montgomery.
Montgomery became a part of Spears' conservatorship team in September 2019 after having previously served as her care manager. The Spears conservatorship could end as soon as Nov. 12.
Montgomery has communicated with Dylan's parents and has helped facilitate communications between all of the teen's family members, according to Vidal's court papers.
In their original petition filed in August 2020, Burnett and Miller stated that throughout her adult life, and since Dylan's birth, Hamilton has suffered from severe substance abuse and addiction issues and that in the past two decades, she has been in and out of rehabilitation centers while being institutionalized a total of eight times for a minimum of 30 days each time.
Hamilton told the judge today that her attorney tried to appear virtually to voice objections on her behalf, but that he was unsuccessful. She said she believed that the other attorneys have known of her concerns for months.
"I don't understand, I'm confused," Hamilton said.
The judge said she had not seen any objections and that any that are filed will be heard Nov. 8.
Hamilton, a 53-year-old singer, is one of Burnett's three daughters from her marriage to television producer Joe Hamilton. Their oldest daughter, Carrie, died of cancer in 2002.
In July 2020, Hamilton sent Dylan and her adult son multiple text messages threatening suicide, according to the original petition, which says she was subsequently placed by the Los Angeles Police Department on a hold for "suicidality and drug use" before being released late that same month.