Baby on board. Amanda Bynes and fiancé Paul Michael confirmed that they were expecting their first child together earlier this month, but parenthood could bring a handful of unexpected challenges for the couple.
The Easy A star, 33, revealed her happy news on March 17 after sharing a sonogram photo on Instagram briefly after she and Michael called off their engagement. Bynes’ complicated conservatorship agreement, which she’s been under since 2014, previously caused a rift between the pair and could continue to give them trouble after they welcome their child.
“Amanda, her parents, and her fiancé, Paul Michael, will all share physical custody, but only her parents and Paul will be able to make legal decisions for the baby because Amanda is under conservatorship,” Neama Rahmani, president of West Coast Trial Lawyers, exclusively reveals in the latest issue of Us Weekly. “That’s the best case scenario for Amanda. The worst case is that county social workers get involved and try to remove the baby because they think Amanda is not a fit parent.”
Before announcing her pregnancy, the former child actress addressed her “controversial” conservatorship in an Instagram video, and thanked her fans for their constant support throughout her history with mental illness and substance abuse.
“I have been going to a treatment center that charges $5,200 a month,” Bynes explained in February. “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.”
One week before opening up about her conservatorship, the What a Girl Wants star showed off her massive engagement ring from Michael, who popped the question on Valentine’s Day. However, it’s up to her mother, Lynn, whether or not the Sydney White actress actually walks down the aisle.
“As Amanda’s conservator, her mother has responsibility over her daughter’s decision-making, including whether or not to allow her to marry,” Rahmani previously told Us. “If Amanda’s parents did not consent to the marriage, they can petition the court to annul the marriage on the basis of Amanda’s ‘unsound mind.'”
For more on Bynes’ conservatorship drama, watch the video above and pick up the new issue of Us Weekly, on newsstands now.
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With reporting by Marc Lupo
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