Michael Jackson’s 93-year-old mother, Katherine is suing her late son’s estate for more than $500,000. She wants the King of Pop’s estate to reimburse her for legal fees she racked up while trying to keep the estate from moving forward with a “lucrative deal.”
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According to a report from RadarOnline, Jackson’s mother asked the court to order her late son’s estate to pay her $561,000. The money would cover the massive legal bill she received from the law firm Glaser Wiel Fink Howard Jordan & Shapiro. She hired the firm to help her stop the estate from moving forward with a confidential deal.
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Between April 1 and November 30 of last year, the firm interviewed family members, prepared exhibits for trial, prepared briefs, gathered documents, questioned witnesses, and undertook various other tasks.
The judge ruled in favor of the estate saying, “The proposed transaction is approved and the executors are authorized and instructed to take all actions necessary to implement the proposed transaction, including but not limited to signing all contracts and performing all obligations required of the estate.”
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Then, Jackson’s mother appealed the decision to a higher court. While she waits on her appeal, she expects her late son’s estate to pay her legal fees.
Michael Jackson’s Estate Responds
Before Jackson died in 2009, he left most of his money to his three children—Paris, Prince, and Blanket. Additionally, he created the Katherine Jackson Trust to take care of his mother for the rest of her life. He also appointed John Branca and John McClain executors of his estate.
McClain and Branca work to keep the King of Pop’s legacy alive. This includes making deals that bring money into the estate. For instance, they were behind This Is It!, one of the highest-grossing concert films in history. Katherine Jackson opposed that deal as well.
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In a court filing, the executors made a joint statement. “The Estate was teetering on the verge of collapse, with more than $400 million in debt that encumbered Michael’s most significant assets and little or no liquidity or means to service that debt,” the statement read. “Through creative thinking, hard work, and business savvy—and, of course, Michael’s extraordinary creative legacy—the Executors have transformed the MJJ Business into a profitable enterprise.”
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