Katherine Jackson & AEG Duke it Out in Court
Aug. 17 2009, Published 1:25 p.m. ET
More wrangling went on in an L.A. court today between Katherine Jackson, tour promoters AEG and her late son Michael Jackson's estate, as Katherine and her lawyers attempt to put the brakes on any memorabilia deals between AEG and the estate administrators.
Because any deals that are signed could bring in hundreds of millions of dollars for MJ's estate, which will benefit his three children, Judge Michael Beckloff decided to bring in a lawyer to represent Paris, Prince and Blanket -- attorney Margaret Lodise -- who appeared in court today.
Katherine's lawyers have filed several pages of objections to the proposed deals, and because the estate administrators --John Branca and John McClain -- only have temporary decision-making power, each time a possible deal is on the table, Katherine can object, and then the judge has to decide. All of this back and forth will end when a trial is scheduled to make the administrators permanent. That would give Branca and McClain total control over the estate. Or, Katherine could win partial control over the estate.
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Part of the issue at hand is a deal that AEG and the estate want to close to take Michael's memorabilia show on the road. Katherine thinks there are better deals to be had, and wants to put up the rights to a show up for bidding. Katherine also wants the estate to take all the complimentary tickets that were given out for free, and sell them for a profit.
Judge Beckloff is currently deciding if he will call another hearing to see if AEG really is best suited for bringing MJ's memorabilia to the country. An evidentiary hearing is set for Friday, Aug. 21, at 10 a.m.