Court rejects Michael Jackson father’s appeal
Oct 26th, 2010 by Bilal Ali
A California appeals court rejected a bid Tuesday by Michael Jackson’s father to challenge the administration of his son’s lucrative estate.
A three-justice panel of the California Second District Court of Appeal unanimously affirmed a probate judge’s ruling that Joe Jackson didn’t have standing to intervene in his son’s estate.
Despite being excluded from his son’s 2002 will, Joe Jackson had been seeking to have some control over financial affairs.
Attorney Brian Oxman, who represents Joe Jackson, said he would ask the court to reconsider and might appeal to the California Supreme Court.
He insisted Joe Jackson should have some say in post-death affairs involving his son.
“This is not right,” Oxman said of the ruling.
Attorney Howard Weitzman, who represents the estate, said he was pleased the court affirmed the pop star’s decision before he died to make attorney John Branca and music executive and family friend John McClain the executors of his will.
“We hope this decision finally puts this issue to rest,” Weitzman said.
The appeals court heard arguments in the estate case on Oct. 6 and questioned several steps taken by Joe Jackson in the case, including withdrawing his request for a monthly stipend.
The panel also questioned why Oxman didn’t mention during a lengthy hearing in November that he might file a wrongful death lawsuit. Last June, Joe Jackson sued Dr. Conrad Murray, the physician who has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter in Michael Jackson’s death.
Michael Jackson’s estate has earned tens of millions of dollars since the singer’s death in June 2009 at age 50.
The court also ruled that Joe Jackson was responsible for the costs of the legal challenge, although the amount was not immediately clear.
In addition, the court said Joe Jackson’s bid for an evidentiary hearing during which he could challenge the administrators was contrary to the interests of his wife Katherine Jackson and three grandchildren, who receive the majority of money generated by the estate.
The 21-page ruling noted that representatives for Katherine Jackson and the children opted not to challenge the appointment of Branca and McClain as administrators. Both men were named in Jackson’s will.