EXCLUSIVE: Michael Jackson’s Attorney And Mom Do Battle In Court
Jul. 1 2009, Published 9:20 a.m. ET
Michael Jackson’s long-time lawyer, John Branca, has fired the first salvo in what is gearing up to be a huge legal battle with his deceased client’s family.
On July 1, Branca asked the Los Angeles County Superior Court to immediately remove Katherine Jackson as Special Administrator of Michael’s estate. He also accused Katherine’s legal reps of intentionally misleading the Court about the existence of a will.
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Branca, it turns out, was out of the country June 25 when Michael died but on June 28 he met with several of Michael’s business advisors to inform them he had Michael’s will. At 11 AM on June 29, he met in person with Katherine and showed her his copy of Michael’s will and his Trust agreement. Branca’s office then spent hours trying, unsuccessfully, to reach Katherine’s attorneys, who that afternoon filed Katherine’s petition to be put in charge of the estate along with the claim that Michael died without a will.
Branca is clearly outraged at the actions of Katherine’s lawyers and has even contacted the State Attorney General’s office, but that hasn’t stopped them from issuing a very fast “opposition” petition. Katherine refers to the will Branca presented as a “purported will” which was “belatedly” presented to the court. She’s asking the court to leave her in charge of Michael’s millions in assets.