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Katherine Jackson Hires New Lawyer for Battle Over Estate

10/23/09, 9:10 am EST

Photo: Getty
The fight over control of Michael Jackson’s assets is continuing in the courts. Though Jackson named two executors in his 2002 will (see it here) — lawyer John Branca and music executive John McClain — the singer’s mother, Katherine, has continued to argue that the family should be more involved in business decisions. Katherine and Jackson’s three children are set to receive the bulk of the King of Pop’s estate, with unspecified charities getting the remaining 20 percent.

Displeased with the family’s legal representation, the family has switched lawyers, bringing in Hollywood heavyweight Adam Streisand to replace Burt Levich and Londell McMillan. Streisand’s first day on the Jackson case came just moments after a hearing that granted more authority to Branca and McClain to make deals for the Jackson estate, CNN reports. Streisand said the family “felt they needed a different perspective and fresh look at how this case was being approached.”

Look back at Jackson’s remarkable career, in photos.

Trust and estate litigation are Streisand’s specialties, and he has notched victories in cases involving the estates of Ray Charles, Marlon Brando and Barry White, according to his profile on the Loeb & Loeb Website. Streisand also represented Britney Spears in February 2008 during the singer’s conservatorship proceedings.

Though Jackson owed money to many creditors, his estate is expected to rake in about $100 million this year thanks in part to one of the first deals the executors nailed down, the upcoming This Is It concert film and soundtrack which will be released next week.

Related Stories:

Katherine Jackson Wins Custody, Withdraws Bid for Michael’s Estate
Michael Jackson Left Hard Drives of New Songs, ’80s Recordings
Jackson Family Challenges 2002 Will, Denies Abuse Accusations


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Comments

sweetneke | 10/23/2009, 12:49 pm EST

i’m glad to see katherine is bringin in some heavy hitters that no what they are doing before sony branca and mcclain steal and sell all of michael jacksons assets

Cassandra | 10/23/2009, 4:10 pm EST

I’m thrilled to read this.

Go Katherine! If anyone loved Michael and will protect his interests, it’s you.

Virginia | 10/23/2009, 4:34 pm EST

Katherine is smarter than many know. It is about time! She refuse to let anyone take advantage of her son in death also! Go Katherine Jackson!

Murphy | 10/23/2009, 4:41 pm EST

Meaning no disrespect to Mrs. Jackson, but didn’t Michael make it rather clear in the will who he wanted administering his estate?

sweetneke | 10/23/2009, 5:02 pm EST

did he i don’t think so since the will was forged i hope these lawyers prove that these executors weren’t in new york on the seventh and that they prejured themselves when they said they witnessed michael sign it

Jenne | 10/23/2009, 5:38 pm EST

That’s a bunch of crap. The Jackson’s can’t handle money. They don’t even have jobs. Joe can’t support his own wife, his son has had to support her in life and continue in death. Joe can’t even pay the electric bill…Go to TMZ, Katherine wants more allowance to pay the electric. Jermaine’s kids live and former wife live at Michael’s home..remember Michael owns Hayvenhurst. In reality the children now own it. Randy can’t even work, he lives off of Katherine along with the other brothers. Oh, Yeah,I guess they’ll be making money from the new ‘Reality Show’ ..what a joke. The only new money they have made is from Michael’s death being paid for interviews. Don’t tell me LaToya who was the first family member in Michael’s home after his death didn’t steal money and jewelry. She is said to have also taken music tracks..She just had a home in Las Vegas forclosed on..Get real stupid people. They are pissed because at Katherine’s death they won’t get the money. The trust has a tight hold on the money. Team Brancha is responsible for much of Michael’s fortune made in his youth including the Sony Catalog , and the Neverland Valley Ranch purchased far below the asking price…

Jenne | 10/23/2009, 5:53 pm EST

One last comment. Just remember, Michael has paid for everything Katherine and her moocher children eat, He has paid, even with his own financial troubles, he has still kept a roof over their head and food in their mouth. Michael has paid for every stitch of clothing and jewelry Katherine Jackson wears, the autos they travel in, the security, the maids, the gardners…EVERYTHING….She is buying food cards for Jermaine’s former wife..Jermaine is a lovely man, but he has NO responsibility for his family. Lisa Marie has said many times in the past that they ALL took from Michael. He would not even take their calls because the brothers had something up all the time. Remember….MICHAEL JACKSON IS AND WAS THE TALENT OF THE BROTHERS…HE WORKED , HE STUDIED, HE WAS THE BIGGEST ENTERTAINER IN THE WORLD…THE BROTHERS JUST DON’T HAVE IT. RANDY SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF HIMSELF MOOCHING OFF THE ESTATE…WHEN IT IS ALL SAID AND DONE, THE WILL ISN’T GOING TO CHANGE, THE CHILDREN WILL BE PROTECTED. ROWE WILL FINISH OUT THE COUPLE YEARS SHE HAS LEFT BEING PAID FOR HER ‘SURROGATE’ SERVICES..WE ALL KNOW THAT’S ALL IT WAS, MICHAEL NEVER HAD ANY INTENTIONS OF MARRYING HER. SHE WAS A BROKE, DIVORCED WOMAN WHEN HE MET HER. SHE PERFORMED A SERVICE THAT SHE WAS HIGHLY PAID FOR..LATOYA HURT HER BROTHER DEEPLY. BUT, MICHAEL BELIEVED IN A HIGHER POWER AND SOMEHOW FORGAVE HER. SHE DESERVES NOTHING. NOW, SHE SAYS SHE AND HER MOTHER WILL NOT SEE THE MOVIE…JUST LET SOMEONE OFFER HER SOME PERKS AND SHE’LL BE RIGHT THERE. OUT OF RESPECT AND LOVE FOR MICHAEL THEY MOST DEFINITELY SHOULD SEE THE MOVIE. THEY ALL WANT HIGH PAID PERKS AND THEY WANT TO BE MORE CELEBRATIZED THAN MICHAEL..KATHERINE, HOPEFULLY WILL RAISE THE CHILDREN WITH HELP OF REBBIE, AND THE KIDS WILL STILL HAVE THEIR JACKSON FAMILY, BUT MICHAEL’S CHILDREN ARE STRONG AND SMART, THEY TAKE AFTER THEIR FATHER. THEY WILL ALWAYS BE FAMILY WITH JACKSONS, BUT THEY WILL BECOME THEIR OWN IDENTITIES AND HANDLE THEIR OWN BUSINESS SOMEDAY. WE HOPE WE ARE AROUND TO SEE THE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE PRINCE, PARIS AND BLANKET GROWN INTO. JUST LOOKING AT PRINCE, HE APPEARS FOCUSED AND SERIOUS. REMEMBER, HE WAS MICHAEL’S BEST FRIEND AND RIGHT HAND GUIDE DURING THE LAST YEARS. PRINCE IS MATURE BEYOND HIS YEARS.

Irene Ayieko | 10/23/2009, 8:39 pm EST

If you guys read Moonwalk and listen to the many interviews Michael did many timnes you can tell he loved his family, but didn’t want to carry them. Lsten to his interview with Schmuleu although it was to be a secret, and also the phone conversation between Michael and his friend Glenna on youtube. You will realize he was smart as he knew his mother would be old, not ready for battles and so he appointed people with knowledge to music industry. i dont worry about Branca and McClain, I worry about Katherine whom I know would love to protect Michael’s legacy, but at the same time knows Michael didnt want his brothers in his business. Period

sweetneke | 10/23/2009, 8:41 pm EST

i still say this was michael jacksons family and he loved his mother dearly and i believed he loved his whole family and no matter what you think you might no about him you don’t no anymore than what you read i say his family deserves to over see his estate whether they run it into the ground or not they are his blood as for his kids they should be entitled to their share to which should be put into a trust along with mihaels sony atv and mjj catalog until they become of age but i don’t think that someone else should control their trust after they are old enounh to take care of the business themselves now u can hate the jacksons all you want but they were michaels family good or bad love or hate they were his family and noone is perfect not even michael but they stuck with him through the good times and the bad times and yes they may have leech off him but where would paris hilton and all the other rich kids be if it weren’t for their parents would it be alright if her parents left her with nothing and turn their estate over to someone else how would they feel and i think they would put up a fight too even though she haan’t done anything to earn it except make a sex tape

sweetneke | 10/23/2009, 10:33 pm EST

seems like katherine jackson has some new information about the executors of the estate and it has something to do with the signing of the will this just came out on cnn so it seems like i smell a rat

ozzie | 10/24/2009, 6:58 pm EST

I WAS WAITING ON THIS IS ABOUT TIME GO-GO KATHERINE U MUST GET EVERY DIME YOUR SON OWNS AND FK TO SONY AND LA BRANCA

Anonymous | 10/25/2009, 10:56 am EST

Ozzie, are you okay? You sound mentally deranged.

I feel stupid having just read your post.

Shilo11 | 10/25/2009, 5:10 pm EST

There is a lot to take in here. Bottom line MJ loved his family very much. He fired and rehired certain people over the years and we all wonder what changes he would have made more recently. This we will never know. I believe his mother had MJ’s best interest at heart and has the best interest of all three children. The Family (Katherine) should have more input/control over decisions made regarding the estate. As for the rest of the family, they are MJ’s family so out of respect and love for MJ you shouldn’t be bashing them in public. It makes you no better than the constant tabloids and deceptive reporting MJ had to put up with.
Love
Honor
Respect

poyee | 10/31/2009, 9:22 pm EST

Well, lets see if attorney Streisand could do a better job in protecting MJ’s best interests for the kids. In Canada, This Is It got very good rating, and the 2 shows that I went to were sold out. I will go again tomorrow, Nov 1.

Melinda | 11/5/2009, 3:13 pm EST

lol: Sweetneke, were you mowing the wrong kind of grass when you posted your comments???

MJ’s moocher family “deserves” to run the estate that MJ poured his heart, blood and soul to build “into the ground”?? If that were truly MJ’s wish, he would have made Papa Joe executor!

As for “being there” for MJ through good and bad times, they really didn’t have much choice – MJ was the one PAYING THE BILLS. And, that STILL didn’t stop Jermaine or LaToilet from knifing MJ in the back if someone offered them good money to do it.

As for Paris Hilton, I would LOVE for her parents to cut her off without a dime – perhaps she’ll finally develop a true personality and character.

liz | 11/8/2009, 3:43 am EST

it was John Branca who helped made MJ a very wealthy man– that he was a ble to do expansive shopping sprees.

Branca ngotiated to buy Neverland & the ATV catalogue as well as telling Mj to release the behind the Scenes doc on making of THRILLER.

so he’s defintely the right man to administer MJ’s estate.. why Michael appointed him.

what’s more– as soon as Mj fired Joe as his manager– he never wanted his family meddling in his buiness affairs. that’s that.

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