Jackson’s Mother Approves Will Executors
Singer’s Father Files Motion To Get Money From Son’s Estate
Linda Deutsch/Associated Press
November 10, 2009
Channel3000.com
http://www.channel3000.com/entertainment/21568118/detail.html
LOS ANGELES — Michael Jackson’s mother withdrew her objections Tuesday to the appointment of two longtime Jackson associates as executors of the singer’s will.

The surprise announcement came from Katherine Jackson’s attorney Adam Streisand, who said his client felt it was time the legal fighting ended.

Katherine Jackson no longer objects to the appointment of attorney John Branca and music executive John McClain to oversee the singer’s estate, Streisand said. She feels her actions were in the best interest of her son’s children, he added.

A judge intended to make his formal appointment after resolving whether Jackson’s father can challenge the appointments. Joe Jackson was omitted from his son’s will, with Michael Jackson’s assets going to his mother, his children and children’s charities.

Lawyers for the estate were ordered back to argue the matter.

A 60-page motion filed last week by Joe Jackson’s attorney, Brian Oxman, detailed his bid to get money from his son’s estate by making conflict of interest accusations against Branca and McClain.

Joe Jackson is seeking an allowance from his son’s estate to help cover expenses that exceed $15,000 a month, according to the court documents.

The two had an often-strained relationship, and Michael Jackson said at one point that he would get physically sick — as a child and as an adult — at the sight of his father.

The documents said Joe Jackson receives a $1,700 monthly Social Security payment and had relied on his son for support for many years.

Howard Weitzman, an attorney for the administrators of Jackson’s estate, has said Joe Jackson’s petition would be considered along with all other requests for money from the estate.

Joe Jackson suffers from diabetes and had a stroke in 1998, the filing stated.

A former steelworker, he managed and trained his children and organized the Jackson 5. He has been married to Katherine Jackson for 50 years, but he lists his home in Las Vegas. She lives at a family home in the San Fernando Valley north of Los Angeles.

The filings listing Joe Jackson’s age as 80 in one place and 81 in another.

His list of expenses includes $1,200 a month for rent for his Las Vegas home; $2,500 to eat out; $1,000 for entertainment, gifts and vacations; $2,000 on air travel and $3,000 on hotels.

Joseph Jackson, singer’s father, lobs accusations
Linda Deutsch/Associated Press
November 10, 2009
Google News
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LOS ANGELES — On the eve of a hearing in the Michael Jackson estate, a lawyer for the singer’s father filed a 60-page motion Monday that intensifies a bid to get money from his son’s estate by making accusations of fraud against the administrators of his will.

Joseph Jackson’s attorney, Brian Oxman, filed a blizzard of documents in court late Monday claiming that the singer believed his old friends John Branca and John McClain had defrauded him. He also accused both of conflicts of interest and said they should be removed from administering the will.

Joseph Jackson was omitted from his son’s will with all of Michael Jackson’s assets going to his mother, his children and children’s charities.

Howard Weitzman, one of the attorneys representing Branca and McClain, issued a statement Monday night in response to the motion. A hearing on the matter is scheduled for Tuesday morning.

“These claims filed by Joe Jackson are so outrageous that they don’t deserve any response,” said Weitzman.

It was unclear whether Joseph Jackson has the legal standing to challenge its provisions.

Judge considers allowance for Joe Jackson; new Michael Jackson estate allegations
Shelby Grad
November 10, 2009
Los Angeles Times
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/11/judge-considers-allowance-for-joe-jackson-new-allegations.html
Joe Jackson’s attorneys will ask a Los Angeles judge this morning to have Michael Jackson’s estate to help cover living expenses that exceed $20,000 a month.

Joe Jackson on Monday also filed new court papers claiming that his son believed the executors of his will were defrauding him.

Joe Jackson had a rocky relationship with his son and was not mentioned in the pop star’s will.

The estate is already paying Jackson’s mother a monthly allowance of $26,000 and an attorney for Joe Jackson, 81, wrote in the Los Angeles County Superior Court filing that the family patriarch was entitled to the “same manner” of support.

In the papers, his lawyer wrote that Michael Jackson had footed his father’s bills for decades.

“He does not have a regular or steady source of income, and he was dependent upon the money provided by his son, Michael Jackson, through his wife, Katherine Jackson, for his support,” attorney Brian Oxman wrote in court papers.

Michael Jackson’s father moves to oust will executors
Alan Duke
November 9, 2009
CNN.com
http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/11/09/michael.jackson.estate/
Los Angeles, California (CNN) — The battle for control of Michael Jackson’s estate took another turn Monday as the pop singer’s father filed a challenge of the men named as executors in Jackson’s 2002 will.

Joe Jackson, who was not named as a beneficiary of the will, contends John Branca and John McClain must be disqualified as executors because they hid from the court a mistake regarding Jackson’s signature, Brian Oxman, Joe Jackson’s attorney, told CNN.

The signature section of the will said it was signed on July 7, 2002, in Los Angeles, although there is proof Michael Jackson was in New York on that date, Oxman said.

“The executors have an obligation to tell the court the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth,” Oxman said. “But for four months they’ve been silent as to where this will was signed. They are concealing this from the court and you cannot do that.”

Howard Weitzman, one of the attorneys for Branca and McClain, responded by saying Joe Jackson’s claims “are so outrageous that they don’t deserve any response.”

“John Branca and John McClain, who were designated by Michael Jackson in his will as executors of his estate, will continue carrying out Michael’s wishes for the benefit of his mother, his children and charities,” Weitzman said in a statement.

Judge Mitchell Beckloff, who is overseeing the probate of Jackson’s estate, will hold a hearing in Los Angeles Superior Court Tuesday morning. It is expected he will choose a date in that hearing to consider the arguments on these and other matters related to the estate, Oxman said.

Joe Jackson also filed a request last week asking Judge Beckloff to order the estate to pay him a monthly allowance. While he is married to Jackson’s mother — Katherine Jackson — he lives separately in Las Vegas and does not share in the monthly allowance from the estate.

Oxman filed a petition Monday afternoon listing 11 grounds for Branca and McClain’s dismissal as executors.

In addition to the issue of where the will was signed, Oxman said Branca had several conflicts of interest concerning his involvement with overseeing the partnership between Jackson and Sony to own music catalogues.

The petition also contends that Branca was fired as Jackson’s lawyer in 2003, but failed to resign as an executor to the estate as he was ordered.

Michael Jackson died June 25, but the probate of his will has been slowed by a series of court squabbles.

Katherine Jackson is pursuing her own challenge of Branca and McClain. Her lawyers have indicated they would present evidence that the men have possible conflicts of interest that would disqualify them.

Oxman said his grounds for challenging them is separate and different from Katherine Jackson’s challenge.

Katherine Jackson’s legal team has asked that a member of the Jackson family “have a seat at the table” — as a third executor.

Under the 2002 will, Michael Jackson’s three children and his mother are the chief beneficiaries of his estate, while unnamed charities will share in 20 percent of the wealth.