Kelly Clarkson's Latest Legal Win May Force Brandon Blackstock To Return More Money to Her
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Kelly Clarkson and Brandon Blackstock are still fighting out their issues in court from their former business dealings together. The 42-year-old singer’s ex-husband used to be her manager as a part of his father, Narvel Blackstock’s company, Starstruck Entertainment. While Blackstock should have been managing her career, instead, he was allegedly operating like a talent agent and procuring her jobs, which is illegal without a California license.
The former duo had been arguing over commissions paid to Blackstock during their marriage while he worked as her manager. The California Labor Commissioner is on Clarkson’s side, ruling that he violated the state’s California Talent Agencies Act and awarded her $2.6 million last November. Blackstock’s legal team did not like that decision, so they appealed the ruling a month later which created a path for a “de novo” trial, per Rolling Stone. Yep, the case starts all over again from the beginning.
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The discovery phase, requested by Blackstock’s lawyers, hoped to set the stage to “confirm” his commissions were pooled into their marital funds, so Clarkson “was also able to enjoy” his windfall off her career. Judge Wendy Chang, who is heading the Aug. 27 trial, nixed that request and clarified that the case will solely focus on his alleged violation of California’s labor laws. Chang is also expanding the scope of Blackstock’s role as her manager. Instead of just zeroing in on her work with The Voice, Billboard Music Awards, and Royal Caribbean, it will also include The Kelly Clarkson Show. According to the media outlet, Blackstock could owe his ex-wife another $750,000 if she wins the case.
Blackstock, who is now a rancher, had to post an almost $4 million bond ahead of the trial after Judge Chang concluded, “We’re litigating the whole thing.” The case will take approximately five days with witnesses from Clarkson’s high-powered talent agency, CAA — it could be an explosive trial! Bryan Freedman, Blackstock’s lawyer, doesn’t sound pleased by the latest wins for Clarkson. “It is morally, ethically, and legally wrong to attempt to get monies back from your ex-husband who not only helped her as her manager but who used those earnings on their children and Kelly and Brandon’s lifestyle during the marriage,” he said in court.
The business court case came just three months after Clarkson and Blackstock filed for divorce in 2020. Starstruck Entertainment claimed that the talk show host had breached their oral agreement to represent her. She filed her complaint with her labor commission petition in October 2020 — and so far, the case is working out in her favor.
Before you go, click here to see the most important celebrity lawsuits over the past 15 years.
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