Michael Jackson estate scores legal win as judge dismisses Wade Robson's sex abuse lawsuit
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The estate of Michael Jackson has scored a victory in court against Wade Robson, the dancer and choreographer who sued the estate in 2013 claiming that the late pop star sexually abused him when he was underage. Robson's allegations were chronicled in the high-profile 2019 HBO documentary Leaving Neverland.
Upholding an earlier tentative ruling, L.A. County Superior Court Judge Mark A. Young dismissed Robson's lawsuit Monday and found that defendants MJJ Productions and MJJ Ventures were not financially liable to Robson because the corporations had no legal duty or ability to control Jackson.
Vince Finaldi, Robson's attorney, said in a statement to EW that the ruling had "fatal flaws" and would be appealed "to the Court of Appeal, and to the Supreme Court if necessary."
Related: All the ways Jackson's Neverland ranch allegedly hid abuse of boys
He added, "If allowed to stand, the decision would set a dangerous precedent that would leave thousands of children working in the entertainment industry vulnerable to sexual abuse by persons in places of power. The children of our state deserve protection, and we will not stop fighting until we insure that every child is safe."
Jonathan Steinsapir, attorney for the Jackson estate, said in a statement that Robson "has spent the last eight years pursuing frivolous claims in different lawsuits against Michael Jackson's estate and companies associated with it. Robson has taken nearly three dozen depositions and inspected and presented hundreds of thousands of documents trying to prove his claims, yet a Judge has once again ruled that Robson's claims have no merit whatsoever, that no trial is necessary, and that his latest case is dismissed."
The Jackson estate has a separate lawsuit that is ongoing with HBO for producing and distributing Finding Neverland; it was ordered to arbitration in December.
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