Michael Jackson estate in Branca and McClain's hands....for now

By Eriq Gardner

Congrats to John Branca and John McClain for bringing some semblance of stability to the Michael Jackson legal circus. This morning, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff granted them temporary control over Jackson estate.

Confusion reigned last week after Jackson's mother Katherine made a request to appoint a special administrator to the estate. Branca then surfaced with a will drawn up by Michael Jackson in 2002 that laid out specific executors. 

"Mr. Branca and Mr. McClain for the next month are at the helm of the ship," Beckloff told the court today.

Katherine Jackson was not present in court but Branca was in attendance. The judge seems sensitive to any emerging dispute between the parties. He told Branca he needed to share information about the estate and any transactions made with Katherine.

We'll see if that's enough for Jackson's mother. 

In a statement, John Schreiber, an attorney for Katherine Jackson, said, "Frankly, Mrs. Jackson has concerns about handing over the keys to the kingdom."

Comments

[Jade]

The complaints raised by Katherine Jackson sound more like they are directed or orchestrated by Joe Jackson. Katherine Jackson knows she does not have the skills or stamina to run a $500 million empire, wrangle with creditors and bankers and business partners, manage the day-to-day operations of the trust AND raise three pre-teen children. That would be a handful for someone in their 30s. For a near 80-year-old woman, darn near impossible. Further, given that after all these years -- according to Katherine's own petition that Michael died intestate -- she and Joe can't afford to pay their own expenses for their home. Michael paid for it. If Judge Beckloff is wise, he'll leave Branca and McClain in charge, and place the children in the permanent guardianship of Jermaine.

[dish tv]

I was just reading that the L.A.P.D. is treating Michael's death as a homicide investigation. It seems his doctor gave him a shot of some drug that may have killed him.

[Peggy Marek]

Thank God for John Branca. He was responsible for making MJJ a millionaire. It was up to MJJ to hang onto it. He will protect Michaels dynasty and keep his best interests at heart. The brothers need to get a life and stop the moochinhg.