LOS ANGELES (AP) — A California appeals court rejected a bid Tuesday by Michael Jackson’s father to challenge the administration of his son’s lucrative estate.
A three-justice panel of the California Second District Court of Appeal unanimously affirmed a probate judge’s ruling that Joe Jackson didn’t have standing to intervene in his son’s estate.
A copy of the opinion was not immediately available.
Despite being excluded from his son’s 2002 will, Joe Jackson had been seeking to have some control over financial affairs.
Estate attorney Howard Weitzman said he was pleased the court affirmed the pop star’s wishes to make John Branca and John McClain executors of his will.
“We hope this decision finally puts this issue to rest,” Weitzman said.
Brian Oxman, Joe Jackson’s attorney, said the father should have some say in post-death affairs involving his son.
“This is not right,” Oxman said of Tuesday’s ruling.
The appeals court heard arguments in the estate case on Oct. 6. The panel questioned several steps taken by Joe Jackson in the case, including withdrawing his request for a monthly stipend.
The panel also questioned why Oxman didn’t mention during a lengthy hearing in November that he might file a wrongful death lawsuit. Last June, Joe Jackson sued Dr. Conrad Murray, the physician charged with involuntary manslaughter in Michael Jackson’s death.
Michael Jackson’s estate has earned tens of millions of dollars since the singer’s death in June 2009 at age 50 in Los Angeles.
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press.