Katherine Jackson Loses Temporary Control over Michael Jackson's Estate, Judge Rules Will Valid, Leaves John Branca, John McClain in Control

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The keys to the estate of Michael Jackson has just been taken away from his mother, Katherine Jackson. Over her objections, a Probate Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff today ruled that Michael Jackson's 2002 will is indeed valid and that, per the late entertainer's wishes, attorney John Branca and veteran music executive John McClain are the executors of his estate. Ouch. Joe Jackson just came up empty, for all the obvious reasons.

Lawyers for Jackson's mother wanted Judge Mitchell Beckloff to delay the decision. One of her lawyers, John Schreiber, argued that "there is concern over handing over the keys to the kingdom so quickly." Her attorneys also suggested that because McClain suffers from a disability, he is unfit to make decisions on Michael's estate, which is estimated to be worth more than $500 million. But Beckloff wasn't having any of those shenanigans. He refused, telling Schreiber, "Someone needs to be at the helm of the ship."

Katherine Jackson had been appointed temporary executor last week, when the family still believed the star had died without a will. That didn't last long because Branca surfaced with a five-page document written several years ago, that established him and McClain as executors.

Court spokesman Alan Paranchini confirmed that another will, dated from 1997, was filed with the court, also listing Branca as executor. But Katherine Jackson's co-counsels, Londell McMillan and Burt Levitch, said they didn't expect the judge's ruling to be affected, because the 2002 document would trump any older document.

Beckloff said he believed Branca and McClain would act in the best interest of the estate and be best equipped to sort through various complicated legal and financial problems, ranging from lingering IOUs and lawsuits to the fate of Jackson's biggest asset, his 50 percent stake in the Beatles' song catalog. There is no reason why Joe Jackson should be able to get his hands on the estate of Michael Jackson in a roundabout way.

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