The powerhouse vocalist and her former manager have been fighting in court over the money Blackstock made as her then-representative. After months of drama, the pair recently settled their differences, according to legal documents obtained by The Blast.
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Kelly Clarkson & Brandon Blackstock Agree To Dismiss Their Case
In the documents, Blackstock’s and Clarkson’s respective attorneys filed a request to dismiss all the actions and petitions they had made in the case.
Although it is unclear how the former couple settled their differences, they may have reached a favorable agreement behind the scenes as the case was dismissed with prejudice.
This means the decision is permanent and cannot be subjected to further inquiry. The amicable dismissal is a surprising end to what seemed a witch-hunt to retrieve every penny Clarkson believed Blackstock owed her.
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Blackstock Previously Denied His Ex-Wife’s Allegations
A month before the truce, Blackstock seemed ready to fight his ex-wife until the bitter end with his vehement response to her lawsuit. The Blast reported he refuted every allegation Clarkson made and argued that her petition should be dismissed.
In her lawsuit, the “Stronger” hitmaker claimed Blackstock should compensate her beyond the $2.6 million determined by a California labor commissioner. However, her ex-husband refused, claiming she missed the timing to plead her case.
According to Blackstock, Clarkson should have filed a notice of appeal within the required ten-day window after the initial decision. Hence, she was prohibited from seeking more than the determined $2.6 million because filing a separate lawsuit fell outside the proper jurisdiction.
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The Singer’s Former Manager Argued That The Money Was In Their Shared Assets
Blackstock’s arguments against Clarkson’s case didn’t end with her failure to file an appeal on time. The singer’s former manager claimed that the money she wanted from him had already been used.
According to the talent manager, any benefit from his operations as an “unlicensed talent agency” had been partially or fully disbursed to the former couple’s shared assets.
Blackstock also stressed that Clarkson’s claims against his father’s talent agency, Starstruck Entertainment, lacked sufficient factual basis to form a legal claim. Therefore, her lawsuit should be dismissed for failing to meet the required standards.
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Clarkson Accused Blackstock Of Violating California Labor Codes
The fight for her money began in March when The Blast reported that Clarkson had filed another lawsuit against Blackstock and Starstruck Entertainment. In the legal filing, she accused the defendants of violating California labor laws.
Clarkson stressed that they broke the Talent Agencies Act by acting as an “unlicensed talent agency” while booking gigs and securing deals for her as far back as 2007. Her claims read:
“Based on the wrongful acts and conduct of Starstruck … all agreements between the parties should be declared void and unenforceable … and all monies previously paid by cross-complainants to Starstruck should be disgorged from Starstruck, forthwith.”
Clarkson’s lawsuit against Blackstock came three months after she scored a major victory in the legal battle.
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Last year, a California labor commissioner found the talent manager guilty of improper management and ordered him to reimburse his ex-wife $2,641,374 for past commissions.
Blackstock’s Attorney Bashed Kelly Clarkson’s Lawsuit
Clarkson’s move to retrieve all the money her ex-husband made as her manager naturally hit a sore spot, especially with Blackstock’s attorney. Bryan Freedman did not mince his words when addressing the singer’s lawsuit and slammed her for being “morally” wrong.
In a heated statement, Freedman described her actions as distasteful, noting that she had crossed a line by fighting to collect her ex-husband’s money. In his words:
“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.”
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However, Blackstock might have instigated Clarkson’s second lawsuit as it came amid his attempts to appeal the over $2 million ruling from the last case.
This massive sum included the $1.98 million commission Blackstock received for Clarkson’s appearance on “The Voice” and the $93.30 he got for her hosting gig at the Billboard Music Awards.