Kelly Clarkson and her ex-husband Brandon Blackstock will be heading to court over missing commission fees and the new trial date has been set for August amid their very bitter divorce.
The 42-year-old and 47-year-old producer are at odds over whether Blackstock collected fees on deals he helped broker for his former spouse were in violation of the California Talent Agencies Act.
The law prohibits anyone other than the licensed talent from taking commission on deals procured for professional artist.
According to UsWeekly on Friday, the trial is set for August 27 with a Los Angeles County judge already handing Clarkson a legal victory before that date.
Judge Wendy Chang ruled: ‘We will litigate whether there was a violation of the labor code only. Any questions as to earnings and damages, all of that will come after,
Kelly Clarkson and ex Brandon Blackstock (seen together in January 2020) have a trial date set for August 27 as a Los Angeles County judge already handed Clarkson a legal victory before that date according to Us Weekly on Friday
Judge Wendy Chang ruled: ‘We will litigate whether there was a violation of the labor code only. Any questions as to earnings and damages, all of that will come after,’ Clarkson is seen in March 2022
Back in November, a California labor commissioner ruled that Blackstock, 47, owed Clarkson, 41, $2.6 million because he was securing deals he wasn’t legally allowed to.
The $2.6 million figure goes back to 2017, though Clarkson filed in a March lawsuit that he was actually violating these laws since 2007, and now wants a more thorough accounting.
The trial set for the late summer is expected to last for at least five days with live testimony from agents from Clarkson’s current agency CAA: Rick Roskin and Darryl Eaton.
Blackstock claims that the two were with him at studio where The Voice is filmed in May 2017 just before he had allegedly spoke with an NBC executive who has offered Clarkson a spot on the show.
It is alleged that Blackstock had allegedly taken a commission when Clarkson was named as a judge for the NBC singing competition show for its 14th season.
Rolling Stone obtained court filings that say that CAA agent Cat Carson testified last year that Roskin and Eaton did not ask Blackstone to negotiate directly with the NBC executive.
Carson’s lawyer Ed McPherson argued that if the singer prevails in the de novo trial, then Clarkson’s ex will not be able to pursue his legal claims.
McPherson said to Rolling Stone: ‘If we win everything at de novo, they don’t even get a trial. They have no right to anything. There would be no management agreement, and they get no commissions.’
Back in November, a California labor commissioner ruled that Blackstock, 47, owed Clarkson, 41, $2.6 million because he was securing deals he wasn’t legally allowed to; the former couple are seen in Nashville back in June 2018
Last month Blackstock (pictured in January 2020) attempted to fire back as he filed documents asking for the new lawsuit to be thrown out as he filed documents on April 13 according to People
The $2.6 million figure goes back to 2017, though Clarkson filed in a March lawsuit that he was actually violating these laws since 2007, and now wants a more thorough accounting
Last month Blackstock attempted to fire back as he filed documents asking for the new lawsuit to be thrown out as he filed documents on April 13 according to People.
At the time, Blackstock and his management company – Starstruck Management – denied, ‘each and every allegation,’ put forth in the lawsuit.
Clarkson started dating Blackstock in 2013 before they tied the knot that October, though the singer alleges he has represented her since they entered into an oral agreement in 2007.
The dismissal filing claims her new lawsuit must be thrown out because the November 2023 ruling, ‘is binding on Clarkson.’
Blackstock and his lawyers also allege that she failed to, ‘file a notice of appeal within 10 days’ of that ruling, which awarded Clarkson, $2,641,374.
Clarkson’s ex and his lawyers allege that this lawsuit does not fall within the right jurisdiction to file another lawsuit.
The dismissal also adds the $2,641,374 Clarkson was granted was already put into her community estate, and that if she is awarded more their fees should be reduced as a result.
The documents add that Clarkson’s, ‘Complaint fails to state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action against Starstruck and is, therefore, barred for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted.’
Clarkson first filed the lawsuit in March, claiming Blackstock and Starstruck took fees for landing contracts with Billboard Music Awards, The Kelly Clarkson Show, Norwegian Cruise Line, The Voice and Wayfair.
The original suit asked for a, ‘full and complete accounting from Starstruck of all monies received by Starstruck, directly or indirectly, in connection with any and all contracts, employment, or engagements pertaining in any way to the personal services of [Clarkson].’
Clarkson started dating Blackstock in 2013 before they tied the knot that October, though the singer alleges he has represented her since they entered into an oral agreement in 2007
The dismissal filing claims her new lawsuit must be thrown out because the November 2023 ruling, ‘is binding on Clarkson’
The dismissal also adds the $2,641,374 Clarkson was granted was already put into her community estate, and that if she is awarded more their fees should be reduced as a result
Clarkson first filed the lawsuit in March, claiming Blackstock and Starstruck took fees for landing contracts with Billboard Music Awards, The Kelly Clarkson Show, Norwegian Cruise Line, The Voice and Wayfair
The California labor commissioner ruled that Blackstock had violated the California’s Talent Agencies Act, which lays out that managers can only try to land gigs for clients if they do so with a licensed agent.
While the commissioner found Blackstock and Starstruck had not crossed any lines with her contract for The Kelly Clarkson Show, Billboard Music Awards, Norwegian Cruise Line, The Voice and Wayfair were all in violation.
Those deals, the commissioner ruled, should have been negotiated and secured by her agents at Creative Artists Agency (CAA).
The former couple tied the knot in 2017 and he continued to serve as her manager until they split in 2020.
