August 1, 2009: Babies be mine

Michael Jackson's mother gets custody of his children.

by Jeffrey Cottrill

After several postponed court hearings and much media speculation, a Los Angeles court granted Michael Jackson's mother, Katherine Jackson, custody of his three children this week.

More information on divorce and child custody: Prepare for a Custody Trial Joint or Sole Child Custody? Is a Child Custody Battle Best? Interstate Child Custody Disputes The Jewish Holidays

Debbie Rowe, the biological mother of the two older children, has legal parental rights and is permitted to visit the children. She had not requested child custody. According to the Los Angeles Times, she and Katherine Jackson agreed to co-hire a child psychologist to advise them on how to conduct Rowe's visitations. A court hearing about the agreement will take place on Monday the 3rd.

"Debbie is really happy," a source told the Times on Thursday, regarding the agreement. The source added that neither side rejected any of the other's demands, nor was there any contention.

Rowe, 50, married Jackson in 1996. When they divorced in 2000, Rowe received visitation rights but gave them up the following year. She challenged the waiver in 2003.

Jackson, one of the most famous and controversial entertainers of the past century, would have turned 51 by the end of this month. His biggest hits include "Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough", "Billie Jean", "Beat It", "Thriller", "Bad", and "Smooth Criminal".

• Helping Your Own Custody Case
• The Single Parent's Primer
• The Crucial Roles of Mental-Health Professionals in the Divorce Process

More articles     Find a lawyer      Divorce FAQs       Divorce newsletter

Tuesday, May 15
at 8 pm to 8:30 EST
Out With the Tragedy: Turning Divorce into a meaningful experience
with Allison Pescosolido and Andra Brosh, founders of Divorce Detox
Learn More

Listen to podcasts of previous TeleSeminars.