Recent celebrity divorce escalation shows divorce is complicated

On Behalf of | Nov 12, 2020 | Divorce |

Divorce, like any legal proceeding, can either be fairly straight forward or extremely complicated. However, because of the emotions involved in separating a couple back into two individuals, when a divorce becoming contentious, one’s life can often be blow up. This type of contentious divorce has been playing out with celebrity singer, Kelly Clarkson, in her divorce from Brandon Blackstock.

The new legal wrinkle

This new wrinkle is not from the ex-spouse, but instead, the ex-spouse’s father-in-law. Ms. Clarkson is being sued by him, Narvel Blackstock, and his management company, Starstruck Management Group for $1.4 million in unpaid commissions now, and $5.4 million by the end of 2020. This stems from an alleged verbal contract, wherein, Ms. Clarkson agreed to pay Mr. Blackstock and Starstruck Management Group 15% of her gross earnings.

In addition to denying these claims, on Oct. 20, Ms. Clarkson filed a labor petition claiming that, even if she did make this agreement, it is legally unenforceable because Mr. Blackstock and Starstruck Management Group did not obtain a talent agency license. Mr. Blackstock and Starstruck Management Group claim that this countersuit is simply to help Ms. Clarkson gain some kind of advantage in her ongoing divorce from Mr. Blackstock’s son.

Why should Texans care?

Well, other than Ms. Clarkson being a hometown girl from Fort Worth, people in Georgetown, Texas, should take this as an example of why it is so important to get an attorney immediately in the divorce process. Unless one is a divorce attorney, a person seeking a divorce can rarely anticipate these kinds of legal hiccups or plan for them in advance. This is why a lawyer is so important.