Michael Jackson's mother will retain custody of his children

The mother of Michael Jackson will retain custody of his children, and the biological mother of the two elder children will visit and maintain her legal parental rights under an agreement reached by both sides,  The Times has learned.

Katherine Jackson, 79, the late pop icon’s mother, and Debbie Rowe, 50, who bore Jackson’s two older children, also agreed to mutually hire a child psychologist to advise them on how, when and where Rowe’s visits should take place, a knowledgeable source said.

The agreement will go before a Los Angeles judge Monday, and both sides expect the judge to approve it, the source said. Rowe did not ask for custody. “Debbie is really happy” about the arrangement, said the source, refusing to be identified because the agreement has yet to be announced.

The source said Rowe did not receive any money under the arrangement and will pay half of the fees for the child psychologist.

Neither side made any demands that were rejected, the source said, and the arrangement was agreed to without contentious negotiation.

In his will, Jackson named his mother as guardian. Singer Diana Ross was listed as an alternative choice should his mother be unable to care for the children. Rowe has not seen the children in several years and at one time relinquished her parental rights.

During a period when she had visitation, she complained that she was forced to meet the children in hotel rooms in the presence of Jackson’s associates and could not make up for visits she missed.

Rowe met Jackson while working in the office of Dr. Arnold Klein, his Beverly Hills dermatologist. Jackson wanted her to have children for him. "If someone needs something, I'm there, you know," Rowe later said in a televised interview.

Jackson and Rowe married in 1996 when she was six months pregnant after being artificially inseminated. She is the mother of Prince Michael Jr., 12, and Paris Michael Katherine, 11. Jackson’s youngest child, Prince Michael II, 7, called "Blanket," was borne by an unidentified surrogate.

Rowe lives on a horse farm in Palmdale that she purchased after receiving an $8.5-million divorce settlement from Jackson.  The terms of the divorce, finalized in 2000, gave Jackson sole custody of the children and Rowe visitation. She soon stopped visiting the children because she said  “it was not working out,” according to court records.

After giving up her parental rights in 2001, Rowe went to court in 2003 to challenge that waiver. At the time, Jackson was facing child molestation charges. An appeals court ruled in her favor.

-- Maura Dolan in San Francisco

 

Graphic: Jackson family tree

Comments

[jtbwriter]

I sincerely hope that any custody arrangements for the Jackson/Rowe children bar Joe Jackson from having any control or care of them-since he abused Michael and his brothers! Michael said time and again he was beaten-and no children should ever be subjected to an abusive grandparent like him! Considering Mrs. Jackson has not stepped up and refuted any of Joe Jackson's claims that he has management rights to Prince Michael, Paris and Michael...the court has to make it clear either he is out of their lives or custody should go to Debbie Rowe or someone who will protect them from an abuser!

[Pearl]

79 years old. 79 years old. 79 years old.

[mjthriller45]

Today it was announced that Michael Jackson’s mother, Katherine will receive custody of Michael’s children. I found a great article that explains everything. Ex-wife and mother to Prince Michael and Paris, Debbie Rowe, will receive “meaningful visitation rights”. Hopefully this is what is best for the children! Check out the article here:
http://www.z100.com/cc-common/news/sections/newsarticle.html?feed=104650&article=5809960&cmp=ncle_mjcustody

[Kris]

Hopefully it all works out because in the end you have to do what is best for the children. They need time to get to know their mother and through regular scheduled visits they can..
http://www.michaeljacksonmusictalent.com

[Bonnie Russell]

The business of government is, Business. See the ElkinsTaskForce.org

[michele quinn]

I,am glad they get to stay with their grandma.that,s what michael wanted but not sure about debbie and joe.I hope one of his sisters also get custody in case his mom gets sick and can,t care for them.I think debbie visitation should be at the jackson house under supervision.These kids don,t have much of a relation ship with her yet but they are bound to find out with all the publicity going around.

[LinuxForMe]

It's good to hear that they're working things out in a sensible manner.

I feel sorry for Debbie Rowe. I think she has been unfairly vilified by the public--but we have NO IDEA what she and Michael jackson discussed, or agreed on, or how she felt about her kids, etc. From what I've heard now...heck, *I* wouldn't like visiting my kids in a hotel room surrounded by "associates" of their father. I hope they can develop a healthy relationship now.

[supp]

Hallelughia good lord almighty!!!!!

[CaliMJFan]

I totally agree with Linux4Me. On Showbix411.com, the author has written several articles of behind the scenes information on Debbie's side of the story. I truly believe that MJ "asked" her to give up her rights, not that she did that on her own. (Link below)

I hope the public will take a step back and give her the benefit of the doubt and stop the vicious attacks on her.

As much as I love MJ, it appears that he did have a manipulative side to him... and it may have reared its head in this instance.

YAY for reason! Good luck Debbie. We are behind you!

Interesting read: http://www.showbiz411.com/debbie-rowe-wants-her-kids-retains-legal-rights

[CaliMJFan]

Thanks mjthriller45 for that article. Here's a quote from it.

"That estate is worth, in my estimation, a couple of billion dollars," McMillan said, referring to the value of the estate if it achieves its potential earnings. "You hear $500 million. Don't buy it."

That man needs to go away-- FAR away. He is as transparent as Joe Jackson!

BTW.. I had been calling McMilian, "McMillions"... now I think I'll call him "McBillions".

[Jane]

Yes, it's good they are staying in the same type of dysfunctional family in which they were raised. The shock of being placed with a normal family in a normal situation could be devastating. They will grow up as crazy as their "father," and then the news media will have another nut job they can talk about. By the way, has Michael "arisen" from his tomb yet? Three days has long since passed!

[Brenda Fox]

I hope Debbie and her children are able to bond. Michael was wrong to take the children from their mother. From what has been publicized it seems she bored the children out of love for Michael and surely she wanted to live and love as a family. I believe she was insecure about the ideal of her own family because she was an adopted child. Michael Jackson may have intimidated her to feel she couldn’t be a good mother. Though I like what Michael Jackson has contributed to the world, I am curious as to why he didn’t want his children to have a mother. That is not a decision a good father would make, in my opinion. The ideal that Debbie request that her children get psychological counseling, shows her mother wit. I hope at some point she will attend sessions with them. I do believe she is preparing to take her children if something happens to Mrs. Jackson..

[Grace]

This sounds like a pretty good deal to me. The kids will get to stay in SoCal where they'll be close enough that Debbie can have frequent visitation. Katherine and the extended Jackson clan should be able to give them the stability they'll need. I realize that Katherine is older, but I think the idea of shipping them off to Diana Ross is pretty nutty. I'm glad Rowe and the Jacksons were able to work this out between themselves.

[Cristina]

Yeah, I hope the judge makes it clear that Joe cannot see them unsupervised and tat he cannot have any control over them.

[linda walker]

Michael was the most outstanting person in my life. He died way too soon. I can't even emagine how you feel. I'm so sorry & So SAD. This is not a good time to ask you for this but I was going to email Michael because I knew he would help us. I'm 61 years old & soon to be homeless. My store where I worked closed & where my husband worked also closed. We're about to lose our home & cars. I broke my wrist in 2 places & can't work for another 2 months. Please if you can find it in your hearts to help we will pay you back. We don't have a big pretty home but this is where I want to die.

Thank You so much & again we miss Michael so much. May God be with you all,
Sincerley, Linda Walker

[Ron Rossmore]

To: Believers of the Predator Deborah Rowe
From: Ron Rossmore

Barnum said it best when he said, "There's a sucker born every minute."

This was a business transaction, MJJ purchased ATV Music (of tired Beatles songs), he eventually purchased a virtual theme park (Neverland), and he purchased children Debbie Rowe's. She gave up parental custody for money. Whether it was $1.00 or $1, 000, 000, 000.00, she sold them and has no legal rights. If she is fighting for custody, it is because of the ambulance chasers that have contacted her. Unfortunately in the Good ''ole USA, EVERY contract CAN be disputed--even CONTRACTS as IRON-CLAD as a Last WIll and Testament. Plus she is the greediest, B this side of Trump Towers...

[babzilicious]

I am very disheartened by the news that Katherine will have custody of Michael's children. That means the children will be raised as Jehovah's Witnesses - I recently saw a picture of the kids, songbooks in hand, on their way in for a bible meeting. What they need now is normalcy, not being in an oppressive cult which demands attendance at five bible meetings a week and going door-to-door, asking people if they'd like to read the latest Watchtower and Awake magazines. Hang in there, Debbie!!

[starla]

Just to let you know "babzilicious", The jehovas wittness are not a cult, in fact they dont even fit into the category, do some research first. Its only 4 meetings and they take place 2 at a time, so u only go to the meeting twiice a week for 1 1/2 hours. You do not have to preach if you dont want to, they dont demand attendance, and are not "oppressive". I was raised as a Jehovas Wittness my whole life and they have never in my life demanded anything from me.

[priscilla]

for all you people saying jehovah whitesses are a cult and demand attendance. please look into what you say. i am not a baptized jehovah whitness but i do attend the meetings and have the same beliefs as them. TRUST ME. if this religion was as strict as you say, i would not be part of it. and MJ even said once that he wanted his kids to be raised as jehovah's whitnesses. this obviously meant that he knew his kids wouldn't be unhappy, cuz that's the last thing michael would ever want.