Kelly Clarkson divorce continues to escalate

While divorce can be a straight forward and non-contentious process, without the need for a protracted legal battle, it can escalate quickly. This is because divorce can be an incredibly emotional time for everyone involved. After all, it is the end of a relationship and the decoupling of two people acting as one, to two individuals.

And, as everyone is the hero of their own stories, both parties can have wildly divergent views of who deserves what, especially when children are involved. This often plays out in full public view in celebrity divorces, like Kelly Clarkson’s very public divorce. And, with the countersuit against her father-in-Law, her contentious divorce battle from Brandon Blackstock has escalated once again.

The countersuit

Ms. Clarkson was already facing a lawsuit from her estranged husband’s father, Narvel Blackstock, and the former father-in-law’s management company, Starstruck Management Group. That lawsuit alleges that she owes $1.4 million in unpaid commissions, based on a reported verbal contact with Ms. Clarkson to pay them a 15% on all of her gross earnings. Ms. Clarkson, of course, disputes this, and on Oct. 20, the “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” is fighting back.

Ms. Clarkson filed a labor petition claiming that the management company violated California Labor Code by procuring, offering, promising or attempting to procure employment or engagements without obtaining the legally required talent agency license. This means that all agreements that relate to such talent agency are void and unenforceable, including her alleged agreement.

The response to the countersuit

The Starstruck Management Group describes their services as talent management, separate from her talent agency, CAA. In addition, they claim that Ms. Clarkson will owe more than $5 million by the end of 2020. They claim that her arguments are simply a way to gain favor in her current divorce proceedings.

The takeaways

While most divorces will not become this complicated, this case does show that we can seldom anticipate the twists and turns a divorce may take. This is why it is so important to contact a Highlands Ranch, Colorado, divorce attorney immediately upon deciding that divorce is the right choice.