In response to the lawsuit Kelly Clarkson filed against her manager and ex-husband Brandon Blackstock in March, Blackstock is retaliating. On a Monday, April 15 filing, Blackstock, 47, asked for the complaint to be dismissed, one month after Clarkson, 41, claimed in court that she should receive more than the $2.6 million that a California labor commissioner determined he owed her for allegedly going beyond his legal bounds as her manager.
According to court records acquired by PEOPLE, Blackstock and his management firm Starstruck Management dispute “each and every allegation” made by the pop singer, who accused them of breaking state labor regulations since 2007, when she signed an oral agreement with the company.
Legal Dispute: Brandon Blackstock Challenges Kelly Clarkson’s Lawsuit Jurisdiction
The papers filed in California claim that the talk show host’s lawsuit should be rejected since the labor commissioner’s verdict in November 2023 “is binding on Clarkson.”Â
Because she did not “file a notice of appeal within 10 days” of the decision being made in order to request more than the $2,641,374 that was ruled upon, Blackstock and his attorneys argue that filing a second action now is beyond the proper jurisdiction.
Blackstock also maintains that the alleged illicit revenues he and Starstruck Management obtained were already paid into his and Clarkson’s shared estate, and that if the Grammy winner is awarded more damages, the fee should be decreased accordingly.
The papers go on to say, “[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.”
Alleged Violation of Talent Agencies Act by Blackstock and Starstruck Management
The labor commissioner determined that Blackstock and Starstruck Management violated California’s Talent Agencies Act, which specifies that managers cannot secure or attempt to get employment for artists unless they work with a certified agency.
Blackstock and his legal team filed an appeal in December last year. Clarkson filed her lawsuit, which was acquired by PEOPLE, in mid-March, alleging that Blackstock accepted fees in exchange for contracts with the Billboard Music Awards, The Kelly Clarkson Show, Norwegian Cruise Line, The Voice, and Wayfair.
In the filing, the “Stronger” singer requested 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],” including commissions, fees, profits, advances, and producing fees.
