Brandon Blackstock and his management company, Starstruck Management, have firmly denied all claims presented by Kelly Clarkson in her latest lawsuit. The details emerged from a recent filing on April 15, as reported by FOX Business, where Blackstock seeks to dismiss Clarkson’s cross-complaint.
Kelly Clarkson, known for her role as a judge on “The Voice,” initiated this lawsuit against her former manager and his company following a previous legal decision that mandated the return of $2.6 million to Clarkson. This order was given after it was found that Starstruck Management had overstepped their managerial boundaries. The relationship between Clarkson and Blackstock spanned from 2017 to 2020.
In the filing, Blackstock argued that Clarkson’s lawsuit from March 11 should be dismissed because she did not challenge the California labor commissioner’s decision from November within the required 10-day window, which makes the decision final.
Further complicating matters, Blackstock claims that the Los Angeles County Superior Court lacks jurisdiction over Clarkson’s new lawsuit. According to him, this is because the initial ruling was made by the California Labor Commissioner.
In November’s ruling, the labor commissioner concluded that Starstruck Management breached California’s Talent Agencies Act by illegally securing business deals on Clarkson’s behalf, leading to the significant financial penalty against Blackstock.
In her March lawsuit, Clarkson has demanded that all commissions paid between October 2019 and October 2020 be returned. She alleges these payments were wrongfully collected under violations of the Talent Agencies Act.
Additionally, Clarkson accuses Starstruck Management of operating as an unlicensed talent agency since her verbal agreement with them in 2007. She claims the agreement was a scheme to bypass licensing and regulatory requirements.
Documents state that Clarkson’s legal representatives are urging the court to declare all contracts between the singer and Starstruck Management void due to their alleged misconduct.
A representative for Blackstock described Clarkson’s actions in seeking financial redress as both legally and ethically questionable, suggesting that the earnings were used for the family’s expenses during their marriage.
Clarkson and Blackstock, who were married in 2013 and filed for divorce in 2020, finalized their divorce in 2022. The settlement awarded Clarkson primary custody of their children, with Blackstock receiving $45,000 per month in child support.
Now residing in New York, Clarkson shared with People magazine her reasons for moving from Los Angeles, citing a need for a new beginning for her mental health and that of her children.
