On August 12th, a judge officially ruled to uphold Kelly Clarkson's prenuptial agreement,
a big win for "The Voice" star. Her estranged husband, Brandon Blackstock, has been fighting
the prenup, demanding it be thrown out in the divorce. The court found the agreement
valid, and the consequences are huge, covering everything from Clarkson and Blackstock's
child support to how they will split up their homes.
Blackstock left the entertainment business to be a rancher full-time, but he wanted Clarkson
to pay for the significant monthly expenses for their Montana ranch. On August 9th, TMZ
reported that Blackstock would be responsible for the payments on the ranch, which run about
$81,000 a month.
New Jersey divorce lawyer Christina Previte spoke to Nicki Swift about why Kelly Clarkson's
prenup decision was such a big victory for her. The expert explained that the prenup
would eliminate much of the battle over money and property. Previte said,
"Without the prenup, Kelly would have been exposed to paying a hefty spousal support
and child support award, which could have far exceeded the temporary award set by the
court."
Previte notes that prenuptial agreements are not always enforceable, and there can be protracted
litigation about the prenup's validity. She said,
"The person seeking to set it aside will allege that they were under duress when they entered
into it or that there was some procedural formality not observed that should invalidate
it."
Previtet explained that the divorce couldn't be resolved until there is a resolution about
the prenup, adding,
"The prenup lays out the details of property and support issues. That's why this is such
a big win for Kelly. Now Blackstock will be limited by the terms of the prenup as to support
and property distribution."
She said that it looks like Clarkson can sell the Montana ranch, despite Blackstock's objections.
Clarkson is fighting a tough battle. Previte said that Clarkson's split with Blackstock
was a, quote, "high conflict divorce," saying,
"[Brandon Blackstock was] making crazy monetary demands, including support of $400,000 [per]
month."
However, the expert explained that the court awarded Blackstock about $200,000 per month
as litigation continues, noting,
"The court generally establishes a temporary support amount intended to continue to maintain
the parties while they are working out a settlement or until a trial."
Until the prenup was upheld, Clarkson could not sell the Montana ranch home where Blackstock
was living at a hefty monthly cost of $81,000. Previte said,
"This is also generally a temporary situation. The court prefers the parties not dispose
of property unless they agree to it or there is some other basis to sell it. In this case,
the court required the parties to maintain the status quo, which is why Blackstock got
to continue living there."
Kelly Clarkson's divorce isn't her only battle with Brandon Blackstock. In September 2020,
Starstruck Management Group, owned by Brandon and his dad Narvel Blackstock, filed a lawsuit
against Clarkson, claiming she owed the company $1.4 million in unpaid commissions. Clarkson
countersued Starstruck Management Group in October 2020.
Then, in December 2020, Us Weekly reported on new and shocking developments in the legal
battles between Clarkson and her former management company. Clarkson claimed her estranged husband
Brandon and his father Narvel's management company defrauded her out of millions.
"I mean, it's no secret. My life has been a little bit of a dumpster. Personally, it's
been a little hard the last couple months."
There are signs, though, that the Grammy-winning singer is starting to see the light at the
end of the tunnel. On August 14th, Clarkson posted an Instagram photo with two friends
in face masks, which looked like some sort of girls' trip. She wrote in the caption,
"Friends, Vegas, Top Golf, and George Strait. I dare you to have a better time than me right
now."
And Clarkson is working on a new album, due out sometime next year, telling the Today
show,
"This'll probably be the most personal one I've ever released. And the whole record is
basically every emotion you experience from the beginning of a relationship to the end
of what it is now or where it is now, and it's been very therapeutic for me."
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