Kelly Clarkson’s ex Brandon Blackstock hits back amid messy court battle

On Monday, Blackstock responded to the American Idol star’s latest lawsuit in which she claimed he should pay her more than the $2.6 million that a California labour commissioner ruled he owed her for illegally acting like an “unlicensed talent agency” since 2007 — when she entered an oral agreement with his family’s company Starstruck Entertainment.

Per the documents obtained by Page Six, Blackstock denied “each and every allegation” made by the Stronger singer and argued the filing should be dismissed because the labour commissioner’s ruling was made in November 2023.

Since Clarkson, 41, failed to “file a notice of appeal within 10 days,” from when the decision was made in order to request more than the $2.6 million that was ruled upon, Blackstock and his attorneys claim it is outside of the proper jurisdiction to file a separate lawsuit now, according to the docs.

The documents furthered that “any alleged illegal procurement” obtained from acting as the TV personality’s “unlicensed talent agency” has already been paid out partially or in full to Clarkson and Blackstock’s community estate.

The documents also read Clarkson’s “complaint fails to state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action against Starstruck,” arguing it’s “barred for failure.”

Reps for Clarkson weren’t immediately available for comment.

In March, Clarkson filed the new lawsuit against her ex-husband after the commissioner ruled he and Starstruck Entertainment violated California’s Talent Agencies Act by procuring employment for the talk show host despite not being a licensed agent.

The labour commissioner declared Blackstock, 47, should’ve never been a part of the pop star’s deals for the Billboard Music Awards, Wayfair, The Voice and Norwegian Cruise Lines.

“Based on the wrongful acts and conduct of Starstruck … all agreements between the parties, should be declared void and unenforceable … and all moneys previously paid by cross-complainants to Starstruck should be disgorged from Starstruck, forthwith,” Clarkson’s lawsuit obtained by Page Six read.

The Since You’ve Been Gone hitmaker argued she should be reimbursed for “commissions, fees, profits, advances, producing fees or other moneys.”

At the time of Clarkson’s filing, Blackstock’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, fired back at her in a statement shared with Rolling Stone.

“It is morally, ethically and legally wrong to attempt to get moneys back from your ex-husband who not only helped her as her manager but who used those earnings on their children and Kelly and Brandon’s lifestyle during the marriage,” he wrote.

Since 2020, Blackstock and Clarkson have been in a back-and-forth fight over her million-dollar fortune as Starstruck previously sued her for $1.4 million in unpaid commissions for her jobs on The Kelly Clarkson Show and The Voice.

At the time, the company argued they “invested a great deal of time, money, energy and dedication” into her career, turning the Because Of You singer into “a mega superstar.”

Meanwhile, the former couple called it quits in 2020 with Clarkson filing the divorce papers.

Their divorce was finalised in 2022, with Clarkson ordered to pay her ex a one-time payment of $1.3 million, $45,601 per month in child support and $150,000 per month in spousal support.

The two share 9-year-old daughter, River, and 8-year-old son, Remington.

This article originally appeared in Page Six and was reproduced with permission.