Judge rejects Jackson contract request

A judge has denied a request from Michael Jackson's mother Katherine for access to documents including the late singer's business contracts with concert promoter AEG Live.

The decision by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff to delay the matter until next Monday has effectively quashed it, The AP reports.

Lawyers for Katherine had also asked for the authority to interview former music executive John McClain and attorney John Branca this Friday and argued that the pair were "intent on keeping her in the dark as much and for as long as possible".

However, Branca and McClain's representatives argued that the requests were "voluminous, burdensome and invasive", while adding that they were unable to reach an agreement with Katherine on the necessary privacy provisions to allow them to share the AEG contracts.

Attorney Howard Weitzman said: "They want to rewrite Michael's will to make Mrs Jackson 'Guardian of the Estate' and have her appointed as an Executor and Trustee of Michael Jackson's Estate.

"In his will, Michael was very specific that his mother act as the Guardian of his children and that Mr Branca and Mr McClain be the Executors of his Will and Trustees of his trust."

L. Londell McMillan responded: "We accept the will, but Mrs Jackson has not accepted both executors and trustees, and the law provides Mrs. Jackson legal recourse for removal of unfit fiduciaries.

"For now, we have three questions: Who drafted the will and where is the trust, what happened between 2002 and 2009 among Michael Jackson and the proposed executors, and why would anyone reject Mrs. Katherine Jackson to continue to serve as a trustee for Michael's most important business activities, especially when the will and/or trust allows them to include her?

"This is quite troubling to us, and we shall get to the bottom of it."