CUSTODY DISPUTE

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Small Victory for Debbie Rowe DEBBIE ROWE is one step closer to seeing the children she conceived with pop singer MICHAEL JACKSON after a California appellate court ruled in her favor Wednesday. "Debbie is very gratified by today's ruling," her lawyer ERIC GEORGE told ET exclusively. "Like any parent, she seeks what's in the best interest of her children and today's ruling will further those interests." Debbie gave up parental rights to her children PRINCE MICHAEL and PARIS, in 2001, but recently began trying to have those rights returned to her. According to court papers, she began seeking temporary exclusive custody of the children, "because of concerns arising from Michael's criminal prosecution and press reports Michael had associated with the Nation of Islam, whose members, Deborah believed, do 'not like Jews.'" Jackson, Rowe's husband from 1997-2000, has been seen traveling with the children overseas in countries such as Bahrain. A California Family Law Court will determine what her rights are now. "Debbie now has the right like any other parent to have a judicial process to determine what her rights are in regard to custody and visitation," her lawyer said.

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Copy from http://www.mjj2005.com/kopboard/index.php?showtopic=16583

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http://www.cnn.com/2006/LAW/02/16/jackson.custody/index.html Court: Jackson's ex-wife's parental rights improperly terminated Ruling could set up custody battle Thursday, February 16, 2006 Posted: 0511 GMT (1311 HKT) Michael Jackson, shown in a January visit to Germany, has spent much of the time since his trial in Bahrain. (CNN) -- A California appeals court ruled Wednesday that a lower court improperly terminated Deborah Rowe's parental rights to her two children with pop star Michael Jackson, opening the door to a possible custody battle between the singer and his ex-wife. Rowe gave up her parental rights to Prince Michael Jackson -- identified in court papers as "Michael Joseph Jackson Jr." -- and Paris Michael Katherine Jackson in October 2001, giving her ex-husband sole custody. At the time, Rowe said she did not wish to share parenting responsibilities with Jackson "because he is doing so well without me." But Rowe changed her mind more than two years later and sought temporary custody of the children, as well as a psychiatric evaluation to determine what custody arrangement would be in their best interest, the court said. Jackson was acquitted of child molestation charges last year. Rowe asked the court to reopen the custody issue because of concerns over Jackson's criminal prosecution and "press reports Michael had associated with the Nation of Islam, whose members Deborah believed do 'not like Jews.' " "Because she is Jewish, Deborah feared the children might be mistreated if Michael continued his association with the Nation of Islam," Wednesday's ruling states. The same judge that previously ordered the termination of Rowe's parental rights reversed that ruling because the court did not, at the time, order an investigation into the children's best interest or consider appointing an attorney to represent their interests. Jackson's attorneys contested that reversal, claiming Rowe's rights were properly terminated, but the appeals court Wednesday upheld that decision. The next step is for a family court and judge to decide what Rowe's custody and visitation rights will be, one of her attorneys, Eric M. George, told CNN. Attorneys for Jackson, however, can appeal Wednesday's ruling. Since his acquittal, Jackson has spent much of his time in seclusion in the Persian Gulf nation of Bahrain. In addition to the two children he had with Rowe, he has a third child, Prince Michael II. The boy's mother has not been publicly identified. CNN's K.J. Matthews contributed to this report.

NO, MJ didn't win some reporters get it wrong I have changed the title and content

http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticl...&archived=False CORRECTED-California court sides with Jackson's ex-wife Thu Feb 16, 2006 6:52 AM GMT Corrects previous headline to read "California court sides with Jackson's ex-wife" instead of "California court upholds Jackson's custody of kids." Corrects first paragraph to read "An appeals court on Wednesday refused to reinstate an order granting Michael Jackson sole custody of his two children with ex-wife Debbie Rowe..." Delete second paragraph and replaces with the following: California's 2nd District Court of Appeals said that while Rowe signed away her parental rights in 2001 to the 47-year-old performer's two oldest children, Michael Jr. and Paris, it found that the judge in that case did not properly handle the proceedings. Corrects sixth paragraph to read "which ruled against the entertainer and held that the original order terminating Rowe's parental rights was voided." LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - An appeals court on Wednesday refused to reinstate an order granting Michael Jackson sole custody of his two children with ex-wife Debbie Rowe. California's 2nd District Court of Appeals said that while Rowe signed away her parental rights in 2001 to the 47-year-old performer's two oldest children, Michael Jr. and Paris, it found that the judge in that case did not properly handle the proceedings. Rowe, who was married to Jackson from 1997 to 1999 but never lived with the self-styled King of Pop, persuaded a Los Angeles Superior Court judge to overturn the child custody agreement in 2004 on legal grounds. Rowe's petition cited accusations of child molestation against Jackson and his association with the Nation of Islam, whose members briefly provided security for the singer during the trial. The case ended with Jackson's acquittal in June of 2005. After the lower court refused Jackson's request to overturn that order, he appealed to the 2nd District, which ruled against the entertainer and held that the original order terminating Rowe's parental rights was voided. Rowe, who was working as a medical assistant for a dermatologist when she met Jackson, was called as a prosecution witness in his trial but defended him on the stand, saying that he was kind, selfless and "generous to a fault." Jackson, who has spent much of his time since the trial in Bahrain, has a third child, Prince Michael II, by an unknown mother. He was married to Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of Elvis Presley, in the mid-1990s, but the couple had no children together. © Reuters 2006. All Rights Reserved.