Kelly Clarkson’s ex-husband Brandon Blackstock responds to the lawsuit she filed in March
Kelly Clarkson and her former husband, Brandon Blackstock, resolved their divorce in 2022, but legal disputes stemming from their former business relationship continue to unfold.
Blackstock, who also served as Clarkson’s manager for several years, faces renewed legal action after the singer filed a lawsuit in March related to his activities and those of his management firm, Starstruck Management. The relationship between artist and manager has proven difficult to untangle, and the recent filings show the conflict is far from over.
In March, Clarkson sought relief beyond the roughly $2.6 million that a California labor commissioner ordered Blackstock to repay in November 2023. On Monday, April 15, Blackstock and Starstruck filed papers asking the court to dismiss her lawsuit and disputing the allegations made against them.
According to court documents, Blackstock and Starstruck deny each allegation in Clarkson’s complaint. They contend that the labor commissioner’s November 2023 ruling — which found that certain conduct violated California’s Talent Agencies Act — is binding and that Clarkson missed the deadline to appeal that administrative decision if she intended to seek a different remedy or additional damages beyond the amount already determined.
Blackstock argues Clarkson’s lawsuit should be dismissed
Blackstock’s filing asserts that Clarkson failed to file a timely notice of appeal from the labor commissioner’s decision and, as a result, cannot pursue conflicting relief in a separate civil action. The papers state that because she did not appeal within the required window to challenge the commissioner’s determination, the commission’s award — identified as $2,641,374 — is binding on Clarkson.
The defendants also say that any sums deemed to have been earned improperly by Blackstock or Starstruck were already included in the couple’s community estate. They argue that, if any further award were to be considered, those payments should reduce any additional damages claimed against them.
The response further maintains that Clarkson’s complaint “fails to state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action” against Starstruck, and therefore should be dismissed for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted.
The labor commissioner had ruled that Blackstock and Starstruck violated the Talent Agencies Act by acting in ways that the commissioner found amounted to procuring employment without the use of a licensed talent agent. Following that order, Blackstock and his attorneys filed an appeal in December.
Clarkson requests a full accounting of monies received by Blackstock’s company
In her March complaint, Clarkson asked the court to order a “full and complete accounting” from Starstruck of all sums the firm received, directly or indirectly, in connection with any contracts, employment or engagements that related to her personal services. She listed engagements and contracts she believes were handled in part by Starstruck, including appearances or deals tied to major events and platforms.
Specifically, Clarkson alleged that Starstruck took fees in connection with work involving the Billboard Music Awards, The Kelly Clarkson Show, Norwegian Cruise Line, The Voice and Wayfair. Her complaint seeks an accounting of commissions, fees, profits, advances and producing fees associated with those and any other engagements related to her services.
Clarkson and Blackstock married in October 2013. Blackstock worked as her manager from 2017 through 2020, and Clarkson filed for divorce in 2020. Following their separation, litigation expanded to include claims between Clarkson and Starstruck: in 2020, Starstruck sought to recover what it said were unpaid commissions, and Clarkson later asserted that Starstruck and its representatives had violated the Talent Agencies Act by procuring employment without a licensed agent.
Their divorce was settled in 2022. Under that settlement, Clarkson was ordered to make a one-time payment to Blackstock of more than $1.3 million and to pay monthly child support of $45,601. The former couple share two children: daughter River and son Remy.
As the current filings proceed, Blackstock’s request to dismiss the March lawsuit and the pending appeal of the labor commissioner’s ruling mean the dispute will continue to play out in both administrative and court settings. The next procedural steps will hinge on the court’s view of jurisdictional and procedural limits tied to the commissioner’s earlier decision and whether the civil complaint states a viable legal claim for additional relief.