Katherine Jackson Granted Full Custody of Michael Jackson's Children Posted at 8/03/2009 03:47:00 PM 0 comments (+) Custody of Jackson children granted to grandmother. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Michael Jackson's mother gained permanent custody of her late son's children during a hearing Monday that included a surprise objection from the pop icon's former dermatologist.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff made a series of key rulings during the morning portion of the Monday hearing. In addition to approving Katherine Jackson's guardianship petition, he also granted monthly stipends to the 79-year-old and the three young grandchildren she is now charged with raising.

Katherine Jackson's approval as permanent guardian is in accordance with her son's wishes, who named her in a 2002 will as the person he wanted to raise his children. Beckloff noted that the singer's two oldest children, 12-year-old Prince Michael and 11-year-old Paris Michael, filed declarations stating their wishes for who would raise them. He did not indicate what they said.

Last week, Katherine Jackson and the singer's ex-wife Deborah Rowe reached an agreement over custody issues. Rowe, who did not appear in court Monday, never formally petitioned for custody, but will receive some visits with Jackson's two oldest children, to whom she gave birth while the couple were married in the late 1990s. [SOURCE]

Labels: hollywood buzz