A judge denied Cher’s request for an emergency temporary conservatorship over her son Elijah Blue Allman on Friday after Allman appeared in a Los Angeles courtroom to oppose the move. The judge found Allman deserved more time to review his mom’s claims his life is at risk due to “severe mental health and substance abuse issues.” A follow-up hearing was set for Jan. 29.
Before the ruling was final, Cher’s lawyer argued in court that an expedited order was urgently needed “for the protection of Mr. Allman.” The lawyer said a trustee was on the verge of distributing money to Allman from the estate of his late father, famed musician Gregg Allman. In filings, Cher expressed concern that the money “immediately” would be “spent on drugs.”
“I’m not persuaded,” Judge Jessica A Uzcategui responded Friday. Uzcategui said that Cher’s lawyers had “refused to provide” case filings to Elijah’s personally selected lawyers on Thursday, instead dealing only with his court-appointed lawyer, who was relieved and replaced by his privately retained counsel at the hearing.
After the ruling, Cher’s lawyer asked the judge to state on the record that the court planned to take up the underlying merits of the “Believe” singer’s petition at the next hearing. “(We) hope that will be enough for the trustee to hold and wait” on the distribution, lawyer Gabrielle Vidal said.
Uzcategui added she would be “addressing the merits of the temporary conservatorship petition on January 29.” When Elijah’s lawyer asked the court to likewise delay the scheduled March hearing for a proposed permanent conservatorship, the judge denied that request.
In statements filed Thursday and Friday, Elijah said he’s been “clean and sober” for three months and that rushing the legal process would violate his due-process rights.
“Recently, I have been staying with my wife and before that I was in Mexico for approximately two months. My mother was — at the time that the petition was filed — aware that I was in Mexico prior to December 15, 2023,” he wrote in a statement filed Friday.
Allman, 47, confirmed that he had received an emailed copy of his mom’s petition on Dec. 31, but he denied receiving the supplementary paperwork explaining her side. “I therefore do not know the allegations of ‘good cause’ on which the court is expected to rely in deciding on the request for temporary conservatorship, which I naturally oppose,” he wrote.
In her petition, Cher said she only wishes to protect her son. “Petitioner loves Elijah immensely and has always acted with his best interests in mind,” her Dec. 27 filing reads. According to the paperwork, Elijah receives regular distributions from the trust established by his father. Cher estimated he receives $120,000 a year. “Given his ongoing mental health and substance abuse issues, Petitioner is concerned that any funds distributed to Elijah will immediately be spent on drugs, leaving Elijah with no assets to provide for himself, and putting Elijah’s life at risk,” her filing reads.
On Thursday, Cher asked the court to waive the five-day service requirement because she feared the worst if he received more money. Another one of her lawyers claimed Elijah suffers from “severe mental health and substance abuse issues” and is a danger to himself.
“As such, the appointment of a temporary conservator is urgently needed to receive the distribution owed to Elijah so that such funds can be held and managed for his benefit,” the Thursday filing read. Cher’s legal team, Loeb & Loeb, is the same firm that represented Britney Spears during much of her conservatorship.
Elijah declined to speak with reporters after the Friday hearing. He was accompanied by his formerly estranged wife, Marie Angela King. Elijah previously filed for divorce from King in 2021, but he filed for dismissal of his petition on Tuesday.
Cher is seeking to become the sole conservator of Elijah’s finances, arguing King shouldn’t be considered as a conservator for her husband because “their tumultuous relationship has been marked by a cycle of drug addiction and mental health crises.”
The conservatorship battle follows reports last year that Cher had hired four men to kidnap her son to keep him from reconciling with King. Cher shot down the rumor in a statement to People, calling it “not true.”