In an attempt to settle the matter of guardianship for Michael Jackson's three children, Katherine Jackson and Deborah Rowe joined to seek a delay in a custody hearing. A guardianship hearing scheduled for Monday has been delayed for a week, an attorney said Friday. Until then, Katherine Jackson will remain the temporary guardian of her son's three children, 12-year-old Prince Michael, 11-year-old Paris Michael Katherine Jackson and 7-year-old Prince Michael II.
Court records show a judge granted the delay Friday afternoon. The hearing could have presented a showdown between Katherine Jackson and Rowe, who was married to the pop singer from 1996 to 1999.
Michael Jackson starred as the Scarecrow in the 1978 film 'The Wiz.'
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Oprah Winfrey interviewed Jackson in February of 1993.
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Time showed off an Andy Warhol portrait on a 1984 cover at the height of his 'Thriller' popularity.
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Michael Jackson is photographed with Brooke Shields in 1988.
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Michael Jackson hit the court with Michael Jordan during the video shoot for 'Jam' in 1992.
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Jackson attends a Pepsi press conference on February 3, 1992. Jackson accepted the largest individual sponsorship deal in history from Pepsi-Cola in 1983.
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Jackson performs during the halftime show at the Super Bowl XXVII in Pasadena in 1993. The halftime show was a ratings smash.
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Jackson and his wife Lisa Marie Presley kiss on the stage of Radio City Music Hall at the 1994 MTV Video Music Awards. "And they said he wouldn't last," Jackson joked.
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Wearing a black surgical mask, Jackson arrives with companion Debbie Rowe, mother to two of his children, at a performance of the play "Sisterella" in 1996.
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Michael Jackson with baby son Prince and mother Debbie Rowe on cover of OK! Magazine in 1997.
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Instead, the two sides are trying to broker an out-of-court settlement.
"We are pleased that the child custody hearing has been continued over until July 20th to further our progress and allow us to privately and amicably resolve this most important matter in a dignified manner for the benefit of the children first and all involved," L. Londell McMillan said in a statement to The Associated Press.
Attorneys for Rowe declined to comment on Friday. Requests to interview Rowe have also been denied.
Rowe has not indicated in court filings that she intends to seek custody. She is the mother of Jackson's two oldest children. The youngest child, known to his family as Blanket, was born to a surrogate mother who has never been identified.
In a will signed in 2002, Michael Jackson stated he wanted his mother to care for his children if he died. As a backup, he designated singer and longtime friend Diana Ross.
Rowe was not given any role in the will. While much has been made of her decision in 2001 to terminate her parental rights, that decision was overturned and she and Jackson reached an out-of-court settlement in 2006.
The details of that agreement have never been released and it is unclear when Rowe, 50, last saw Jackson's children.
