[buttmunch]

Michael Jackson's father may have been cut out of the pop star's final will, it has been revealed.

A will drafted by Jackson in 2002, believed to have been his last, has emerged which shares his multi-million pound estate between his mother, three children and a number of charities.

Jackson had a chilly relationship with his 80-year-old father, who he accused of abusing him as a child.

Business associates think it unlikely that he would have ceded financial control or custody to him.

Last night, Jackson's former lawyer, John Branca, emerged to claim he has the copy of the will and he will be filing it with the court later this week.

The news will add further complexity to what is already certain to be a protracted and costly court battle over Jackson's assets and £500million debts.

The news came as Jackson's mother was granted temporary custody of her three grandchildren in the first of a string of court hearings certain to be held in the aftermath of the singer's death.

Katherine Jackson, 79, also filed court papers in Los Angeles last night to take control of her son's tangled estate.

The legal moves – like much else that has happened in the wake of Jackson's death last Thursday – were shrouded in confusion and uncertainty.

The Jackson children, at least, now know who will be taking care of them until August 3, when their grandmother will make her case to be their permanent guardian.

There is also the possibility that the mother of the youngest child, Prince Michael II, nicknamed Blanket by Jackson, may emerge to reclaim the boy.

The surrogate mother, thought to be from Europe, has never been identified and the box for the mother's name on the legal petition was marked 'none'.

According to the custody petition filed yesterday, it 'is not known at this time' whether Jackson's ex-wife Debbie Rowe – the mother of the two eldest children, – will try to claim custody.

Five years ago it was claimed that Debbie Rowe was also artificially inseminated by an anonymous donor before giving birth to Prince Michael, 12, and Paris, 11.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff denied Mrs Jackson's request to become administrator of the children's estates.

In court papers, she listed the estates' value as unknown.

The filing lists the children as living at the Jacksons' family compound in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles and adds: 'They have a long established relationship with paternal grandmother and are comfortable in her care.'

Given the secrecy surrounding Jackson's children throughout his life, it's no surprise there are questions about who will care for them.

Experts say the person who has the strongest legal claim to Jackson's two oldest offspring is Miss Rowe.

But she has indicated she may only ask for improved access, rather than full custody.

As for the youngest child, Jackson's wishes will be more influential, though until a will emerges, they remain unknown.

No executors have come forward and searches have failed to find any documents.

The singer hired and fired lawyers every few months and the family expected several to come forward with a will – but had heard nothing until Mr Branca's statement last night.

But, speaking outside a music awards tribute in Los Angeles on Sunday, Mr Jackson claimed he was following his son's wishes.

'We have the personal and legal authority to act, and solely Katherine and I have authority for our son and his children,' he said.

Jackson was £300million in debt but owned half of a vast back catalogue of music.

That is now said to be worth almost £1billion and is in a protected trust.

His creditors, including banks owed millions for mortgages that were never paid, are lining up to make claims on the estate.

But, with record sales now soaring and plans to turn his old home Neverland into a theme park, whoever gains control of his affairs could end up very wealthy.

Under Californian law, if no legal will surfaces his children will inherit the estate.

But Jackson's family and long-time associates are likely to make claims that could tie up the estate for years.

Miss Rowe married Jackson in 1996 but filed for divorce in 1999. She gave up her custody rights to the children, but petitioned to have those rights restored in 2003 after Jackson was arrested on child molestation charges, and an appeals court sided with her.

Michael Jackson's mother wins temporary custody of his three children | Mail Online

I hope that Katherine Jackson comes to her senses and does not allow her skeezeball husband come in and take over. I hope this time around she realizes the man is toxic.