Cher's Son's Wife Seeks Control Over Conservatorship

A legal battle over the care and finances of Cher's son has taken a dramatic turn as his wife challenges the legendary entertainer's bid for conservatorship control.

Marieangela King, 39, filed court documents in Los Angeles on Tuesday, August 18, objecting to the 80-year-old singer's appointment of a probate conservator for Elijah Blue Allman, 50. King has nominated herself for the role, arguing that Cher has maintained years of estrangement from her son and that the conservatorship petition represents an unwelcome intrusion into their marriage.

The filing accuses Cher of demonstrating a pattern of hostility and gatekeeping by deliberately excluding King from discussions about Elijah's care. King contends that family members have repeatedly attempted to impose legal restraints on Elijah without her knowledge, including conservatorship efforts and guardianship petitions filed by his estranged siblings Devon Allman and Chaz Bono in New Hampshire courts.

According to the court documents, Elijah is currently confined to a secure psychiatric facility under long-term involuntary institutional care in New Hampshire. He remains in state custody while facing ongoing criminal and mental competency proceedings. King argues that because the New Hampshire State Hospital has initiated guardianship proceedings, legal jurisdiction belongs in that state rather than California.

King is requesting that the California court dismiss or stay the conservatorship petition, asserting that Elijah maintains no permanent residence or ties to California and has no plans to return to the state. She claims that when the initial case was filed in 2023, Cher failed to properly serve either Elijah or herself despite the couple maintaining regular contact with the star through her staff and routinely visiting her home to collect mail.

The legal maneuvering comes after King dismissed her divorce petition for the second time in June. She had previously sought a court order for $70,000 in unpaid spousal support but withdrew both claims at what she describes as Elijah's urging. In the new filing, King states she took these actions to support her spouse and ensure his well-being during treatment.

Court documents from April 2024 reveal that Elijah himself objected to his mother serving as his conservator. In those filings, he stated that Cher was not entitled to priority because he was married and declared her unfit to serve. He maintained that his wife held priority for the conservator role.

The April documents included statements from Elijah acknowledging his struggles with addiction while denying mental illness. He expressed understanding that his mother's intentions were not malicious, noting that as a wealthy entertainer, she had no need for the comparatively modest sums he receives from his late father's trust. However, he characterized her belief that controlling quarterly trust distributions would prevent self-destructive behavior as misguided.

Cher and Elijah reached a settlement shortly after those filings. The singer revived the conservatorship petition in April of this year following Elijah's arrests in February and March. He faces charges including simple assault, criminal trespassing, criminal threatening, and burglary stemming from two separate incidents at a private boarding school and residential home in New Hampshire.

In her objection, King describes the relationship between mother and son as extremely poor with many unresolved trust issues spanning years of estrangement. She alleges a conflict of interest, claiming Cher has repeatedly attempted to confine Elijah against his will and has refused to cooperate with her in developing a long-term care plan for his recovery.

King further alleges that Elijah's brother Devon told her the family has no interest in getting Elijah into treatment. She accuses Cher and her associates of using money, fame, and resources to manipulate medical providers and interfere in the marital relationship in ways contrary to Elijah's best interests and against his will.

The filing characterizes Cher's conduct as a calculated pattern of intentional prejudice and hostility aimed at dismantling the marital unit. King asserts that for years, Cher has systematically excluded her from all discussions, medical assessments, and care planning decisions regarding Elijah, contrary to her rights and responsibilities as his spouse.

King expresses concern that appointing a conservator selected by Cher would be viewed by Elijah as punishment rather than assistance, potentially jeopardizing his recovery given his fragile mental state. She maintains she is ready, willing, and able to serve as conservator and will stabilize expenditures while addressing outstanding financial issues.

Cher's legal team counters in documents filed in July that California jurisdiction should remain in place. They note that Elijah is involuntarily incarcerated in New Hampshire, has never maintained an address there, and his family and friends reside in California, including his wife. The attorneys question whether the reconciliation between Elijah and King is genuine or merely a strategic maneuver, pointing out the apparent contradiction between claims of reconciliation and assertions that Elijah does not intend to return to California where his wife lives.

According to King's filing, Elijah's primary income sources include gifts from his mother, payments from her trusts, and distributions from family trusts established by his late father. She argues that because he is currently confined under state supervision, there is no risk of him misusing or mismanaging funds.