Cher’s son fights back in conservatorship battle

Cher’s son, Elijah Blue Allman, is reportedly fighting back in his conservatorship battle with his mother.

According to a new report by People Magazine – which has obtained court documents related to the case – Allman filed an objection to Cher’s request for a temporary conservatorship last Tuesday (April 9).

The son of Cher and her second husband Gregg Allman stated in his objection that feels he is not only not in need of a conservatorship, but also believes his mother would be “unfit to serve”. The push for the legal action from Cher comes following Allman’s previous battle with addiction and claims that he may be mentally unwell.

“My mother’s petition raises dual concerns that I suffer from some mental illness and that I live hand-to-mouth using my trust distributions to buy drugs and place myself in mortal danger,” Allman said in the filing (via The Independent).

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“As I have mentioned in previous pleadings, I have struggled with addiction, but I am not mentally ill.”

He continued, adding that he would rather solve his own problems, and claiming that he has already begun to do so by retaining counsel and an accounting firm to help him manage his finances.

The update on the case comes after reports emerged in January, when it was confirmed that Cher had been denied a temporary conservatorship over her son for the second time by the Los Angeles Superior Court.

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Cher and her son, Elijah Blue Allman
Cher and her son, Elijah Blue Allman. CREDIT: Barry King/WireImage

The hearing for the previous request for an “emergency conservatorship” took place on January 29, and followed on from a hearing from January 5, in which the judge delayed her ruling as Allman’s attorneys did not have enough time to prepare their case

During the proceedings, according to Associated Press, Cher’s lawyers argued that Allman had been getting support from people who “downplay the size of his problems.” Lawyer Gabrielle Vidal also added (per Rolling Stone) that beyond his addiction struggles, he “suffers from schizoaffective disorder that leads to periods of psychosis”, for which he is no longer receiving treatment from doctors.

These things combined, Cher’s team said, made Allman “too vulnerable” to receive an upcoming payment from a trust established by his father – the late Allman Brothers Band vocalist Gregg Allman – believing he might squander the money fueling his own substance abuse.

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They also stated that Cher was not looking to directly control Allman’s finances, but would accept a court-appointed fiduciary to manage them.

On the other hand, Allman’s lawyers argued that he had been attending sobriety meetings, getting treatment and reconciling with his estranged wife. Before the first hearing on January 5, Allman argued in a court filing that he had been sober for three months, was attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and was under the supervision of a doctor.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Jessica A. Uzcategui went on to say that she would consider a “larger, long-term conservatorship” at a separate hearing later in the year.