Michael Jackson's mother Katherine on Monday won temporary guardianship of the late singer's children and control of his estate as a legal battle over his kids, money and belongings began to take shape. Katherine Jackson won the first round in what could become a protracted fight over an estate estimated to be valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Attorney L. Londell McMillan, who said he was Katherine Jackson's legal counsel, issued a statement late on Monday saying the family was pleased with the judge's rulings. It is unclear if Jackson drew up a will before he died. Questions about the singer's health prior to his death resurfaced Monday when Celebrity Website TMZ.com reported that Los Angeles County coroner officials returned to Jackson's rented home looking for more medication. Four days after the singer's death from cardiac arrest, his father, Joe Jackson said the family was awaiting results of a second, private autopsy, and he expected to get details “real soon.” He said funeral arrangements had not been made. “We don't have a timeframe for that (the funeral) because I want to see how this autopsy is coming out,” Jackson said after a family meeting at his home in suburban Los Angeles. Two autopsies have been carried out on Jackson's body, one by the coroner's office and a second by a private pathologist. In her court filing, Katherine Jackson said she was seeking control of funds “for the exclusive use of the decedent's children” and was concerned about bank accounts controlled by unnamed “third parties.” Jackson was reported to be as much as $500 million in debt when he died, but his estate has been estimated at $1 billion or more and is likely to rise following his death. Court papers list the value of the estate as “unknown.” “Whoever has ultimate custody of these children, who are probably going to be the beneficiaries of his estate, will get control of his money to care for the children. So to that extent, whoever the permanent guardian will be will have tremendous sums of money to take care of the children,” entertainment attorney Jerry Reisman told Reuters. Jackson's court filing indicated the “Thriller” singer died without a will, but media reports said a former Jackson lawyer, John Branca, possessed a will signed by the pop star. The 2002 will divides Jackson's estate between his mother, three children and one or more charities, and that his father, Joseph Jackson, apparently does not feature. Branca did not return calls on Monday.
