A Los Angeles court has dismissed efforts by Jane Schenck, mother of the late pop star Aaron Carter, to block the closure of her son's estate, siding instead with his ex-fiancée Melanie Martin.
According to court documents, a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge determined the estate was insolvent and ordered the distribution of its non-cash assets to Martin. The ruling effectively ends Schenck's legal challenge, which centered on allegations that the estate trustee had undervalued Carter's music royalties and that Martin had made unauthorized withdrawals from the singer's accounts.
Schenck had claimed Martin withdrew $24,530 from Carter's accounts without authorization. However, in her court filing, Schenck acknowledged Martin's role as a good mother to their grandson, Prince, and admitted her own part in the strained relationship between the two women.
"Jane is uninformed on Aaron’s financials," Martin previously told TMZ, noting that Carter had given her his LOVE business and that they maintained joint accounts.
Despite her legal challenge, Schenck stated she did not wish to cause "legal harm" to Martin but requested that Martin not be appointed as trustee for Prince's trust.
Aaron Carter, who rose to fame in the late 1990s and early 2000s with hits like "I Want Candy" and "Aaron's Party (Come Get It)," died on November 5, 2022, at age 34. The court's decision brings closure to one of several legal matters surrounding his estate.