Michael Jackson's Nephew Files to Keep Guardianship of His Youngest Son Blanket
Prince Michael Jackson, better known as Blanket, will remain under the guardianship of his uncle TJ Jackson for the next few months before he's able to be on his own.
According to court documents obtained by The Blast, TJ filed an updated Letters of Guardianship with the court this week. The filing is a bit of formality as TJ has been at least Prince's co-guardian since 2012.
The guardianship docs give TJ the option to extend the guardianship of Blanket past the age of 18 but he did not request that.
Instead, the doc says, "A guardianship of the person automatically ends when the child reaches the age of 18, is adopted, marries, is emancipated by court order, enters into active military duty, or dies."
Blanket will turn 18 next February.
The court filing also includes a document that lays out TJ's duties as a guardian.
Under the heading "fundamental responsibilities," the document states, "The guardian of the person of a child has the care, custody, and control of the child. As guardian, you are responsible for providing for food, clothing, shelter, education, and all the medical and dental needs of the child. You must provide for the safety, protection, and physical and emotional growth of the child."
The document also says that TJ is given "full legal and physical custody" and that "the child's parents can no longer make decisions for the child while there is a guardianship."
When Katherine Jackson first filed for guardianship of Blanket (as well as Paris and Prince) she stated that the children have “no relationship with their biological mother."
The document also outlines how the guardian is responsible for the child's education, housing and medical treatment and even holds the guardian "liable for the harm and damages caused by the willful misconduct of a child."
When Michael Jackson died in 2009, his mother Katherine was granted guardianship of all three of his children. T.J. was made a co-guardian of Blanket in August 2012 —Prince and Paris were over 18 by that point — and Katherine resigned her position as guardian a few months later, leaving TJ as the sole guardian of Blanket.
"Katherine is no longer needed to fulfill the duties that were necessary when joint-guardians were appointed on September 14, 2012," the court document read. "Given her own age and the fact that [Blanket] is now 15 years old, Katherine feels that TJ is able to assume all necessary responsibilities the guardianship."
