Lisa Marie Presley’s post-nuptial agreement with her estranged husband did not give her an unfair advantage in the estranged couple’s divorce, according to new court papers filed by her attorney.
“On its face, the agreement is valid and enforceable and represents a carefully bargained-for agreement between spouses to modify property rights and waive spousal support,” Presley lawyer Gary Fishbein says in court papers filed Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court regarding the upcoming trial of issues between his client and Michael Lockwood. “There are no provisions in the agreement that give one party an advantage over the other.”
The evaluation contrasts with that presented by Lockwood’s lawyer, Jeff Sturman, who stated in court papers filed Thursday that the post-nuptial agreement is not valid or enforceable because it gives Presley an unfair advantage.
Lockwood and Presley have twins, Harper and Finley. He alleges he has been left broke by the couple’s breakup.
“Moreover, it would be unconscionable to enforce the post-nuptial agreement at this time because that would leave (Lockwood) impoverished, as he has been since the parties separated in June 2016,” Sturman’s court papers state.
Sturman further maintains that Lockwood was blindsided by the monetary agreement he signed.
“The evidence will show that the post-nuptial agreement was presented to (Lockwood) on the day that he signed it,” Sturman’s court papers state. “He had not read it. It was not the product of negotiation. It provided respondent with no benefits.”
Instead, the agreement implies that Lockwood is waiving his rights to spousal support,’ according to Sturman’s court papers.
But in his court papers, Fishbein says Lockwood’s arguments have no merit.
“In other words, (Lockwood) is asking the court to disregard the law, disregard the facts, disregard the language in the agreement and then find the agreement unenforceable because (Lockwood) cannot remember what happened,” Fishbein’s court papers state. “Unfortunately for (Lockwood), the law is not on his side.”
If claiming ignorance … were grounds to void a contract, “then virtually no contract would be safe from attack,” Fishbein states in his court papers.
But in his court papers, Sturman says “there is no doubt the court should determine that the post-nuptial agreement is invalid and unenforceable” and that the evidence will prove that assertion at trial.
“Any other result will be unjust and inequitable,” Sturman’s court papers state.
Presley, 50, and Lockwood met in 2003 when she hired him as musical director for her band and for her first record, Fishbein’s court papers state. She paid him $3,500 weekly and the two agreed he would not work for anyone else, Fishbein’s court papers state.
Presley filed for divorce in June 2016.
Trial of the issues is scheduled to begin Aug. 13 before Judge Dianna Gould-Saltman.