Grammy Award-winning singer Kelly Clarkson has filed a new lawsuit in Los Angeles court, seeking a ruling that her ex-husband Brandon Blackstock and his management firm, Starstruck Entertainment, violated state labor rules throughout their professional relationship. This latest legal maneuver is an extension of the ongoing legal battle between the former couple, who divorced in 2022 after seven years of marriage.

In her latest lawsuit, Clarkson is requesting the court to order the return of all commissions, fees, profits, advances, producing fees, and other monetary payments she made to Starstruck Entertainment dating back to 2007. This timeframe extends further than the previous judgment, which only covered the period from 2017 onwards. The lawsuit alleges that Blackstock's company unlawfully worked as unlicensed talent agents, booking business deals on Clarkson's behalf, in violation of California's Talent Agencies Act (TAA).

The legal disputes between Clarkson and Starstruck Entertainment emerged following their divorce. Starstruck sued the singer for millions of dollars in allegedly unpaid fees, claiming to have invested significant resources in Clarkson's career and contributed to her success. In response, Clarkson filed a complaint with California's Labor Commissioner, asserting that Blackstock and his company had acted as unlicensed talent agents.

In November, the Labor Commissioner, Lilia Garcia-Brower, ruled in favor of Clarkson, ordering Blackstock to repay over $2.6 million in commissions for deals he brokered, including her prominent role as a judge on The Voice. In December, Blackstock and Starstruck challenged the ruling, seeking a reevaluation by a Los Angeles judge instead of the Labor Commissioner. This pending case is scheduled for a hearing in August.

With her latest lawsuit, Clarkson aims to secure a court ruling affirming the findings of the Labor Commissioner. However, the new case also presents an opportunity for her to potentially expand on the Commissioner's decision, which, although ruling in her favor, did not fully support all of her claims against Blackstock and Starstruck. The Commissioner rejected Clarkson's demands for repayment of commissions earned from securing The Kelly Clarkson Show, as his involvement in that particular deal was deemed to comply with the law.

Representatives for Brandon Blackstock have not yet commented on the latest lawsuit. The divorce settlement between Clarkson and Blackstock was finalized in 2022, with Clarkson agreeing to pay her ex-husband monthly child support of $45,601 for their two children, along with a one-time payment of just over $1.3 million.

The ongoing legal saga between Clarkson and Blackstock highlights the complex and intertwined nature of their personal and professional lives. As the case proceeds, it remains to be seen how the court will decide on the new claims and if Clarkson will successfully retrieve the sought-after fees and commissions dating back to 2007.