**Michael Jackson’s ex-wife Debbie Rowe is suing a woman for nearly $500,000 (£316,000) over claims she wanted money rather than custody of her children.**Rebecca White told the US TV show Extra that Ms Rowe was not interested in access to her two children with Jackson - Prince Michael, 12, and Paris, 11.
Ms Rowe sued over the comments in July, but Ms White failed to respond.
Her lawyers are now seeking a default judgment. A court hearing to decide the outcome is scheduled for November.
In legal papers filed in Los Angeles, Ms Rowe’s lawyers claim she should be awarded $490,000 (£300,000) in general and punitive damages.
The defamation and invasion-of-privacy action is seeking to recoup any money that Ms White may have been paid for her interview, Lawyers have estimated the fee to be $100,000 (£61,000).
They are also seeking $100,000 for emotional distress, $45,000 (£27,000) for medical and legal fees and $245,000 (£150,000) in punitive damages.
In the TV interview, Ms White claimed she had exchanged e-mails with Ms Rowe after Jackson’s death on 25 June.
Described on the TV show as a “close friend”, Ms White said Ms Rowe had emphatically stated she did not want custody of Jackson’s children.
Ms Rowe denies both sending e-mails to White and that they are friends.
The 50-year-old has some visitation rights with her children under an agreement with Jackson’s mother, Katherine.
No money is believed to have changed hands in the arrangement.