Kelly Clarkson Faces Setback in Ongoing Divorce Battle

NBC Kelly Clarkson as a coach on 'The Voice.'

Kelly Clarkson is facing another bump in the road amid her ongoing divorce from ex-husband Brandon Blackstock. According to Us Weekly, Blackstock will not be evicted from the former couple’s Montana ranch, which has long been a source of controversy.

A source told Us Weekly, “Kelly recently had a major legal setback in a bid to get Brandon evicted from the Montana property that the judge awarded solely to her. He has been living in it and said he doesn’t have the financial means to afford to purchase a residence of his own at this time, citing the unresolved financial aspect of their divorce.”

According to the outlet, Blackstock has been living in the couple’s Montana home since their separation. It was after Clarkson was unable to sell the property in August 2021 that Blackstock was “ordered… to pay the maintenance fees associated with the property.” The outlet added, “If he fails to keep up with the payments, Clarkson can file another motion to sell.”

Here’s what you need to know:

Documents Cited ‘Irreconcilable Differences’ as the Reason for the Divorce

In June 2020, Us Weekly reported that Blackstock and Clarkson were separating after seven years of marriage.

Documents obtained by the outlet confirmed the reason for the split was “irreconcilable differences.”

At that time, a source told Us Weekly, “They clashed on so many levels, and being in quarantine together heightened their problems to the point of no return. So she filed for divorce.”

Another source added, “Everyone thought Kelly and Brandon had the perfect marriage, but they definitely didn’t. Brandon’s very laid-back, whereas Kelly’s pretty high-strung.”

Clarkson Was Forced to Pay Blackstock $200,000 in Child Support

On July 28, 2021, TMZ announced that Clarkson had been ordered to pay Blackstock nearly $200,000 each month in spousal and child support.

The outlet wrote, “According to the docs, Brandon will get $150k in spousal support and $45,601 for their 2 kids. Hard to think of that huge amount as a discount for Kelly, however … Brandon had requested $436k per month. So, with that in mind, it’s a bit of a win for KC.”

Clarkson, according to the outlet, had previously received primary custody of their kids, River and Remy. Blackstock is also a father to two kids from his first marriage to Melissa Ashworth.

In August 2021, TMZ reported that the former couple’s prenup was upheld by a judge. TMZ later reported that Clarkson was on the set of “The Voice” when she learned the news, and she “celebrated” upon reading the email by letting out “a scream.”

According to TMZ, in trial, Clarkson’s lawyer stated that both had willingly signed the prenup and it should therefore be honored. The judge eventually sided with Clarkson, denying Blackstock’s pleas to split the former couple’s properties and income earned during the marriage.

Clarkson recently took home her fourth “Voice” trophy as a judge after the trio Girl Named Tom was named the winners of the latest season. She had previously won the reality show with Brynn Cartelli, Chevel Shepherd, and Jake Hoot.