LOS ANGELES, Feb. 16 (UPI) -- A California appeals court has opened the door for a possible custody battle between Michael Jackson and Debbie Rowe for their two children.
The appeals court overturned a lower court's termination of Rowe's parental rights to Paris Michael Katherine Jackson and Michael Joseph Jackson Jr., CNN reported Thursday.
Rowe gave up her parental rights in October 2001 but changed her mind and sought a custody hearing after Jackson was charged with child molestation in California. Although he was acquitted in criminal court, Rowe said she was concerned about his possible relationship with the Nation of Islam.
"Because she is Jewish, Deborah feared the children might be mistreated if Michael continued his association with the Nation of Islam," the appeals court noted.
The appeals court also said there was no investigation into the best interests of the children back when the termination was set and no attorney was ever appointed to represent the children.
Rowe's attorney told CNN she will now ask a family court judge to decide how to split the children's time between their parents.
Jackson took his two children by Rowe and a third child of undetermined parentage to Bahrain after his acquittal and reportedly has said he would not return to live in the United States.
