Debbie Mathers' lawyer summed it up: "She just doesn't get a break."
First, Eminem's mother saw an $11 million pair of defamation lawsuits against her son result in a settlement for a mere $25,000. This week, she was told she'll be getting only $1,600.
If that's not enough, she claims she was going to drop the lawsuit, and
her former lawyer continued with it after she fired him in April. In addition, she said
she never agreed to the settlement (though an answering machine message she
left Eminem's lawyer convinced a judge otherwise in June).
The latest twist in Mathers' case came Monday, when Macomb County Circuit Court
Judge Mark Switalski ruled that $23,354.25 of the $25,000 settlement should
go to Fred Gibson, Mathers' former attorney.
Gibson served as the attorney to Mathers' ex-husband John Briggs in criminal
matters last year, and Mathers signed a contract saying she would cover the
costs — possibly with her then-pending lawsuit against Eminem — if Briggs
could not do so himself.
Michael Marsalese, Mathers' current lawyer, said Gibson is not entitled to
the Mathers money for his work with Briggs because he could not show that
he tried to collect it from Briggs first.
"Why would he when it is so much easier for him to just take it from
Debbie?" Marsalese said. "I just don't believe the law supports that."
Marsalese said he plans to file a motion to Switalski for reconsideration.
Gibson was in court Wednesday (August 8) and not available for comment.
Eminem, whose real name is Marshall Mathers, first rapped about his mother in
his debut single, "My Name Is," claiming, "My mom smokes more dope than I
do." Shortly after the song became a hit, she sued her son, claiming she was
slandered on his album and in interviews he did with Rolling Stone,
The Source, and Rap Pages magazines and on the nationally syndicated
"Howard Stern Show" (see "Eminem Sued By His Mother For $10 Million").
Mathers signed a $25,000 settlement in May, then later said she was
pressured into settling the case for the small amount. Switalski ruled that
she clearly accepted the terms of the settlement after hearing a message she
left for Eminem's lawyer, Peter Peacock (see "Judge Decides Against Eminem's
Mother In Defamation Suit").
Switalski recently denied Marsalese's motion to reconsider that ruling.
Mathers told the Detroit Free Press that she is writing a book about
her life raising Eminem.