Katy Perry May Be Multitasking Between Tour And Court In Legal Battle With Bedridden Veteran

Katy Perry is no stranger to the spotlight, but this time, it is not the stage that is calling, it is the courtroom. 

The pop star has been ordered to testify in an ongoing legal battle over a Santa Barbara home purchase. With her nationwide tour kicking off in May, the scheduling conflict might cause significant complications. At the same time, Perry is fighting to keep her fiancé, Orlando Bloom, out of the legal fray.

The dispute centers on her business manager, Bernie Gudvi, who veteran Carl Westcott sued. The 85-year-old veteran claims he was under heavy medication when he agreed to sell his Santa Barbara home to Katy Perry. 

The case, which began in 2020 when Westcott sued Perry's business manager, has been delayed multiple times. While Perry is only required to testify for an hour regarding damages, the ever-shifting trial dates are making things difficult. 

The real challenge? If the trial drags on, Perry may be forced to juggle legal proceedings in the middle of her highly anticipated tour. The singer is set to hit the road starting May 7 in Houston, Texas, wrapping up in Miami on August 23. 

While she has a five-week break between her May 21 show in Dallas and her July 12 show in Phoenix, any court appearances during that window could disrupt her preparations. 

The latest postponement came after Westcott's attorney, Andrew J. Thomas, cited serious health issues, prompting a judge to grant another delay on January 29.

According to In Touch, the new trial date is now set for February 25, but with ongoing delays, it is uncertain whether this will stick. With no clear resolution in sight, Perry might soon find herself balancing legal testimony and stadium performances, all in the same season.

While requesting a trial delay due to serious health issues, Thomas argued that postponement would not impact Perry or her team, noting that she had already occupied the home since the summer of 2024.

He argued that since the dispute was now strictly about money, there was no urgency to proceed, and he was unable to prepare for court fully. In his words:

"The extant issues pertain solely to money and not to a delay in obtaining title or possession. Under these circumstances, continuing the trial and related deadlines, based on the medical unavailability of an ill trial lawyer in solo practice, results in zero prejudice to anyone."

The legal battle began when Westcott attempted to reverse the sale, claiming he was under heavy medication following surgery when he mistakenly agreed to the deal. 

However, Perry's team refused to back out, maintaining that the contract was legally binding. In November 2023, the court ruled in Perry's favor, declaring the sale enforceable and ordering Westcott to hand over the property. 

Perry's courtroom drama is heating up, not just over the disputed home sale but now due to a fiery battle between attorneys. 

As veteran Carl Westcott's lawyer, Andrew J. Thomas pushed for a delay due to serious health issues, Perry's business manager, Bernie Gudvi, got caught in the middle of a legal war of words.

Thomas insisted that Gudvi did not oppose postponing the trial but accused his legal team of exploiting his illness. 

He slammed Gudvi's lawyer for allegedly using the situation to gain an unfair advantage by attempting to exclude expert witnesses, a move he claimed "was clearly designed to prejudice the substantive rights of the ill attorney's client."

Gudvi's legal team, however, fired back, calling Thomas's motion misleading and filled with false claims. While they expressed well wishes for his recovery, they argued that he had ample time to address case matters before citing medical issues.

According to Gudvi's attorney, "It is unfortunate that the working relationship between counsel has now deteriorated into months of [Carl's] silence, delay, empty promises, and personal attacks."

Though they do not oppose a short postponement, they refuse to allow it to excuse what they call "months of total inactivity." He also pointed out that the case, which has dragged on for over four years, should have been resolved long ago. 

While all the drama ensues, Perry's lawyers are also pushing hard to exclude Bloom from testifying. The singer's legal team argued that her fiancé has no relevant knowledge of the case, which centers around the damages caused to the property before it was sold to Perry's business manager. 

The Blast reported that Gudvi's legal team supports this stance, asserting that expert testimony from the contractors who assessed the property is sufficient, without Bloom needing to be called to the stand. 

They maintained that Bloom's only connection to the case is his brief observations of "the scope of repairs and other work at the house."

They also pointed out that while Perry may testify "despite her limited knowledge of relevant facts in the damages phase, it is another to drag into these proceedings [Orlando], who has no demonstrated knowledge of any relevant facts and was not the subject of any discovery. [Katy's] family should be off-limits."

As Perry faced off in court over a controversial property deal, her legal challenges inadvertently fueled a significant legislative push aimed at protecting seniors from financial exploitation. 

The ongoing trial brought renewed attention to the Protecting Elder Realty for Retirement Years Act. The bill focused on preventing elder financial abuse, particularly in real estate transactions, and included vital provisions to safeguard vulnerable seniors. 

One of the key aspects of the Act is a 72-hour "cool-down" period, allowing individuals over 75 years old to cancel property sales without penalties. This measure is designed to give elderly homeowners the time and protection they need to make informed decisions and prevent exploitation. 

With Katy Perry's courtroom drama now intertwined with her upcoming tour, the star is undoubtedly facing one of her most challenging seasons yet.