Michael Jackson’s Companies Face Reinstated Sex Abuse Claims

Two of Michael Jackson’s corporations must defend claims that they negligently failed to protect two children from sexual abuse by the deceased singer.

The corporations aren’t excused from a duty to protect the alleged victims merely because Jackson was their sole owner, the California Court of Appeal, Second District said.

“It would be perverse to find no duty based on the corporate defendant having only one shareholder,” Judge Elizabeth A. Grimes said.

The companies—MJJ Productions Inc. and MJJ Ventures Inc.—had a duty to protect the victims due to a “special relationship” based on their age, Grimes said.

The court rejected ...